Jay Alders Surf Art
Yesterday’s surf session was fun. The south swell lingered and the afternoon sunshine was rejuvenating.
I also had the chance to surf an old break with a good buddy, and I watched him go all time on his classic longboard. Tim is primed for his Costa Rica trip!
And the best news is that my feet were toasty thanks to the folks at Inlet Outlet Surf Shop in Manasquan. All wetsuit gear is 30% off, if you are in need head on down.
Just one question… Is that surfer still in the woods?
A nice swell in the water. Hope you are getting a few. In the water soon!
I know that when surfers plunk down sixty bucks on a pair of wetsuit boots they are not making a lifelong committment. I am fully aware that these boots, and even the gloves and suits for that matter, are consumer products with a shelf life in alignment with the average Hollywood relationship. I also hypothesize that there is some grand marketing plan behind it all; with a CEO looking at the prototype, asking his team of designers, “are you sure that these boots will fall apart after six months of normal use? Because that will truly alter my bonus and our bottom line if they don’t.”
None the less, and maybe because I am a cheap SOB, I feel like these products should offer more of a return on the investment. Afterall, when they are through being useful, the rubber generally ends up in a landfill, free to release toxic compounds for generations to come. So why, as a half-awake buyer, should I not anticipate a long and happy marriage with this costly gear?
So fast forward to my second season in my Infinity 7mm boots. Snug as a bug in a rug when purchased, but more torn than a pair of Union Solider boots during the Crossing of the Delaware, as the second February came closing in.
I knew I was in trouble given their current state of repair and the 36 degree water temperatures. So I borrowed a bottle of this product that is essentially rubber cement glue on A-Rods vitamins, slathered every hole in my gear, and paddled out for a friendly Sunday surf session.
As soon as the waves wrapped around my ankles I knew I was in trouble. My boots took on water, or should I say ice water, faster than an oil company raises gasoline prices.
Still, I decided to play through the pain. I was suited up, and the waves were glassy and fun. About an hour into the afternoon my foot began to throb mercilessly. I will spare you the dramatics, and let you know that I dodged a few more waves and then grabbed one for home.
The glue did help with this hole... I think...
The run, I mean limp, up the beach was excruciating. The rock solid sand, coupled with the ice and snow, made matters worse. By the time I reached the car I was cursing these blasted boots, and the glorified Elmer’s Glue.
Sure my digits were intact, right down to the smallest toe, but my session was cut short, and that is the point right? For sixty bones you might think I could get a little bang for my buck.
Sea Sand Surf 