By itself, surfing is already hard enough! If you don’t understand the lingo not only will the learning curve be steep, but you’ll also experience some unwanted frustrations and confusion during your time in the water.
After a decade of surfing, I’ll be honest with you…
Knowing how to properly use the term “cutback” will not have a negative or positive impact on your surfing experience.
HOWEVER, you’ve got some real-world problems if you’re paddling out the back and don’t know what it means when someone yells, “It’s sucking dry, paddle wide for rip or you’ll get stuck inside“.
So with that in mind, here’s every term you NEED to know and a million more you don’t.
180
A 180 is an aerial maneuver where the surfer rotates 180 degrees and lands backwards with their fins moving forward on the wave. See air reverse.
“Scott landed a 180 the other day”
2+1
2+1 is a fin set up where you have a set of twin fins with the addition of a mini trailer/stabilizer fin in the center fin position for added control and stability on turns.
2+1 can also be referred to as another fin set up where you have one long center fin and two small rail fins or side bites. The side bites/small rail fins on a 2+1 setup will add more stability and speed to your surfboard.
“I used to ride twin fins a lot but I recently found out about the two plus one set up and my life changed!”
360
A highly advanced aerial maneuver where the surfer rotates 360 degrees prior to landing. See alley-oop.
“Did you see the 360 Darren landed?”
A
Aerial
An aerial is any maneuver where the surfer propels off the lip of a wave and catches air.
“Kelly landed a sick aerial maneuver earlier.”
A-Frame
An a-frame is a wave where once the peak breaks, both faces left and right are open to surf. A-frame waves usually occur on beach beaks and are favorable among surfers for their ability to support two surfers on the same wave. See this video for an example.
“Just got done surfing in Costa Rica, we found this nice little a-frame and had it all to ourselves.”
Air Reverse
An air reverse is an advanced surfing maneuver where a surfer will launch off the lip and rotate 180 degrees landing in reverse with their fins forward. The surfer then completes the full 360 degree turn on the face of the wave or in the white wash (similar to 180).
“Scott just landed a sick air reverse!”
Akaw
“Akawwwwww!!!”
Alaia
The first surfboards (made out of wood) used by Hawaiians in the late 19th century.
“There’s a statue of a Hawaiian with an alaia over there!”
Alley-Oop
An alley-oop is a highly advanced maneuver where a surfer will launch off the lip into the air and rotate 360 degrees counter clockwise before landing.
“I haven’t seen anyone land an alley-oop here before!”
Aloha
Aloha is a Hawaiian greeting meaning respect, love and peace.
“Aloha, Kai how have you been brother?”
Amped
Amped is another way of saying you are full of energy and excited.
“Just finished my second coffee and I’m amped to go surf.”
Ankle Biter
An ankle biter is a small wave that doesn’t exceed the hight of your ankle.
“There were nothing but ankle biters out there but we still had fun.”
Aggro
Aggro (short for aggravated) is a way to describe someone, people, or a place that is unfriendly or unwelcoming.
“It’s a really fun wave but the surfers are usually aggro.”
Asymetrical
The vast majority of surfboards are symmetrical from one side to the other (making the surfboard ride the same right vs left). An asymmetrical surfboard describes any board shape that is NOT symmetrical, offering a unique custom ride.
“A lot of asymmetrical boards will have two fins on one side and only one on the other.”
Axed
Axed is a gnarly wipeout where the lip of the wave falls directly on a surfer.
“Hunter got absolutely axed on that wave!”
B
Backdoor
Backdoor is when a surfer enters the barrel of a wave from behind the lip.
“Jamie backdoored that barrel and got a perfect 10 in the contest.”
Backside
Backside is when a surfer is riding on the face of the wave with their back towards the wave and their toes pointed towards the shore (see the video above).
“Jamie caught a sick backside barrel.”
Backwash
Backwash is water in the form of a rebounding wave that rushes from the shore back towards the sea in the opposite direction as it came.
“Be careful, on high tide theres a lot of backwash.”
Bail/Bailing
To bail is to intentionally fall or ditch your surfboard.
“The wave was about to take me out so I had to bail.”
Baggies
Baggies are slang for loose fitting board shorts.
“Grab your baggies and a twelve pack, it’s gonna be a good weekend.”
Bank
Short for sandbar, a build up of sand that forms in shallow areas of the ocean.
“After we surf let’s park the boat on that bank and take a breather.”
Barney
A barney is an untalented, less experienced, and often considered an uncool surfer.
“Tim spent $400 on that used board he didn’t even know was damaged? What a barney.”
Barrel/Barreled
A barrel, or getting barreled is when a surfer is riding on the face of a wave when the lip curls over concealing the surfer. Getting barreled is the holy grail of surfing.
“Chris has been surfing for ten years but still hasn’t been barreled.”
Barrel Dodge
A barrel dodge is the the tragic event where a surfer has the potential to get barreled but they fumble the opportunity and miss the section. When your buddy posts the video of a sick wave but they miss the tube you comment “#barreldodger”.
Bathymetry
Bathymetry is the measurement of water depth in rivers, oceans, and lakes as well as the study of the sea floor.
“Jared, STOP saying bathymetry, no one knows what you’re talking about.”
Beach Break
A beach break is a surf spot where the waves break over a sand bottom.
“There’s a nice little beach break down the road that is great for beginners.”
Beach Bum
A beach bum is someone who (without fail) can be found at the beach.
“Kai is a beach bum, unless it’s raining you’ll see him out there checking the waves.”
Beach Leech
A beach leach is someone who relies on their friends to bring surfboards, wax, and other gear.
“Jerry is a beach leech bro, he didn’t bring a single thing last weekend!”
Bellyboard
Another name for boogie board. A small board used to ride waves in a prone, laying down position.
“Bring a couple bellyboards for the kids!”
Benny
Benny is a term used to describe people who are non-locals in a particular area.
“June and July are when all the bennies come out.”
Betty
Very old school term for a female surfer.
“Where’s all the betties?”
Billabong
An Australian watering hole.
“The boys jumped in the billabong!” (I’ve never seen this word used outside of the actual company, Billabong)
Blade
Slang term for surfboard.
“Nice new blade!”
Blank
A blank refers the raw foam block surfboard shapers use to craft boards.
“I received this blank for my birthday, lets see if I can shape my own board!”
Blown out
When strong winds ruin surf conditions.
“Make sure you surf in the morning, by 10am it will be blown out!”
Boardies
Slang for board shorts.
“Did you throw an extra pair of boardies in the car for me?”
Swim trunks designed for surfing.
“HoStevie makes my favorite board shorts!”
Booger
A bodyboarder/boogieboarder.
“Drew’s a booger.”
Boogie Board
The more commonly used name for bellyboard.
“Did you grab the boogie board for Drew?”
