Do You Wear Socks With Water Shoes?

If you’ve ever been on a liveaboard dive boat, you probably have seen people wearing water socks. Water socks are often worn with diving fins or water shoes so that you have extra protection in any activity where your feet can get wet.

Many people are confused as to what water socks and water shoes are. Many people mistakenly think that water socks are a type of water shoe, but they serve two different purposes. Let’s talk about water socks first.

An easy way to think of a water sock is that they are literally socks that you can wear in the water. Think about the purpose that regular socks serve on land – they keep your feet warm, they protect you from blisters and irritation, and you wear them under shoes. Same with water socks.

You do not have to wear water socks with water shoes if you don’t want to. That said, you are probably going to regret it, especially if you’re walking a lot. Sand, grit and dirt that make it into the shoe, and even the shoe itself, are going to rub painfully against your feet, and your feet will probably be freezing cold. Water socks can protect you from all of that, so they are highly recommended to be worn with water shoes.

If you would like to learn more about how water socks can benefit you, whether you’re an aspiring snorkeler, open water swimmer, surfer, kayaker, hiker, or basically anybody who spends time in the water or wet conditions, then you need to understand why water socks are so crucial.

How water socks differ from regular socks

How do water socks differ from regular socks? For one thing, the material is completely different. Instead of wool or cotton, water socks are typically made of a non-absorbent, fast-drying, water-resistant material such as neoprene.

This is the same material that wetsuits are made of, and it provides the same major benefits like heat insulation and greater durability. As such, they are sometimes referred to as neoprene socks; other names are aqua socks or swim socks.

Some water socks are made with spandex, lycra, and elastane. These are the same materials that swimsuits are made of. They differ from neoprene in that they do not provide insulation and are not as durable, but they are stretchier, more affordable, and still miles better than regular socks because of how fast-drying they are.

Advantages of wearing water socks

Protection. Water socks provide a layer of superficial protection for your feet. They aren’t good enough to replace shoes; concrete, sharp rocks, and other abrasive surfaces would tear them down quickly. However, they can protect your skin from rubbing against your water shoes as well as sand, grit, and debris that enter the shoe. They also keep your feet from being scorched by the hot sand.

Dryness. In the case of a neoprene sock, neoprene is waterproof so as long as no water enters from the opening of the sock, your feet can stay completely dry. As for water socks made of spandex or lycra, they don’t absorb much water and dry quickly. You won’t feel like you’re wearing soggy socks when wearing water socks.

Warmth (neoprene socks only). Whether a neoprene sock keeps your feet dry or not, it will keep you warm. Neoprene is great at insulating heat. Any water that makes its way into your neoprene socks will get warmed up by the trapped heat and form a warm layer of water around your feet, which is why neoprene socks can keep your feet warm underwater as well. The thicker your neoprene socks are, the greater their insulating capability.

Versatility. Water socks can be worn for various water sports like diving, swimming, kayaking, surfing, fishing, and even land activities like skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and traveling in general. Any situation where you feel like your feet could get wet, make sure you wear a solid pair of neoprene socks to keep you warm and prevent blisters, cuts, bruises, sunburn, numbness, and so on.

When should you wear water socks?

Water socks are a fantastic option whenever you’re outdoors in an environment where you expect to get wet. You don’t necessarily have to be in a body of water, such as a lake or ocean to justify wearing it. Even when you’re going camping, hiking, or walking along the shore where you have a reasonable expectation your shoes will get wet, you should be wearing water socks.

One thing to note is that water socks are not meant to be worn like shoes. Some people still make the mistake that water socks are the same as water shoes. You wear water socks under shoes, preferably water shoes, or you can just wear it with a pair of beater shoes you don’t care about.

As durable as water socks are, they will quickly get worn down if used to step on abrasive surfaces like gravel or concrete. They are meant to protect your feet from sand, grit, and dirt that makes its way into your shoes. However, shoes with a sturdy sole are still required to walk on anything more abrasive or jagged than the aforementioned.

Some common activities people do while wearing water socks are kayaking, canoeing, swimming, fly fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing, and hiking or backpacking.

Can you wear regular socks under water socks?

You can wear regular wool socks under neoprene socks specifically. Neoprene socks are waterproof so they can keep your feet dry underneath. That way, your regular socks won’t get wet either, and can continue to keep your feet warm.

This only works with neoprene socks because any other material allows water to seep through. Neoprene socks are specifically designed to be insulating in order to provide comfort in wet conditions. That said, water can still get inside if it enters from the top opening of the sock, so be careful where you step.

Why water socks and water shoes work well together

If you’re wearing a non-neoprene water sock, you can expect your feet to get a bit wet. That’s fine, though, because lycra water socks are designed to be non-absorbent, breathable, and fast-drying. Water shoes work under the same principle. They are not designed to keep you dry, but rather to dry quickly when wet.

Since both the water sock and water shoes are so breathable and airy, your feet will dry very quickly when wet. The moisture-wicking material also ensures that any sweat you produce will be aired out as well.

If you are in temperate conditions, you must specifically wear neoprene socks that are 3 to 5 mm thick to keep you dry and warm, paired with waterproof shoes. Since neoprene socks are much thicker than other water socks, you have to account for this extra thickness by sizing up your shoe otherwise it will feel too tight to wear.

Do Surfers Wear Life Jackets? (Why Most Don’t)

Whether you’re snorkeling, scuba diving, jet skiing, or kayaking, most sports that take place in the water are done while wearing some kind of life jacket or personal flotation device. Yet, you basically never see a surfer wear a life jacket – why is that?

Even though it may seem like a good idea for a surfer to wear a life jacket since there is a risk of drowning, there are actually many reasons why life jackets are more often than not an impediment to surfers.

Other than the fact that they look bad, the main reason why surfers don’t wear life jackets is that they get in the way. With a PFD on, it will be harder to paddle and duck dive. Furthermore, surfers are literally standing on a big PFD – their surfboards – which are attached to their legs with a rope.

Plus, most surfers already have strong swimming skills and a decent knowledge of the ocean, so they know how to avoid dangerous situations. With that said, big wave surfers will wear life jackets due to the extreme danger of their sport.

Life jackets offer very little benefit to surfers and may actually hinder them. If you are a stickler for safety, it’s better to learn the right of way rules and to stay close to the lineup. There is safety in numbers and honestly, you’ll find that life jackets are not really necessary unless you have literally no experience in the water.

In this article, we’ll go into the main reasons why most surfers don’t wear life jackets, the times when it would be a good idea to wear a life jacket while surfing, as well as discuss the positives of wearing a life jacket while surfing in case you want to do it anyways.

Shouldn’t surfers wear life jackets to stay safe?

Let’s do a thought experiment and ponder this hypothetical question: shouldn’t all cyclists use training wheels? I mean, you hear stories about cyclists suffering nasty falls all the time, so wouldn’t it be better if they never took off their training wheels?

Sorry if the above question seems facetious or condescending, but I think the obvious answer makes my point. The answer to the above question, just to be clear, is that once you have better control of your bike, training wheels actually get in the way and make it harder to ride your bike, and this answer is surprisingly similar to why surfers don’t wear life jackets (replace “training wheels” with “life jacket”, and “bike” with “surfboard”).

Yes, there is a risk of drowning just like there is a risk of falling off your bike and hitting your head, but you would have to be doing something reckless for that to happen (plus falling into water is different than falling on land). Just like how there have been people cycling for decades with no serious accidents, so too are there surfers who have gone decades without wearing a life jacket.

A life jacket should be worn in the ocean if you don’t know how to swim. The ocean is extremely dangerous and unforgiving, that much is true. However, this begs the question: if you can’t be in the water without a life jacket, why are you trying to surf in the first place? Learn how to swim first before learning how to surf, and by then you won’t need a life jacket.

Still not convinced by this argument? Not to worry, we’ve only just gotten started.

Why (most) surfers don’t wear life jackets

Surfboards are a giant PFD

Surfboards are necessarily buoyant, otherwise you couldn’t stand on them. Furthermore, they are literally attached to the surfboard, so in some respect you technically are “wearing” a flotation device. This also means that, if you need to rest up, just lay on top of your board.

With that said, the term “life-saving” device has a specific meaning. It’s life-saving in that it is designed to keep your head above water even if your body is completely limp from losing consciousness. Life jackets are designed to this standard, whereas surfboards and many PFDs aren’t, so surfboards aren’t nearly as foolproof.

Assuming that you are a competent swimmer, a surfboard should be more than adequate as a flotation device. Even if you fall off your board, it should not be too difficult for you to swim to it and get on top of it for the next wave.

