Leashes

 

    The leash is a cord of polyurethane that straps around the ankle of a surfer and is attached to the surfboard. Attach it to your back leg. Never tug on the leash when your board is being held under as the board can come snapping back at you. Practice removing it quickly in case it gets caught on a rock or pier piling. Treat your surfboard as if it was not attached, doing conservative exits and hanging onto it at all times.

 

Wax / Deck Grips

 

    Something to keep your feet on the board once you learn to stand up.

 

• Wax
  Wax goes on the deck (top) of the board. Typically comes in two coats, a base coat which goes directly onto the deck in a thin layer, and then a sticky coat over that which beads up to provide traction. Use long, quick strokes of the full board length with subtle, light pressure to get a nice bead. Wax combs can be purchased to rough-up wax as it gets worn slick and to strip wax for a fresh coat. There's no need to buy any custom wax remover from a surf shop, just leave the board in the sun for 5 minutes and strip with a wax comb or any piece of hard, straight plastic.

 

• Deck Grips
  These are expensive traction pads that provide some extra grip as well as padding for the deck of the board. They can limit the movement of the feet and can result in discomfort to the chest and stomach while paddling.

  Tail patches are grip specially designed for the rear of the board, and provide good traction for the rear foot needed in most turns on a shortboard. Tail patches should be placed centered over the rear fins. For the rest of the board, the deck grip can go anywhere that seems appropriate. Try popping up from a prone position to standing with legs slightly apart next to the board. Place the grip so your front foot is centered.