If you know an obsessed surfer, you have probably already come to understand that buying gifts for surfers can be a tough thing. The break and the surf, the board and their love of riding that monster wave are often the only things a surfer has time to concentrate on. When the holidays come around, you might not notice much of a change in your favorite surfer, and you might ask yourself if they actually know it’s holiday time, but when the turkey’s in the oven and it’s time to decorate your crib, it’s time to decide what kind of gift to buy your favorite surfer.
Choosing simplicity of integrating your gift into the surfing world over the complexity of trying to guess their preferences off the break is a practice in futility. For most diehard surfers, and I’m not talking about hobby surfers here, the surf is the life, and the life is the surf. They are intertwined. Here are some great ideas for surfer gifts:
1. Surfing Videos from http://www.surfingvideos.com are great gifts for dedicated surfers. Surfing Videos offers DVDs on shaping, painting, glassing, surfing, and many related documentaries. Josh Pomer, Doc Ball, and John Carper to name a few bring these exciting quality surfing films to DVD through Carl Ackerman Productions. For extra fun, consider purchasing the Kinetic Sculpture Race video For the Glory, a documentary detailing the wacky 1992 sculpture boat race. At http://www.boardsportsvideos.com you will find a huge selection of awesome surfing DVDS.
2. A Surf Camera like the waterproof sports wrist camera GoPro Digital Hero from http://www.goprocamera.com is an awesome gadget with which surfers can record real video footage or take still photos of activities like racing, boarding, surfing, hiking, and pro cycle. The camera is secured to your wrist and pivots along the strap to get unique shots. For still shots, consider the Sealife DC200 from http://www.magicsurfbus.com or a nice quicksnap one time waterproof camera from Fuji.
3. Waterproof Watches come in a variety of colors and styles, but they are one thing that surfers lose a lot, so they make a good gift. How many times has your surfer friend lost complete track of time? Consider a waterproof wristwatch. Select one with a breathable or metal strap, not a vinyl one to minimize the amount of water trapped behind it. Consider the Wenger Swiss Battalion Diver Army Watch or any other quality Scuba watches.
4. A waterproof MP3 portable player like the the SnapSights H2O Man USB 2.0 512mb Waterproof MP3 player is a compact, colorful waterproof music storage device with waterproof casing and headphones. Though I recommend purchasing an arm strap or belt in addition to the unit so your surfer doesn’t lose your gift in the sea, chances are they will really treasure it. For a less colorful model, consider the Oregon Scientific MP3 Player from Ambient Weather. It retails for about the same as the H2O man, but comes in a neutral gray color and a more rounded casing.
5. Surf clothing from Patagonia compress compactly, are light, durable, and simple. If your surfer needs a Rash Guard, consider M’s Short-Sleeved version. It looks sharp and comes in gray or black. The Longboard dress shirt from After 5 features illustrated surf boards and palms in a quirky pattern.
6. Surfing magazine http://www.surfermag.com is the foremost authority on the surfing world with plenty of color photos, interviews, bios, instructional articles, and enough coolness to refreeze the ice caps. It’s also a fairly reasonable publication to buy that won’t break your budget for only a handful of thin issues.
7. The Clear Ocoee Small waterproof duffel from the waterproof store at http://www.thewaterproofstore.com is a great way for a surfer to find essential gear. It is fully submersible, so if something happens and it falls into a tidal pool or gets pulled out, your surfer’s stuff won’t get wet. It can stay waterproof up to 300 feet and is welded in multiple places with a super-nice abrasion resistant Kryptothane PVC that won’t get scratched and ugly after a few tosses along the sand.
8. A Poorboy board Sock http://www.poorboyusa.com is a perfect way to tell a surfer you’re paying attention. With a nose protector and available in various lengths and colors, this offering from Poorboy is one of the most-haves for any diehard surfer to protect his board from dings and UV. For a wider selection of surf board socks, browse to http://boardsockshop.com .They even custom make them.
9. The Dingleberries surfboard Repair Kit is easy, quick, and cures, even when wet. You can use it to repair dings in either fiberglass or epoxy. It costs 7.99 plus shipping and can be bought from http://www.dingleberriessurf.com.
10. A basket of Brave Soldier skin products is a fabulous way to show a surfer that you care. The Brave Soldier line includes moisturizer for after shaving, an antiseptic spray and cream for cuts, lip protecting balm, lotion, and the most important item, hypoallergenic sun block.
The holidays are coming. Don’t forget your favorite surfer on your gift list!
