Surfing in Isolation | Why I Surf

By Athair Baer
Today’s coffee & walk across the street to the rail above the sand at the Huntington shoreline is brought to you by a thin and glaring marine layer blocking the view of the Pacific Coast Highway – which offers a fun game of Frogger as I cross, dodging light traffic, and the guy unloading his giant board from the sup rack on his car.

Your Next Surf Trip | Travel to Mexico

By London O’Regan

Many people hear the word Mexico and the thought of poverty, violence, drugs, cartels, and theft come to mind. This is understandable with all the bad publicity the media has been giving Mexico, but is it really that bad? Here are a few reasons, from my personal travels, why I LOVE MEXICO!!! And you should consider it as a destination for your next surf trip.

How to Prevent Surfer's Ear | Cold Water Surf Tips

By Connley

I would like to start a new saying: Surfers have terrible hearing. Well, this is only true if you are part of a large group of cold water surfers that have the great condition called, “ Surfer’s Ear.” Multiple exostoses, or Surfer's Ear is where  exposure to wind and cold water causes the bone encasing the ear canal to grow and constrict the ear canal. These bony lumps will trap cold water from escaping the ear, thus feeding the abnormal growth and speeding up the exostoses process.

The Life of a Ski Bum | Pros and Cons of a Winter Working the Slopes

By Megan Maxwell

Have you been pondering the idea of becoming a ski bum, but you’re not sure if you're ready to pack up your snowboard travel case and head to the mountains yet? There are upsides and downsides to living and working in a mountain town.

Paddle Boarders vs. Surfers | Can they Coexist?

By Natasha Hamilton

     Surfing and feuding go together like peanut butter and jelly.  Well before the surfer, SUPer feud, there was the shortboard, longboard rukus of the 70’s and 80’s. So, what is behind this most recent skirmish?  

The No SUP sign at Matanza, FL

Surfboard Fin Setups Explained | The Fun in Experimentation

By Zac Heisey

Back in days before removable fin systems were an option, surfers had to think long and hard about their desired fin set-up when ordering a custom board. From the 1930’s through the early 70’s, the fin set-up of choice was the single fin. In the late 1970’s, Mark Richards and other surfers made the twin fin the fin configuration du jour. Then, in 1980, Australian surfer and shaper Simon Anderson changed the course of surfing for weekend warriors and high-profile pros alike when he created the three-fin thruster set-up. Today, the thruster is easily the most popular fin set-up, with nearly surfer in your local line-up rocking the three-fin cluster.

Surfing and the Fear of Missing Out on Waves

By Rick Bickerstaff
A friend sent me this picture earlier in the week with the caption, "Too bad we're at work...."

 

Winter X Games Aspen 2014 | Schedule and Preview

By Andrew Sachs
The Winter X Games are back in Aspen and Buttermilk Mountain for 2014.  The world's premier ski, snowboard and snowmobile athletes will all get together starting today, Thursday, January 23 through the weekend, vying to land the biggest tricks in search of gold.

Where to Live and Work in Telluride, Colorado | Ski and Snowboard Tips

By Megan Maxwell
So, you’re looking for a Colorado mountain town to call home? I spent an awesome winter living, working, and snowboarding in Telluride, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for the ski bum experience.

the beautiful town of Telluride

Packing for a Baja Surf Trip | Surf Travel Essentials

By Connley

If you are wondering what on earth you need to take on a surf trip through Baja California, you have come to the right place. Baja is home to some very rugged landscape. To get to some unbelievable surf you're gonna need to spend some long hours on dirt roads baking under the hot mexican sun. Believe me, it will all be worth it. So lets start with the most important thing you can carry with you. . .

Surfboard Shapes Explained | Longboards, Funboards, Shortboards, Guns, Fishes

By Rick Bickerstaff
Have you ever been in a conversation with an experienced surfer and heard, "what kind of board do you have?" You pause and break eye contact as insecurities set in...you have no idea what kind of board you have! All you know is that your old roommate left it on the balcony when he moved out, or that you found it in the dumpster one lucky evening before the trash man came. Maybe you're humble enough to admit, "I don't know." Only to hear, "Well, what size is it? What's the tail look like? Where did you get it?"

