Longboarder's Start-Up: A Guide to Longboard Surfing (Start-Up Sports series) by Doug Werner Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Longboarder's Start-Up: A Guide to Longboard Surfing (Start-Up Sports series)
Book Review: If you surf, or plan to surf, read this book!
Summary: 5 Stars
Doug Werner has written a wonderful beginner's guide to anything and everything to do with longboarding. An extremely easy read, Longboarder's Start-Up has photos and descriptive text that literally walks you through the basics of longboarding. From the design of the board and how it effects different aspects of your ride to paddling out to standing up to shredding the wave on a vicious cut-back, Doug's casual style and crisp humor give the feel of receiving a world-class surfing lesson from your local surf bum. Interviews with pros and loads of great action shots make this as interesting a read as your favorite surf mag, only you don't have near as many pictures of beach babes. Altogether, this is a great addition to your library. Don't forget to bring it on your next beach trip.Book Review: Longboarders guide
Summary: 4 Stars
Good quick book on basic Longboard info.....would have liked more on catching waves and reading them....Book Review: OK... But
Summary: 3 Stars
This book was really only of moderate usefullness. I got better information at my local surf shop.Book Review: Only surfing book worth rereading...
Summary: 5 Stars
...there is some significant information in this book that doesn't show up in other fluffy beginner's books.For example, I'm new to surfing (been out about 8 times), and I've reached the point where I'll get killed if I continue doing push-ups through waves of any reasonable size. I keep coming back to this book because this is one of the few beginner's manuals in my stash which tells you about "Scoot 'n Shoot" and "Slice 'n Duck" to deal with paddling out through larger and larger waves.
The book is essentially split into a beginner's section (on how to catch waves, paddling out, being in trim, etc...) and then an intermediate/advanced section on cross-stepping, turning, cutting back, noseriding, etc... I mean it's really wonderful to have a book that shows me what I can look forward to, even though I don't expect to be doing 360's or floaters anytime soon.
I've yet to find a book this comprehensive on longboarding - I dare say that if I were stuck on an island in the South Pacific with nothing but my stick and one book, this one would be it.
If you can overlook the shortcomings of this book, I'm sure you'll get something out of it.
I continue to get hints out of the book after every reread... ...advice in the book begin to make a lot more sense after some experience.
Oh yeah - the lingo in the book makes it a little difficult for the first time read, but with the glossary in the back, it's not that bad. In fact, wouldn't you rather learn what "digging a rail" really means so you can communicate with your fellow surfers in their language?
Book Review: Overall, a very good book for novices.
Summary: 4 Stars
After reading the others reviews, I was a little hesitant to order the book so I found the book at a local store and flipped through it. I liked it and bought it. I've been surfing for about 9 months and was looking for guidance learning to cross-step and ride the nose. I'd tried to search the web but all I found was information on longboard skateboards. Although it's simliar, there are some big differences, so I ended up buying the book.
The book gave me the instruction I was looking for regarding how to position my board in the wave and my feet on the board during cross-stepping and nose-riding. It also gave me some good points on surfing waves in general and turning. I found the more advanced tricks a little harder to understand but I think I have the concepts down and am looking forward to trying them out.
I think some of the other reviewers were a little hard on the book for its "lingo." Like any specialty, surfing has its own vocabulary and in order to describe it succinctly you might need to learn a few new words, so be it.
Overall, I think this is a very good book for a novice.