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| Archives and Online Features : Gear Reviews |
Tropical: Surfing
By Mark Anders /photograph by Seth K. Hughes
2005 Dec (Vol. 7, No. 7)
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Water Girl Cap-Sleeve Rashie and Pelican Bottoms
Nothing's worse than capping off a great wave by losing your bikini in the rinse cycle. You need full coverage, but traditional rashguards are too heavy and clammy in the hot sun. Water Girl offers a happy medium with this chic surf outfit that pairs lightweight, durable protection for your shoulders and torso with a conservative bikini bottom. $44 top, $36, bottom; 800-638-6464; www.watergirlusa.com.
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Dakine Cloudbreak
The Basics: $31; quick-dry polyester; available in three colors
In Depth: A couple years back, pro surfers traded in their tight-fitting rashguards and started surfing in cotton T-shirts instead. The style caught on big-time with average surfers, but the truth is cotton ain’t all that great when it’s wet. So Dakine developed the Cloudbreak surfshirt, which preserves the loose-fit style of a tee while utilizing a techy nylon/polyester fabric that’s quick-drying. That means it can be worn in or out of the water—though it may start to smell after awhile—and, hey, it looks really cool. 541-386-3166; www.dakine.com.
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Quiksilver Cell Boardshort
The Basics: $52; two panels; welded seams; available in five colors
In Depth: Lately surf companies have been investing major bucks into wetsuit design, and that high-end construction technology is starting to filter down to surf trunks. Case in point: the ultra-engineered Cell boardshort. Quiksilver’s minimalist design starts with just two main pieces—a left and right side—and brings them together with stitchless welded seam technology that effectively eliminates chaffing problems. Sure, they’re a little spendy, but the Cell is quite possibly the best trunk on the market. www.quiksilver.com.
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Mavericks Surf Contest 2005
This DVD offers jaw-dropping coverage of the world’s best surfers battling it out on 40-foot waves without the aid of a tow-in. Each year, contestants are on standby during a three-month period (in 2006, it will be January 1–March 31) and, based on when the biggest waves are scheduled to hit the famed surf site, they’re given 24-hours notice before the competition begins. $20; 415-595-3741; www.maverickssurf.com.
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Walden Mini Magic
The Basics: $570-$625; glass top 4/5/4 oz.; glass bottom 5 oz.; sizes from 6'8" to 8'
In Depth: The Mini-Magic is the perfect representation of a class of surfboards aptly known as “fun boards.” Available in sizes from 6'8" to 8', this board is basically a sized-down longboard that’s well suited for both slow mushy surf and faster beach break conditions. It’s wide and stable enough for beginners but still high-performance enough to entertain advanced surfers since it can be ridden from the tail, shortboard-style or as a noserider. 805-653-1717; www.waldensurfboards.com.
Last Updated: Mar 7th, 2006 - 15:43:24
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