An exception to this is in big wave surfing, where life jackets are worn. In this situation, being attached to your surfboard can be seen as a hindrance because in the event of a wipeout, their board can get tossed around by the waves while they are still attached to it, creating a dangerous situation where they are getting ragdolled all over the place. Big wave surfers would rather just forgo the leg rope and wear a life jacket instead.

Surfers are strong swimmers

Even though swimming is a sport all its own, you must have a baseline level of proficiency at swimming to be able to safely participate in any water sport, surfing included.

Though surfers are probably not as good at swimming as a swimmer is, I think most surfers would categorize themselves as “strong” swimmers. Honestly, if you do not think you are a strong swimmer, you should not be surfing. Take some swimming lessons first, not surf lessons.

What the heck is a “strong” swimmer anyways? This is subjective, however I think that the minimum swimming proficiency to attain the basic SCUBA certification is a good reference point.

In the Open Water Diver test, you need to be able to tread water for 10 minutes and swim a distance of 200 m (656 ft) without the assistance of a PFD. This is the minimum, and it’s for a sport that relies on a flotation device to help them ascend and descend (called the BCD). How much higher should the standard be for surfers?

Not only that, but some surfers do breath hold training so they can stay underwater for longer in case it’s not safe to surface right away. To be fair, this is something only an enthusiast or a professional would do, but anyone can increase their breath hold capacity if they feel like it.

If your swimming skills are this proficient, I bet you’d feel a bit silly wearing a life jacket unless you’re surfing the biggest waves (more on that later).

Wetsuits are already quite buoyant in saltwater

Most surfers don’t wear life jackets, but many surfers do wear wetsuits. In some respects, a wetsuit is kind of like a personal flotation device because you are more buoyant with one than without one.

We don’t need to get into the nitty-gritty. In layman’s terms, the material that wetsuits are made from, neoprene, has air bubbles trapped inside. Their main purpose is actually to trap heat to help surfers stay warm when it gets colder, but the added benefit is that these bubbles are positively buoyant.

Add on to that the fact that saltwater is more buoyant than most other sources of water, and you have yourself a winning combination if your goal is to stay afloat more easily.

Wearing a life jacket on top of that is just overkill for most surfers.

Life jackets get in the way

Now, arguably the main reason why most surfers don’t wear life jackets is that they get in the way both in terms of fun and, ironically, in the way of safety as well.

One thing you cannot do anymore with a life jacket on is duck dive. Sometimes, you might be in a situation where the safest option is to duck dive to avoid a collision or a broken wave. By finding safety underwater, you can wait until the chaos above you passes by and surface when it’s safe.

With a life jacket on, you will have to fight against the life jacket’s buoyancy and you will likely get hit by the full force of the wave or collide with the other surfer. We’re not saying that it’s impossible to duck dive with a life jacket, but it will definitely waste a lot of energy and slow you down in these crucial moments.

As for how life jackets get in the way of fun, well for one thing they are worn on your torso and are big and bulky so they definitely restrict your movement. Specifically, life jackets will make it harder to paddle. You’ll probably spend more time paddling than surfing, so anything that impedes that action is a big no-no.

Wetsuits already make it more difficult to paddle, but they are a necessary evil because we would be too cold to surf otherwise. However, most surfers do not need a life jacket the way they need a wetsuit, and they also don’t want to restrict their movements any more than they already have.

You’re not far from shore

Whether you’re surfing a beach break, reef break, or point break, you will not be far from shore. No matter your starting point, you don’t need to paddle far to the break. This means that, should something go wrong, land is not that far away.

Returning to shore is as simple as catching a wave in or paddling to shore on your surfboard. It’s not like you’re stuck on your surfboard in the middle of the ocean waiting to be rescued. Assuming you are a strong swimmer, just swim back to land, no life jacket necessary.

Life jackets are not fashionable

Okay, this is not a good reason not to wear a life jacket, but it’s still a huge deal breaker for a lot of surfers. In fact, I bet this is one of the major reasons why life jackets aren’t used more often and helmets are also avoided for similar reasons.

Unfortunately, looking fashionable is often a higher priority than staying safe, however in this case there are actually some legitimate reasons to not wear a life jacket unless you’re a big wave surfer.

When you notice that you’re the only surfer wearing a life jacket and it’s making it hard for you to paddle and catch a wave, you will start to feel very self-conscious and frustrated. Plus, there may even be looks or rude comments made by cheeky surfers that can get under your skin.

With that said, at the end of the day, you should do whatever it is you need to do to feel safe and comfortable in the water. You may have a medical issue, an injury, or you just like to wear a life jacket. You don’t owe anyone an explanation and you should just do what makes you happy even if it makes you stand out from the norm.

Benefits of wearing a life jacket while surfing

As you can see, there are many reasons not to wear a life jacket while surfing, which is why you usually don’t see anyone wearing them. However, do they really have no merits? In this section, we’ll discuss the positives of wearing a life jacket.

They can save your life

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: if you feel that you may be at risk of drowning for any reason, you should wear a life jacket. That’s what they are designed to do.

Unlike other personal flotation devices, life jackets will keep your head above water even if you lose consciousness and your body goes limp. People who would benefit the most from wearing life jackets are big wave surfers, young children and the elderly, and people who have medical conditions. With that said, anyone can wear a life jacket if they want.

They can calm your nerves

You may be an inexperienced surfer, or you have a strong fear of the water and drowning, or you may have a medical condition or injury that you are afraid can flare up at a moment’s notice.

With these things on your mind, it can be very hard to enjoy surfing. Why not provide some assurances to yourself by wearing a life jacket? That way, even in the worst case scenario, you will still be able to stay afloat.

Another point: life jackets are usually very bright and even reflective so that you are easy to spot. If you ever find yourself in a situation that you need to be rescued from, a life jacket will keep you afloat until you are found.

Although this is not a long term solution, in the short term you can calm your nerves until you build up your skills and confidence.

Who should wear a life jacket while surfing?

There are two groups that should probably wear a life jacket while surfing and it’d be foolish if they tried without one: big wave surfers and vulnerable swimmers. If you don’t fall into either of these groups, well you can still wear a life jacket anyways if you want.

Big wave surfers

Big wave surfing is one of the most extreme types of surfing. Big wave surfers ride waves that are 50-100 feet high, and waves that big can easily pin you underwater if not outright kill you.

When a big wave crashes down on you, it’s like running into a brick wall; or, more accurately, a brick wall running through you. Surfers have lost consciousness, broken bones, gotten ragdolled and flung into rocks or pinned down until they drowned, all from a big wave crashing down on them.

While surfers don’t wear life vests (there are specific requirements for a device to be considered life saving), it’s not a surprise that big wave surfers wear special inflatable PFDs.

These devices contain carbon dioxide canisters that they can pull underwater to rapidly inflate their jacket and float them to the surface.

Conversely, these PFDs can also be quickly deflated if the surfer needs to dive under if they find themselves stuck in the impact zone of a wave.

The special PFDs that big wave surfers wear are designed to be as streamlined as possible compared to a traditional life jacket. Thus, they do not have the same downsides like the added bulk and restrictiveness of a life jacket.

PFDs for big wave riders are the norm. If you decide to brave the extreme conditions of big wave surfing without wearing a flotation device, you’re not being a daredevil; you’re just throwing your life away.

Vulnerable swimmers

Vulnerable swimmers are people who are either very young, old, or have an injury or medical condition that makes it hard for them to swim. I think it’s quite self-explanatory why people in this group would need a life jacket to surf.

Surfing is an incredibly fun hobby and may even become a lifelong passion for some people. If you’re a parent with children, maybe you want to get them started young so that they can learn how to surf and swim at the same time.

However, it would be extremely nerve-wracking to see your child fall off the board, and if they are not yet a strong swimmer, then it could truly be an emergency… unless your child is wearing a life jacket. Life vests will quickly lift their head to the surface and you can retrieve them or they can swim to the surfboard themselves.

At some point, your child will become a strong swimmer and outgrow their life jacket anyways. By then, the life jacket will have served its purpose, or it could be passed down to a younger sibling.

As for the elderly or sick, you might be wondering why they might go surfing if they are at risk. It could be to cross an item off their bucket list or to not let the cards they were dealt with get in the way of their enjoyment of this wonderful activity. As long as they are wearing a life jacket to stay safe, I say more power to them.

People who feel they need it

People who make fun of other surfers because they are wearing life jackets are elitists. What you are doing is none of their business. You’re not hurting anybody and you’re not doing anything illegal or against the rules, so you are free to wear a life jacket for literally any reason you want.

