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The ocean is good to us, lets be honest. Getting into that water on a consistent basis will do wonders for your mental and physical health. The sound of the waves can calm anyone’s nerves. Your rough day at your office job is over, and the stress of it is released by the salty crashes. Everything is gone, and you are one with the water, until a crushed soda can washes up and bumps into your tired feet, reminding you of the daily grind. What a bummer.

These great waters of ours are, sadly, getting pretty dirty, and with summer starting, I think it’s time to shine some light on how to easily stay eco-friendly, without dreading your hair and making your clothes out of paper bags. There are some very simple do’s and don’ts that aren’t going to make you feel like Captain Planet, but will ensure yourself that you are less of the problem. Which is good!

The first step in any great beach day is getting to the beach, duh. But instead of just cramming your board ever so gently into the tiny space that is your 1996 Corolla, why not try the alternative? The bus can be a pretty cheap route, and will definitely place you by the water. Think of all the benefits before you shut this idea down. First of all, you wont be driving. No stress over traffic, you aren’t going to damage your car, and you don’t have to fill up after leaving your tank on empty like every other morning. Seems like less stress already. Also, contrary to what you’ve heard, surfboards are allowed on the bus. So, when you’re sitting there, waiting for your stop, who knows who could be thinking, “Who’s that dude with the surfboard?” It could even be a cute girl, catching the bus down to the beach after a rough day. It’s all about opportunities, brother.

And if you are going to drive, there is a simple check every now and then to make sure you aren’t making the world nasty. Just check under your car form time to time to make sure that it isn’t leaking any dirty liquids. Those grimy fluids can easily make their way into the ocean, which is no bueno.

Now this one goes for any type of refuse, but don’t throw your cigarette butts on the ground. These little man-made, urban cockroaches end up floating around everywhere, and are definitely gross when you are in the water. If you smoke, there is an easy way to get rid of the butts without carrying around a nasty ashtray mug that you bought at 7-11. When you are finished with the cigarette, simple roll the remaining tobacco out, and throw the butt into the empty box of cigarettes from your last pack.

And, at last, make sure all your trash is picked up after your beach fires and outings. I know that there were 30 randoms that showed up with the boom box, but the responsibility has to be put on someone. Be that hero! Again, there could be a sweety chilling down by the water, and as she looks over to see you picking up after the party, being Mr. Green, she thinks “that is so bold.” That’s your wave dude, ride it.

Ahh, summer is finally arriving. A time to be more active. A time to relax. When your days consist of waking up in sandy bed sheets, catching some waves, cruising through the day, and ending it all with some brews by a fire. Summer has always been good to you, and has never looked better. That’s why you should give summer the pleasure of seeing you at your best, with some new essentials. The days are going to be longer, and the ketchup stained cargo shorts you ripped jumping that fence last summer aren’t looking too presentable, so we’re going to throw you some suggestions.

LRG Bon Voyage Short

In the heat, keeping it light is key. The cotton chambray construction of the Bon Voyage short is light, keeping you chill. The classic straight leg style can look good in any situation, and they aren’t slapped with pockets everywhere, so you’re not losing your stuff in them. With a nice moderate blue color, it’ll match all those shirts lying on your floor, faded or not.

Insight Island Hop Woven Shirt
Let’s be real, the striped tank top has been done before. Though it is an easy go-to, why not rock a shirt with some style and class, which will separate you from the rest, and make it easy to point you out at the farmer’s market.  The collar and pocket both button down, and the paisley print will bring in some compliments for sure. I’d wear in completely unbuttoned in the front, inviting in some summer lovin’.

Beats by Dre Pill Speaker
This little guy is too legit. The Beats Pill takes your tunes anywhere you need to go. It’s about the length of your hand, but can put out some serious sound. It hooks up to your iPhone, or whatever you’re using, through blu-tooth, and when someone calls you, you can just talk right into it, and be heard on the other end. This thing is pretty sweet on the beach when you’re just kicking it, or when you need some pump up music for your Top Gun style volleyball match.

