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Surf ReviewsHere are my surf reviews - just my take on some good movies, books, and magazines. Surf VideosSurfStronger: Great 45 minute workout DVD focusing on flexibility, power, and core strength. First surf focused workout video I have seen. Moves along at a good pace and only uses a fitness ball, dumbbells and a mat. Also has good warmup section and stretching routine. Also has some good music like the Mermen.The Endless Summer: Okay, many surf reviews have already been done about this. Just watch it if you haven't seen it and dream of a time when waves weren't so crowded. The Far Shore: This was a great movie. I like the "we're just a couple of average guys going on a surf trip" concept. I don't need to watch endless videos of the pros doing stuff I will never and could never do. Plus contest footage gets boring after a while. It's what these guys did to get to the surf that makes it interesting. 100ft Wednesday: Documentary of Mavericks 21 Nov 01, biggest day ever documented at Mavericks. After watching my shaky, foggy film of Mavericks, you can see the the good shots on this video. Watching it up close on video is a lot better than seeing if from the crowded, distant cliffs. The surf review of my own video is that it sucks but it is realistic. Dogtown and Z-Boys: Although a skate documentary, these guys and girls were all surfers. It is worthy of a surf review because of the old pics, videos, and talk about POP pier. I liked this documentary better than the movie with the Brokeback Mountain guy. Yoga for Surfers: Let's face it...stretching is boring. This video at least moves through a good post-surf loosening routine in about 20 minutes. Some nice wave shots make it slightly more interesting. Surf BooksCan't You Get Along With Anyone: The follow up to In Search Of Captain Zero by Allan Weisbecker. Another great memoir of a surfer who finds paradise down south and then loses it because of a horrible vortex of a bad girlfriend, diabolical and sleazy ex-pats, and a few significant health problems. This book made me both want to travel to find the perfect wave, and at the same time be very grateful for the less than stellar waves I usually surf in my own area.The World Stormrider Guide Volume 1: Good travel reference for surf spots. As a vicarious escape, I like reading about places where I'll probably never go. My only complaint about this book is that surf maps for Baha, Alaska, and Canada look like scans of street maps. I have this one and The Stormrider Guide North America (also good), and there are several others from this publisher. California Surf Guide: Another good reference for US surf spots. It doesn't cover as much area as the Stormrider guide but the narrower focus allows for more detail on spots. Cool swell maps in this book, especially for southern California. The Wetsand Wavecast Guide to Surf Forecasting: Good reference....even I don't do swell calculations myself (so many good Web sites doing this), but I like knowing how it is done. This book has lots of useful tips on guestimating local wind/swell changes. Surf Science: if you want to geek out even harder on forecasting, this book goes into more detail and is interesting in a surf-oceanography-101 kind of way. The Encyclopedia of Surfing: The best one-stop reference for surfing I have seen. Slang, history, places, equipment...this book is loaded. It can fill many hours of swell downtime. In Search of Captain Zero: This is actually the best surf book I've ever read. It's a true story about a surfer driving with his surfboard and dog to Costa Rica to find a friend he hasn't seen in years. The author keeps it interesting throughout and has good ability to describe surf. He has a new book out that I'll definitely check out. Surf Flex: Some useful routines in here for exercise with a surfing emphasis. Stoked!: Good book of surfing history. Lots of good photos. Other Surfing PublicationsSurfers Journal: I like this better than more popular surf magazines. Fewer ads, good quality, and good travel stories. Not as much contest surfing stuff, just good pictures and stories of traveling surfers.Surfers Path: Very similar to Surfer's Journal. Longboard Magazine: Another good publication for the same reasons as the other two. I like it even though I don't longboard. Have A Great Story About This Topic?Want to review a surfing product you tried? Go ahead....give us some feedback. Surfboard, wetsuits, videos.....whatever. As long as it is related to wave riding. What Other Visitors Have SaidClick below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Book "Waterman's Eye"
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