If you feel that you need to wear a life jacket, don’t let the elitist sentiment that “surfers don’t wear life jackets” put you in a position where you forgo one when you legitimately need one. If anyone heckles you for it, ignore them and do your own thing. The real fool would be someone who neglects their safety just because of some pressure from others.

With that said, let’s actually discuss how you can surf with a life jacket since it does complicate things a bit.

How to surf with a life jacket

Surfing with a life jacket presents some unique challenges. Rather than let this discourage you, you can learn and adapt to it pretty quickly. Follow the tips below to get an ideal of the steps you should do.

  • Read the instructions that come with the life vest. I hope you bought one that comfortably supports your weight and fits snug on your body. It’s better if a life jacket is too tight rather than too loose. A loose life jacket will rise up as your head sinks below the water. It will also bob around your head and block your vision.
  • Get used to the extra bulk as you lay on your surfboard and paddle out. Try to time your paddle out in between sets so you don’t need to duck dive.
  • You can push your board beneath the crests of waves before they break. Hopefully this lets you snake under the waves before they break. The goal here is to get out through the surf even though the vest doesn’t let you dive under waves easily.
  • Once you’ve made it to the lineup, turn around and look towards the beach as you wait for a set wave to arrive. When you feel one approaching, paddle hard and get ready to pop up. You will have to paddle with your arms wider than usual because the vest will be in the way.
  • Pop up with your arms to help you stand up. Staying low will make it easier to balance yourself before you stand up. Hoot and holler so other surfers know that you’re riding the wave to avoid collisions.
  • Once you’re riding the wave, the life jacket should be less of a hindrance. Use your back leg to drive and generate speed down line. Look where you want to go and focus on doing the maneuvers you want to do. The hard part is over.

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Photo Credit: Jeff Rowley, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Do Surfers Wear Shoes? A Primer on Wetsuit Booties

When you think about what surfers normally wear, you don’t picture them with shoes on. After all, who wears shoes in the ocean? Flippers maybe, but shoes?

However, it’s not as strange as you think. There are shoes designed to be worn in the water. Water shoes, or booties as they are commonly referred to, can be worn to keep your feet warm and provide a level of physical protection much like a wetsuit can.

Surf shoes are made from the same materials as wetsuits are and therefore offer similar benefits but for your feet. In addition to providing warmth, they also protect your feet from coral, sharp stones, and shells when entering the water.

In this article, we go over the benefits and downsides of wearing surf shoes and why it may be a good idea for surfers to wear them.

Why should surfers wear surf shoes?

As mentioned, surf shoes are not commonly worn, but maybe they should be.

You can think of surf shoes kind of like waterproof socks that you can wear in the ocean. Why might a surfer want to wear booties when so many others are okay with going barefoot? There are many good reasons:

Warmth

While a wetsuit covers a majority of your body, you can lose a lot of body heat through your head, hands, and feet.

Unless you only plan on surfing during the summer, at some point the temperature will drop and you will be surfing in increasingly colder waters. If you aren’t protecting your exposed areas, then you can begin to feel them getting more numb until the cold is unbearable.

By wearing booties, you can keep your feet warm so that you can surf in colder waters and surf longer in general without feeling cold.

Protection

The ocean is full of dangers even without considering the risk of drowning. You could collide with other surfers, and since most surfers don’t wear any protective headgear, that could lead to a nasty concussion or even worse.

You are also very likely to get nasty cuts just walking into the ocean if you happen to be surfing over a reef or a rocky point break. Similarly, you might fall off your board and come into contact with sharp rocks or coral reefs, and a wetsuit provides some level of protection here.

Similarly, by wearing booties, you have some level of protection walking to and from the ocean, and we aren’t just talking about from the cold.

If there are wildlife in the area that are prone to stinging, such as jellyfish, sea lice, and blue bottles, then your feet will be protected along with the rest of your body when worn with a wetsuit. For total protection, consider wearing gloves and a hood as well.

Grip

An additional benefit, though rarely the reason why a surfer would choose to wear booties, is the extra grip they provide.

If you are running low on surf wax (or just don’t want to deal with your hair getting pulled off, then a pair of booties with good traction can help you stay on your board.

That said, you could also just make use of both surf wax and surf shoes for the most grip of all.

Downsides of wearing surf shoes

There aren’t that many downsides to wearing surf shoes unless you are wearing them during the wrong conditions or are wearing a poorly fitting one. Here are some issues you might encounter:

Overheating

Much in the same way that wearing a wetsuit on a hot summer day can cause you to get too warm, you can contribute to this problem by also wearing booties when it’s already warm outside. Seeing as how most surfers spend their time above the water on their surfboards, they are exposed to the sun’s blazing heat and are at risk of a heat stroke.

If you feel that you are really starting to heat up, a quick fix is to let the warm water out and let new fresh water in for some temporary relief. However, at some point the water will warm up again, so you will have to keep doing it again every few minutes.

Reduced sensation of your board

Unsurprisingly, wearing shoes while surfing reduces the feeling of the surfboard on your feet.

This may be advantageous to some people who would prefer not to feel the surf wax on their feet, but more often than not it creates a feeling of disconnect between the surfer and their board. Rather than feeling like the surfboard is an extension of yourself, you may instead lose that feeling.

Particularly if you typically surf barefoot, you may need an adjustment period before you get used to surfing with water shoes.

Loss of balance

For similar reasons as above, you may lose your balance when wearing booties. Our toes are used to a large degree for balance, and reducing some of that sensation by wearing booties can make you fall off your board more easily.

You can experience this very easily by having someone gently push you while you’re barefoot; you will immediately feel your toes try to curl up as it tries to grip the ground for balance. Try doing the same thing with shoes on and it’s just not quite the same.

Again, there will be an adjustment period as you figure out a new way to maintain your balance with water shoes on. Experienced surfers will likely be able to switch back and forth easily, but newbies may struggle.

An additional expense

Don’t you hate it when you’re just trying to enjoy a hobby, but then you find out that you supposedly need a “crucial” accessory to make things easier, and that accessory can be further supported by more accessories, and it feels like you are going down a never ending rabbit hole of wasteful spending?

Thankfully, surfing is a relatively cheap hobby to take up, and surfing shoes are not costly, but this might get you started down a path you don’t want to go down. Maybe next you’ll “need” gloves, then a hood, then you need better booties, etc. At some point you just need to say, “No thanks, I don’t need that” and rein in your spending.

With that said, booties are hardly a bad investment if you plan on surfing in colder waters. However, it might be a waste if you only surf during idyllic conditions.

Are surf shoes for you?

Now that you know the pros and cons of wearing surf shoes, now it’s time to decide whether you need it or not. In this section, we will go over some of the questions you should be asking yourself before you finalize your decision.

Are you forced to end your surfing session because your feet are always cold?

It’s always a shame when you have to end a surfing session for reasons other than that you’ve had enough fun for one day. Wearing a wetsuit goes a long way in increasing the time you can spend in the water, but if you have any “weak links” such as feet that are getting too cold, then consider wearing water shoes as well.

Are your feet taking a beating?

If you are worried about entering or exiting the water over reef and rocks, or you are worried about stepping on something pointy, then booties will make this process painless.

Similarly, if you’re worried about sea life stinging your exposed feet, then most water shoes are thick enough to prevent the stingers from reaching your skin.

With that said, water shoes have their limits as well. You should not wear them like regular shoes; concrete and gravel will quickly wear down the outsole. Similarly, if you step on something really pointy, it can still pierce through the water shoe and reach your skin. Don’t throw caution into the wind just because you’re wearing water shoes!

What is the ocean floor like and will you be standing on it?

Knowing what’s at the bottom of the ocean and how close you are to it goes a long way in ensuring your safety.

If it’s just sediment then you’ll likely be fine even without booties. However, if there are rocks, coral reefs, or any other jagged or sharp obstacles, then surf shoes are an option to protect your feet.

Questions you may have regarding surf booties

What types of booties are there?

There are two main types of surf booties on the market: a standard boot with no fancy features, and a split toe design which is the bee’s knees

Starting off with the standard one, it is cheaper and therefore more widely available but it’s nothing special. As mentioned, it can take away some of the sensation of the board on your feet and makes it a little more difficult to surf.

Conversely, the split toe booties give you more balance and control on your surfboard compared to the standard design. The split toe makes a huge difference, allowing you to use your big toe to help maintain balance. It seems like a small detail but it makes a noticeable difference.

If we had to recommend one, we recommend the split toe design because more control of your board means a safer and more fun experience.

How should surf booties fit?

Just like how a wetsuit should fit: extremely tight, almost painfully so (keyword: almost). There’s a method to this madness: once the booties are exposed to water, they will expand and become a perfect fit. Trust me on this. If you get one that fits comfortably when dry, it will become a little loose when wet.