Beats by Dre Pill Speaker
These guys just down right look good. A nice thick frame style, so you’re not bending metal, and a shatter resistant lens. They got some sweet colors, and even sweeter lens. Use them to scope out some ladies in a stealthy, respectful manner. At about a hundred bucks, you can’t argue.



Ezekial Getaway Tee
What better way to express your love for summer than a shirt that says “Summer Lovin’” right on it? This classic style surf shirt can allow you to show how much you love old surf vans, the sun, and rad colors. With the slim fit, you can show off how much you’ve been paddling out, and the light yellow cotton will keep you cool, day or night.

By Jeramy Waterman

Even when night falls, and the sharks are out, the urge to cruise, or get gnarly, can still linger. Luckily, there’s the Landyachtz Wolf Shark, one of the gnarliest longboards out there. Whether you like to point it down the steeps, slash some carves down Corinthians, or just push around from bar to bar, the Wolf Shark will have you there with a grin on your chin.

The Wolf Shark, made for rider Wolfgang Coleman, has a unique truck mounting system, which allows you to position the trucks in a way that works best for you, or the hill that is scabbing your knees up. Whether you like a longer wheel base fro cruising, or a shorter, more skateboard style, feel, or want to get crazy and try something new, the option is there with a couple turns of your screwdriver.

Along with the space rocket looking shape, the Wolf Shark offers a concave deck, giving you that extra push around turns, and allowing for more control in your slides. The slight tail in the back gives you that quick skate turn you need for those intersection corners. And if you’re looking at the 2012 model, the deck features what Landyachtz is calling “gas pedals”. These are slightly risen areas on the deck, in which you would place your feet when you’re getting down in the attack position; give you some more sensitivity and response.

The new 2013 model has a revised shape, with a shorter overall deck, and no gas pedals. It also features a nice mellow rocker that will center-up your balance.

Both models have some pretty wicked graphics on the bottom that will inspire you with bravery and confidence, even on the steepest of hills, and with a price that isn’t so steep, hitting just under $300 for a complete deck, you’ll be man-ing up in no time. Go shred, dude.

By Jeramy Waterman

With the Ides of March slightly gone, getting back into the water is on all of our minds. But there is one thing holding us back; that frigid thing they call the ocean. Now, we can all pick each other apart about who can withstand more of the chill, but everyone can agree; looking into a nice spring wetsuit isn’t such a bad idea. With wetsuits, nowadays, coming in all shapes and sizes, for anyone, picking one out for spring won’t be very hard. Here’s a few lookers that’ll set you down the right path, keeping it short on the thigh, and the wallet.

Xcel SLX OS
Ya, I know that’s a lot of letters in a row, but if you can remember ‘em, it could land you with a sweet deal on a wetsuit. The SLX OS has this offset zipper in the back, and it isn’t rubbing on your spine all the time, reducing annoyance, even in the mushies. On top of that, the seams are as flat as Nebraska, and there are fewer of them, creating room for some more stretch.  And priced around 90 bucks, you can’t beat it.

O’Neil Hammer S/S
This wettie is tried and true, from season to season. A little on the thinner side, the Hammer is made for warmer waters. It also has this super comfortable neck double-seal neck, keeping and chills out. The Hammer has addressed where you need some stretch, and stretches where you need it, keeping you completely mobile throughout your paddle. With a low price of around 80 dollars, and the O’Neil name backing it, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Xcel Infiniti X-Zip2 L/S
Ya, the name is a lot to remember (again), but the Infiniti X-Zip2 is the primo stuff. It has the most stretchy, light material they got, it has a comfy inner crossover neck, and it’s got a ThermoCarbon inner liner, made out of bamboo and recycled polyester fibers. It’s sweet. The best part is in the title; the X-Zip2. The zipper on this guy is attached at on shoulder, making a flap that you can easily get in and out of. The zipper also has a cord/barrel lock combo on the open flap, making sure the wetsuit stays tight to your chest, with no irritation, thanks to the SmoothSkin hems. The price is under $200, and worth it.

