Written By Matt Rode (Surfline's head of Maps to Nowhere series) Once you have integrated all of the surf tips from this blog into your approach, your comfort and performance in the water will likely see some noticeable improvements. Progress like this deserves acknowledgement, and there’s no better way to reward yourself for all of the hard work you’ve done than to go on a surf trip! Photo from tickettoridegroup.com   Checklist for Packing Once you decide where you want to go and get all of your flights and logistics in order, the last thing you have to do is pack...

Written By Matt Rode (Surfline's head of Maps to Nowhere series) The Phenomenon of Sun Blindness If you spend enough time in the ocean—especially in the tropics, where the sun is strong and reflects off the surface of the water—you may run into an uncomfortable and inconvenient malady called sun blindness. This is especially likely when the waves are firing, because we surfers aren’t exactly known for having a lot of self-control. Sun blindness is essentially a case of sun burning your eyeballs. This happens due to sun exposure—obviously—but not just from direct sunlight. A lot of the impact on your...

Written By Matt Rode (Surfline's head of Maps to Nowhere series)   Once you have chosen the right board for the conditions and your abilities, it is important to also match that board with the right fins. There are four main fin clusters that are used on surfboards, ranging from single fins (slowest and most “retro,” but provide a lot of hold and a classic feel) and single fins (also retro, but faster and looser) to thrusters (modern three-fin setup) and quads (a modern tweak on the twin fin, which includes trailing fins on each side). Generally speaking, single fins...