Wetsuit booties need to fit perfectly. If they are too loose, which can happen if you make the mistake described above, then you will end up tripping over your loose and baggy footwear. It will also further take away control of the surfboard and make it harder to balance.

So wetsuit booties stretch over time?

They stretch considerably when they are wet. They can stretch a little bit and loosen up over time which is what breaking them in does. However, there is a limit to this, so don’t worry about your neoprene gear stretching to the point that they don’t fit you anymore. Start with surf booties that are tight when they are dry, and they will stretch into the perfect fit.

How do I put on my booties; they are so tight?

Put them on as you would a sock. Make sure that both your feet and the booties are dry. If either one is wet, that increases the friction making it harder to put on.

Additionally, put on your water shoes after you’ve donned your wetsuit. Doing it the other way would result in your wetsuit bootie getting stuck in the leg of your wetsuit due to the increased friction.

Make sure that your wetsuit booties are worn under your wetsuit. They will need to be tucked under the leg of your wetsuit. Thus, around the leg opening of your wetsuit, the wetsuit booties are worn over your skin, and the wetsuit is worn over the booties. If not, then water will constantly flush into the booties and fill them up; they might even come off.

How thick should my wetsuit booties be?

A good rule of thumb is to get a pair that matches the thickness of your wetsuit. So if you happen to be wearing a 5/4 wetsuit, then get 5 mm wetsuit booties. You probably have leeway to go 1 mm above or below, but I wouldn’t go more than that.

Water keeps filling my surf booties!

In addition to getting wetsuit booties that fit tight when they are dry, you should also get a pair that has at least one strap on them, if not two. If there are two straps, one should be around the lower shin, and the other around the middle foot.

Water will likely still enter the booties, but the straps will limit the amount and also keep them from expanding and ballooning in your boots.

Parting words

Though most surfers do not wear shoes while surfing, that does not mean that there is no reason to do so. When you are surfing in colder water or rocky breaks, you would be wise to protect your feet with surf booties.

The primary function of surf booties is to keep you warm and protect you from injury. With that said, they are not necessary depending on the weather conditions and the location you’re surfing at.

At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide if the benefits are worth it or if you even need to wear a pair at all. Even if few other surfers wear water shoes, do what you need to do to stay safe and ignore what the other surfers are doing.

You might also be interested in these related articles:

Why Don’t More Surfers Wear Goggles?

The ocean is salty and full of bacteria that can irritate your eyes. Plus, people pee and poop in it. Is that not reason enough to wear goggles all the time whenever you’re in the ocean? Evidently for surfers, it is not based on how few surfers wear goggles.

In fact, other than either a wetsuit or rashie and some sunscreen/surf zinc, you’ll find that surfers use almost no protective equipment at all; no helmets, booties, gloves, and no goggles either. Perhaps it should be the case that more surfers wear goggles to protect their eyes.

In this article, we will discuss the various reasons why most surfers don’t wear goggles. We will also cover some situations where it may be very beneficial to wear goggles while surfing. Additionally, we will also discuss the general sentiment that surfers have regarding wearing goggles and if they have any merit or not.

Can you surf with goggles?

First off, we have to stress that we are not trying to push you in one direction or another. We have no horses in this race. We don’t stand to gain or lose anything (and won’t put any affiliate links in this article) so we can be as neutral as possible.

The answer, of course, is yes, you can surf with goggles. There’s no rule against it, so you are free to use or not use them to your heart’s content. However, just because something is allowed doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a good idea, even if it seems so at first glance.

Yes, goggles will protect your eyes from saltwater and the bacteria in it. However, goggles tend to cause more problems than they solve while surfing.

For instance, goggles can fog up as well as reduce your peripheral vision, both of which will seriously limit your vision overall. You can also lose your goggles, especially if you wear them on your forehead sometimes.

Then there is the social pressure. Many of us don’t like being the odd one out, and if you are a surfer wearing goggles, you will definitely get a lot of weird looks and giggles. That alone is enough of a dealbreaker for most surfers, regardless of any worse downsides or useful benefits that goggles have.

There are also some benefits which may appeal to you, most obviously being less irritation in your eyes and the ability to see underwater. We have to stress that if you feel more comfortable wearing goggles while surfing, then more power to you. Don’t let what others think about you affect what you want to do, especially if it does no harm to others.

Benefits of wearing goggles while surfing

In general terms, the major reason why one wears goggles in the ocean is to protect one’s eyes. More specifically, it can protect the eyes from the salt in saltwater, bacteria, debris, and even from the reflection of the sun’s rays across the surface of the ocean. We go into each of these points in more detail below.

Keeps irritants out of your eyes

While you can open your eyes underwater, it’s not recommended. We don’t know for sure what kind of bacteria lingers in the waters. Even if the water is reasonably “clean”, the salt in saltwater can remove moisture from your eyes and cause a painful, burning sensation.

This is especially true of surfers who have not spent much time in the water and their eyes have not yet adjusted to the salinity of saltwater. Wearing goggles will keep water from reaching your eyes, preventing any redness, itchiness, and burning sensations.

Again back to the point about bacteria in saltwater, you can potentially get a nasty eye infection called pink eye. Pink eye is characterized by your eyes turning pink and releasing pus or other discharge. If this is not properly treated by a physician, it can eventually cause permanent vision loss.

Therefore, even if you can endure the burning sensation of opening your eyes underwater, that does not mean it’s a good idea to open your eyes underwater.

Provides UV protection and keeps debris away

In addition to protection from irritants in the water, there are also wood splinters or other small debris floating around that can get into your eyes which can physically damage them. Also, a common grievance surfers have is how bright the sunlight is when it reflects off the surface of the water into a surfer’s eyes.

Most goggles are tinted so that they can reduce the intensity of the glare which can greatly soothe your eyes as you’re looking across the surface of the ocean. Without UV protection, your eyes can get blinded, and blood vessels can even burst, causing them to go red (also known as surfer’s eye).

Although not generally a concern, if you are not careful where you are looking without goggles on, in the long term the glare can cause vision loss. Surfers with sensitive eyes may choose to wear goggles over sunglasses specifically to protect their eyes from vision loss.

Allows you to see underwater

One of the primary benefits that protecting your eyes provides is that now you can see clearly underwater.

Although surfers spend most of their time on their surfboard, above the surface of the water, there are serious benefits to being able to see underwater as a surfer as well.

For instance, there are situations where you might need to duck dive, and knowing how far the ocean floor is is a huge advantage. Furthermore, you may want to stay underwater until you know when a wave has passed overhead.

If you are someone who keeps your eyes closed underwater and are guessing when it is safe to surface, then you could stand to benefit from wearing goggles while surfing.

Can use corrective lenses to see more clearly

A major reason to wear goggles while surfing aside from the protection they provide, is to improve their eyesight. No, we are not talking about being able to see underwater.

If you have poor eyesight and wear prescription glasses or contacts for your day-to-day life, you may have realized that you can’t exactly wear your glasses while surfing. You might be able to wear contacts with goggles, and we’ll discuss that really soon.

So if you have to take off your glasses to go surfing, you can get goggles with prescription lenses so that you can continue to see as clearly as you could on land but in the ocean. On top of that, you can get some additional eye protection. It sounds like a win-win.

The major downside of this is the prohibitive cost. It will cost several hundred dollars for you to get a custom pair of prescription goggles that are designed specifically for your eyes only. This may not be something you can justify if you are only a casual surfer, or if you want to try the option we will discuss next.

In lieu of paying hundreds of dollars for custom goggles, many people have wondered – why couldn’t I just wear my contact lenses under my swimming goggles. That is certainly an option, but before you do that, you have to know the downsides.

First, if any ocean water ever comes into contact with your contacts, you should replace them with new ones. This is because the bacteria in the saltwater will linger on your contacts and not even rinsing them in a cleaning solution is enough to fully wash off the bacteria. The longer you wear contacts that have bacteria from the ocean on it, the greater the risk of eye infection.

Second, how much do you rely on your contacts to be able to see? It’s very possible that water may not only reach your contacts, but it can flush out your contacts. Then you will suddenly have blurry vision and that poses a significant risk. For this reason, you should limit how often you remove your goggles, and be prepared to close your eyes at a moment’s notice to keep water from reaching your contacts.

For these reasons, it’s generally not recommended to wear contacts in the ocean. However, getting prescription goggles is expensive, so either wearing contacts or going surfing with blurry vision are the only solutions.