"Big...round...dumpster..." you reply, as you just realized you described a trash can, which is where this conversation is heading.

the Triple Cork vs. the YOLO Flip | the Biggest Snowboard and Ski Tricks

By Andrew Sachs
With snowboarding qualifying for the Olympics taking place, the Winter X Games next week and Sochi around the corner in February, we decided it was time to take another look at some of the winter snow sports' biggest tricks: the (1) Triple Cork and the (2) YOLO Flip.  If last year's winter competitions were any indication, competitors will be riding these 2 tricks to the top of the podiums all winter.

In addition to the explanations below, for a frame-by-frame breakdown of the tricks, check out:

• What's a Triple Cork | Breaking Down the Winter X Games' Biggest Trick
• What's a YOLO Flip | I-Pod's X Games Trick Explained

Surfboard Art | How to Design and Create a Surfboard Masterpiece

By Connley

There is nothing more mundane than a plain white board. The surfboard is one of the most pure canvases an artist could ask for, and if you are looking at your surfboard rack, thinking you need some style, you are in luck! I am going to walk you through 10 easy steps to make your shred stick into an amazing piece of artwork.

10 Fun Excuses to Get You Out of Work to Go Surfing

By Natasha Hamilton

It is that time of the year when the swells start cranking.  Unfortunately, the epic surf does not always wait for weekends.  Here are ten fun excuses to get you out of work and back in the water. 

10. My horoscope said that aliens were going to abduct me on the way to work and probe my brain for secret surfing tips to bring peace to their war torn planet.

9. My Aunt’s cousin’s turtle is locked outside and if we don’t get it in the house it will die.

The Wave that Got Away | Conquering Your Fear and Surfing Big Waves

By Rick Bickerstaff
It was a rainy day after Thanksgiving, and a friend had tipped me off to an incoming swell that would hit our home break. I didn't expect much, though, as the beach we often surf is rarely outstanding, but surfing sounded better than Black Friday shopping, so I headed to the beach.

Apparently my fear of water is greater than my fear of people's opinions, because I ended up grabbing my sister's NSP (I like to call it the Butterfly Racer - pictured below). It's wider than my short board, which helps in smaller waves, but still responsive enough to do some carving. I wouldn't advise you to go out and buy one by any means, but I've been surprised at how much fun I've had on this thing.

Riding the "Butterfly Racer" at Trestles...don't judge me.

5 Reasons Why Your Boyfriend is a Lousy Snowboard Instructor

By Megan Maxwell  

Learning how to snowboard can be a difficult and stressful time. You fall down every time you try anything new, and you limp home every time you get off of the slopes. Expect to be sore for the first three months of your learning experience.

In addition to being in physical pain for the majority of the ski season, your bank account will also be in pain. After spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on gear and lift tickets, you might not be keen to spend anymore.

6 Sins of Surfing | Unwritten Rules of Surfing

By Zac Heisey

Learning proper surfing etiquette is a major part of becoming a true surfer. It’s amazing how easy it is to spot offenders in the line-up once you know the rules. While slack should be given to beginners who are just starting to pick up the admittedly complex and sometimes fluid list of surfing do’s and don’ts, there are some surfing faux pas that won’t be tolerated. Below are seven of the more egregious offenses in surfing. If you can’t learn to follow these, then it’s probably best to keep your board stored safely on your surf rack.

How to Survive a Big Wave Wipeout | 3 Tips for Surfers

By Natasha Hamilton

Everyone will suffer several wipeouts.  It is part of paying your dues to surf.  Some wipeouts will be horrific and others will be funny bordering on silly.  In fact, the wipeout factor is the reason most veteran surfers love to take out newbies.  Rookie wipeouts provide some serious comic relief.  

even Kelly Slater wipes out

All kidding aside,  before you unstrap your board from your car surf rack, you need to understand that surviving big wave wipeouts is a little bit different than managing medium to small wave wipeouts.  

