The (True) Surfer Lifestyle

The "surfer lifestyle" is misunderstood and over romanticized. Most non-surfers picture the lifestyle of a surfer to either be something like Spicoli, a carefree dropout living only for the next "cool buzz", or a hard-charging, risk-taking, badass like Bhodi who is living fast and ready to die young.

As with most categories and stereotypes, surfers and their corresponding lifestyles are much more nuanced.

So let's she some light on what the "surfer lifestyle" is and what it means for various types of surfers.

What is A "Lifestyle" Anyways?

The term "lifestyle" covers a wide range of elements, including a person's values, attitudes, interests, behaviors, and material possessions. Essentially, a lifestyle is a reflection of a person's choices and habits, which are often shaped by their personal beliefs, cultural background, and economic status.

Theoretically, someone who never surfs could still live the surfer lifestyle by being interested in surfing, wearing clothes made for surfers, checking the forecast, getting excited about swells, and even owning a surfboard... but never using it. Typically we'd refer to this person as a poser.

Let's explore the true spectrum of people who surf and what their "surf lifestyle" looks like...

The Backburner Surfer

The backburner surfer is a study in good intentions perpetually deferred. This is the individual who fits surfing into their life rather than shaping their life around surfing. Their days are dictated by the demands of a busy work schedule and family obligations, and as a result, surfing is relegated to a "leisure" activity or "fun" hobby—a low-priority pursuit that only happens when all other tasks are complete. Because of this, they paddle out when their schedules allow, not when the waves are good, and consequently, their opportunities for truly great sessions are few and far between.

The flame of their initial stoke slowly withers from neglect. Despite this, their infrequent sessions are often a source of immense, almost overwhelming stoke, regardless of the conditions. They'll exit leave the session exclaiming, "Wow, I really need to get out more!"—a sentiment everyone knows will be forgotten until their next session a month later.

The lifestyle of this type of surfer is not centered around surfing. They conveniently cherry pick from the surfer's life. They'll wear surf clothes if they are comfortable. They'll paddle out if they have the time AND the conditions are clean (but the surf isn't too big). They're always sore after surfing because they never maintain any stamina.

The backburner surfer will agree they are a surfer when around non-surfers but admit they aren't really surfer around more dedicated surfers. In essence, they have one foot into the surf life and one foot out.

The Weekend Warrior

The weekend warrior represents the pursuit of having it all: the successful career, the family, the six-pack abs, and dedication to surfing as a hobby. This is a person who applies the same head-down, grind-it-out mentality that has led to all their success in other areas of life. Their mantra is to sleep less, caffeinate more, and rest when they're dead. They get into the water if a morning meeting unexpectedly gets cancelled and the waves are firing. Otherwise, it's a weekend love affair only - regardless of the conditions.

The weekend warrior sees surfing more as a demanding workout and an addition to their bio that sets them apart from the other finance bros, and less as an inescapable lifelong addiction. Their body, honed by gym sessions and intense training, may be in great shape, but it's not optimized for surfing. They are easily identified by their over-eager use of the word "bro," and their overly apologetic stance after inevitably cutting someone off.

For the weekend warrior, skipping the third espresso and taking a nap might be more life changing than another crowded session on Saturday.

The Dawn Patroller

The dawn patroller is the epitome of ritual and dedication. This early-bird surfer is a fixture in the lineup, arriving for their morning session rain or shine, even during red tides. They are so consistently tied to their local break that their absence will make other early morning surfers question what's wrong. Many late-rising surfers may not even know they exist, as the dawn patroller is often out of the water before the casual surfers even pull into the parking lot to check the waves.

The only thing that can keep them in the water past 7am is a genuinely good swell, and even then, they may paddle in as soon as the crowd reaches their limit—usually around 10-15 other surfers. Their day and, by extension, their life revolve around this morning session. Their commitment is visible in their winter routines: a hot-water rinse waiting in the trunk, coffee in an insulated mug, and a rotation of dry suits.

This lifestyle demands an early bedtime and a disciplined approach to drinking, making it arguably the healthiest of all the surfing habits. Many of their co-workers don't even know they've already "shredded the gnar" before arriving at the office.

The Dropout Surfer

The dropout surfer lives a life optimized for a single metric: time on wave. Their approach is to maximize in the water and in order to do so, minimize as much work as possible. They've slowly grown comfortable with asking for things from others without returning the favor.

This lifestyle is often visually represented by living in a van and saving money by eliminating haircuts from their budget. Often confused with the soul surfer, the dropout is a misunderstood archetype. They've either meticulously thought through their priorities and concluded that true happiness lies in shedding all possible responsibilities to maximize time in the water, or they've simply taken the path of least resistance, moving from one wave to the next... eating when hungry and sleeping when tired.