Reasons why most surfers don’t wear goggles

They don’t look good

Look, let’s be honest. Most people are shallow. Many don’t think in terms of “how will this benefit me”, but rather “how does this make me look.” For some surfers, even if goggles have a long list of positives, they would still forgo it because they just don’t like how it looks. It just doesn’t fit their ideal image of how a surfer should look, so for that reason alone, they are resistant to it.

They can be uncomfortable

Even if you have the most comfortable pair of goggles in the world, wearing them for prolonged periods of time will feel uncomfortable.

This may not be an issue if you only surf for 30-45 minutes. But on certain days, when the swell is rolling in and you have the whole day free, you might just decide to spend the whole day surfing.

In this case, eventually the straps will start to dig in and your eyes will start to feel like they are being squeezed for too long. When you take off your goggles, you would feel immediate relief from the pressure, as well as a couple of red rings around your eyes.

In extreme cases, where someone is wearing goggles that are too big for them so they compensate by tightening the straps immensely, this can damage your eyes and really dig into the skin on the sides and back of your head.

Similarly, if the goggles are too small and, instead of sealing over your eye sockets they end up putting pressure directly on your eyes, then this can cause eye damage depending on how much pressure is placed on your eyeballs.

Generally speaking, if your goggles are making you feel uncomfortable, then you either aren’t wearing them properly or you need a new pair that conforms to the shape of your face better.

You can lose them

What, you thought that just because goggles are strapped onto your face that you can’t lose them? Obviously it’s a different story if you are leaving your goggles on your forehead and they get knocked off, but rough waves can easily knock off your goggles even when you are wearing them properly.

This isn’t such a big deal if you have a cheap pair of easily replaceable goggles. However, the issue is when you have an expensive pair of prescription goggles that you also rely on to see. Losing a pair like that is gut wrenching.

The same point applies to any jewelry, headgear, or any loose objects that you might be wearing while surfing. Even if your goggles are buoyant, they could be washed far away by swell and you’d never find them again.

They fog up eventually, obscuring vision

A common problem that affects anybody wearing goggles or dive masks is that they all eventually fog up. There are ways to delay how long it takes to fog up, but eventually you will have to clear your goggles of the fog.

This issue most commonly affects people wearing dive masks or snorkel masks because they cover the nose – a location where hot air is expelled. Just because swimming goggles don’t have a nose pocket doesn’t mean they don’t fog up.

As long as there is any moisture in your goggles, in addition to heat generated from your body and from the sun, the lenses will eventually become coated with a layer of fog. The “fix” is simple enough – remove the goggles, rinse them (don’t use your fingers because the oils on it will rub off on the lenses) and put them back on.

You can clearly see a potential problem – what happens when you make it past a large break and can’t stop to clear your goggles? Then you are forced to ride a wave with foggy goggles.

Depending on how badly your goggles are fogged up, you might still see where you are going or your vision might be completely obscured, making it dangerous for yourself and other divers.

Is there even a need to wear goggles while surfing?

Your head is above water most of the time

Unless you’re constantly falling off your board, you should ideally be spending most of your time on your board with your head above water.

Even when you’re riding a wave, you’re standing up on the wave (on your board specifically) and the water is splashing on your feet, not your face.

When you’re paddling, your back is arched and your head is looking forward, which is, again, out of the water.

The only times when your head is underwater are after you’ve fallen off your board, or if you need to duck dive to dodge another surfer or an incoming wave.

In this circumstance, it would be beneficial to be wearing goggles so that you can see when it’s safe to surface, however it’s still not a necessity and the chances of it happening are quite rare.

There is little need to see underwater while surfing

Even though surfers spend most of their time at the surface of the water, they aren’t there to look underwater like a snorkeler would.

The times when a surfer would be completely submerged underwater were described above, and even then, you don’t really need to see anything (or you can endure the burning sensation of saltwater temporarily).

Even if you choose to close your eyes underwater, you can have a pretty good idea of what’s going on based on your sense of touch. You can feel the motion of the wave as it passes overhead and you can even wait a few seconds longer just to be safe before surfacing.

If you want to take your time to see what’s underwater, you should be snorkeling or scuba diving, not surfing.

Most waves don’t restrict your vision

Wipeouts notwithstanding, most waves should not restrict your vision. When you’re riding on a wave, you are literally standing above it so most of the water is splashing on your feet, not your face.

Even when you’re deep inside a barrel, you can get some water in your eyes, sure, but it’s generally not so bad that you literally can’t keep your eyes open. Imagine walking in the rain without an umbrella on a windy day. Are you wearing goggles, or are you squinting your eyes and still able to move around? That’s sort of what it’s like.

And if we’re talking about waves getting so big that they are obstructing your vision as you’re waiting in a lineup, well you better hope they aren’t too big, ‘cause then you got bigger problems to worry about.

Goggles are more likely to restrict your vision above water

Surfing is such an enjoyable and immersive experience when you’re able to enjoy the scenery. Unfortunately, goggles can literally get in the way of that.

First off, they can block some of your peripheral vision (your side vision) which takes away from your enjoyment and creates blind spots.

Second, you’ll notice that the lenses are slightly tinted. This is beneficial to help reduce bright light and glare and improve your underwater vision, but the downside is that on the surface everything you see is going to have a blue tint to their color.

Third, as we mentioned, the lenses can fog up eventually once it gets warm enough inside your goggles, making everything blurry. You will be forced to take off your goggles to clear them at some point, and this increases the chances of you losing them or water getting in your eyes.

Overall, for every practical benefit that goggles provide a surfer, it also comes with a downside that can negate its utility or even make it outright undesirable for a surfer to want to use. For this reason, goggles are optional and rarely used by most surfers.

Consider surfing with sunglasses instead

Goggles are a fashion faux-pas when you’re a surfer, but not sunglasses. Sunglasses make you look cool on land and in the water.

While sunglasses won’t keep water from getting in your eyes, they can provide your eyes UV and glare protection. While not commonly worn either, they are definitely more popular and accepted by the surfing community than goggles.

Particularly, if you plan on surfing in the long-term, you should definitely get some kind of eye protection. The intense reflection off the surface of the water can result in surfer’s eye and loss of vision over time

Keep in mind, if you plan to do this, you must specifically get sunglasses designed for surfing. They have special features to ensure you won’t lose them, such as floating frames that have the capability to float, greater durability, and a strap so that it stays attached to your body even if they are knocked off your face.

However, if you want to keep water out of your eyes and have glare protection, then goggles are still your best bet.

Parting words

Generally, surfers don’t wear goggles, but you certainly can if you want. There are no rules forbidding it; the reason most surfers don’t wear goggles is because they don’t like how it looks, they don’t like how uncomfortable it can feel, and it can actually restrict their vision on the surface.

The main benefits of wearing goggles while surfing is for UV protection, to let you see underwater for those rare times you fall off your board or have to duck dive, and to keep water out of your eyes.

Many surfers feel like the downsides of wearing goggles outweighs the benefits that they provide. They also really, really don’t like how they make them look. That’s why you’ll see some surfers wear surfing sunglasses instead; see, they don’t mind wearing eyewear if it looks nice.

Whatever the case, the decision is yours whether you want to wear goggles while surfing or not. At the end of the day, if you feel comfortable wearing them and you really want the protection goggles afford you, then more power to you. Don’t let people’s looks or comments turn you off from what you need to do, if you get any that is.

You might also be interested in these related articles:

Photo Credits: Ben Aston, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Do Surfers Poop in the Ocean?

A question that you probably already know the answer to but have never bothered to ask is: do fish pee and poop in the water? The answer, of course, is yes. They don’t have toilets in the ocean by the way, so it just goes everywhere. The ocean is both a fish’s home and its toilet.

The reason why I bring up this topic is so that you are at least a little prepared as I transition to the next topic: humans peeing and pooping in the water. There’s no denying that people pee in the ocean, sometimes with a full wetsuit on, and they usually have a goofy grin and a look of satisfaction on their face.

Peeing in the ocean most people can accept because, let’s be honest, they are guilty of it themselves. The ocean is vast, and one’s pee quickly gets washed away and diluted. However, where many people draw the line is pooping in the ocean, also known as taking an aqua dump.

The thought of paddling around and suddenly coming face-to-face with a solid turd is cringe-inducing. “I’d never stoop so low!”, you might be thinking. However, imagine you’re paddling out under idyllic conditions, you finally made it past the break, when suddenly it hits you: you need to poop. Badly.

Your options are to: a) Paddle back to shore, prairie dogging it the whole way, or b) you can pull down your shorts and do your business right then and there. You might end up doing option B regardless if you can’t hold it in anymore. So, to answer the title of this post: Yes, surfers absolutely do poop in the ocean both intentionally and unintentionally.