Body Surf
Body surfing is the act of surfing a wave without a surfboard, often with a pair of swimming fins on your feet.
“Once the waves get too big Tom will break out the fins and go body surfing.”
Bogging
Bogging is when a surfers weight is too far back and the nose of the surfboard lifts out of the water.
“Move towards the nose Scotty, you’re bogging.”
Bomb
A bomb is a really big wave.
“Kyle caught a bomb on that last set.”
Bombora
Bombora is a deep offshore reef break.
“There’s a bombora 50 miles out but we need some gas and a captain.”
Bommie
Aussie slang for a big wave that breaks far off shore.
“There’s a sick bommie off the coast of Portugal!”
Booties
Booties are rubber and neoprene shoes worn to protect your feet from cold water and/or sharp reef.
“You can get good waves in Oregon but bring your booties because it gets cold!”
Bottom Turn
A bottom turn is a turn performed at the bottom of a wave to harness and control speed.
“Before a surfer lands a big air they usually do a strong bottom turn.”
Bowl
(Apart from what surfers smoke) a bowl is a section of a wave that resembles a bowl like shape. Usually this section offers the best opportunity for higher level maneuvers and speed.
“That wave has a steep bowl section that is perfect for your twin fin!”
Break
A break is a surf spot.
“Have you been to Trestles? It’s a fun break!”
Breakers
Breakers are breaking waves. It can also be used to refer to the area where waves consistently crash/break.
“I tried paddling out but couldn’t make it past the breakers!”
Bro
Slang for a male friend.
“Text me after work bro, lets surf.”
Buckle
A buckle is when the inner foam of a surfboard starts to bend and lose strength. You often see these “buckles” or indented horizontal lines on surfboards indicating their excessive use.
“I didn’t buy the board, it had a big buckle near the nose.”
Burn
When someone is riding a wave and another (unwelcomed) surfer takes off in front of them ruining their wave.
“That guy totally burned me”
C
Carve
To carve is to turn on a wave (specifically at high speed).
“Jay is carving hard on his new board!”
Caught Inside
Being caught inside is when you get stuck in the impact zone and can’t paddle out of the white water.
“I got caught inside for like 15 minutes, my arms are dead!”
Center Fin
The fin closest to the tail located directly on the stringer.
“I chipped my center fin on a rock!”
Chandelier
When a surfer is in the barrel and water starts to crumble and fall at the opening obstructing their vision and threatening their ability to exit the tube.
“Drew cruised right through the chandelier and got a super sick clip for his new video!”
Changing Mat
A mat that surfers stand on while taking off and putting on their wetsuit.
“Make sure you use a changing mat so your wetsuit doesn’t get dirty!”
Channel
A channel is a relatively deep section of water where waves don’t consistently break. Surfers use channels to paddle out back more easily.
“Use the channel to get past the breakers!”
Charging
When someone is surfing super hard, paddling for the biggest waves, and performing at the top of their game.
“Did you see DJ out there? He was charging!”
Check Turn
A check turn is a quick top turn with the purpose of stalling to set up for the next section of the wave.
“Brody did a check turn to setup for the barrel”
Cheater Five
A cheater five is similar to a hang five but in this maneuver the surfer keeps their weight towards the back of the surfboard and extends just one foot over the nose.
“Rosie stuck her first cheater five today!”
Chinese Wax Job
When there’s wax on the bottom of your surfboard.
“Time for me to finally clean up this Chinese wax job.”
Choka
Slang for great, good, etc.
“Choka!” (I’ve literally never heard this word but what the hell, we’ll include it)
Chop/Choppy
Choppy is when the surface conditions of the water are unfavorable and bumpy.
“The chop made it hard to keep our balance.”
Cleanup Set
A cleanup set is when a huge and unexpected set of waves takeout all the surfers in the lineup.
“All the boys got smoked on that cleanup set!”
Clean
When the waves are clean there is no bump or ripple on the surface (very favorable).
“Bro, you missed it! The waves were so clean this morning!”
Clidro
Clidro is when a surfer carves up and down the face of a wave. I’ve personally never heard this one before so if you have, please let me know how to use it in a sentence (even though I never will).
Closeout
A closeout is when all sections of a wave break simultaneously at the same time leaving no open face.
“We went to the beach but didn’t catch any waves, it was closeout city”
Closeout Re-Entry
A closeout re-entry is a maneuver where a surfer releases all of their energy into a powerful top turn instead of kicking out at the closeout section.
“Instead of kicking out I did a closeout re-entry!”
Clucked
Slang for when someone is scared.
“Jordan was straight clucked, he didn’t even leave the boat!”
Coffin Ride
A coffin ride is when a surfer rides a wave while laying flat on their back (with a surfboard of course).
“Jerry did a coffin ride to make the girls laugh!”
Concave
Concave is the curve under a surfboard that channels the flow of water towards the fins.
“The board with light concave is by far the fastest surfboard I’ve ever had!”
Corduroy
“Corduroy” is when the swell lines look like corduroy on the horizon. See lines.
“The photo looked like corduroy.”
Covered Up
When a wave breaks over a surfer but it’s not quite a full barrel.
“Joey had a nice little cover up on that drop.”
Crease
Same as buckle.
“The lip of the wave left a huge crease on my board!”
Crest
The highest point of the wave that breaks.
“When you paddle for a wave you want to be as close to the crest as possible.”
Cross Step
Cross stepping is the process of walking to the nose while riding a longboard.
“Sterling cross stepped to the nose and did a hang five.”
Curtain
The curtain is the barrel of a wave viewed from the beach/shore’s perspective where the rider is not visible.
“Chris snuck behind the curtain.”
Current
The consistent flow of water into a particular direction.
“I was super tired after paddling against the current!”
Cutback
A cutback is a sharp turn performed on the shoulder of a wave and when done correctly the surfer will cut back (get it 😉) to the pocket of the wave.
“Jill needs to work on her cutback… Yikes!”
Club Sandwich
A “club sandwich” is a high level maneuver where a surfer does a frontside grab-rail reverse under the lip.
“A club sandwich is one of those rare tricks you don’t see very often!”
D
Dawn Patrol
Surfing first thing in the morning.
“Do you want to come surf dawn patrol with me and Tim tomorrow?”
Dawny
A dawny is Australian slang for a morning surf sesh.
“The boys are going for a dawny tomorrow, you in?”
Deck
The top of your surfboard where you stand.
“There’s a lot of stickers on the deck of his board.”
Dent
Same as wing.
“The dents along the rail will reduce volume towards the back of the board.”
Dick Dragger
Slang for a boogie boarder.
“Chris is usually out here but he quit surfing a long time ago. He’s a dick dragger now”
Ding
A ding is a dent, crack, or other damage to a surfboard.
“Aye mate, I lent you this board and now it has this fat ding in it!”