While their lifestyle may seem aimless, they serve as a profound inspiration to those of us who are too consumed by the seriousness of life. Other types of surfers like the dawn patroller and weekend warrior secretly admire the dropout, wishing they had the balls to give up all their responsibilities and solely focus on seeking the best stoke.

The Soul Surfer

The soul surfer, like the dropout, seeks happiness through stoke, but their approach is defined by quality, not quantity. They see surfing not just as a sport or a hobby, but as a spiritual practice—part of their personal search for meaning and purpose. They are not chasing the most waves, but the most meaningful connection with the ocean. This is why their language is often filled with a kind of serene reverence, stating things like, "Surfing is my meditation," "I'm just happy to be in the water," or "The ocean is my church."

They believe "The best surfer in the water is the one having the most fun." While these sentiments can be inspiring, they are cringeworthy when used by a poser who is more concerned with the aesthetic than the actual experience.

The Adventure Surfer

The adventure surfer has a deep-seated wanderlust fueled by childhood traumas. Their relentless search for the perfect, uncrowded wave, is unattainable but they keep looking anyways. They have surfed breaks all over the world, but their list is never quite complete.

This is the surfer who, no matter what break you mention, will respond with, "Oh, I surfed that fifteen years ago before it blew up and got crazy crowded." They now find major surf hubs like Bali to be too mainstream, too overrun with tourists, and therefore ruined. Their constant search for the new and untouched often makes them too picky; a two-foot day at a local break is never enough, and a great swell is only great if everyone else missed it. Their lifestyle is less about the daily ritual of surfing and more about the adventure that goes along with chasing waves.

The Old Surfer

The old surfer carries proof that surfing's prime is in the past and they love to remind the rest of us about it. They’ve been surfing their local break for longer than most of the current surfers have been alive. When they die the lessons of history will be forgotten. They are mysterious, a little bit kooky, but generally well respected.

They sit far outside and only take the wave of the day. If you try to go on it they'll cut you off and won't apologize for it. You won't say anything. The old surfer makes up for agility with experience and volume. They know where to be on the wave and let the board do the work. If they wipe out, they somehow alway survive it, slowly pull themselves back on their board, and paddle back out.

What the old surfer does outside of the water remains a mystery. If they aren't hanging out around the beach checking the surf or having an afternoon beer, they're probably napping.

The Cross Stepper

The cross stepper is a surf purist, a devotee of the longboard and the art of classic surfing. They are focused on the graceful flowing movements of their dance with the wave. This is a surfer who is meticulous about their style, always looking to be perfectly balanced, poised, and stylish in and out of the water.

They are often seen using a calf leash if they are in the intermediate stages of cross stepping, or no leash at all if they are in the advanced phases. You can often spot them outside of the water by their flare - a turtle sticker on the back windshield of their car, a beanie (even in summer), or Birkenstocks with socks. Like their balance on their board, they maintain a balanced and aware mindset outside of the water... unless you cut them off and they haven't had their oatmilk latte yet.

The Grom Pack

Groms never surf alone and they all have the same lifestyle. That's why they are essentially one being. The grom pack somehow has fewer responsibilities than the dropout surfer, more style than the cross stepper, more energy than the weekend warrior, and bigger dreams than the adventurer. They're all on their way to being pro. The stickers on their board are proof.

They blindly follow the leader of their pack, only making small modifications to the same clothes, haircut, and gear. These minor modifications prove their individuality but it all looks the same to the jaded older surfer.

The grom pack either can't read the air of a lineup or refuse to and so are unable to meld in to a chill vibe or work into a rotation, but no one dares to put them in their place and face the wrath of the pack. They catch more waves than everyone else and demoralize the middle-aged surfers who have less energy and enthusiasm.

They speak a language no one can understand, eat whatever they can get their hands on, and swing wildly between overly stoked and infuriated. It's an unsustainable lifestyle and few are able to maintain it past their teens.

The Pro Surfer

The pro surfer fights an unseen internal battle and is often bitter despite being envied by most surfers. They're living someone's dream, but it isn't theirs. They are worn down from constant travel and having to appease their sponsors by doing things they don't want to do. They're often surfing sub-par waves in competitions which are subjectively judged while wishing they could be somewhere else with better waves. And unless they are at the top of the rankings they really aren't making much money to justify it all.

Their lifestyle looks cool from afar but many wish they could be a "free surfer" instead - a half pro, half dropout, half influencer.

Final Thoughts

Some may argue that the true surfer lifestyle means prioritizing surf over all else. Others accept that the modern surf life requires a balance between getting in the water and managing "real life" responsibilities. The only thing we know for sure is that everyone has an opinion... and that's okay.