Blog
Short, sourced guides to surfing: gear, technique and safety. Every tip is checked against at least two independent sources.
Who is Andy Irons' statistical twin?We ranked Andy Irons' stats against the field he surfed against, then compared him with every other CT career in our pool. This is the closest match.
How to spot and escape a rip currentCalm dark gap, being pulled out, someone else caught? Six rip current situations and what lifeguards say to do in each, from spotting one to getting out.
How to paddle a surfboardShort strokes going nowhere, slapping hands, gassed before the lineup, waves rolling under you? Five common paddling problems and the fix for each.
How to wax a surfboardWax won't bump up, feet slipping, wax dark and slick? Five common surfboard wax problems and the fix for each: base coat, top coat, grade, comb and strip.
Where to put your traction padBoard won't pivot, foot off the pad, pad crooked, peeling or the wrong width? Five traction pad problems and the fix for each, from placement to glue.
Surfing etiquetteSomeone closer to the peak, a drop-in by mistake, snaking, a rotation, a woman on the peak? Five lineup situations and the right move for each.
Where to lie on a surfboardNose up and tail sinking, water over the nose, board leaning, feet dragging? Four paddling position problems and the fix for each one.
How to choose a surfboardMissing waves, stalling in small surf, no control in big surf, nose-diving on steep drops, wide turns? Five board problems and the change that helps each.
How surfboard fins actually workWhere does hold come from, what is drive, why do fins spin out? How surfboard fins work in five simple steps, plus one popular myth, busted.
How to choose surfboard finsTail sliding out, board stiff, no speed off the bottom turn, turns too wide or too twitchy? Five fin problems and the fin feature that fixes each one.