Ditch Your Board
Ditching your board means you intentionally let go of it (usually before getting hit by a big wave).
“The wave was about to crash on my head so I said my prayers and ditched the board!”
Doggy Door
Doggy door means to exit the barrel of a wave through a small opening at the last possible second.
“Shane doggy doored his way out the barrel!”
Double Up Or Humpback
When two waves combine it is called a “double or humpback”. This usually occurs during short period swells when the waves break very close together.
“I don’t know if it’s worth surfing, looks like a lot of double up’s and humpbacks.”
Drive
Drive is another term for speed.
“The board has a lot of drive!”
Down The Line
The act of surfing down the face of a wave.
“I was pumping down the line but the wave closed out in front of me!”
Drop
A drop is when a surfer pops up on a really steep wave. On big drops surfer sometimes go airborne.
“You can get really barreled but many people can’t handle the drop.”
Drop In
A drop in is when a surfer is already surfing on the face of a wave and another surfer pulls into the same wave and ruins the ride for the first surfer. Drop in can also be used interchangeably with takeoff.
“Accidents happen but try not to drop in on people.”
Drop-Knee
Drop-knee is a term used to describe when a surfer can’t pop up smooth so they drop one of their knees down to stabilize themselves. Experienced surfers will occasionally drop knee to engage turns with more style.
“When you’re learning it’s okay to do a drop-knee when you need to!”
Duck Dive
A duck dive is when you swim (with your surfboard) under the lip of a wave while it breaks over you.
“I had to duck dive a million waves on the paddle out!”
Dude
Slang for an adult male.
“What’s up dude?”
Dry Suit
A dry suit is similar to a wetsuit but differs in the fact that a dry suit keeps your body completely dry where a wetsuit traps a thin layer of water that matches your core body temperature.
“Most people don’t use dry suits when surfing but a lot of scuba divers like them.”
E
Eat It
Slang for a gnarly wipeout.
“I ate it on that last wave!”
E-Foil
E-foiling is a modern piece of surfing technology that consists of a hydrofoil surfboard with an electronic motor that allows the rider to seemingly fly across the ocean’s surface at ease.
“When the waves are flat e-foiling is one of the funnest things you can do!”
Egg
An egg is a type of fun board known for its round egg-like shape.
“I like the eggs because they work well in small summer waves!”
El Rollo
El Rollo is a classic (and advanced) bodyboarding maneuver where the rider will invert over the barrel of a wave.
“He did a sick el rollo at the wedge!”
Enforcer
Someone who holds everyone accountable to follow the rules and treat locals with respect.
“Larry is the local enforcer which pretty much gives him a pass to be a dick to whoever he wants.”
Epic
Anything that is awesome or cool.
“The waves were epic all weekend, we surfed for 4 hours straight on Sunday!”
Eskimo Roll
Same as turtle roll.
“When the waves come make sure you eskimo roll!”
Epoxy
Epoxy are surfboards made with EPS foam blanks. They are considered to be more durable, faster, lighter, and buoyant compared to standard polyurethane surfboards.
“I only own epoxy boards.”
F
FCS
FCS stands for fin control system and FCS itself is one of the most popular fin companies on the market today.
“Most people ride either FCS or Futures”
Face
The open shoulder section of a wave where most of the actual surfing is done.
“That wave had a really steep face to it!”
Fade
A fade is when a surfer will take off moving towards the peak before cutting sharply and riding down the line. The goal of this maneuver is to stay in the pocket and harness speed.
“Brody did a nice fade on that last wave!”
Fakie
Fakie is when a surfer temporarily rides with their fins forward on a wave. This is commonly done after some aerial maneuvers.
“John rode fakie out of the white wash.”
Fiberglass
A fiber-reinforced plastic made from glass used in the surfboard shaping process.
“Steve left the surfboard in the sun for years and now when you pick it up the fiberglass will make your skin itch!”
Fin
The fin(s) are the curved keels (often detachable) located at the bottom rear of surfboards. Fins come in many different shapes, sizes and setups providing stability and speed.
“I need to find a new set of fins for my board!”
Firing
Insanely good surfing conditions.
“it’s firing, call in sick for work and get your ass down here!”
Fish
A “fish” is a style of surfboard that is short and thick with a swallow tail. Traditional fish surfboards have glassed in keel fins but modern day performance fish’s can be ridden as twins, quads, and 2+1 setups.
“All I need is a new fish and my quiver is complete!”
Flats
Another term for the shoulder of the wave.
“I was way on the flats and couldn’t catch the wave!”
Flat
When the waves are so small they aren’t even breaking.
“We were all super bummed when we saw the waves were flat all week.”
Flippers
Swimming fins that go on your feet.
“Body surfers and lifeguards can swim forever with a pair of flippers on!”
Floater
A floater is a surfing maneuver where the surfer will ride on top of the crumbling section of a wave.
“The first trick I ever landed was a floater.”
Foam
Same as white water.
“It took me five minutes to get out of the foam.”
Foam Ball
The white water that forms inside the barrel of the wave.
“You could see the foam ball behind Sarah!”
Foam Blank
A foam blank is the raw piece of foam that surfboard shapers craft into a surfboard.
“Every board begins with a foam blank and an idea.”
Foam Board
A foam board is a surfboard that has a top layer of soft foam and plastic bottom.
“It’s better to practice on a foam board since they’re a bit safer!”
Foam Climb
A foam climb is when the section breaks in front of a surfer and they ride over the white wash back into the pocket.
“It helps to have more volume when trying to do a foam climb!”
Foamie
Common slang for a foam-top surfboard.
“When the waves are small we take out the foamies!”
Foil
Short for hydrofoil.
“Are you free to come foiling with the boys tomorrow?”
Flynnstone Flip
A flynnstone flip is a highly advanced maneuver where a surfer will launch off the lip and perform a double grab backflip in the air.
“How long do you think it would take to teach someone how to do a flynnstone flip?”
Frothin’
The feeling of being hyped, excited, or stoked.
“The boys were frothin’ when they found out the waves were pumping on their day off!”
Full Suit
A wetsuit with full length arms and legs.
“Unless the water is super warm I’ll be wearing a full suit.”
Fun Board
A “fun board” is mid-length style surfboard that is still enjoyable to ride in mediocre waves.
“Jeff just grabbed a new fun board for summer!”
Futures
Futures is a fin design (and company) that rivals FCS. Futures are known to be responsive and durable.
“I switched over to futures last year!”
G
Gidget
Stemming from “girl midget”, gidget is slang for small female surfers.
“Who was the cute gidget in the photo?” (Is this even real?)
Glass Job
The fiberglass coat added to the top of a surfboard during the shaping process.
“I prefer a thick glass job because I tend to ding a lot of boards.”
Glassy
Glassy is how you would describe super calm surface conditions in the ocean.
