When Is A Good Time Kids To Start Surfing

When is My Child Ready to Start Surfing?

With so many great beaches in the UK, a great number of us choose to spend our holiday right here at home. It’s often much cheaper than heading abroad, meaning we can stay for longer, or indulge in more activities whilst we are there.

 

The UK offers a great number of surfing locations to be enjoyed; including Cornwall, Ireland and the West Coast of Wales. Beach holidays are definitely a family friendly event – but at what age can you introduce your kids to surfing?

 

Surfing is a great sport for anyone to be involved in; it keeps you fit, is sociable and is often something you take from childhood into an adult hobby too. But it does have its risks, meaning we can be unsure just when it is safe for our kids to try it for the first time.

 

There is no correct age to introduce your child to surfing – you can stand little ones up on the board in waist deep water, always keeping safety in mind. As soon as they are confident in the water and express interest in the sport, you can look into surfing schools that specialise in children that age and get them out on their own.

 

Age six seems to be a good age for children to discover boogie boarding, and catch smaller waves – however all children must be confident, understand the dangers of rip tides and remain supervised at all times in the ocean. By age eight most children who love boogie boarding and being in the ocean will already be asking for a board.

 

Once a child has been exposed to boogie boarding and the open water for a year or two, a soft top surf board is often the next step. It is inevitable that they will bumped a couple of times by the board, so leave the hard tops until they are skilled and comfortable. 

 

A six foot foam style surfboard will be perfect for any child between 8 and 12 who is new to the sport.

Surfers: Using Social Media to your Advantage

Surfers: Using Social Media to your Advantage

In a world where even what we have for breakfast is shared on Social Media, an increasing number of people are joining the amateur photography movement in order to share their day to day lives.
Whilst the majority of Instagram users only post selfies, snaps of their meals and various views from throughout their day, for example, the morning commute, there is a new breed of social media “stars” who dedicate all of their posts to extreme sports.

Most people are unaware, but being smart about your social media, could open a lot of doors for you. If you’re into photography, film and most importantly social media – you could easily start to see great advantages of having a big following on social media platforms.

For example, once you have a specific number of followers, you may find you are contacted by big brands in the business who want their followers to see you in their clothing – a little advertising for them, a lot of free goodies for you.

Investing in a Go Pro can help you take the best shots whilst in action, ready to be edited and shared on social media as soon as you arrive home. Whilst you might not make enough to be able to live off your profits, not having to buy things like board wax, board shorts and branded tees can give you a little cash in your pocket that can be put towards other things like a new board or wetsuit!

How to choose the right surfboard

What is the Difference between a Long Board and Short Board?

When choosing a new surfboard it is essential to choose the right one for you, so you can get the most use out of it as well as surfing to the best of the your ability. Often those new to surfing buy a board similar to the one they learned one – and whilst that isn’t a bad idea, sometimes opting for a longer or shorter board can improve your surfing skills.
When choosing whether to opt for a long or short board, it is important to take into consideration your height and weight – a long board for one surfer, might be a short board for another.

Long Board Pros:

    •    Often more stable than a short board.
    •    It is easier to lean on for direction.
    •    A lot easier to paddle and catch waves.

Long Board Cons;

    •    Less easy to radically turn (especially for those new to the sport).
    •    Rider will need to be confident with steeper waves.
    •    Rider will need to be able to generate speed.

Short Board Pros;

    •    Able to turn more radically.
    •    Better suited to steeper waves.
    •    A “pro” board – those who excel in the sport will perform well on a short board.

Short Board Cons:

    •    Much harder to paddle.
    •    Less stable especially for beginners.
    •    More volatile in terms of movement.

If you’re still unsure about what surfboard is best for you and your ability, ask your questions on our social media pages, or visit our website for contact details.

We Help You In Choosing The Correct Wetsuit.

How to Choose the Right Wetsuit

There are many factors to consider when choosing a new wetsuit; from where you wish to go to how long you wish to be in the water - there are many questions you need to ask yourself to ensure you make the most of your money.
For most people a wetsuit is an investment they hope to last a set period of time, choosing the wrong wetsuit can mean needing a new one sooner than expected – or worse, feeling disappointed from the start.
Firstly it is important to consider what time of year you will be taking part in water sports activities. If you don’t plan on being in the water in the winter, you can get away with a thinner suit – however if you plan on taking part all year round you might want to consider opting for two of varied thickness.
Secondly you need to consider the usage of your suit – will you be heading down to the beach every weekend with your friends, or will you only use it during your yearly holiday? The more time you spend in the water, the better wetsuit you will need – we offer a variety of wetsuits for a range of usages.
It is a good idea to look into the temperature of the water bodies you will frequent most, taking an average will ensure you choose the correct thickness for the water temperature. If the water is below 5c it is best to have a wetsuit of 6mm plus, whilst if it is under 10c you will need 5mm and in the summer months a suit of 2mm or 3mm will do the job.
Most wetsuits are designed to work for a period of three hours before they lose their warming ability, but choosing the wrong size suit can ensure it happens dramatically quicker. The wrong size wetsuit will cause cold water to constantly flush into the suit, displacing the warmed water – a perfectly fitting suit will not allow this to happen.
The perfect fitting wetsuit can make all the difference to your water sports activities – visit our site today to explore our extensive collection.

