Increasing popularity of surfing in the UK

[north bank lass]

Sorry if this has already been brought up as I couldn't find anything on the topic...

The BBC morning news yesterday reported at the Rip Curl Boardmasters to air a news story about the increasing popularity of the sport. With the presenter sporting a wetsuit rather uncomfortably, it featured many people within the sport blaming the clever branding by clothing companies (such as Billa, Quik and O'neill) for selling the 'lifestyle' to people and almost an image that is only perfected by having a go at surfing, hence the huge uptake in the sport recently.

What are all your views on this story?

I've noticed lately the summer fad of ordinary people (mainly blokes) wearing 'boardshorts' which I found quite irritating. Fashion shops such as Burton, Next and Topman started bringing the flowery shorts into fashion, then before you know it, all the fashion lot are prancing round it a pair of Billa/Curl/Quik shorts!

Maybe it's just a summer fad that's coming to an end now. Or should we say, hopefully?

[mrc]

Its abit sad that you actually begrudge people wearing boardshorts !!!!! its only a pair of shorts anyway come september and the colder weather see how popular surfing is then for most people its just a summer fad.

[Laguna]

Its an interesting topic. Its been mentioned somewhere before how the media use the surf image to sell products, I still dont understand what the syrf hair gel is about
I remember last summer it was discussed that Top Man were selling wetsuits, and now Argos are selling this cheap surfboard. It is a bit annoying really but what can you do about it?
Im sure it is just a fad and people will try it this summer and grow out of it when something new comes into fashion. Theres been a big increase in people starting to surf now but I cant see most of them surfing all year round. Its not an easy sport and I can see a lot of these new people going off it once they realise that. As for the big surf brands selling clothes to sell an image, it happens in everything. I mean take Nike football boots. Pay £120 for these 'silver' ones and you too can play like David Beckham

[Laguna]

Ye the boardshorts are just shorts, I dont think theres anything wrong with people buying boardies really. I mean think about it Speedos or Boardies

[north bank lass]

Its abit sad that you actually begrudge people wearing boardshorts !!!!! its only a pair of shorts anyway come september and the colder weather see how popular surfing is then for most people its just a summer fad.

I hardly begrudge it, just stated it gets a little irritating and somewhat monotonous.

[GowerCharger]

coming from swansea you should be used to it, its always been full of people wearing surfwear, most of them have a board and wetsuit, which never get wet. you dont see as much of that inland, most of the guys buying bong and quicksilver stuff dont even pretend to be surfers, they just buy it for the fashion and fashions change with time. I can remember in the 80s when surf brand gear was dirt cheap, and a lot of those brands dont exist anymore, the major brand names are just businesses and doing what businesses do - expanding their markets.
surfign is ever-expanding, when i started there was very few people in the water and still lots of empty breaks, now you can almost walk from one end of caswell to the other just by stepping on foam boards and bics on a summer day, but i guarantee come winter ill get plently of days down langland and caswell with only 1 or 2 others out, just like last winter

[el_timmo]

I wear what feels comfortable and what I think looks good... so happens that it's mostly surf brands.... I don't care if someone else wears Quiksilver, Billabong or whatever even if they don't surf.... Just like I wouldn't expect someone to care if I wore basketball clothes.... however, if I ever start wearing Burberry, with my cap at a silly angle upon my head and wearing tracksuit bottoms tucked into my socks, please shoot me!!

[north bank lass]

I wear what feels comfortable and what I think looks good... so happens that it's mostly surf brands.... I don't care if someone else wears Quiksilver, Billabong or whatever even if they don't surf.... Just like I wouldn't expect someone to care if I wore basketball clothes.... however, if I ever start wearing Burberry, with my cap at a silly angle upon my head and wearing tracksuit bottoms tucked into my socks, please shoot me!!

Then again, you could apply your 'wear what's comfortable' theory to people wearing Burberry and trackie bottoms tucked in socks.

GC, the majority of people in the city itself are the up-to-date fashionists that go by the latest trend according to shops such as Topman. To be honest, I don't really see that many people in surf clobber, only the recent boardshorts trend. Then again, I've not really ventured into the city centre much lately so I'm probably talking in the past!

Taking your username into account, I assume you are based in Gower as opposed to the actual city? Maybe that's where some of the people who just wear the surf brands are, or as you said, the summer season surfers. But yes, it's almost certain the numbers in the water as we move into winter will be much lower. Personally, I prefer that season.

I didn't mean to make such a contreversial thread with one of my first posts

[el_timmo]

good point, well made, and welcome to the forum! It doesn't matter if you start a controversial thread! Everybody is very cool here!

[PapaW]

Whats everyones count this year on peole wearing rashies thinking they are notmal shirts...:)



Always makes me chuckle

[.Jen.]

Whats everyones count this year on peole wearing rashies thinking they are notmal shirts...



Always makes me chuckle

Was stood behind a right pair of muppets in the supermarket last week, one of them was raving about the ''special tan-through t-shirt'' he got from a local surf shop...

Im betting it was the same colour as the rashie I bought my brother for his birthday

[mrc]

I"ve actually seen people wearing rashies to pubs and clubs over here in Ireland very sad.

[el_timmo]

*quietly removes rashie before going disco dancing*

hehehe

[Patrick__69]

I"ve actually seen people wearing rashies to pubs and clubs over here in Ireland very sad.

HAHA, never seen that before must look so stupid. I dont care about people wearing surf gear as long as they are not posers. People dont really pretend to be surfers down here.

[north bank lass]

I can't say that I've seen anyone wearing rashies out either, unfortunately!

Must be one hell of a sight

[drowningbitbybit]

I've got a black 1mm neoprene thermal rashie (either for under a wettie when its super-cold, or instead of a wetsuit in summer). It looks kinda batman-like, and a bit... kinky...

I could where that to go to "a certain type of club"

[north bank lass]

Free entry if it's wet, too!

You'd be the most popular person there!

[drowningbitbybit]

Free entry if it's wet, too!

You'd be the most popular person there!

It'd definitely be wet... I'd be sweating like a fat bloke in a sauna

[PapaW]

I"ve actually seen people wearing rashies to pubs and clubs over here in Ireland very sad.

Done it as part of a fancy dress/theam night fair enough but jsut normally....





muppets.

[isaluteyou]

trends come and go having lived in three countires i know this very well.

As for surfing increasing in popularity i tend not to agree its mainly a summer thing. Im looking forward to the end of summer less crowds and also i can wander the alleys and maybe pick up a disgraded board or two. I have just been given two boards that were found in an alley all they needed were minimal work and they are good to go if anything its bodyboarding that has grown in popularity mainly beacuse when they realize surfing is a lot harder to get started they BB thank god my local beach is a split beach i have not been bodyboarding for a week the amount of spongers is laughable. To get a real estimation on surfing popularity use winter crowds as your guide. Surfing is still an elite sport and it still remains very underpopulated beacuse of two main facts

1 - its not exactly easy

2 - its pretty expensive when you buy a board and a wettie

If surfboards and wetsuits plumit in price and somehow it becomes magically easier then expect their to be a mob of crowds all year round (HELP)