Bodyboarding Tips and Gear for the Whole Family

Bodyboarding, also known as boogie boarding, is a wildly popular (and fun!) beach activity that is versatile enough for people of all ages to enjoy. Often scoffed at by surfers as the cheap and easy way to steal their waves, bodyboarding is being embraced by more and more beachgoers around the world, including unlikely pro surfers like Kelly Slater.

The great thing about bodyboarding is that it doesn't take a lot of effort to ride a wave. With the right gear and a good board, you can easily learn how to master bigger waves, or you can buy a cheap board at your local beach store or surf shop and play around in the whitewater. However you want to play, I have some gear recommendations and tips that can help you make the most out of your day at the beach.

First, whether you're rushing to the beach to get pounded by some awesome hurricane swell, or if your kids are spending a leisurely day at the beach, you want to start out by selecting a board that fits the right height and weight.

Many averaged-sized male pro-bodyboarders like to go with a 41.5 inch board, even if they are technically a different size, but according to the experts at eBodyboarding.com, the following sizes are recommended:

36" to 38" board, 65-85 lbs. and 4' to 5' tall
39" board, 85-115 lbs. and 4'6" to 5'2" tall
40" board, 110-130 lbs. and 5'3" to 5'6" tall
41" to 41.75" board 125-170 lbs. and 5'7" to 5'9" tall
42" board 145-180 lbs. and 5'9" to 6'0" tall

If you are a shorter, heavier person, go by weight and not height. Some boards are designed for larger people, and are wider and shorter than normal boards in the tall categories, which can range up to 46 inches in length.

Children can use their parents' boards with no real problems, especially if they are just fooling around in the whitewater, but it would be wise to stick to the chart so they aren't dwarfed by a board that is too big and clumsy for them to handle well.

Leashes are also a smart investment if your board didn't come pre-installed with one. They keep you from losing your board if you wipe out. You can choose from a wrist or a bicep leash. Usually, surf shops will be able to install your leash onsite, as it only takes a couple of seconds. Generic leashes that come with cheap boards can't withstand large, hammering waves for very long. At least if you wipe out and your leash breaks, they are easy to replace.

Generally, this information is all that is needed for anyone just wanting to play around in the surf, but if you aspire to catch monster waves or learn some tricks, more gear will be needed.

Bodyboarding was designed to be used with special fins that are shorter than regular diving fins. Swimfins not only help you zoom in and out of waves faster, they help you get the speed you need to catch large waves, steer, and perform tricks. You don't really need fins to do any of the above well, but it sure makes life easier, especially when you're dealing with larger pounding waves close to the shore and want to get by all of that in a hurry, or if you're too deep to effectively get a leaping start into a good wave.

Churchill fins are widely-loved due to their comfort and speed, but I prefer Laguna Swimfins. The foot area is made out of neoprene, the same material as wetsuits, which makes them more comfortable than regular fins, plus they are pretty fast. If you mess around in rough waves, I suggest buying a pair of fin tethers, so you don't lose your fins.

Many novice bodyboarders don't think about the need for board wax, but if you are at the top of a double overhead getting ready to slam down onto the face, you might wish you had used some. Even lesser waves can send you flying over your board if you lose your grip, so be sure to drop a buck fifty for the old standard, Sex Wax.

Sex Wax comes in different formulas for different water temperatures, but the warm bar (light purple/pinkish bar with the red sticker on the package) is best for most ocean water in the U.S. during the summer months. There are also bars for Cold, cool and tropical water.

To wax your board, give the board's deck an all-over light coat and then put more on where your belly and your forearms lie, and where your hands grab the deck. Reapply as needed ��"šï¿½" usually every 2-3 sessions, I've found.

Tired of being stung by jellyfish, or have never been stung but would like to keep it that way? I highly recommend a product called Seasafe. Seasafe, which is cheapest at drugstore.com, is a jellyfish and sea lice (baby jellyfish swarms) repellant that works on several levels. Mainly, jellyfish don't like whatever the lotion gives off, but if you're wearing it and run into one of those creepy critters, they won't be able to sting you. Reapply every hour.

Lastly, and especially if you are just starting out, make sure you are a strong swimmer/breath-holder who is not afraid of the water, even if you are staying nice and shallow. Safe conditions can turn dodgy in the blink of an eye, even in shallow whitewater. Plus, it's not hard for children to become sidetracked or overwhelmed in the shallows and wipeout. Most importantly, have fun!