Photo: Andrés // Unsplash
The rise of the freesurfer changed the way we view surfing – literally. Where the average surf fan was originally limited to watching competitions or whoever else happened to show up at their local break, now they could watch the best surfers in the world travel to far flung destinations and charge the waves as they saw fit.
Then, with the advent (and eventual monetization) of social media, it changed again. Those exotic strike missions soon became inundated with monologues to camera and sponsored endorsements. We seemingly got an even more intimate glimpse into the lives of the surfers we admired so much, but their lives also changed to accommodate that gaze.
Love them or hate them, no matter where you go on the internet looking for surf content, you’re going to run into the influencers. To help you on your journey, here’s a taxonomy of nine types of surf influencers you’re likely to find out there.
Trust Fund Kid
“How is this guy funding this?” you may ask yourself, as you watch their latest video of yet another Mentawai strike mission. Sure, they compete, but not on the Championship Tour, and there’s no way that local surf shop sponsor is paying all the bills. Not only that, but there’s no way this guy could hold down a full-time job, what with all the traveling he’s doing. Then it clicks. Family money.
Learned to Surf Yesterday
They’ve decided they’re going to surf, and you’re coming with them every step of the way – from their first Wavestorm purchase, to the first time they hire a surf coach, to the first time they get a sponsor before they can do a bottom turn. These influencers make the kind of videos that fellow beginners will eat up, and veterans will absolutely despise. The comment section is equal parts fawning positivity and absolute vitriol. Hate them all you want, but they managed to make a living surfing before you did.
Half-Assed Pro
“How hard can it be?” they thought. They’re already constantly on the road for competitions, might as well make some extra scratch on the side. Unfortunately, while chirping catchphrases into a camera doesn’t require that much effort, it does require some effort – and it shows. They post infrequently, and when they do, the locations in their videos always have a remarkable similarity to the list of stops on the CT schedule. They’ll have a decent following, because they’re one of the most famous surfers in the world, but the content itself is inevitably commentary free sessions and some b-roll of their morning routine. It’s boring, but you’re probably still not gonna unsubscribe.
Personality Void
They’re phenomenal surfers, but that doesn’t leave room for much else. This is the kind of influencer that is incredibly expressive on the wave, but all that comes crashing to a halt as they hit the sand. Though the Personality Void comes in many forms, they are often a grown-up contest robot – the kind of person who has dedicated their life so totally to surfing that they never actually experienced anything else. If you’re lucky, they’re at least self-aware enough to let their surfing do the talking.
Comedian?
As if the already niche pursuit of surfing influencer wasn’t niche enough, this person went for the even more niche sub-genre of surf comedy. Unfortunately, they usually don’t really succeed at either making jokes or surfing. The “comedy” often comes in surface-level quips about checking Surfline, delivered in whatever meme format is currently sweeping TikTok, and their surfing ranges from passable to nonexistent. (On the other hand, there is at least one certified ripper in the bunch. You know who we’re talking about.)
Novelty Wave Warrior
Surfing a lunch tray on a ferry wave, skimming a bodyboard with a winch, getting barreled next to a glacier – these guys will do whatever it takes to catch a wave, just so long as it isn’t a good one. Their inventiveness is actually rather impressive, but after a while you start to wonder what they look like surfing an honest to goodness break in anything over ankle high. You will never find out.
Ubiquitous Videographer
Carmen Sandiego has nothing on them. Seemingly every week, they’re at another world-class break. Teahupo’o in the summer, Nazaré in the winter – at the first hint of an incoming swell, they’re already on a plane. Of course, that’s exactly what we want from them. These are the men and women who bring us that precious footage from the great waves of the world, in spectacular fashion, and if they want to hop in front of camera every once in a while to show off, they get a free pass.
Positivity Guru
This is where the world of surf influencing overlaps with a much greater blight on the internet: wellness culture. You’d think the famously toxic surf community could use a vibe check, but somehow it just makes it even worse, what with all the time spent performatively meditating, manifesting and visualizing, it’s a wonder these people find a moment to actually get out in the water. And if they ever do manage to get their hair wet, you bet they’re going to remind you to thank the ocean after your session.
Kook Coach
This is a tough one. On the one hand, the kook coach can be a legitimately useful resource. Everyone has to learn somewhere, and not all surfers are blessed with a community to teach them. Sometimes, the Kook Coach even has a thing or two to impart on the more experienced surfer, just so long as they’re able to lay aside their pride for a second. On the other hand, it can be exhausting to watch yet another new channel whose core demographic seems to be people who are literally driving home from their first surf shop purchase. At their worst, kook coaches can provide advice that ranges from bad to insane to actually dangerous. Tread carefully, it’s a minefield.