5 Tips for Planning an Awesome Surf Trip | Beware Surfboard Bag Fees

By London O’Regan

There is nothing better than an awesome surf trip where everything works out:  all your flights are on time, none of your bags/surfboards get lost or damaged, you score awesome waves, you don’t get sick, and all those other things that make a great surf trip.  But these kinds of surf trips don’t happen by accident - you have to put some planning in to make them great.  Here are 5 tips I’ve found in my travels that help make a great surf trip!

1. Know your destination. Before anything else, spend a good amount of time doing research on the destination you are planning to travel to. Know what the weather will be like, average swell size for the season, water temp, how to get to all the spots, etc. It also helps to get to know a little bit about the culture and people of the area. Try to memorize or at least write down a few key words in their local language such as please, thank you, restroom, beach/waves, and of course beer!

How to Become a Ski Bum or Snowboard Bum

By Megan Maxwell   

Living and working at a ski resort in the mountains might be one of the most fun ways to spend 5 months of your life. You belong to a small community of ski enthusiasts. You not only spend months in the mountains, but you get a free season pass as well.

A little bit of planning ahead will help you in your quest to be a ski bum. Here are 10 tips for landing a ski resort job, so you can spend your winter shredding the slopes.

3 Surf Tips for Catching Waves | Know Your Break, Board, and Body

By: Rick Bickerstaff

Let’s face it: surfing is a difficult sport. Those that are able to stand up and ride a wave their first day are few and far between; and rightfully so -- you’re practically walking on water! Being a skater or snowboarder certainly helps, but imagine riding a skate ramp that is constantly changing underneath you...that is surfing. But people do it, and do it well. So what’s their secret? 

Three helpful tips for catching more waves tips: 

(1) know your break 

(2) know your board

(3) know your body

Sunrise session on a weak swell? Better bring a longboard...

How to Duck Dive | 5 Tips for Learning How to Duck Dive

By Zac Heisey

Once you’ve upped your surf game to the point where you are comfortable taking on some larger waves, the difficult skill of duck diving becomes a necessity. Learning to properly execute a duck dive makes it easier to get outside on larger days, allowing you to test your skills in some bigger surf. While a certain amount of strength is necessary in order to duck dive, especially if you have a larger or thicker board, the most important part of successful duck dive is proper technique. Here we will discuss the basics of proper duck diving technique.

Photo Credit: Costa Rica Surf Institute

Surfing Central California | Advantages and Disadvantages

by Connley

Nothing makes me feel more at home than 55 degree water and 20 knot winds howling onshore . There is something beautiful about not feeling your feet after a short half hour of surfing, and wanting to throw up from the brain freeze induced coma of duck diving without a hood. On the Central Coast of California, we surf through these days with a smile, knowing that just around the corner there is off shore winds and sun ready to shine bright.

This coastline is full of surprises, and you never know what kind of conditions you might encounter. This is truly what makes it so great. It is always changing, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. I decided to break the central coast into its advantages and disadvantages, just in case you're thinking about planning a surf trip here.

4 Spots, 5 Years | Los Angeles' Most Popular Surf Breaks

By Rick Bickerstaff

Los Angeles is a tough town, full of cutthroat executives and self-preservationists living alongside an influx of dreamers that will do anything for free if it’s good for their career. LA will either make or break you...actually, even if it makes you there’s a good chance some breaking will still be involved. But as every surfer knows, a good break can be a wonderful thing (see what I did there?), and for me, the last four years have been marked by a different break every summer. So if you’re new to town, here’s the breakdown of what some of our most popular beaches have to offer.

El Porto

Training for Big Wave Surfing

By Natasha Hamilton

Surfing big waves is fun and scary all in the exact same moment.   The difference between surfing and big wave surfing is the same as the difference between being in little league or being in the pros.  

You can die or be seriously injured surfing big waves.  Mark Foo’s death at Mavericks and more recently Maya Gaberia’s accident at Nazare are prime examples of what can happen when you charge the dragon.  If you are going to pull your board off your car surf rack and tear into some big surf, you've got to make sure you're ready.  

To surf big waves, you will need to meet the following MINIMUM requirements:

(1) Swim at least 1 mile in open water

(2) Prone paddle your board at least 5 miles

(3) Hold your breath underwater with your eyes closed for at least 1 minute