This leads to some more interesting questions, such as the legality of pooping in the ocean, if human feces is bad for the ocean, and how feces can affect other surfers. We ask and answer all of these questions and more further down below.

How dirty is the ocean anyways?

Before we delve right into the heart of this matter, we need to first bring up some context. Eject from your head any notion that the ocean is somehow clean, and that surfers pooping in it is making it unbearably dirty for the rest. There are much worse things than some surfer’s poop in the ocean.

If you think about it, fish do everything in the ocean. They don’t just pee and poop; they also mate and prey on one another. In other words, you are also swimming in fish blood and sperm.

Even when we consider how much waste humans contribute to the oceans, our pee and poop, being organic and biodegradable, are hardly the issue. The real pollutants are things like sewage, chemicals, oil spills, and non-degradable waste that are really spoiling the ocean. When you’re surfing, you are essentially swimming in the world’s biggest toilet and garbage can in one.

This section isn’t intended to be an environmental conservation PSA, but rather to let you know that someone’s poop isn’t even necessarily bad for the ocean and it certainly is not the reason why the oceans are dirty. However, it’s probably a good idea to keep water from entering your mouth or getting in your eyes (e.g. with goggles) because you have no idea what’s in the water.

How many surfers poop in the ocean?

There aren’t any official statistics because who is going to admit that they do number 2s in the ocean? Also, how would you conduct this count and hope to get accurate results; are you going to walk up to every person on the beach and ask them if they just relieved themselves or not? As amusing as this scenario might seem, it’s not a productive use of time.

So all we are left with are anecdotes. I personally have defecated in the ocean (it wasn’t my plan to), and (knock on wood) I hope I never have to again. But that’s just because I am a clean freak. I don’t even like to use public toilets if I can avoid it. I make sure to do my business at home so that there’s no chance I need to do it in the ocean.

With that said, if I do feel the urge to do a number 2 while I’m in the middle of surfing, I would probably try to create some distance between myself and other surfers and do my business as discreetly as I can.

I have come across a few surfers who have admitted to pooping in the ocean. As far as I’m aware, they did it because it was an emergency; they don’t treat the ocean as if it were their toilet.

It’s probably safe to assume that, with anywhere from 17-35 million surfers in the world, there will be cases where surfers have had to poop in the ocean.

Thankfully, the ocean is unfathomably vast. It’s one of the few things where the word “epic” is truly warranted to describe it, and it’s not going to get clogged up by poop anytime soon. Not that we are recommending it, but the current amount of pooping into the ocean going on is not yet an issue due to how quickly the poop decomposes or is eaten by something.

Is it against the law to poop in the ocean?

This is another question that’s hard to answer because the laws will be different depending on your location.

Some countries are notoriously clean while others are notoriously dirty. For instance, in Singapore, you can get a hefty fine for just chewing gum (not even spitting it out or sticking it anywhere), expelling mucus from your nose, urinating or defecating anywhere but a toilet; even not flushing a public toilet is a fineable offense. Conversely, India is home to some of the world’s most polluted rivers so there isn’t really a universal consensus on what’s allowed or not.

With that said, declaring that it is illegal to poop in the ocean would be a controversial and hypocritical thing to do considering that currently it is legal for boats to dump their sewage directly into the ocean. Also, many cities and towns drain their sewage water into the ocean.

So even if there is no law specifically prohibiting defecating in the ocean, that doesn’t necessarily make it okay. For instance, at least in the USA, there are laws against public nudity and indecent exposure. Therefore, by pulling your shorts down and exposing your genitals while you try to poop, and also the act of defecating publically, you are still breaking a few laws that can get you in trouble.

Is pooping in the ocean bad for the environment?

If you perform an aqua dump, it probably will not have any long term consequences. However, in the short term, the poop might wash ashore or, hopefully, wash out to sea. It doesn’t take very long for your “log” to decompose or be eaten by something.

As for whether your poop is polluting the environment, the answer is generally no. You do not generate enough of it for it to be an issue. Human feces is organic, can decompose, and can be eaten by marine life.

The main issue is when there are large quantities of human feces entering the ocean simultaneously in a concentrated area; in other words, when sewage is dumped into the ocean. This can result in oxygen depletion due to the bacteria decomposing the organic waste. Furthermore, pathogens found in human feces can potentially contaminate marine life.

Additionally, what’s truly bad for the environment are things like global warming, hazardous waste, plastics, people not using reef-friendly sunscreen, and large quantities of sewage waste from coastal cities, towns, and the huge network of global ships dumping their waste into the ocean. Your one little poop is like a drop in the bucket of the ocean and will have almost no consequence.

How are surfers affected by human feces?

Due to human feces containing viruses, it is not a good idea to spend a lot of time around human excrement, however it is unavoidable in the ocean.

You can potentially come into contact with the pathogens contained in the feces due to surfers pooping around you, or from sewage runoff from coastal cities or towns. Depending on where you’re surfing, the coastline might not be as clean as you think.

The bacteria introduced to the ocean from human feces can cause norovirus (a.k.a. The stomach flu). Symptoms of norovirus include stomachaches, pink eye, skin irritation, nausea, vomiting and sometimes fever.

If that isn’t bad enough, in some rare instances, there may be flesh-eating bacteria that can enter your body through open wounds, piercings, or tattoos. That’s why it’s so crucial to thoroughly rinse yourself and your surfing gear after surfing.

If you feel the urge to poop in the ocean, here’s what to know:

We don’t recommend you “poo in the blue”, however sometimes you can’t control it. For those times where you can’t hold it in and have no choice but to take an aqua dump, here are some tips to minimize the damage.

Try to use the toilet before you go surfing

The most obvious way to prevent having to defecate in the ocean is if you can use the bathroom right before a surfing session. Therefore, you should have an idea of when you usually do your business and try to schedule your surfing session shortly after that time.

It’s good to have a set schedule and to not change your diet too drastically so that you can predictably poop at the same time each day. Try to eat plenty of fiber which can aid in clearing your bowels.

I find that drinking a large cup of coffee can act as the catalyst to kickstart my urge to poop. If you know you need to poop before you go surfing but don’t feel the urge, perhaps some caffeine will do the trick.

Keep some distance

In the same way that you shouldn’t fart in close proximity to others, you should keep some distance from other surfers in the lineup if you feel the urge to poop. It’s not just for hygiene but also to maintain some dignity.

You certainly don’t want your fellow surfers to see you spreading your cheeks with a constipated look on your face; your reputation would go down the toilet in an instant.

Also, yes, there’s also the hygiene to consider. As we mentioned, you can get other people sick with the stomach flu and they probably won’t take too kindly if they suddenly see a turd in front of them as they are paddling.

Brace yourself for the cold

The first time you poop in the ocean, it’s going to be an interesting experience. We’re used to coming into contact with water from the outside, but it’s a strange experience if water manages to get inside your body. Therefore, get ready for the cold ocean water flooding into your dilating sphincter as it opens up so that your stool can come out.

Nothing will draw as much attention to yourself as you suddenly yelping loudly due to not bracing for the cold. Then, all eyes will be on you spreading your cheeks apart and looking constipated. Not a good look.

Clean up after yourself

I’m going to assume everybody wipes after they finish doing a number 2. I’m also going to assume that, when you’re in the shower, you actually use your hands to wash your butt instead of just letting water trickle down into your crack.

Well, just because you’re in the ocean and water is all around you doesn’t mean you don’t need to wipe. You need to get in there with your hands. Sorry, you can’t exactly go around and grab some seaweed to wipe your butt the way you might be able to grab a few leaves in the forest.

Unless you want your boardies or wetsuit to have a brown stain, there’s no getting around this. Afterwards, you can paddle back to shore to give your hands a good rinse with soap and water. We recommend wiping your hands in sand first as well before you touch anything else.

Be aware of the water clarity

In order to reduce your chances of getting caught pooping in the ocean, you need to take the water clarity into consideration. If you generally surf beach breaks, then chances are this won’t be an issue due to the murkiness of the water.

However, if you’re lucky enough to be surfing in an area where the water is crystal clear, well this might be the one downside in a long list of positives. You likely won’t be able to hide the fact that you’re squeezing out a poop if people can clearly see you.

Now, hopefully you aren’t a voyeur that gets excited at the prospect of defecating in a public area with a chance of getting caught because then this might encourage you.

For us normal folks, here’s what you should do if you need to poop in water that has clear visibility: duck dive deep underwater, grab the reef to maintain your position, and then push with all your might. Your brown surprise will be quickly swarmed by the local fish, and no one will be wiser to the fact that you just took an aqua dump.

