The Ultimate List of the Best Surf Gear for 2023
Author: Indie Bornhoft
Here we are, launching headfirst into a new year. Praying for frequent swells and wavey spells.
You want to be kitted out in all the finest threads and treads on and off the water. Set yourself up for the best surf year, in the best surf gear with our top surf gear for 2023.
What are the best surf products of 2023?
We’re going to be talking about the best beginner surf boards, the best advanced surf boards, the best changing robes, the best bikinis for surfing, some of the swankiest wetsuits, the best surf clothing and lots lots more - the full shebang of surf gear!
Zip up your wetsuit and read on…
Contents
- The Best Beginner Surf Board
- The Best Intermediate Surf Board
- The Best SUP Surf Board
- The Best Surf Bikini
- The Best Surf Poncho
- The Warmest Changing Robe
- The Best All Round Changing Robe
- The Best Rash Vest
- The Best Summer Wetsuit
- The Best Wetsuit Hanger
The Best Beginner Surf Board 2023
Soft Dog - Skool Dogs Surf Board
Soft Dog is an innovative brand that lives by the motto, “Go Hard, Ride Soft”. They have 3 ranges of surf boards, “Soft Dogs”, “The Kennel”, and “Alpha Dogs”.
For 2023 they are pushing the beginner surf board range “Skool Dogs”. The boards are pitch-perfect for beginner surfers looking for a board with a premium design, high standards and fun shapes.
“The Skool Dogs” boards are crafted to be very very durable and have a rapid learning curve. Great for surf schools and relentless newbies alike.
The Best Intermediate Surf Board 2023
Sailors Ruin - Siren Surfboards
Siren Surf Boards are specifically designed for women. Totally unique in this movement. Special attention is given to volume distribution, and thickness in the rail and rocker to suit the needs of lighter and smaller framed surfers.
The 6ft”6 Sailors Ruin Surfboard is a fishtail design, with 41 litres in volume, uses a Futures quad fin set up and comes in the super cool pastel periwinkle colour.
We’ve tested this board on dinky days and fuller swells and it drives a wicked ride in all conditions. Quick off the blocks, and catches more waves than anyone else in the lineup.
Get your hands around these beauties for the new year and add it to your quiver of top surf gear.
The Best SUP Surf Board 2023
Starboard - Limited Series 2023
Solid in line-ups, and has stellar performance in the surf without any sacrifice on weight or strength, the Starboard Limited Series 2023 SUP Surf Board is as good as it gets.
Dazzlingly stylish in appearance, and unique in performance. With its twin t-stringer deck and honeycomb pad Starboard has combined durability and performance at its finest.
This board has been tested in the harshest conditions in many corners of the globe. Get your hands on the release date for 2023 here.
The Best Surf Bikini 2023
Vivida Lifestyle - Hermosa Reversible Bikini
Sustainable, high-performance water wear that moves with surfers’ bodies and doesn’t allow room for errors regarding bikinis slipping off or coming undone during surf sessions.
Vivida's Hermosa bikini range boasts criss-cross back straps and wide under bands that provide stay-put, stunning surf capsules, ideal for a year of exotic surf trips.
Vivida's bikinis are made from recycled post-consumer plastic bottles which are blended with spandex for high-quality durability and comfortable fit. Mix and match your favourite colours to create your all-time favourite surf bikini. Not to mention all designs are reversible. A two-for-one soul surf selection.
Vivida bikinis are among some of the best surf bikinis on the market today and are tiptop sustainable and ethical choices when it comes to women’s surf clothing and surf gear.
The Best Surf Towelling Poncho 2023
Vivida Lifestyle - Premium Poncho Towel
The Vivida Premium poncho towel is the creme de la creme of the towel ponchos. It is one of the best adult surf ponchos on the market. Endlessly versatile and always ready for action, the Vivida premium surf poncho towel is ideal for life by the water.
Made of quick-dry microfiber which dries you 4 x quicker than regular cotton towels and absorbs 7 x its weight in water, its high tech surf gear at its finest. There is nothing out there that will make you dry quicker, heat up faster, feel as cosy or look as good as The Premium poncho surf towel. It is premium 100% cotton and is waffle lined in the hood for maximum comfort and heat.
The Map of Dreams print encompasses the inspiring ethos of Vivida. The print is a custom collection of art creations, depicting the unique and diverse corners of the earth. The design process is live art that has spanned several months and is updated with the ever-changing flow of the globe. Where will you go with your Map of Dreams?
Try the best poncho towel this year to add to your surf clothing range.
The Warmest Changing Robe 2023
Vivida Lifestyle - Puffer All Weather Changing Robe
From elite performance fabrics to relentlessly resourceful functions and features Vivida Lifestyle’s lovingly crafted Puffer changing robes are more than your new funky outdoor coat, they are the pièce de résistance of high-efficiency outerwear.
It does not get warmer than this.
Whether your heart lies in the salty surf in rainy Cornwall or the warmer coasts of California, this puffer changing robe has your back and is a big yes if getting cold in regular surf gear is a problem for you.
Quilted with honeycomb fleece lining that traps in as much air as possible, means not only do you not lose any heat after a surf, you actively create heat inside the jacket.
Synthetic fill insulation mimics properties of down, warming the body quickly. While the recycled honeycomb fleece draws water away from the skin to dry you at lightning speeds.
