For many surfers, the winter season is the most exciting time of the year. This is because storms in the winter create better and more reliable swells. The superior conditions paired with bigger wave height makes for the best surfing throughout the entire year. Here in Southern California the winter is our only reliable time for consistently pumping waves. However, not every day is guaranteed to be good, but when the surf does turn on, you need to be ready with the right equipment. Here are some additions that you can make to your quiver that will totally expand your surf this season.
As a result of the larger swells, you’re likely going to see more shortboards in the water. This is because waves that are steeper are easier to drop in on with a shortboard. If you want to get better at shortboard surfing I recommend getting the 5’8 Lil Noche. This is an epoxy shortboard that has both high performance and a great deal of support and buoyancy. For most shortboards you need a steep wave to be able to generate speed, but the Noche can ride in anything. This means the board excels in small waves too, allowing you to get comfortable surfing a smaller board in conditions that aren’t too gnarly. If you consistently surf larger waves, I would recommend riding the 6’ Mahi or 5’5 Big Betsy, as these excel in chest to head high size. If you prefer to have more volume but still want to get huge speed down the line then the 6’8 Casper, which easily gets into the waves of any size, is the perfect step up. All in all, our softop hybrid are able to rip in almost all conditions due to the unique hybrid construction that utilizes both foam and fiberglass epoxy. This allows for a more effortless kind of surfing that doesn’t sacrifice speed or performance, and will help you get waves all season long.
Despite the winter having the best surf out of any season, South Bay boards make for killer surfing throughout the entire year. Regardless of the wave size or if it's steep or mushy, having one of our boards in your quiver will open up the entire year to surf, so you don’t have to be miserable when those winter swells go away.
Be sure to let us know on social media what board works best for you in the winter! We appreciate any testimonial and we’ll be sure to give you a shoutout.
Stay stoked,
Phil