• Surfing 101
  • Surf Gear
Foam
Foam
Foam

Foam

  • Surfing 101
  • Surf Gear
Surfing 101

Onshore Wind vs. Offshore Wind: What They Mean for Surfing

Powerful wave shaped by offshore wind with a rainbow in the sea spray

Like I talked about in another post about swells and how they’re formed, without wind there would be no waves. And you’ve probably heard the terms onshore winds and offshore winds thrown around, but don’t fully understand what they mean.…

Continue Reading
Surfing 101

Wave Period: Understanding the Magic Number

Image depicting a wave period between two peaks in a swell

Wave period, swell period, interval—they all mean the same thing, and understanding this number is key to reading a surf forecast. That’s because so much of surfing is based on physics: wind velocity, wind direction, swell energy, and of course,…

Continue Reading
Surfing 101

What Is a Swell? (Answered and Explained!)

Point break with clean groundswell coming in and surfers riding on waves

As surfers, we refer to water in a lot of ways: ocean, sea, surf, swell, waves, not to mention the different types of waves we like to ride (lefts, rights, A-frames). And though we tend to talk about swell and…

Continue Reading
Surfing 101

Surf Break Breakdown: The Different Types of Waves You Should Know

Female surfer paddling out over a reef break with clean groundswell waves

Big waves, small waves, hollow waves, mushy waves, smooth waves, crumbly waves… no two waves are exactly the same, and that’s what makes surfing so challenging (and exciting!). A lot of variables are involved in the physics of how a…

Continue Reading
Surfing 101

How to Read Waves—the Right Way

Female surfer lying on a surfboard and paddling over a small wave

Have you ever watched surfers from the beach and thought, “Wow, they make it look so easy” when they know exactly when to start paddling to catch that perfect peeler, or “Why didn’t they go for that wave?” when the…

Continue Reading
Surfing 101

Getting to Know the Parts of a Surf Wave

Diagram of all the parts of a wave, with labels

To the average person, a wave just looks like a wall of water that crashes continually, one after another. But to a surfer, every part of the wave has a purpose, whether it’s for generating momentum, making turns, launching airs,…

Continue Reading
Surfing 101

The Best Size Surfboard Leash to Get for Your Board

Close-up of woman's bare legs walking toward the ocean with a surfboard leash attached to her ankle

Sizing a surfboard leash is actually quite simple. You never want the leash to be shorter than your board, so the quick answer to what size leash you should get is: the same or a little longer than your board.…

Continue Reading
Surf Gear

The Best Surfboard Leashes You Can Buy Right Now—2022 Picks

Female surfer on the beach putting a surfboard leash on her ankle

A surfboard leash seems like one of those little accessories that you add on and don’t put too much thought into, but I’d say it’s just as important as the surfboard itself. For one thing, it keeps your board within…

Continue Reading
Surfing 101

The Difference Between Soft Rails vs. Hard Rails on a Surfboard

Woman holding on to the rails of her surfboard in the water

Rails are the edges of your surfboard—the parts you grab onto. Since they run the entire length of your board from the nose to the tail, they play a key part in the board’s performance: how fast it glides, how…

Continue Reading
Surfing 101

Surfboard Fin Setups: Understanding Single, Twin, Thruster, and Quad Fins

Underwater shot of yellow surfboard with single fin and a silhouette of female surfer above the water

Look on the bottom of any surfboard and you’ll notice one, two, three or more fins of different sizes and shapes. These fins—and the way they’re arranged—can have a major impact on your board’s performance, especially as you pass the…

Continue Reading
1 2 Next

Welcome friends!

Welcome friends!
Hi, I'm Linda Ly
Sun & Salt Lover

I'm a former SoCal surfer girl turned PNW transplant who still loves the energy that the ocean brings.

Recent Posts

  • Onshore Wind vs. Offshore Wind: What They Mean for Surfing
  • Wave Period: Understanding the Magic Number
  • What Is a Swell? (Answered and Explained!)

Disclosure

Foam independently selects products to feature on this site. I may receive a commission when you buy something through one of my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. More details

About | Contact | Policies

Foam

© Foam | All Rights Reserved

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept,” you consent to the use of ALL cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT