4/3 recommendations

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,855
11,262
113
San Diego
I wish I could have come up with something that clever! Really I was just trying to avoid the entire situation :confused:, I want nothing to do with that aspect of surf culture
locals at my local eventually start spouting off over who knows what restaurant used to be what or which school teacher they had at the elementary school.

it’s all a flex to say I’ve been here longer than you.

where we actually live currently vs where we surf seems to have little importance aside from your implied wealth. engaging with them by saying how close you live nearby really only paints a target on your back as ”rich kid”.
 

chilly1

Nep status
Jan 4, 2010
734
1,094
93
It brings up an interesting question of who do you respect more as a "local"?

The better surfer?

The person who lives closer?

The person who's there everyday?

The person who's been surfing there for 30 years but only shows up once a month?
I personally respect and maybe admire the one who has the best attitude and shows the most respect.
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,855
11,262
113
San Diego
The one who talks the least but surfs the most gets the respect.

hoot me off a wave, or complain to me that I flipped you off after you dropped in on me, I’m gonna point and giggle about you at the peak with my buddies to make you feel out of place and in the wrong.

if you run your mouth AND are out numbered, you lose.
 

ehiunno

OTF status
Dec 27, 2019
325
635
93
where we actually live currently vs where we surf seems to have little importance aside from your implied wealth. engaging with them by saying how close you live nearby really only paints a target on your back as ”rich kid”.
100% nothing to be gained by engaging. Some people have to move far from the ocean for family, career, financial, whatever reasons. Others are lucky or rich and think that gives them extra privileges. I don't live where I grew up and I doubt I ever will again (thankfully).

I personally respect and maybe admire the one who has the best attitude and shows the most respect.
This ^. I do get it though. I've been doing this a long time and there's a lot of people in the water these days, it can get frustrating. I can get caught up in the elitism of being experienced vs the beginners or whatever, but at the end of the day it's just people playing in the ocean. No one that's being respectful has any more or less right to be there.
 

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
6,931
17,272
113
San Diego, CA
It brings up an interesting question of who do you respect more as a "local"?
The better surfer?
The person who lives closer?
The person who's there everyday?
The person who's been surfing there for 30 years but only shows up once a month?
Hmmm. The way it works at the crowded well-known reef here, certainly the biggest locals are not always the best surfers (although all good)- closer to your last two options- there's a crew been surfing there the longest, 30+ years. They sit furthest out for the sets, maybe a few inches bigger boards now, and there's always a few out, so they know each other and they will quickly start barking at a new face if they aren't being respectful or get in the way. It's a pretty clear hierarchy, and not nearly as intense as it used to be when this now-older crew were all in their surfing prime. We used to see punches thrown regularly when I was a grom. Usually the incidents nowadays are more on the inside peak where it's a frothy mess of 2nd-gen-local groms, semi-pros, randos, and kooks who are out of their depth (but paddled out because they drove by and saw better waves than other spots). Mostly just yelling, name-calling, and maybe some water splashing.
If I'm being honest, I'd say I'm on the fringe- I don't know everyone, but enough from growing up nearby and then moving back a few years ago. People know I will go on any wave and not waste it. I am always respectful, certainly know whose waves not to paddle for, and I try pick off waves that swing just wide or inside of the outer peak. But if I do decide to surf at this crowded spot, I know going in that I'm not going to get a lot of them, just hoping to snag a couple good ones. If I want more waves, I go to other lesser-quality spots around.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MathDebater and jkb

Havoc

Phil Edwards status
May 23, 2016
7,680
12,214
113
in da hood next to paradise
no
Hmmm. The way it works at the crowded well-known reef here, certainly the biggest locals are not always the best surfers (although all good)- closer to your last two options- there's a crew been surfing there the longest, 30+ years. They sit furthest out for the sets, maybe a few inches bigger boards now, and there's always a few out, so they know each other and they will quickly start barking at a new face if they aren't being respectful or get in the way. It's a pretty clear hierarchy, and not nearly as intense as it used to be when this now-older crew were all in their surfing prime. We used to see punches thrown regularly when I was a grom. Usually the incidents nowadays are more on the inside peak where it's a frothy mess of 2nd-gen-local groms, semi-pros, randos, and kooks who are out of their depth (but paddled out because they drove by and saw better waves than other spots). Mostly just yelling, name-calling, and maybe some water splashing.
If I'm being honest, I'd say I'm on the fringe- I don't know everyone, but enough from growing up nearby and then moving back a few years ago. People know I will go on any wave and not waste it. I am always respectful, certainly know whose waves not to paddle for, and I try pick off waves that swing just wide or inside of the outer peak. But if I do decide to surf at this crowded spot, I know going in that I'm not going to get a lot of them, just hoping to snag a couple good ones. If I want more waves, I go to other lesser-quality spots around.
It brings up an interesting question of who do you respect more as a "local"?