“If you surf, go in the morning when the water is glassy!”
Gnarly
How you’d describe something intense or impressive.
“The waves were gnarly, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous.”
Going Off
This is what you say when the waves are perfect or as close to perfect as possible.
“Dave you need to get down here right now it’s absolutely going off!”
Goofy Foot
When you surf with your right foot forward.
“Since he’s a goofy footer he really likes going frontside on the left handers!”
Green Room
Slang for the inside of a barrel.
“He was in green room.”
Gremmie
Same as grom.
“The gremmies come out in heaps during the summer months!”
Grom Mom
The surfing equivalent of a soccer mom.
“She’s an OG grom mom, sand in the car, yeti thermos, and a bag full of surf wax for the kids!”
Grommet/Grom
Grom or grommet refers to a young surfer, perhaps less experienced but that isn’t always the case.
“Once school gets out you’re going to see a lot more groms on the beach.”
Ground Swell
Ground swell is long period swell that carries immense energy across thousands of miles of ocean.
“The charts marked an increase in ground swell.”
Grubbing
Slang for falling.
“We were grubbling around out there!”
Gun
A longer, heavier surfboard designed specifically for really big waves.
“It was 20ft that day, if you didn’t have a gun you had no business even being out there.”
H
Hang Eleven
This trick (more like a joke) is where you do a classic hang ten but while nude with your third leg also hanging off the nose of your longboard.
“He landed a sick hang eleven but also landed himself a fine for indecent exposure…”
Hang Five
This is an advanced longboarding maneuver/trick where the surfer walks to the front of the board and hangs one foot (five toes) off the nose of the board while riding the wave.
“I landed a nice little hang five this morning on the new board!”
Hang Heels
Hanging heels is pretty much a reverse hang five or hang ten where a surfer will walk to the nose and while facing the tail of the longboard will hang their heels off the board.
“If you think hanging ten is hard try hanging heels!”
Hang Loose
Hawaiian expression for having a laid back and positive vibe.
“Hang loose boys, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Hang Ten
This advanced longboard trick is when a surfer walks to the nose of their board and hangs all ten toes off the front of the board.
“Don’t call yourself an expert longboarder unless you know how to hang ten!”
Hawaiian Scale
A method of measuring wave height by viewing the back of the wave in comparison to sea level (instead of the traditional way of measuring the wave’s face).
“The waves were 3 feet Hawaiian, which basically means it was 6 feet.”
Heat
The timed competitive period of a surf competition.
“I usually eat a banana before a big heat!”
Heater
A sick but fast wave (I may be the only one who uses this one).
“Jared caught a heater on that last set.”
Heavy
How you’d describe waves that are big and hold a lot of power.
“That was a heavy day! Darrel broke his board.”
Head Dip
When a surfer is riding a small wave and “dips” or sticks their head inside a mini barrel.
“I’ve never been barreled but they call me the head dip king.”
Helicopter
A helicopter is a trick where the surfer will put weight on the nose and rotate the board under their feet.
“Landing a helicopter is one of the hardest things to do on a longboard.”
Hit The Lip
Hitting the lip is when a surfer performs a hard/sharp turn on the breaking crest of a wave (lip).
“I just got the coolest shot of you hitting the lip.”
Ho-Dad
Ho-dad is a wannabe surfer who hangs around the beach, takes on the culture, but never paddles out.
“Back in my day they called folks like you ho-dads.”
Hold Down
A hold down is when you’re held under water after a fall or wipeout.
“That was a pretty long hold down, good thing I can take a beating!”
Hollow
Steep barreling waves.
“It was super hollow out there!”
Hydrofoil
An underwater wing attached to the bottom of a board which raises the surfer above the surface and propels them across flat conditions.
“Hydrofoils are the e-bikes of surfing!”
I
Impact Zone
The most violent area on the inside where waves break.
“I got stuck in the impact zone and the jet ski had to come rescue me…”
Indo
Surfer slang for Indonesia.
“I’d be retired right now if it wasn’t for all those surf trips to Indo!”
Inside
Same as the white wash.
“I got stuck in the inside for 15 minutes!”
Into The Soup
Falling into the white water.
“Billy went into the soup!”
J
Jack Up
When a wave suddenly increases in height.
“All of the sudden the wave jacked up and doubled in size.”
Jake
Similar to a kook, a Jake is someone who gets in the way of everyone.
“What did say his name was again? Tyler? He should change it to Jake.”
Jetty
A jetty is a man made structure that extends from shore into the ocean.
“Have you surfed the jetty?”
Junkyard Dog
A low-skilled surfer with bad etiquette.
“There’s a few junkyard dogs to keep your eye on…”
K
Kahuna
Wizard/magician.
“Jeff is the kahuna of surfing!”
Keel
Keels are old school surf fins created in the 60’s that are known for their large and parallel profile.
“I just picked up a set of the HoStevie twin fin keels!”
Keg
Another term for tube or barrel.
“I got a sick clip of Chris in the Keg.”
Kerrupt Flip
A seemingly impossible to land maneuver where the rider performs an inverted rail grab alley-oop.
“Josh Kerr created the Kerrupt Flip.”
Kickflip
When the surfboard rotates 360 degrees in the air (same as a kick flip in skateboarding).
“Landing a kick flip is one of the most difficult tricks in all of surfing.”
Kick Out
Kicking out is when a surfer rides the entire wave without falling and exits off the shoulder before it closes out.
“I tried to kick out but the wave closed out faster than I expected!”
Kink
When there’s a backwash or a bump in the water/wave.
“On high tide when water washes off the rocks theres a big kink that forms.”
Kite Surf
Kite surfing is a sport where the rider has their feet strapped to the deck of their board and they hold onto a kite and use the wind to propel across the ocean.
“There’s a lot of kite surfers in Hood River Oregon!”
Knee Boarding
A type of surfing where the rider pops up and surfs on their knees.
“Not too often do you see a knee boarder out here!”
Knee High
When the waves only come up to the surfers knee you call it “knee high”.
“Keep your expectations low, it’s been knee high all week.”
Knot
Nautical mile.
“The wind will be blowing 7 knots tomorrow.”
Kook
A kook is an inexperienced surfer that doesn’t realize they are doing things wrong and/or gets in the way of other surfers (also what you call your friends at the slightest opportunity).
“That kook had no idea I was even on the wave first, he just took off without looking!”
L
Landlord
Slang for shark.
“Let’s hope the landlord doesn’t show up!”
Layback
A layback is a surfing trick where the rider will physically lay back on the wave face while executing a turn.
“I landed a sweet little layback on the closeout section!”
Leash
The cord that connects the surfer to the surfboard.
“The waves were so huge I snapped my leash!”
Left
A “left” is a wave that breaks from left to right.