Time your poop

You can’t just poop anytime and anywhere you want – there’s actually an ideal time. You want to ensure that the poop will not end up on shore and that you are safe while doing a number 2.

If you poop during an incoming tide, then your feces will slowly make its way to shore and come into contact with unsuspecting beachgoers. This is disrespectful, unsanitary, and if it is done often enough, then I’m sure there actually will be laws against pooping in the ocean.

Not even paddling away from the lineup is going to solve this problem because the currents will simply carry your turd straight back to where you were and back to the beach.

You must also pay attention to the wind, swell, and current direction, not just for ensuring the poop goes where you want it to go but also so that you stay safe while pooping.

Watch for sets

My friend, you need to take great care when performing an aqua dump. Not only must you be cognizant of other surfers nearby, but you must also pay attention to the ocean itself.

Here’s a scenario that could potentially happen. You paddle out into the water, navigating the rocks and avoiding the break, finally reaching the backline only to feel a bad stomach ache. Since you’re the only person there and you are unsure if you can hold it in long enough to paddle back, you decide it’s better to just poop then and there.

So you pull your wetsuit/boardies down and squeeze it out but unfortunately, you just left yourself completely exposed. You look up and realize that the set has come and you’re caught in the impact zone with your pants down.

In normal situations, you’d just duck dive to avoid this. But with your wetsuit around your waist, the leash could easily wrap around your neck once you dive. If you don’t move, you could be sent crashing into the reef. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

So while pooping in the ocean is not necessarily a dangerous activity, if it causes you to forget that the ocean can be merciless, then yes it can be unsafe to poop in the ocean.

What’s the consensus on pooping in the ocean?

Pooping in the ocean seems to be in a gray area where, while there may not be any laws specifically against it, you might still be breaking some kind of law regarding indecent exposure or public nudity.

At the same time, if somebody catches you pooping in the ocean, it’s unlikely that they’ll paddle back to shore to call 911 and that’s if the cops will even come for such a trivial complaint.

Furthermore, as far as we know, your poop is not going to kill the environment the same way that littering plastics or wearing sunscreen with toxic chemicals can.

However, how is pooping in the ocean viewed from the perspective of the surfing community and average beachgoer? Everyone has different opinions on the acceptability of taking an aqua poo.

For instance, most of us have been through situations where we urgently needed to do number a 2 but didn’t have access to a toilet. So in some sense, many of us can empathize with the urgency of the situation and the lengths one might go to to not poop in your boardies/wetsuit, though we won’t exactly encourage you to make aqua poos a habit.

Surfers will get angry at you for doing a number 2 in certain situations such as if you do it too close to the lineup, if kids can see you, or if your poop somehow reaches the shore or reaches them. Also, nobody wants to see someone defecating in the ocean, so they may get angry at you for showing them such a sight.

That said, if you make an effort to paddle away from the crowd so that you’re out of sight, and time your poop so that the currents are traveling away from the lineup, or if you just duck dive and take an aqua dump fully submerged, then you should be fine.

How “acceptable” pooping in the ocean usually boils down to how much consideration you have of other surfers.

We realize that we might be shooting ourselves in the foot by discouraging you to poop in the ocean while also giving advice on how best to do so. However, it’s more that when nature calls, sometimes you have no choice but to do a number 2 then and there, so you might as well know the best practices to minimize the impact you have on others. This is the best compromise we came up with. For the love of God, aqua dump safely and responsibly, please.

Why Don’t More Surfers Wear Helmets? (& Why Some Do)

You rarely see surfers wearing helmets. Why is that? It’s easy enough to get a head injury while surfing; you could have a head-on collision with rocks, coral, the surfboard, even other surfers. Although uncommon, it is certainly possible to receive a traumatic head injury while surfing. Surely that is reason enough for all surfers to wear a helmet, not just the minority, so why isn’t it the norm?

Surfers don’t wear helmets for the same reasons anybody else in other sports don’t like to wear helmets. Helmets can be uncomfortable, an impediment to one’s mobility, vision,  hearing, and could trigger one’s claustrophobia. High end helmets might be too expensive to justify buying. Or, the most petty reason of all: helmet designs might not look good enough and many surfers don’t want to be seen wearing one.

The purpose of this article is not to turn this issue into a stone throwing contest between surfers who wear helmets and those who don’t. But rather, this article should serve to highlight the pros and cons between wearing a helmet or not and to help you make an informed decision.

We will try to remain as impartial as possible as we go over the upsides and downsides over wearing a helmet while surfing. To be fair, we typically don’t wear a helmet while surfing, however our decision to wear one or not depends on the weather conditions at a break. Let’s go over what factors can influence our decision.

How many surfers wear helmets?

We can’t give you an exact number or percentage as it would be impossible to conduct an accurate count on a global scale. However, based on our experiences, we can say that the number is extremely low, probably less than 1% or maybe even another decimal point to the left. It’s so uncommon that most surfers have yet to encounter another surfer with a helmet on.

Why is this the case? Are helmets so useless to surfers that it would be a detriment to wear one? This is where there are two camps – a (tiny) camp that believes helmets should be worn while surfing, and another (much larger) camp which does not think so.

Most surfers don’t wear a helmet because they just don’t think it’s worth it or necessary. If you are surfing during idyllic conditions, the chances of injuring your head is extremely low. However, that is not true if you are surfing over rocks or a dry reef with powerful waves. Then it would be foolish not to wear a helmet.

With that said, most people don’t wear a helmet while surfing, not even surfers who do surf big waves and legitimately could benefit from the protection. As we go over the advantages and disadvantages of wearing a helmet, it will be up to you to decide if the masses are right or if the minority of headgear wearers are right.

Are there laws or rules regarding wearing a helmet for surfing?

As you can probably guess by now, there are no regulations about surfing with a helmet, otherwise the authorities would have a field day handing out fines and you would see a lot more surfers wearing helmets.

Since surfing is a water sport and the ocean is vast, collisions are mostly avoided and there is usually enough distance from the surface to the ocean floor that falling off the surfboard is usually harmless. As such, most people feel safe enough to surf without a helmet, and clearly the authorities agree.

With that said, if you are part of a surf school, camp, or at a private resort, then they may have their own rules regarding wearing headgear. Particularly if you’re starting out, it’s probably a good idea (and a rule) to wear a helmet while taking lessons.

When should you wear a helmet while surfing?

Even though you rarely (if ever) see surfers wearing a helmet, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea to do so. Helmets are situational and in some cases, you should wear a helmet.

Big waves

You can reach some pretty high speeds with a surfboard, and a head-on collision with your own surfboard, other surfers, or the ocean floor can result in loss of consciousness, brain damage, or even death.

It’s not just the surfboard or the ocean floor that’s a danger; the devastating power of the lip of a wave can feel like a brick wall just crashed down over you. Even if they aren’t all wearing helmets yet, more and more big wave surfers are starting to use inflatable life vests for safety, and perhaps helmets will soon be the norm.

However, this trend seems to only be affecting experienced or professional surfers; will there be a time when even recreational surfers adopt wearing a helmet as the norm? We will see that there are also legitimate reasons why one might want to wear a helmet even as a recreational surfer.

Shallow breaks

Surfing in shallow water means the distance between you and a sharp coral reef or rocky floor bed is smaller. If you were to fall off your board, your chances of coming into contact with one of these dangers is increased.

That means lacerations, concussions, and broken bones become much more likely. Just as a wetsuit can provide some level of protection for your body, so too can a helmet protect your head specifically against any serious damage.

When there is less water to pad your fall due to the reefs getting sucked dry as they break, wearing a helmet over a shallow reef should be a serious consideration – particularly in a big swell – if you want to protect yourself.

Protect an old head injury

Repeated head injuries can result in a generative brain disease known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Very famously, it has affected professional wrestlers and American footballers, two sports where the athletes are repeatedly hit in the head.

This trauma can worsen over time, resulting in confusion, loss of memories, a change in personality, and in extreme cases, difficulty with communicating or even eating. As you can expect, it’s pretty life-changing in a negative way.

Due to how serious head injuries are, surfers who want to keep their brain healthy or people who have suffered a brain injury in the past should wear a helmet to prevent further damage.

When there is a crowded lineup

If you’re surfing at a popular break or during peak hours, then you may encounter large crowds while lining up. Surfing in a densely populated location would increase your chances of a collision, and therefore a helmet might be warranted.

While most surfers are generally pretty good at avoiding collisions, it’s also not that uncommon for surfers to run into each other. As the line up grows in size, the chances of an accident increases in proportion.

Even if the line up is small, you never know if there are any new surfers taking surf lessons among the line up. If you are ever in a situation where there is a limited amount of space and a little bit of chaos, consider wearing a helmet.

