Gear Guide: SUP & Surf
Chawel Sport LX (pictured above)
($35; chawel.com)
The folks at Chawel say this towel can do five jobs: change room, towel, sleeping bag, travel pillow and blanket. It can, but we think it works best in its original form: portable change room. Slipped over our head, it covers to the ankles. We can change without flashing anyone the moon (or something worse).
MEC Agnes Ti Tote
($38; mec.ca)
This convertible 18-litre pack can be a casual beach tote or a backpack, depending on your needs and how you route the fabric straps. Either way, a treatment on the canvas bag kept light rain at bay, our keys and wallet stored safely in a small zip pocket and a cinching collar kept out blowing sand.
Tofino Paddle Surf Yoga Anchor
($45; tofinopaddlesurf.com)
Wind, currents and tides can all spoil the Zen of SUP yoga or fishing. A typical boat anchor can spoil the Zen of pristine fiberglass. Dispatch both: fill this fabric sack with sand or rocks, seal with the Velcro closure, paddle into position and then drop the anchor… after hooking it onto your leash, of course.
Airhead SUP Carrier
($22; airheadsup.com)
One of the hardest things about stand-up paddleboarding is just getting the board and paddle to the water, which is why we love this simple solution. Two straps wrap around the board; the paddle lashes to them and then a shoulder strap clips to the whole package. You can carry it all, hands free, without straining your hand and arm.
Patagonia R3 Wetsuit
($600 and up; patagonia.com)
We suggest you don’t pee in this wetsuit. Every time we took it off, most of the fleecy wool and recycled poly interior lining remained dry. The difference is not just in warmth, which is sufficient for most Canadian waters (upgrade to R4 for winter surfing), but also weight and mobility. In other words, you’ll be surfing longer.
Roxy Tradewinds Neoprene Capri
($86; roxy.com)
On first glance, the Tradewinds Capri looks like a traditional yoga pant, fitting snug with lots of stretch and a roll-down waistband. But inside is a mix of spandex and one-millimetre neoprene, just enough wet-warmth to ward off a chill while SUP’ing (or doing SUP yoga) and, with chafe-free seams, they are even great for running in the rain. (women only)