“As a goofy footer I love surfing left!”
Leggie
Australian slang for leash.
“Aye mate throw me my leggie.”
Leg Rope
Leg rope is another term for a leash.
“This is Australia mate, we don’t say leash we say leg rope!”
Lines
A visible set of waves on the horizon. Similar to corduroy.
“It was a beautiful sunset, you could see the lines coming over the horizon!”
Line-Up
A group of surfers waiting for waves.
“It was probably 9am when Tony paddled out to the lineup.”
Lip
The crest of a wave.
“The lip crashed right on my head!”
Localism
Localism refers to aggressive territorial protection over a surf spot by local residents. Everything you need to know about localism (including how to avoid it) can be read here!
“The localism is so bad that Kenny had his tires slashed for having out-of-state plates.”
Locked In
When a surfer crashes inside of a barrel.
“I knew I wasn’t making it out, I just locked in and prayed.”
Log
Slang for longboard.
“Grab the logs and meet me at the pier!”
Log Jam
When a surf spot is loaded with a bunch of longboarders.
“It was a log jam on Sunday!”
Long John Wetsuit
A long john wetsuit is a wetsuit where you have full length legs but the sleeves are cut off like a tank top.
“I’ve seen just about everything but I haven’t seen anyone wear a long john wetsuit besides you Tim.”
Longboard
Exactly what it sounds like, a long surfboard.
“There’s grey areas but usually any board over 8 feet is considered a longboard!”
Lull
A lull is the period of time in between sets where no waves roll through the lineup.
“There were fun waves but really long lulls. Lots of waiting around.”
M
Mack
Slang for big.
“It was macking out there!”
Making The Drop
When a surfer pulls off a sketchy takeoff on a really steep wave (see drop).
“Chis made the drop and got a really long ride!”
Maxed Out
When the waves are too large to break without closing out.
“It was maxed out on my day off!”
Mental
Slang for insane or crazy.
“That new surf film was mental bro!”
Messy
Messy is how you’d describe poor surfing conditions.
“Once the wind picks up it gets really messy.”
Mex
Slang for Mexico. If you want to hear the craziest Mexico story ever, read this!
“When are all the boys getting together for another trip to mex?”
Mid Break
Mid break is the area where waves are breaking in between the set waves and the shore (similar to whitewash).
“The kids couldn’t get past the mid break.” (first time hearing this one)
Mid Length
Mid lengths are surfboards that fall between 6’8″ and 8’0″ in length.
“A lot of surfers ride mid lengths all year.”
Mini Mal
A round egg-shaped mid length.
“CeCe rides a mini mal.”
Mini Simmons
Flat, thick railed surfboards with mostly parallel lines and wide tail.
“The mini simmons is a tribute to some of the earliest surfboard designs made from wood.”
Mini Trailer
Same as stabilizer fin.
“I added a mini trailer and the board rides so much better!”
Mullering
Same as a fall or wipeout.
“The boys were mullering around out there.” (I’ve never heard of this one before)
Mushy / Mush burger
Slow weak waves.
“It’s been mushy all week, if I don’t surf a decent wave soon I think I might lose my mind!”
Mysto Spot
A big offshore reef break.
“There’s a mysto spot in Indo that Craig can get us to!”
N
Namer
Someone who shares his surf spots with people.
“Joe is a namer so be careful showing him your secret spots.”
Neoprene
Neoprene is the synthetic rubber material used to make wetsuits.
“The neoprene in cheap wetsuits are stiff and uncomfortable.”
Nica
Surfer slang for Nicaragua.
“Did Billy make the Nica trip last year?”
Nipple Rash
A nipple rash is a common irritation that happens when someone surfs without a rash guard or wetsuit and the wax from the board rubs on the nipples.
“After last week’s nipple rash I’m never surfing without a rash guard ever again!”
No Man’s Land
Impact zone/whitewash area surfers want to avoid.
“Joey’s in no man’s land!”
Noodle Arms
When your arms are exhausted and you can barely lift them.
“We surfed for 4 hours, we all had noodle arms by the end of it!”
Nose
The front tip of the surfboard.
“I’ve repaired a lot of boards but when you damage the nose it takes me a lot longer.”
Nose Guard
A rubber guard that protects the nose of a surfboard.
“I rarely see people use nose guards anymore!”
Nose Dive
A nose dive is when a surfer either takes off too steep or they have too much weight forward and they bury the nose into the water and fall forward.
“The only trick I’ve fully mastered is the nose dive!”
Nose Ride
When a surfer walks to the nose of the long board it is called a nose ride.
“Sherry is good at nose riding!”
Nug
Good, fun wave.
“There’s a sick little nug past the cliffs.”
O
Off-The-Lip
A re-entry from a big turn on the lip of a wave.
“Jerry came off the lip and hit a big bottom turn.”
Offshore Wind
Offshore wind is a favorable wind condition where the breeze flows off the land towards the ocean causing the face of the wave to hold longer and stay smooth.
“The morning surf was perfect man, the offshore winds were doing their job.”
Ollie
An ollie is when a surfer forcefully catches air with his/her board (usually on the face of the wave, not off the lip).
“The surfer was so good he ollied over that guy who was in his way!”
Onshore Wind
Onshore wind is an unfavorable occurrence where the wind blows from the ocean towards land often resulting in bumpy surface conditions.
“Let’s get out there soon before the onshore winds kick up!”
Outline
The shape of a surfboard.
“I like the new board from Darren Handley, it has a nice outline!”
Outside
Past the breakers where the lineup sits.
“I was sitting outside with Charlie when he freaked out over a dolphin.”
Out The Back
When you are beyond/past the area where the waves break.
“The waves were pretty big that day, it took me 15 minutes to paddle out the back!”
Over The Falls
When a surfer falls at the top of a wave and gets dragged down with the lip as if they were thrown down a waterfall.
“We got three photos of Drew catching waves and one of Justin going over the falls.”
Over Gunned
When you have the wrong surfboard for the conditions.
“I was over gunned and had to run home to grab a new board!”
Overhead
When the size of the waves exceed the height of the average surfer.
“The waves were 7 or 8 feet, overhead for sure.”
P
PWC
Personal water craft, another term for jet ski.
“There was a reckless PWC in the water!”
Paddle Battle
When two or more people are racing each other to catch a wave or paddle into position.
“There were so many guys out, each wave was a paddle battle.”
Paddle Deep
When a surfer paddles towards the wave to catch up to the peak they are “paddling deep”.
“James paddled deep for that one!”
Paddle Puss
Someone who is afraid of the water and won’t swim far from shore.
“Jared tells everyone he surfs every day but when we’re at the beach he’s a paddle puss.”
Paddle Wide
When a surfer paddles for the shoulder away from the peak they are “paddling wide”.
“Paddle wide! That set is about to take us out!”
