Rather than sharing one detailed tip today, I’m instead sharing a few random things I’ve picked up from my years of surfing that I’ve wanted to share in this series but couldn’t justify doing a full post on.

So here ya go, 8 random tips & surf hacks to make your surfing life just a little bit easier:

1. stop tripping over your leash

The amount of people I see not doing this is mind-boggling, but after putting your leash on just grab the excess & hold it so you don’t trip over it. It’s such a simple thing, but could be the difference between you accidentally making it on @kookoftheday or not. This is especially helpful if you’re walking over rocks or reef.

2. say goodbye to slippery hands

There’s nothing worse than a slippery board so after putting on sunscreen, I always wash my hands with sand and saltwater to remove it before paddling out. I guess you could use a towel but then you have sunscreen all over your towel 🙃.

3. wet on wet, dry on dry

This is the only trick you need when putting on a wetsuit. People always talk about putting a plastic bag on your feet to help make it easier (which I agree works), but is anyone really doing this? Instead, match the wetness of your suit & it’ll go on no problem. If your suit is wet, wet your feet. Or if it’s dry, dry your feet & you’ll be sweet. Or keep your socks on if it’s winter time.

4. booties still wet? Do this.

During winter surfs our booties would almost never dry, so we slapped together an old computer fan with some pvc pipe for a DIY bootie dryer. Now they completely dry overnight through a gentle flow of steady air 🌬️ game changer ✊.

5. tangled leash? Don’t do this.

Contrary to how most people store their board & leash, I never wrap my leash around the tail of my board because it makes it extra coiled & sometimes can even put a kink in it. Which means it often gets tangled around your ankles when surfing & that’s a pain in the ass. So I just leave it unwrapped (which still coils it a little bit) or for longer storage I hang it vertically & let gravity keep it straight.

6. walk over shallow rocks/reef with confidence

This is another handy one when walking over shallow rocks or reef where some extra support would be handy to avoid falling. Flip your board over to keep your fins from scraping & use your board as support to stay balanced.

7. lock your boards with Kanu locks.

This was another game changer for us. After having my board stolen off the roof of my car during a surf check, I’ve always been real cautious about leaving my boards out & would always stow them in the car (also a big no no) if we needed to pop into the shops or something. Now I lock ‘em up with Kanu locks & never have any issues, just peace of mind 😌

8. new board feels without the new board deals

I love riding new boards & updating/evolving my quiver. But it’s also expensive & so anytime I’m after a new sensation, I always start by changing up my fins. It’s amazing how a different fin can completely change your ride. And if you’re riding single fins, give the finjak a go for quick fin swaps/adjustments.

💬 What are your favorite go-to surf hacks?

🙏 Enjoying this series? Share the stoke & buy me a beer! 😄🍻

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