When you’re starting out

The first time you ever went skating, rollerblading, or biking, you probably wore a helmet, knee and elbow pads, gloves, etc. This was done in anticipation of a nasty fall which was almost certainly going to happen due to your inexperience. As you progressively get better, you can wear less and less protection, but starting out without any protection is just asking for an injury.

All of this applies to surfing as well. Whenever you’re starting a new extreme sport, you should err on the side of caution and protect yourself. Even if you’re starting out in shallow water with small waves, beginners often have insufficient control of their upper body strength for surfing, which increases your chances of hitting yourself with your own board.

As a result, it’s wise to wear a helmet if you’re just getting started with surfing. In some cases, if you’re staying with a high-end surf resort that offers ruf lessons and rents out surf gear, they may have a rule that you must wear a helmet while surfing.

When surfing with your kids

If an adult surfer has a head-on collision with another adult surfer, or if they hit their head on a rock or surfboard,they could get seriously injured or even killed. How much more dangerous then is it for children to surf without a helmet? Plus, they have a lot more to live for compared to some of us who are older.

A surfboard is really hard and can seriously injure one’s head. A rock is even harder. And a coral reef is… well it’s brittle, but it can give you a nasty cut. If you happen to butt heads with another surfer, then both of you could be in serious trouble. If a child accidentally collides with an adult surfer, it’s the child that will end up flying and getting hurt, not the other guy.

With some of the antics kids get up to, it’s actually a miracle how some of them reach adulthood intact. However, rather than gambling on your kid’s survival , why don’t you stack the deck in your favor and get him/her a durable helmet to wear for surfing.

When you’re surfing alone

Surfing alone is very liberating and fun, but also comes with the highest risk. If you were to hit your head while surfing alone, there wouldn’t be a friend close by who can immediately call for help or try to assist you.

That’s why if you’re planning on paddling out alone, you might want to have some extra protection in the form of a helmet. This is especially true when you’re surfing at a new location alone and aren’t yet familiar with the area.

If you’re feeling anxious

You should do whatever is necessary to help you feel safe while surfing; you don’t need any particular reason to wear a helmet. Not everyone is so happy-go-lucky and carefree; some people are more risk-averse and maybe that’s you and that’s totally okay.

Just because the weather is nice, the water visibility is high, and no other surfers are wearing helmets doesn’t mean that you can’t. Never let social pressure cause you to do something you feel uncomfortable doing like surfing without a helmet when you’re actually feeling anxious or unsafe.

Benefits of wearing a helmet while surfing

Look, there isn’t a laundry list of reasons why you should wear a helmet while surfing. In fact, there is only one reason: to protect your head against any impacts. This singular benefit is crucial; you can think of it like a super benefit.

After all, it only takes one bad head injury and you might be debilitated for life, if not dead. For example, you may have incorrectly installed your surfboard fins which can cause you to steer into another surfer by accident.

If you collide with a surfer much larger than you, or with a much heavier board, then it’s lights out for you.

Plus, there is no shortage of danger in the ocean. Even if you are high above the rocks and coral reefs, you could still get hit by your own board or another surfer. If you were to hit your head so hard that you lose consciousness, you are as good as dead.

So even though there is only one major benefit to wearing a helmet while surfing, you can think of it like a super benefit. In the next section, we’ll discuss the numerous downsides to wearing a helmet. Despite there being a greater number of downsides, we believe that it still does not necessarily make a stronger argument. Let’s dive into it below.

Downsides to wearing a helmet while surfing

Yes, a helmet will protect your head from injury. No one is arguing against that fact. However, many surfers refuse to wear a helmet because they feel that they are skilled enough to avoid accidents, and that surfing is a safe enough sport to not warrant wearing protective headgear or eyewear.

Helmets do have their fair share of grievances; some of them are legitimate and some of them are petty but can be enough of an annoyance for people to not want to wear one. You can decide if any of these downsides are deal breakers for you.

Helmets can trigger claustrophobia

Some people can suffer from claustrophobia if they have something strapped to their head that impairs their senses, such as snorkel and dive masks or helmets in this case.

Getting knocked off the surfboard by a wave and held underwater is an uncomfortable experience without a helmet. With a helmet on, this experience is worsened.

Imagine being disoriented but also having a tight helmet squeezing your head and weighing you down; it’s not surprising that it can trigger a panic attack in someone less experienced or prone to anxiety.

Helmets can muffle sounds

Some helmets can cover your head all the way down to your ears, and this can muffle sounds you’d normally expect to hear.

Imagine not being able to hear the sounds of wave breaks, birds, or the chatter of people around you. It can be disorienting and might even be a safety issue if it causes you to miss warnings or incoming dangers.

For instance, it would be very ironic if wearing a helmet causes you to not hear a nearby surfer causing you to collide with one another. In most circumstances, you would be alert and could easily avoid it by kicking out.

Helmets can limit your mobility

Unsurprisingly, strapping anything onto your body will limit your mobility. In the case of your helmet, it might slightly cause you to be off-balance or strain your neck over a long enough surfing session.

Furthermore, a helmet can make hold downs more difficult than they need to be by increasing drag underwater and weighing you down slightly. Surfing with a helmet can take away some of the freedom you normally experience surfing without one.

Helmets don’t look very fashionable

Helmets designs are very utilitarian, meaning that they are designed with functionality in mind with little thought put into how it might look. Ask any surfer what they think about helmet designs, and the answer you’ll probably receive is that they look stupid or bulky.

Of course, if you are in a legitimately risky situation where a helmet is warranted, then no one will bat an eye that you’re wearing what looks like a turtle shell on your head.

The problem is that many people who would benefit the most from wearing a helmet – such as beginners – are likely to be surfing in idyllic conditions where no other surfer would be wearing a helmet. This inadvertently gives them social pressure because they are the only ones wearing a helmet, and they might decide to forgo it entirely.

Perhaps if helmet designs looked better (without sacrificing functionality), they would one day be accepted as the norm for surfers.

Despite what we just said, don’t let any social pressure cause you to stop wearing a helmet from surfing if you feel you need it for protection. Ignore any comments or weird looks people give you and do what you need to do to stay safe.

At least in my experience (and asking other surfers’ opinions), they may stare because they so rarely see someone wearing a helmet, not because they are judging you.

Helmets can be expensive

Like all products, there are No products found. and there are expensive options. When it comes to safety, how much are you willing to pay?

Since helmets are designed to protect your head, if you are someone who cares enough to even bother getting a helmet, then you’ll probably want to invest in at least a mid-range helmet if not a high end one.

To give you an idea of the price range, anything under $100 is on the low end, between $100-200 is mid-range, and anything above $200 is high end. Depending on how often you plan to surf while wearing a helmet, you might be able to justify your investment very quickly.

Again, how much of a price are you willing to pay to improve your safety? If you do suffer a preventable head injury, the medical costs would far outweigh the cost of a helmet. The cost might be even higher if you end up debilitated in some way.

Based on anecdotal evidence, most surfers rarely get into any serious accidents (maybe the occasional bump on their head against their surfboard) and so they cannot justify the price of a helmet.

Also, helmets are actually somewhat fragile. For instance, if you were to drop the helmet on land, the common wisdom is to buy a new helmet because the old one might be compromised. So there’s a possibility you can drop your helmet and lose your investment without it ever serving its purpose. This also makes it a hard sell for surfers.

Are there specific surfing helmets?

Yes, there are.

Since surfing is a water sport, surfing helmets are designed to be usable in the water; go figure. Regular helmets designed for land use should not be used in their place.

Surfing helmets are typically reinforced with stainless steel and rivets to prevent rust. There are also additional holes to allow water to drain out and improve ventilation for faster drying.

Additionally, the padding used should not absorb water to prevent getting waterlogged and becoming too heavy.

While there are helmets designed specifically for surfing, you can switch them out with helmets designed for other water sports such as kitesurfing, windsurfing, and wakeboarding. As long as they are designed for use with the water in mind, it should be fine.

Parting words

Surfers generally don’t wear helmets while surfing because they feel like they don’t need to, it can impair their senses, weigh them down, and the cost may be prohibitive for some. The biggest reason seems to be that most surfers don’t like how they look.

With that said, as water depth decreases and swell size increases, no one is going to fault you for wearing a helmet. Heck, you can even wear one if the conditions are ideal.

Head injuries are a serious risk for surfers. Even though helmets are uncommon, perhaps they should be worn more often. There’s no point worrying about how you look if you lose your life one day due to a serious head injury. In certain conditions, helmets are essential.

If you feel you need to wear a helmet while surfing for your safety, just wear one and ignore any glances or comments directed at you.