Paipo
Small wooden board used by the Polynesians to surf waves in the 18th century.
“Carmen has a paipo hanging on her wall”
Party Wave
A party wave is when two or more people ride the same wave together (and everyone is happy).
“The waves were weak so we all just grabbed a party wave back to shore.”
Peak
Same as crest.
“The highest point on a wave is called a peak.”
Peaking
When a wave is on the cusp of breaking.
“There’s a cool tattoo of a peaking wave I saw on Instagram.”
Peelers
Perfect waves.
“There were a bunch of peelers out there!”
Peeling
When a wave breaks with perfect form.
“It was all time dude, the waves were peeling all morning!”
Perfect 10
The highest score you can get in competitive surfing.
“Kelly Slater got a perfect 10 in the last heat of the contest.”
Pit
The pit of a wave can either mean the barrel or the impact zone.
“Jordan snapped a good pic of me in the pit.”
Pit Dive
A pit dive is when a surfer isn’t going to make the drop so they jump off the lip straight into the pit.
“A pit dive is one of the worst situations you could be in!”
Pitted
Another term for getting barreled.
“Kyle got so pitted on that last one but he didn’t make it out.”
Pigdog
When a surfer riding backside grabs rail and drops a knee to fit inside a barrel.
“Ricky did a pigdog.” (Another new one for me)
Pintail
A pintail is a surfboard tail design that curves and comes to a point at the end. Pintails give surfers stability at high speeds.
“My new board has a pintail.”
Plunging Wave
A wave that increases in size and closes out, plunging forward as it breaks.
“Avoid that spot at high tide it’s a plunging wave.”
The pocket is the area of a wave that holds the most power. Surfers try to maximize their time in the pocket.
“I was right in the pocket!”
Point Break
A wave that breaks on a piece of coastline where the land extends to a headland.
“There’s a fun right-hand point break down the road!”
Polyurethane
Polyurethane is an essential material used in the surfboard shaping process.
“Shapers always have polyurethane on hand.”
A poncho (also known as a changing poncho), is a hooded robe-like towel that is worn when changing in and out a wetsuit.
“I always use a poncho so I don’t accidentally flash people.”
Pop-Up
This is the act of transitioning from a paddling position into a standing position on the surfboard.
“I’m starting to get better but I still need to work on my pop-up.”
Pressure Ding
Small to large indents on the deck or bottom of a surfboard, usually caused by the feet of a surfer or intense pressure from a wave.
“I wanted to buy a used surfboard but the one I looked at had way too many pressure dings.”
Priority
The surfer who is in the right position and entitled to the next wave has priority.
“A great wave came through but the kook who had priority completely missed it!”
Pump
The action of generating speed on the face of the wave.
“The wave was breaking fast but I was able to pump down the line and make the next section!”
Pumping
When the waves are perfect.
“it’s pumping!”
Pura Vida
The unofficial slogan of Costa Rica, “pura vida” means “pure life”.
“I went to Costa Rica and all I got was a broken board and this shirt that says pura vida.”
Push Through
A technique used by longboarders and beginners to get past breaking waves where they push their surfboard under the wave while they jump over it.
“When the wave comes do the push through technique.”
Q
Quad Fins
Quad fins (or just quads) is a four fin set up where there are two fins located along each rail of the surfboard.
“Quads will give you more speed and more hold but they don’t turn as sharp as thrusters.”
Quimby
Same as kook.
“Don’t act like a quimby in front of the locals.” (First time seeing this one)
Quiver
A collection of surfboards. Similar to quiver of arrows.
“Just added another board to the quiver!”
R
Rail/Rails
The curved edge of your surfboard.
“When you pop-up put your hands near the rails of the board and push up!”
Rail Bang
When a surfer takes a surfboard to the crotch.
“Apart from a shark attack, a rail bang is the worst possible scenario!”
Raked Over
When a surfer gets worked paddling out to the lineup its called getting “raked over”.
“The boys got raked over this morning.”
Rad
Epic, sick, awesome, etc.
“What a rad session!”
Rash Guard
A shirt or vest that you wear in warm water to avoid getting a sun burn or rash from the wax on your surfboard.
“The water was warm, the only thing I needed was a rash guard!”
Re-Entry
“Nice re-entry on that last wave bro!”
Reflection
When a wave crashes on a solid object and turns into a different direction.
“On rare high tides there’s a reflection off that sea wall. It’s fun to come watch!”
Refraction
The process of swell slowing down when traveling through shallow depths.
“We don’t get very many waves here because of refraction caused by the reefs.”
Regular Foot
A surfer who puts their left foot forward (opposite of goofy footer).
“Shane surfs regular footed so he’d love that right hand wave.”
Reverb
The disturbance on the surface of the ocean after a wave crashes.
“The reverb made it hard for the jet skis to come rescue Chris!”
Reverse
When a surfer is facing the opposite way while surfing (usually during or after a maneuver).
“Jared fell wile he was riding reverse.”
Ride Out
When someone doesn’t fall during a maneuver, barrel, or difficult wave.
“I don’t know how you rode out of that one!”
Ricos
Perfect. (new one for me)
“That wave was straight ricos.”
Rhino Chaser
A surfboard made for really big waves (same as gun).
“Break out the rhino chasers folks, we’ve got swell on the horizon!”
Right
A wave that breaks from right to left.
“The best right I ever surfed was in Mexico.”
Right Of Way
When someone has priority on the next wave.
“Let Jerry take the next one, he has the right of way!”
Rip
Short for rip current.
“Don’t swim next to the pier you could get caught in the rip!”
Rip Current
A rip current is the strong flow of water (usually on the surface) that pulls out to sea.
“You need to know how to spot rip currents otherwise you run the risk of drowning.”
Riptide
Same as a rip current but during an outgoing tide.
“You need to know how to spot riptides otherwise you run the risk of drowning.”
River Mouth
When a river meets the ocean.
“In Oregon the majority of sharks hang around the river mouths so they can eat the seals feeding on salmon!”
Rock Dance
When surfers walk awkwardly along rocks its called the rock dance.
“I couldn’t keep my balance, did you see me doing the rock dance?”
Rocker
The curve of a surfboard from tail to nose.
“The board has low rocker meaning it’s pretty flat.”
Rogue Wave
An unexpected large wave.
“Everyone got worked when the rogue wave rolled through.”
Rounded Pin Tail
The most commonly used surfboard tail shape known for it’s strong hold down the line and smooth transitions from rail to rail.
“The rounded pin will work good in almost all wave conditions.”
Rounded Square Tail
A surfboard tail shape that is essentially a square tail but with rounded corners and slightly less surface area (similar to a squash tail but still has a flat section in the nose).
“The rounded square tail will surf similar to a standard square tail but the turns won’t be as sharp.”
