| Surfing equipment is fairly basic and not very | | | | different surfboard performances. There are |
| expensive to buy. If you are a first time surfer, you | | | | different types of boards; some are long and some |
| should borrow a board and get a feel of it before | | | | are short. There are four basic designs, the first is |
| purchasing your own. Do some research on trusted | | | | the longboard, or the Malibu, the second is the |
| surfing equipment providers and vendors and don't | | | | shortboard, known as the thruster, the third is the |
| compromise on the quality of the equipment. If | | | | fish, which is similar to the shortboard and the fourth |
| you're learning to surf, then use this as a check list | | | | is the gun. The best board for a beginner is the |
| while you're out shopping. | | | | Malibu. |
| The Surfboard | | | | Wet suits |
| You can't surf without it! Surfboards have undergone | | | | The next item on the list is the wetsuit. Some people |
| major transformation. Initially they were made of | | | | wear trunks or shorts to surf, while others prefer |
| wood and were very big and heavy. But today | | | | the wetsuit. The wetsuit is great in colder climates, |
| boards are made of foam, fibreglass and even | | | | like in Europe or Australia, and keep you warm. Make |
| polyester resin. Newer surfboard designs use | | | | sure you choose a wetsuit that has a sealed seam, |
| materials such as carbon fibre and variable-flex | | | | which will hold a thin layer of water that works as |
| composites. The main parts of a board are the deck, | | | | insulation for the body. |
| rail, nose, tail and stringer. | | | | Leash |
| The deck is the flat side of the board where the | | | | A leash is a cable that has one end fixed to the tail |
| surfer stands. The nose is the part of the board that | | | | of the board and the other end attached to the |
| sits out of the water, it usually pointed and round. | | | | ankle. The leash ensures the board doesn't get too |
| The tail is the at the back of the board that has | | | | far away from the surfer. The leash should be about |
| many different shapes. It holds the leash that the | | | | the same length as your board. |
| surfer attaches to his ankle so the board doesn't get | | | | Surfboard Wax |
| lost. The rails are the "edge" of the surfboard. | | | | The wax is applied to the surface of the board to |
| They run from the tail to the nose and also along the | | | | enhance the grip of the surfer in any condition. It is |
| place where the deck and the bottom meet. Rail | | | | also applied to the sides of the board, i.e. on the rails. |
| shapes vary from board to board that provide | | | | |