Complete with a cosy quilted hood, adjustable strapping on the sleeves, and insulated pockets, getting changed and preserving heat post-surf has never been more luxurious.
Once you experience the heat of the Vivida puffer you will never be able to go back to regular post-surf clothing.
The Best All Round Changing Robe 2023
Vivida Lifestyle - Sherpa All Weather Changing Robe
The Vivida Sherpa All Weather Changing Robe is engineered with a high-performance waterproof, yet breathable outer shell, so you’ll be dry but not sticky or sweaty when you get out of the water.
The sherpa changing robe is fleece lined with synthetic lambswool, keeping in your warmth whilst wicking away moisture primarily.
The sherpa hood is fleece lined to retain the shape of the hood most effectively.
The entire changing robe contorts to a tiny 35cm x 30cm x 15cm when packing it for travelling and also fits into a handy multipurpose travel pillow/bag.
You’ll dry faster than any other sucker on the sand in this changing robe.
Both Vivida changing robes come in 3 muted colour ways, aventurine green, fossil grey and mineral blue, so you can choose which colour best resonates with your vibe for 2023.
The Best Rash Vest 2023
Vivida Lifestyle - Women of The Sea Rashguard
Seamlessly blending fashion and function with this rashguard. The vivida women of the sea rashguard has a stunning close-to-skin fit, using bold prints and eye-catching colours to wow on the water.Long-sleeved, high neck and a wide nude open back gives the surfer ultimate protection from the elements as well as harsh wax on the surf board whilst alluring ultimate femininity.
The fit under the arms has been trialled and tested on many surfers and has been found to give full overhead mobility without irritating under the armpits so you can fist pump to oblivion when you catch the ride of your life!
The rashguard is made from post-consumer plastic bottles into soft, usable thread, which is then blended with high-quality spandex for increased stretch and shape retention. It won’t lose its shape wear after wear and is one of those items that won’t just last the full seasons of 2023 you’ll hold onto the rash vest for life.
It will arrive in biodegradable plant-based packaging so we can all feel we’re doing our bit for the oceans.
Pair it with the perfect high-waisted bikini bottoms from Vivida to really finish off the look. The high-waisted bottoms will also give 100% wax protection from the board as your abdomen will be entirely covered.
Rock the waves knowing that you’re fully covered and sheltered from the elements whilst looking gorgeous in this surf gear.
Check out the matching bikini bottoms and Vivida's full range of women’s surf clothing.
The Best Summer Wetsuit 2023
Vivida Lifestyle - Linda Reversible Wetsuit
Innovation, style and sustainability are blended beautifully to create this piece of kit. We think it's the best shorty wetsuit around, and a must-have for your surf gear checklist.
You will be buying two shorty wetsuits for the price of one, given that this long sleeve shorty wetsuit is fully reversible. One side is two-toned charcoal and graphite, and the other is the signature Map of Dreams print so you can match your suit to your mood…
Eco CarbonBlack neoprene is used to make the Linda shorty wetsuit. Eco CarbonBlack neoprene is made from scrap rubber tyres, earth-mined limestone and recycled plastic bottle linings, secured together using solvent-free glue. These materials are some of the highest quality specs on the market today when it comes to sustainable wetsuits.
The wetsuit is 2mm neoprene thickness in every area, ensuring a snug fit with no room for water to flush through, and ultimate insulation.
Perfect for winter surfing, warm summer days in cooler climates and cooler/windier days in warmer climates. Or, simply the days when you feel you need more protection and coverage.
There are no underarm seams stitched into the shorty wetsuit which we found gives the user a feeling of free movement and maximum mobility, especially when surfing or in cold water swimming.
The seams are super soft and the FlatLock seam system gives the suit ultimate durability, especially when the suit is being used in cold water temperatures or harsher, saltier and more abrasive weather conditions.
The Best Wetsuit Hanger 2023
The easiest way to keep your wetsuit, wetsuit boots, wetsuit gloves, wetsuit hat, neoprene hoodie, and swimwear dry.
Engineered and manufactured in the UK, C Monsta has created the most unique hanging mechanism on the market. All are made from recycled plastic and will be delivered in a cardboard box to lower the environmental impact on the planet.
Similar in vision to a regular coat hanger, but looks more like a crown, the design is made to stop damp smells in post surf kit and dry your surf kit out faster than ever before.
The oversized mouth hanger prevents any damage to neoprene and gives ventilated spaces for wet wetsuit boots and other surf kit. Hang it out the back of the hatchback, campervan, in the shower or in the garden.
You can even hang the C-Monsta on the fins of your surfboard if you want to keep the sand off your wetsuit after a surf!
This is the piece of equipment you will wish you had bought every time you get out of the water and kick yourself that you don’t have it on you right when you need it.
Save yourself the hassle and hang this in your shopping basket now. They are only £35.
So there you have it, the ultimate list of surf kit you will need for 2023.
Pack the world’s best changing robe, best poncho surf towel, best bikini and best surf board for your adventures this year and know you’ll be ready to face the paddle out, the push off and the post-surf party in elite water wear.
Happy surf shopping!
Indie Bornhoft is a personal trainer and watersports coach, who encourages her clients to make movement their mantra. She has coached every ability in wakeboarding, paddleboarding, SUP fitness, and windsurfing for over ten years, and is highly qualified in all disciplines. Discover more about her drive to just keep moving and be inspired to connect to the raw power of body & spirit through fitness.