The better surfer?

The person who lives closer?

The person who's there everyday?

The person who's been surfing there for 30 years but only shows up once a month?

none, f-them all.
 

Havoc

Phil Edwards status
May 23, 2016
7,680
12,214
113
in da hood next to paradise
Hmmm. The way it works at the crowded well-known reef here, certainly the biggest locals are not always the best surfers (although all good)- closer to your last two options- there's a crew been surfing there the longest, 30+ years. They sit furthest out for the sets, maybe a few inches bigger boards now, and there's always a few out, so they know each other and they will quickly start barking at a new face if they aren't being respectful or get in the way. It's a pretty clear hierarchy, and not nearly as intense as it used to be when this now-older crew were all in their surfing prime. We used to see punches thrown regularly when I was a grom. Usually the incidents nowadays are more on the inside peak where it's a frothy mess of 2nd-gen-local groms, semi-pros, randos, and kooks who are out of their depth (but paddled out because they drove by and saw better waves than other spots). Mostly just yelling, name-calling, and maybe some water splashing.
If I'm being honest, I'd say I'm on the fringe- I don't know everyone, but enough from growing up nearby and then moving back a few years ago. People know I will go on any wave and not waste it. I am always respectful, certainly know whose waves not to paddle for, and I try pick off waves that swing just wide or inside of the outer peak. But if I do decide to surf at this crowded spot, I know going in that I'm not going to get a lot of them, just hoping to snag a couple good ones. If I want more waves, I go to other lesser-quality spots around.

haha #@$#@eak!
 
  • Like
Reactions: MathDebater

ehiunno

OTF status
Dec 27, 2019
325
635
93
I love that this is a proper norcal thread (north of the bridge) turned into socal peeps complaining about socal crowds.

Imagine the morphed neoprene threads if we all pulled a kento.
I'm in NY ;)

But I thought totally de-railing threads was what we did around here?

Edit: to get back on track. I used to live "near" SF. The thought of trying to surf north of the GGB in a 3/2 gives me an ice-cream headache lmao
 

Kento

Duke status
Jan 11, 2002
68,679
20,888
113
The Bar
I wish I could have come up with something that clever! Really I was just trying to avoid the entire situation :confused:, I want nothing to do with that aspect of surf culture
I hear you - I hate that sh!t too. It's usually people that are relatively mediocre surfers to which I think, if you lived and here and immediate/easy access, you should be surfing better. The people that actually surf very well DGAF because they're getting any damn wave they want anyways and destroying it in the process.
 

Swallow Tail

Billy Hamilton status
Oct 6, 2017
1,679
2,938
113
Your Mom’s House
Monterey Bay Area, In a 4/3 year round. In the water 3-4 times a week, sometimes more. Grew up surfing NY year round.

Have been using Xcel suits the last 15 years or so and they’re so hit or miss w quality- even the drylocks. Some I was cold even when brand new and not falling apart even- So finally given up on them.

Just got an O’Neil Hyperfreak 4/3+ chestzip. 3 sessions in and so far liking it a lot-water has been on the warmer side here lately. Getting a Hyperflex 4mm hooded this week as well. Know a few guys in the area that are happy with them.
 

trifish

Gerry Lopez status
Sep 23, 2009
1,337
3,790
113
Shred City
Never ordered from them, but hbcsurf.com has 10% off wetsuits at the moment. Code is on their front page.
 

r32

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 1, 2005
17,931
9,458
113
Cambria
I will no longer buy a suit that doesn't have taped and glued seems. It makes a huge difference in keeping the water out.

I also prefer some type of wool material for the chest panel.

 

Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,426
969
113
I love that this is a proper norcal thread (north of the bridge) turned into socal peeps complaining about socal crowds.

Imagine the morphed neoprene threads if we all pulled a kento.
Some of us spent many years north of the bridge and are now back home in San Diego. This thread turn is pertinent to my interests.

There are maybe 2-4 places you'll get barked at just for showing up north of the bridge, depending on which grumpy commercial fisherman/marijuana growers are in the lineup.