Stormrider Guides EBooks Review

(SurfingCal)

The Stormrider Guides are some of the best surf spot guides out there. I have been a fan of the print versions for years, but now they are offering all as eBooks that you can be using in minutes.

Like the print versions they include information on meteorology, oceanography and the ocean environment, buoy locations, surf camps, and surf schools. There are also recommended wetsuit charts with water temps for the entire year, wind directions, tides, wave direction (right, left, or both), wave type (jetty, pointbreak, etc), bottom type (sand, rock, reef, etc), swell direction window, and wave size range (min/max). All that data is put into quick reference icons that you can preview at a glance.

Of course the most important information is the comprehensive selection of surf spots with detailed descriptions. All are nicely illustrated, with photos, maps, and directions. These are well researched, saving you the time of sorting through some endless flame-war internet thread or reading somebody's scare tactic designed to keep you away. No guide is a substitute for a knowledgeable local, but these are the next best thing.

The FlipViewer technology is wonderful and is a beautiful way to display these books. It allows full text search, bookmarks, zoom, print options, and more.

The passport option is the best value. With it you gain access to every guide they have. That includes zones from all over the world, just about everywhere you would possibly go. The passport option also included worldwide travel discounts and 40% off all their printed publications.

For California specifically, if you don't want the passport, I recommend the Northern, Central, and Southern California guides. Don't bother with the North America version because it's more of an overview of all the states. The California guides are the most comprehensive. The Northern California version covers the northern border through Marin County, the Central California version covers San Francisco through San Luis Obispo County, and the Southern California version covers Santa Barbara to the southern border.

Remember, all the California guides come with the passport option so if you plan on surfing outside California, or just want to read about it, that is the best bargain by far. Even if you just want the California guides, the passport option is almost the same price as all three California guides. You can always print out what you need along with the rest of the friggin planet. Or get the print version.