When it comes time to hit the surf and temps are in the 30s rather than the 70s, the right gear is the difference between channeling Bodhi and becoming intimate with the symptoms of hypothermia. While it’s admittedly tough to be toasty in water less than half your body’s normal temperature, with the right kit you can at least pursue your hobby and live to tell about it. Below are our picks for the gear you’ll need for winter surfing.
MORE SURFING: On Location: Oakley Pro Bali | 30 Minutes With: Robert August | Patagonia R1 Wetsuit
Global Surf Industries Super Fish II PE
While summer surfing in the northeast usually means longboarding in white wash, winter brings the real waves and the opportunity to add a shorter step-up board to your quiver. The Global Surf Industries Super Fish II PE is built to offer a great ride for all abilities and can be ridden as a thruster (three-fins) or a quad thanks to five available fin plugs. The board has generous buoyancy that’s good for easier starts but also a rail profile that retains the ability to turn aggressively. Coupled with a speed-enhancing single-to-double bottom concave design, it’s a board that can match your current skills and grow with you for seasons to come.
Matuse Tumo Hooded Wetsuit 6/5
A thick wetsuit is the most critical part of any winter surfing kit. Think of it as your version of seal blubber. Matuse’s thickest wetsuit clocks in at 6/5mm of neoprene and is perfect for water temperatures 46 degrees and below. Made from Geoprene, a limestone-based neoprene that’s better for the environment, it has mini air chambers to provide superior insulation and buoyancy. All seams are glued, stitched and satin-taped to further keep frigid water at bay. Matuse’s integrated hood chest entry system makes for easy parking lot changing.
