Switch-foot is a new surfing publication from Australia. With a heavy leaning towards the non-competitive side of surfing, this beautiful 210 page hardcover book is a real collectors item, with many of the immortal surfing images from the golden era in surfing from photographers such as Albe Falzon, George Greenough and Jack Eden.
Features include:
The unmasking of the truth behind Peter Drouyn,
12 legends of the Lens (images from the golden era)
The telling of Dick Van Straalen’s story and his current relationship with Dave Rastovich
The art of Harry Daily
The elusive Andrew Kidman and his works
Global surf travel with Colas
Thomas Campbell drops by
Rasta and friends music with the exploration into the mystery of the art of jamming
Size: 12 x 8.5 in. Hardback - 210 pages
£19.99 plus p&p.
OUR REVIEW:
This bills itself as 'surfing art music' but to me it was more about surfing than anything - that's a good thing. It's such a complex and rich book you'll never ever tire of it. There's something here to light up the face of every surfer in the world, and more than once.
Featured are George Greenough, Rasta, Bob McTavish, Albe Falzon, Dick van Straalen, Tom Wegener, Peter Drouyn, Thomas Campbell, Alex Knost, Nat and Beau Young, Neal Purchase, MR, Jack Eden, Peter Crawford, Andrew Kidman, Chris Brock and Jim Banks, among others…
The main part of the book is a big interview with 11 legends of the sport. Each page has a beautiful photo or image, asks one question and groups all their answers together.
There's also legends of the lens - some of the best photos, old and new, that you'll see, and their thoughts as well. A few musicians and artists add to the wow factor and the music-and-surfing link was explained in a way which even made sense to me, totally unmusical as I am. This book is strong on the wow factor, as well as the "Well, I never knew that" factor.
But it's not steeped in the past. There's a great mix of old and new in here, and the legends aren't just asked about the past, but focus on their future in the sport and the future of the sport as a whole.
There are tons and tons of people in this book who I'd never heard of, or had heard of but didn't really know why. I'm ashamed to say it now! I should know because it's my job to know - you should know because it's so integral to being a surfer, being proud of our subculture and protecting its variety, history and people!
This is a quality production that anyone into surfing or on the fringes of the culture will appreciate. Can't recommend it enough!
Stormrider europe - the continent
Now in its fourth edition with 215 large pages in full colour with new destinations and new photos, fully updated text and illustrated with hundreds of maps and photos. The most comprehensive guide to where to surf in Europe available. Every surfer planning to surf in Europe should have one. Covers Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Morocco.
The companion guide, Europe - The Atlantic Islands, will be out early 2007. £19.95 plus p&p.
OUR REVIEW:
Well, this is the classic, isn't it? Treated myself to an upgrade recently :-D and I'm pretty glad I did. It's quality as usual. I've never really seen the need for it all to be in French as well; waste of word/pics space? But that's my only complaint, apart from wanting them to sort the Atlantic Islands edition out asap! The photos are better and the maps are WAY better!
One thing people forget or don't know about it that they've got a comprehensive but un-scary guide to surfing at the front with pieces on how to forecast, environmental issues, tides and all that kind of thing, helpfully focussed on Europe. The route planner is a great start to your research of the next trip, as is the intro to the history, culture etc. of the region you're thinking about. Beats trawling the net for dubious, patchy info. Once you've lined up the breaks you wanna surf you can find more detailed info on the net and so on, but the descriptions in the book are often enough - pithy, generally accurate and the icons give you a quick understanding of whether this is one to surf or one to avoid. They don't have a love of exposing secret spots either.
The advertising is pretty much kept to the 'directory' pages at the back - bloody well should be too.
It's a pretty big book to take on a trip unless you're in a van or something. I tend to photocopy the relevant pages and take them along with me to my destination. I also use the book to settle disputes and start discussions - no surfer can resist just picking it up to have a look.
This is the ultimate surf trip planning guide. Buy it, smell it, crack that spine and start dreaming. Indispensable.
stoked - surf culture
Drew Kampion traces the evolution of modern beach culture and the challenging, beautiful sport that gave rise to it. From its Polynesian origins and the early days of Duke Kahanamoku's beach boys, to the California-style surfing cult that exploded in the 1960's, to the international pro circuits and radical big wave contests of today. Stoked tells the compelling story that has inspired entire genres of music, movies, fashion and art. This revised second edition has updated text and new photographs. Stoked is the lavishly illustrated history of the legends and the places, the artifacts and the trends, that continue to give surf culture its universal allure and appeal. £29.99 plus p&p.
OUR REVIEW:
I forgot to say that Drew Kampion's another writer I'll always make time for. This hardback version is luxuriously heavy, just the thing to settle into a comfy seat with for half an hour's sneaky peace and quiet.
Kampion's always has his finger on the pulse of the surfing lifestyle, and this book is no exception. He's got all the facts and figures. It's quite a daunting book in some ways, because there's so much to it. Best taken in small doses, and don't try to remember everything! Having said that, his style is pretty easy to read. He covers everything you could possibly want to know about surfing's history and culture from surf movies to music to personalities and defining moments. All fascinating and backed up with lots of gorgeous photos.
This is a perfect pressie for any surfer even vaguely interested in how our beloved sport grew from the Olo boards in Hawaii to big-wave tow-surfing.
footprint surf the world
This unique guide takes you around the world in 80 waves. The very best breaks on the planet, as selected by many of the top surfers, dissected and explained with the aid of clever graphics and spectacular photography. What is the best wave in the world? Everyone has their favourite. Highly acclaimed surf writing and photography team, Chris Nelson and Demi Taylor, set out on a mission to find the truth. £24.99 plus p&p.