Roundhouse Cutback
When a surfer rides way onto the shoulder and performs a large sweeping cutback leading them back into the pocket.
“A roundhouse cutback is a staple maneuver for every good surfer!”
Round Tail
A surfboard tail shape that is similar to the the rounded pin but has more surface area giving it more drive in smaller, weaker surf.
“The longboard has a round tail.”
S
Sandbar
The buildup of sand causing a shallow bank.
“When the sandbars line up right you can find great waves at beach breaks.”
Section
Any particular area of a wave.
“Did you make the end section?”
Set
A series of oncoming waves.
“Waves usually come in sets of 3-7.”
Shacked
The past tense of getting barreled.
“It was such a fun session, I got absolutely shacked on my first wave.”
Shaka
Same as a hang loose sign with your thumb and pinkie out.
“I think the locals are nice, one dude threw me a shaka when I parked the car.”
Shaper
Someone who makes surfboards.
“I’ve been texting my shaper all week asking when my new board will be done.”
Shape
The shape of a surfboard (similar to outline), or describing the shape of a wave.
“That wave has a good shape to it.”
Shoaling
When waves hit very shallow water and increase in size. Similar to jacked up.
“No one knows what shoaling is so most people just say it looks wonky.”
Shore Break
A location where the waves don’t break until they hit the shore/sand.
“Keep your kids away from the shore break!”
Shorey
Slang for shore break.
“The boys are grabbing their skim boards and hitting the shorey, you coming?“
Shoulder
The open face of a wave (ahead of the peak) that has not yet broke.
“The shoulder is where you’ll do the majority of your actual surfing.”
Shove-It
This is a trick where the surfboard rotates 180 degrees under the surfers feet and the surfer lands with the fins towards the front foot and the nose of the board towards the back foot (similar to a pop shove-it on a skateboard).
“That guy just landed a shove-it!”
Sick
If something is cool, epic, fun, rad, or epic you can call it “sick”.
“Did you see the last wave I got? It was sickkkkkkkk!”
Side Bites
Small side/rail fins that add drive and hold to the surfboard.
“Some longboards ride better with side bites.”
Sketchy
A potentially dangerous or questionable scenario that can be overcame with the right amount of skill and risk.
“The wave was barreling over 3 feet of sharp reef! It was fun but definitely sketchy.”
Skeg
Old terminology for a surf fin.
“The old timer down the street still calls fins skegs.”
Skagged By The Rail
When you get cut by a surf fin on a wipeout.
“Darren got skagged by the rail and had to paddle in.”
Slab
A heavy reef break that breaks over shallow water.
“That wave is a slab be careful!”
Slotted
When a surfer has good control and form while riding inside the barrel.
“Robbie was slotted on that last one!”
Snap
A quick powerful turn done off-the-lip.
“Nice frontside snap June!”
Snaking
When someone paddles around the person with priority and takes the next wave.
“Don’t snake anyone’s waves, it’s considered bad etiquette.”
Soft
Weak/slow waves.
“It’s been soft all week!”
Soft Top
Another word for foamie.
“It’s best to learn on a soft top.”
Soul Arch
A soul arch is when a surfer will arch their back while riding a wave.
“You’ll see the soul arch from classic longboarders!”
Soup
Same as white wash.
“Jerry got stuck in the soup.”
Spit
When water sprays out of the barrel as it closes.
“There were spitting barrels all morning it was one of the best sessions ever.”
Spring Suit
A wetsuit (designed for warmer water) that leaves the arms, legs, or both exposed to the elements.
“I am stoked on this new spring suit from HoStevie!”
Square Tail
A surfboard tail shape that has a wide profile and squared off flat tail making it more responsive than all other tail shapes.
“The square tail is designed for turns.”
Squash Tail
A surfboard tail shape that is an even mix between a square tail and a round tail.
“The shaper added a squash tail for me.”
Stabilizer Fin
A stabilizer fin is the mini sized center fin in the 2+1 setup that adds stability and control.
“If the board rides too loose try adding a stabilizer fin!”
Stall
When a surfer intentionally stops or slows themselves on the face of a wave (usually to position for a barrel section).
“Jerry stalled perfectly for the backdoor barrel.”
Stand Up Paddle Board
A very large board designed to be stood on and propelled using a paddle (pretty self explanatory huh?).
“Laird Hamilton made stand up paddle boards popular.”
Star Tail
A unique surfboard tail shape that curves inward before protruding out into a point.
“The star tail allows you to turn sharper.”
Stoked
Hyped, excited, happy, etc.
“Did you see the waves? I’m stoked!”
Stringer
A thin strip of wood that runs the distance of the surfboard nose to tail. The stringer adds strength and durability to the surfboard.
“Some of the new boards don’t have stringers.”
Sucking Dry
When water retracts back to sea temporarily exposing dry reef.
“The famous surf spot Supersucks got it’s name by how it sucks dry on the inside.”
Sunnies
Australian slang for sunglasses.
“Skip got sauced up on the beers last night and lost his sunnies.”
SUP
SUP is the acronym for stand up paddle board.
“The waves were small so I took the the SUP for a paddle in the bay!”
Surfer’s Knots
Surfer’s knots are lumps that form on the feet, chest, and legs of people who have been surfing for years or decades.
“I literally never heard of surfer’s knots until two seconds ago.”
Surf Camp
Surf camps are niche surfing resorts that will house you, feed you, and take you to epic local surf spots (usually accompanied by a local guide).
“Surf camps come in all shapes and sizes, you can pay thousands for a luxury experience with massages and private villas or you can pay a few hundred or less and be one with the locals!”
Surging Wave
Surging waves are a type of wave caused by long period swells hitting steep (often rocky) cliffs from deep water.
“It’s the surging waves that cause the huge crashes you see on the cliffs!”
Superman
A superman is an insane surfing trick where the rider will catch air, grab both rails and push themself away from the board before coming back and landing.
“The only superman I’ve seen was in a wave pool!”
Swallow Tail
A surfboard tail design that looks like an upside down V. Swallow tails are known for their hold and stability.
“I’m really liking the swallow tail on this board!”
Switch
Riding with your non dominant/lead foot forward.
“You don’t see very many surfers ride switch!”
Swell
Surfable waves.
“I saw there’s better swell coming next week.”
Swell Period
Swell period is the amount of time in seconds between each wave in a set. There’s a lot of science that goes into it, here’s a good article you can read.
“understanding how swell periods affect your spot will give you a much better understanding of the conditions.”
T
Tail
The tail is the back end of a surfboard, opposite of the nose.
“I dropped my board and now there’s a ding on the tail!”
Tail Pad
Tail pad is another word for the rear traction pad on your surfboard.
“I just picked up a new surfboard but my back foot keeps slipping off because I don’t have a tail pad on it.”
