Surfboard Wax

Surfboard Wax helps your feet get purchase on the top of the surfboard and prevents you from sliding off into the deep blue sea.

To get the most out of your board and to make the most of your skill at surfing you need to wax your board correctly. How do you do this?

First, consider the temperature of the water where you will be surfing and buy your surfboard wax accordingly. Surfboard wax is sold by temperature ranges, so it's good to know an accurate measurement of water temperature and the type of wax used in your location. Local surfboard shops can help you with this.

Using the right temperature wax on the top of your surfboard can make the all difference. If you use cold water wax in warm waters it will have the opposite effect to what you are looking for and you will end up sliding right off your board - just as you would if you didn't wax at all.

Water temperatures are printed on the package so make sure you know what the temperature is going to be and purchase accordingly. Wax for use in tropical areas will be the hardest variety in order to resist melting. Cold water wax will be a softer composition to make the application easier in colder temperatures.

Now you need to apply the wax to your board. If you have an old layer of wax you will want to remove it before applying the new. To do this you can either lay the surfboard out in the sun and allow the rays to soften the wax, or you can use a hairdryer on a medium setting to heat the old wax and make it soft enough to scrape off. Take a wax comb, which you can find at the same place you purchased the wax, or as an alternative you can use an old credit card or plastic scraper - DO NOT USE METAL - as this will scratch and damage the fibreglass. Scrape off the old wax carefully and then apply a wax remover to get rid of the rest.

Surfboard Wax helps your feet get purchase on the top of the surfboard and prevents you from sliding off into the deep blue sea. If you have a new surfboard which hasn't yet been waxed you may want to apply a base wax which will help make your grip wax be more effective and last longer. Base wax has the hardest structure and will adhere the best to fibreglass and epoxy. Applying a coat of base wax first will allow the softer grip waxes to stick to the top of your surfboard better which means it will stay where you need it most.

Rub the wax onto the top surface of your surfboard in 3"-6" circles. Make sure you get the best coverage in the areas of the deck where your feet will be. Wax the board all the way to the tail.

Note: you don't need to wax all the way to the extreme front of the deck, but put some wax at the place on the top where your hands grab the board to sink the nose when you duck dive.

Suggestion: Put a heavy coat of wax on your board every time you go surfing while you are learning.

Once you have a thick coat of wax on your surfboard, you can use a stiff comb to rough up the wax for an even better grip. When you are done applying the wax, spray some cool water over the surface of the board so that the wax cools and hardens and stays on the board.

Learn more about How To Wax a Surfboard or Browse Surfboard Wax and Equipment