OUR REVIEW:
Another surf guide - how do you choose? This one's a bit different in that it charts the 80 best waves in the world. How did they decide? Well, they explain that in the intro - they asked lots of people lots of questions, and not just industry insiders and pros either. (Where was I when they were handing out that job!)
One thing I really really like is the enthusiasm and excitement about every one of the breaks. Of course, they're all excellent wave, but many have been so over-surfed and over-exposed that you wonder how anyone can get fired up about them. Hear locals and lovers of each wave tell you why you should be excited!
I suppose this one is a bit different in scope and purpose - it's like a cross between a coffee table book and a travel guide. I reckon you can most definitely spend a good long time just browsing it. It does stick to the successful model of the others though.
The photos are damn good, a nice mix of lineup and action shots, and I like that they're bigger and fewer rather than less and teeny.
I kind of wish they'd done more surfers' top 10s, I'd have been interested to see some Brit pros, more Top 44 surfers, another couple of girls…it's interesting to see what their top ten waves are. I guess they just didn't have space.
Each break gets a double page spread. You get a photo or two, temperature guide, the usual swell-wind-tide info then description and quotes about the place. Interesting is the inclusion of a 'locals and legends' list. Read any description, and you'll want to go there. Now.
surf movie tonite!
Surf Movie Poster Art 1957 - 2004
By Matt Warsaw
Surf movies have always attracted a certain kind of audience: passionate, committed, and quite often stoned. Their posters began as colorful notices stapled onto beachside telephone poles in the early fifties. Four decades later, surf expert Matt Warshaw brings to wave-riders everywhere this singular collection of over 140 rare posters, covering everything from "Endless Summer" to "Step Into Liquid," from the bubbly optimism of Gidget to the psychedelic inventiveness of "Pacific Vibrations." Including ticket stubs, photos of old-time premieres, and a side-splitting history of the surf movie, Surf Movie Tonite! brilliantly illustrates the intersection of beach and film culture. Size: 9 x 12 in. Hardback - 144 pages. £13.99 plus p&p.
OUR REVIEW:
I'll read anything by Matt Warshaw or Sean Doherty; always well worth the time. He must have spent absolutely ages researching all this and it's fascinating. As the ex-editor of surfing you expect him to know what he's on about and indeed, he's pretty up to speed!
The book is basically a ton of posters with their dates and other details. Sometimes he makes comments but mostly they stand alone. Pictures from the hilarious to the odd to the utterly beautiful. There's a 7-page intro (opinionated, readable and interesting) then the pics, so it's all about the images. It's amazing to see what's changed and equally, what hasn't!
This is one for the coffee table and definitely for older surfers who've seen some of these flicks. But for any surfer it's a fascinating insight into surf history and culture in general. And for the size and quality of content, it's a total bargain.
The World Stormrider Guide Volume 2
Part two The World Stormrider Guide trilogy resumes the epic trip around the world's surf zones.Vol 2 explores 80 new surf zones with customary detailed analysis of the surf spots, the optimum conditions, plus the lowdown on the local scene, hazards, access, getting there, accommodation and much more. Spots covered include: Holland, Asturias, Ghana, Gabon, Angola, South Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles, Andaman Islands, Sumatra, Vietnam, Japan, Phillippines, Tasmania, West Oz, Cook Islands, Polynesia, Texas, East Coast USA, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Chile and Brazil, too name a few.
RRP £24.95 SPECIAL ONLINE PRICE £22.95
£22.95 plus p&p
Surfgirl's guide to surfing
The essential guide for surf chicks everywhere!
SurfGirl has teamed up with the UK’s best female surfers and qualified surf coaches to make this a must-have guide.
The guide is colour-drenched with photography of the top women surfers from around the world as well as in the UK. It includes everything you need to learn the sport, from beginner to hot ripper.
£9.95 plus p&p
Pipe Dreams
This autobiographical story of Kelly Slater, chronicles the life of the world’s greatest competitive surfer, and in doing so it gives a fascinating insight into the mind of one of the sport’s most successful athletes.
The book starts with Slater’s formative years spent around Cocoa beach, details a vast array of situations in which he has channelled his mental state into a winning psyche throughout his successful world title campaigns and shows glimpses into Slater’s private life. Pip Dreams is a compelling read for any surfer who has grown up during the reign of this mighty champion.
£18.99 p&p now available
riding the magic carpet
Tom Anderson
Summersdale Publishers Ltd., £7.99
Bridging the gap between guidebooks and surf mag travel articles, this is a full-length charting of one surfer's ascendence from beginner to expert surfer. Tom's goal in life is to surf J-Bay, but he'll make sure he's ready for it by travelling and experiencing waves in as many countries as he can first. From the Orkney Islands to Indo, Tom is stoked on it all. He gives surf-angled history and lore and includes lots of useful snippets of travel information along the way.
Empathise with him as he talks of places you have surfed yourself, and dream of the places you haven't yet made it to. Tom also records the surfing progress of his girlfriend Breige, whose latest trip to Central American is documented in this issue.
Well written in an easily-accessible style, it's the kind of book about which any well-travelled surfer would probably say, "I could have written that," but Tom's actually done it, and made it work too.
A great way to work out your own surf goals and plan of action, this will definitely (re-)ignite your surfing wanderlust. Beware - if you have a full time job, you will seriously consider jacking it in! Total escapism. –KD
How to fix your board. Includes dings, slashes, fins and breaks. A cult classic full of top tips. Everything is broken down into step by step format with detailed illustrations.The answers to all your repair questions for less than the cost of one small ding repair.