Tail Slide
When a surfer does a top turn and slides the tail of the board across the wave face.
“Can you teach me how to tail slide?”
Take-Off
When a surfer transitions from a paddling position to a standing surfing position. See drop.
“I fell on the take-off.”
Tandem Surfing
Two or more surfers riding on the same board.
“You want a good date idea? Go tandem surfing.”
Thruster
The classic three fin setup on a surfboard.
“Thrusters are the most common fin setup.”
Tidal Bore
A very rare occurrence where an oncoming swell will cause a wave(s) to move up river, often for very long distances.
“The longest wave ever surfed was a tidal bore.”
Tombstone
When a surfer takes a heavy wipeout and is thrown so deep under water that the leash fully extends and the surfboard points straight up and down on the surface like it’s a tombstone.
“Was that a gnarly one? Your board tombstoned!”
Top Turn
When a surfer throws a turn at the top of a wave.
“Your top turn is looking good Jason!”
Tow In
When a surfer is pulled into a huge wave by a jet ski.
“Laird Hamilton is the GOAT of tow in surfing!”
Traction Pad
A traction pad is a foam pad that is placed on the deck of your surfboard to provide traction for your back foot. Some surfers chose to add a front traction pad near the center of their board to eliminate the need for wax and protect the board against pressure dings.
“I started surfing a new board but my back foot keeps slipping off because it doesn’t have a traction pad!”
Trimming
Riding the perfect line for the wave being surfed.
“Ryan was trimming on that wave!” (trimming?)
Trough
The lowest point between two waves.
“When the boat would go in the trough you would just see walls of water around you!”
Tsunami
An enormous wave caused by underwater earthquakes or volcanic activity. Unless your name is Laird Hamilton (or you just have a death wish) you don’t want to be anywhere near the ocean during a tsunami.
“Did you hear Indonesia had a tsunami warning yesterday?”
Tube
Slang term for the barrel section of a wave.
“Did you see that tube I caught?”.
Tubular
Same as tube/barrel but no one says this.
“That wave went tubular!”
Turtle Roll
When a surfer rolls over with their surfboard on top of them while an oncoming wave travels over the surfer.
“If you can’t duck dive make sure you turtle roll!”
Twin-Fin
A twin-fin is a surfboard with two side fins and no center fin. Twin fins, emerging out of Hawaii in the early 1940’s surf very fast and loose.
“You’re not cool unless you quit competitive surfing and devote your life to mastering the twin-fin.”
Twelve O’Clock
When a surfer pulls off a hardcore top turn and the nose of the board points straight into the sky before rotating back around.
“Check out this photo I got of you with your board at twelve O’clock!”
Twinny
Slang term for a twin fin surfboard.
“Did you see Darryl out there? His girl bought him a sick new twinny for his 30th birthday!”
V
Victory At Sea
When the waves are blown out and unridable.
“It was victory at sea yesterday, we didn’t even leave the house.”
Volume
The measurement (in liters) of buoyancy in a surfboard. More volume = more float, less volume = less float.
“The more volume you have, the easier it will be to catch waves.”
W
Wahine
Female surfer.
“Did you see the wahine surfing better than all of us?”
Wall
An unridable wave face (often big).
“I lost my board and all I could focus on was the wall of water coming towards me!”
Washing Machine
When you fall on a big wave and get tossed and turned under the water you’ve gone through the “washing machine”.
“I went through the washing machine so hard couldn’t even tell what way was up.”
Wax
You apply wax on the top of your surfboard to give your body and feet more traction when in the water.
“Hey bud you have any spare wax? Mine melted all over the seat of my car.”
Wax Comb
A small comb used to roughen up the existing wax on your surfboard giving it more traction. Most wax combs also have a straight edge that can be used to remove wax off the deck of your board as well.
“I bought a pair of HoStevie fins and they came with this sick little wax comb for free!”
Wave Height
Wave height is exactly what it sounds like; the hight of the waves.
“Whats the wave height going to be on Saturday?”
Wave Period
Same as swell period.
“understanding how wave periods affect your spot will give you a much better understanding of the conditions.”
Wave Pool
A pool that produces man made surf-able waves (often located inland far from traditional surf opportunities).
“The wave pool looks fun but it costs $200 for just one hour.”
Wave Hog
Someone who takes all the waves they want without consideration for the other surfers in the lineup.
“Don’t be a wave hog, it’s not a good way to make friends.”
Wave Length
Same as swell period/wave period.
“The surf spot is really good but it requires a very specific wave length for it to break clean.”
Wave Train
A group of approaching swells of similar size and shape. See corduroy.
“There’s a surf spot in Indonesia called Impossibles and it’s an absolute wave train!”
Wedge
A wave (often large and steep) that is formed from the backwash off a jetty, cliff, or other solid structure. See this video of “The Wedge” in California.
“On a high tide a nice wedge forms off the rocks”
Wettie
Slang for wetsuit.
“You see the new wettie from HoStevie?”
A skin tight body suit made of neoprene that keeps you warm in colder water.
“In San Diego we wear a wetsuit most of the year.”
White Caps
Breaking wave crests caused by strong wind.
“Let’s cancel our paddling trip, I see a lot of white caps on the horizon.”
White Water
Same as white wash.
“In order to make it out back you need to paddle through a mile of white wash.”
White Wash
The inside section of waves that have already broke and are now rolling walls of white water.
“She was scared to paddle past the breakers so we just played in the white wash.”
Wipeout
To fall on a wave.
“Larry just had a nasty wipeout, I wouldn’t be surprised if he paddled in after that!”
Wind Chop
When the wind causes unfavorable surface conditions.
“The wind chop made it hard to paddle!”
Wind Swell
Waves caused by local winds close to shore (within 800 miles of the coastline).
“It’s mostly just wind swell during the summer months.”
Wing
An indent or break along the rail of a surfboard (close to the back foot) that reduces the amount of volume in the tail.
“A wing will make the board sit lower in the water and release better during turns.”
Wonky
Wonky is a common word I use to describe wave conditions that aren’t clean and rather unpredictable.
“I don’t know, man it looks a bit wonky out there. Lets come back after the tide changes!”
Worked
To get your ass handed to you by a wave or set of waves.
“That wave broke right on my head bro, I just got absolutely worked.”
WSL
WSL is the acronym for World Surf League. The WSL runs the largest and most well-known surf competitions in the world.
“Just landed my first floater, got to make sure I keep my phone charged in case the WSL decides to call me up.”
By now you should finally know what it means when someone yells, “it’s sucking dry, paddle wide for rip in the channel or you’ll get stuck inside“.
But be careful.
With great power comes great responsibility (now that you know how to talk the talk, read THIS article so you can walk the walk). Or should I say, paddle the paddle?
If there’s anything we missed let us know in the comments! We’ll see you in the water 🤙🏽
