Back in the “olden days” my friends and I would wait anxiously by the mailbox around the time of the month when our surf magazines were scheduled to arrive. Magazines finally in hand we’d slowly and methodically soak up every photo and article, dreaming of all the warm water and lush tropical locales shown in the glossy pages. The ads were important, too, as they gave us a look at what our surfing heroes were riding and wearing.
Back then it was Lightning Bolts, Brewers and Stewarts for surfboards, and Kanvas by Katin, Vans and OP for duds. Channel Islands, Lost and Rusty surfboards currently reign supreme for boards, while Billabong, Quiksilver and Volcom outfit the masses.
Contest results were also an important part of the content, and although many times it had been months since the actual surf events had taken place, we didn’t mind a bit.