Rip Curl Wetsuit Saves My Leg

Michelle Forsbray, Tells Her Story Of How Wetsuit Saves Her Leg.

On Ssturday 6th Dec, I went for a surf at Bournemouth, it was a lush day with great surf.

Super Duper sunny.

However it all went wrong:

I remember making a decision before I went out on which winter suit to wear. I have a Rip Curl Flash Bomb, Rip Curl 5"3 from a few years ago & a O Neill Synergy.
All purchased at my local surf shop "Sorted" :0))

I nearly went for the Synergy as its not uber cold yet & want to get the full benefit of the G Bomb when it gets colder, as it is toasty, drys quick & I can stay in the water longer.

Haha.. I went for toasty G Bomb, im a light weight I know!

Well that decision probably saved my life!

I was on my way outback & a wave was just about to crash on me, I jumped with my board at my side but the sheer power of the wave took the board out of my hands. The next thing I felt was a big wrench to my leg and suit. I instantly knew it was bad!
I grabbed my leg and asked my friend to grab my board..

I could hardly walk & just wanted to put pressure on the affected area.

 

I asked my friend if my suit was ripped. I knew it was but couldn't look. She looked and said u need to get to the van & I will call ambulance it looks pretty bad.

I got to the van where her 7 yr old son was. He was wearing his life guard hoody. Bless him I said Leo u may need to be chief lifeguard now!

Before I sat down zoe said I need to see your leg. I took down my suit, saw a glimpse of the inside of my leg & couldn't look any more.
Zoe then looked, grabbed the phone and called 999.

I just held my leg as tight as I could. I had my Rip Curl Flash Bomb wetsuit on over it, which added pressure and cover it, & also put on my Wave Project Hoody to keep warm.
I could not look at the wound and knew I had to stay in control
& not go into shock.

Zoe was finding it hard to get a good reception when talking to A&E, I was getting worried and said please get Tom from Surf Steps.

 

Zoe's son Leo knows him & Zoe asked him to get Tom, a member of the public was walking by at the time & said I will go with him.

Leo went straight to the office where and said my mums friend is injured we need Tom. Tom was in the water taking a lesson, his colleague called him in & he ran straight to me with Leo.

By the time Tom got to me another member of the pubic, who was a A&E nurse from up North was with me,.(She was a life saver) Thank you :0)

Zoe was still on the phone.
She said I need to see your wound so I can talk to paramedics.

I let her take down my suit..
I could not look & just squeezed Toms hands..

She then spoke to them and said its pretty deep. She said to me, I may need to stay overnight as it is quite deep & may need washing out properly. (Worst case scenario)

Both Tom & the lady said we need to get the wetsuit off otherwise it will be cut off..

It's a thick suit & very tight, apparently it was not a easy job as my leg was stuck to it & flesh coming out of my leg. I saw some on the floor of the van. Gross!!!

They got it off plus my 7mm Flash Bomb Boots.. (Which I struggle to get off myself)

Toms circulation in his hands had pretty much been cut off by the time they had finished as I squeezed them so tight.

I kept calm, In fact we all did.

The nurse then got dome dressing until a&e turned up.
Firstly a quick responder then the ambulance.

I was then taken to hospital.

I had 10 stitches... & it then bled a lot once at hospital and no pressure on it.

The Doctor said I was really lucky as it was right nr my artery & very deep.

The next day I got an infection and after speaking up my sister who is a Doctor went back to A&E.
They re dressed the wound, gave me stronger antibiotics and crutches.

9 days later I had my stiches out! I didn't want them out. But it was time to.

I then cried for the first time!
Baby I know, I locked myself in the toilet at the Docs & cried!
Haha... I just wanted the stiches to stay in. It felt safer.

Part of the wound was still open & by the next day I was back to the nurse as more of it had opened.
I had the sticky stitches on for 2 weeks & had them taken off on Xmas Eve.

I have also got three blood clots in my veins above the wound, where I think the area was traumatised as that part was very bruised after the accident. I am going to request a ultra sound scan as I am a Airline Stewardess & a bit worried re flying.

Tom has fixed my Flash Bomb wetsuit.

The hole in my suit is in the lower part if the leg, right near a seam. Nowhere near the injury.

I think my suit saved my life! If that seam had not been there, I would have been in a much worse state for sure.

The fin must have wrenched itself up & then injured me.
The injury is on the upper inside of my knee to half way up my leg.

I have looked at my other winter suit & keep doing so, as honestly if I had worn that I perhaps would not be here now.

Thank you Rip Curl for making such a great suit.

Wetsuit Review Of The O'Neill Epic Wetsuit 2015

Wetsuit Centre Reviews The New O'Neill Epic Wetsuit.