So with some great options like these, hopping into a nice spring suit will be easier than you think. You’ll enjoy the nice feel and motion you could only fully achieve by surfing in the buff (where acceptable), and you’ll be thanking yourself that you got that added time in the water.
By Jeramy Waterman

Get a little too gnarly and bashed a ding in your board? No worries. We are going to go through a step-by-step guide on how to repair your board’s battle scars, so you can get back out in the water without going broke.

Here’s a list of things you’ll need:

• Resin
• Acetone
• Hardener (I prefer Wahoo Solarez)
• Utility knife
• Safety goggles, Safety mask
• Various sandpapers (from 40-300 grit)
• Masking tape
• Wax comb (optional)
• Q-Cell (needed only if you had to cut away inner foam)
• Fiberglass clothe (4oz weight works well)

Step 1: Clean the ding.

Get all of that crap out of there, and let the ding completely dry. Use the utility knife to cut away any hanging fiberglass, giving the ding a nice shape. Proceed to sand the ding and the area slightly outside of it. Sand the outer area will allow the resin to stick to a fresh base. Use the wax comb to scratch away any wax in the ding, and the acetone to get anything else out. You want a nice, clean ding, with a rough outer area. When clean, outline the area in masking tape, so you don’t get sloppy.

Step 2: Fill ‘er Up!

If needed, mix the Q-cell with 1 ounce of sanding resin to make a thick white paste. When mixed, add the Solarez according to the instructions. Take your mixing stick and spread the paste within the foam part of the ding, trying not to get it on the fiberglass. You don’t want to use too much here. Now let this dry completely, then sand it down, using a lower grit sand paper, and moving to a higher grit.
Now you want to cut two pieces (more if needed) of the fiberglass clothe; The first piece being a little larger than the dinged area, and the next being a little larger than that, in order to cover the whole ding.
Now mix the resin with the instructed amount of hardening catalyst (Solarez). Apply a little of the mixture to the ding, and spread. Then, lay the smaller fiberglass piece on the ding, with no wrinkles. Coat the fiberglass clothe using a paintbrush, mixing stick, or whatever, as long as the cloth is completely coated, and sticks to the board. Next, do the same to the slightly larger piece of fiberglass cloth. When completed, let the board dry entirely in the sun.

Step 3: Smooth it out.
When the ding area is completely dry, you can remove the masking tape, and start the sanding process. Start with a low grit sand paper, and work your way up, to something around three hundred grit. The more time taken on this, the better the board with turn out.  Once the board is smoothed out to your own liking, some surfers will add a touch more of the resin mixture, spreading evenly and slowly in order to get that nice glossy look.

Now you’re done! You can get back out in the water, and ding that board up all over again, with no worries!

picture: myboardmydesign.com

So you want to start surfing, huh? And you don’t know what sizes, or type of board to buy, do you? Well, there are a few eye opening realities that you should learn before you go and blow your paycheck.

Shorter isn’t better.
I know you want to go out there and slash it like Slater, but you have to walk before you can run. Those short little rockets the pros are throwing around are not good tools to help build your skills. A shorter board, in the beginning, will be hard to balance on, and even harder to paddle out. You’re not going to do much learning if your arms get too tired to even get you out into the water. So, when choosing, try to look past the little guys, and start looking up, at boards taller than yourself.

Fish are Friends.
Ya, the fish boards look a little heftier than a shortboard, but don’t let them fool you. You can definitely shred a fish. The whole idea behind the fish is stability. The added width and thickness help to keep you afloat, and riding. Fish boards also catch waves easier, and are easier to paddle. This is because of the smaller amount of rocker on the underside of the board, which allows for more speed on smaller waves. And a great benefit to a fish is that they ride extremely well in mushy, smaller waves. This means that even when there is little swell, you can still get out there and get some. This is when the learning will take place, and that is the goal.