O'Neill from the humble beginnings of Jack O'Neill making his very first wetsuit have never stopped in the quest to produce the best and warmest suit to keep you in the water for longer.

The best selling suit is still the O'Neill Epic and for very good reason. It simply keeps getting better and better in terms of materials used and warmth features added each year. Now for summer 2015 O'Neill have yet again stepped up the game on having the best suit on the market at the best price point. As this year the suit is using 100% super stretch material throughout the entire suit. This means that you have unrestricted movement in every panel of the suit and the more flex you have the better it fits and the less tired you become in the water. As O'Neill are all about staying in the water for as long as possible this is certainly a suit worth considering.

Wetsuit Centre takes a look at what is new for the Epic 3mm wetsuit in 2015 and what this means to all of us that use the products. We try to give this review an unbiased view on what is good and bad with the suit and get some time to explain the jargon and technical features. We test all the products as year on year they do change so it is useful to find out what is new.

How Does A Wetsuit Work & What Is Difference Between Winter & Summer.

Wetsuits For All Seasons

How Does A Wetsuit Work?

A wetsuit is a very clever invention designed to keep you warm even in the coldest of waters. The very first wetsuit was invent was by Jack O’Neill a surfer from California that wanted to surf in the winter months when the water got colder. His passion for the water led to the very first two-piece wetsuits, which he stitched together from pieces of neoprene.  From that day the evolution of the wetsuit began and today the technology that goes into these wetsuits is unbelievable with every brand trying to make the warmest and lightest wetsuits possible.

Wetsuits works by trapping the water between the neoprene and your body and warming that water to your body temperature. That trapped water then remains at that constant temperature for up to 4 hours depending on the water temp. Some features have enhanced the warmth by having very high quality neoprene that is so flexible that it moulds to you body shape and the better it fits the warmer you will be as there is no room for water to enter and sit making you cold. Even to the point where some wetsuits have air neoprene, which is small bubbles of air in the wetsuit and as air is a better conductor of heat it keeps you warmer for longer. Another addition is the smooth skin chest panel ,which basically stops cold winds from blowing through the wetsuit. This is great for sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing. So recent additions have also included thermal lining on the chest and kidney areas. This acts in a very similar way to thermal underwear but inside the wetsuit. It again traps warm body heat and reflects that back onto the crucial areas such as the chest and kidneys. Some designs have taken the wetsuit to a whole new level including the invention from Rip Curl in the Flash Dry lining. This is a combed back thermal layering that is featured throughout the Flash Bomb wetsuit and keeps your entire body as warm as possible. It also boasts that it dry’s in 15 minutes but that really depends on the outside air temp that you are drying the wetsuit in.

Back Zip or Chest Zip Wetsuits

A revolution has taken place over the last few years where by chest zip entry system wetsuits are becoming more popular than the traditional back zip versions. This is due to the wetsuit then becoming far more flexible without the restriction on the back zip. The only problem with a chest zip is they are far more difficult to get on and off but after you have done this a few times you learn the way best to get in and out.

Winter or Summer Wetsuit?

Summer

When it comes to getting a wetsuit for use in your water sport the first thing you need to consider is what time of year you will be using the suit?

As if you are thinking of using it in the summer months in either the UK or Europe then a 3/2 full is going to be the most cost effective way to purchase. As you will get far more use from a 3mm full in the months from April till December. The wetsuit is 3mm of neoprene in the body and 2mm on the arms, which is enough to keep you warm from about 15c up to 23c. Over that temperature you should buy a shortie 2mm wetsuit, this has short arms and legs so you have complete freedom of movement but stay warm if there is a slight chill. Even if the water gets warmer than that such as 24c plus then a neoprene vest and a pair of shorts is really all you need even on the cooler of days.

Winter

Winter is where your wetsuit really does need to be good, and it is worth spending the extra money to stay as warm as possible. Most winter wetsuits are 5mm or in the harshest of conditions 6mm on the body and 3mm on the arms. Things like thermal lining become a real benefit when the water is a cold 5c and below.  It’s not only a wetsuit you need when in these cold waters as you will also need wetsuit boots, gloves and hood. A good idea is to have 5mm boots, 3mm gloves and a 3mm hood. Having all these additions will make sure that your feet and hands stay warm as there is nothing worse than freezing cold hands and feet. The hood is vital as well as most of your body heat is lost through your head region so keeping this warm will keep you in the water for longer. A lot of people don’t like wearing hoods as it can make you feel restricted but if you can bear it then it will make the world of difference. Some really good brands to check out for winter is O’Neill for entry level at £130 to Psycho and Pyrotech at the £250 to £300 mark. Rip Curl offer the Omega at £99 to the Flash bomb at £300 mark. Where the technology has come on so much you really can stay warm in cold water and have so much fun. No need for you to hide in the winter anymore so get out there and have some fun.

Hope this article has been helpful to you and for any further advice please feel free to contact us.