Slow, Wide, Turns – Longboards
Though it is definitely easier to learn than a short board, a longboard might fight you once you get popping up and riding in the bag. Longboards are made for larger waves, and larger riders, but can be ridden in smaller waves as well. You’ll need this extra weight and experience when trying to turn this classic board. One really nice perk of the longboard, though, is its paddling ease. The longboards touch more of the surface of the water, and give you more momentum, and tend to stay straighter during your paddle.  This means you’ll be catching more waves, more often, and that, my friend, is called experience. Chilling out and cruising a longboard would not be a bad first option, seeing as you’ll be falling in the water a lot anyways.

Hybrids, the Cyborg of Boards
In surfing, a hybrid can really apply to any 2 types of boards mixed into one. Yet, when hearing the term hybrid, most of the time, the source is referencing a combination of a fish board, and a shortboard. These boards give you the added stability of the fish, while keeping the maneuverability of shortboards. Another board type that you could consider is the Funboard, which is more of a longboard, fish style mixture. Because these boards have a wide range of styles, you can’t really say how they are going to ride. I would start with the basic board types before jumping on any of these.

Try it, before you buy it.
The only true way to know what type of board will be best for you is to get out into the water with one. Many board shops near the beach will offer rental boards for you to try, for around 15 dollars per hour. This will allow you to switch out and get an idea of how each style feels. Hell, from your feedback, they may even be able to refer you to the perfect board. So get out there and have fun!

source kylemacvisuals.com

We love to surf as much as humanly possible, but winter conditions and water temps can make a surfer think twice about stripping down to pull on that wetsuit and jump in the ocean. The sky is darker, the winds are stronger and the water temps hover in the 50’s- not exactly your ideal day at the beach, but there are benefits to pumping yourself up and paddling out. Next time you think you’d rather enjoy your coffee and other creature comforts than go surf, consider these five reasons to get suited and catch some winter waves.

1. Cold water temps actually help boot your immune system, and train your immune system to have better reaction time for when you need to fight the flu.

2. The waves are better and the lineups are less crowded. Northwest swells coming down from Alaska hit the west coast during the fall and wintertime for bigger waves. Colder water also keeps the faint of heart away and deters tourists from renting their soft tops and giving it a go.

3. Cold water can improve your mood (no, really) it releases endorphins which will have you feeling good while you’re in the water and give you that relaxed mood post-session. (It’s also proven to enhance your libido!)
4. Surfing in colder water improves your fitness, burning twice as many calories as paddling in comfortably warm water temps would.

5. You won’t find yourself in that irritable I-haven’t-surfed-in-a-while mood all winter, which your friends, family and significant other will thank you for.

Sun Bum SPF30 Sunscreen Face Stick

Winter might seem like a strange time to talk about sunscreen, but if you’ve ever gotten a wetsuit tan in January you know

Zinka Colored Sun Block

that the sun means business year-round—and it’s sneakier in the winter, because most of us don’t think to apply sunscreen after we pull on a wetsuit hood. We here at Jack’s have your skin covered, though, with some surf-specific sunscreens.

Standard waterproof sunscreens don’t always cut it for surfing, for a couple of reasons. First, even water-proof sunscreens tend to wear off after an hour or two in the water. Second—and even more annoying—is that applying normal liquid sunscreen leaves your hands slippery, and it’s a terrible feeling to be duckdiving the first wave of a big set and have your board slip out from under you.

That’s why a lot of surfers use stick-style sun screen, like Sun Bum SPF30 Sunscreen Face Stick. It’s high-quality sunscreen that will last an entire session, and you don’t have to get it all over your hands while you apply it. Plus, the stick limits spills and prevents messes (just make sure to keep it out of direct heat).

Zinc oxide is also another great bet for surfers. We carry Sun Bum SPF 50 Zinc Oxide along with Zinca Colored

Nosecoat Sun Block. The Zinca block works great to cover your nose, and the Sun Bum will give your whole face great protection from the sun no matter the time of year.