What Is The Correct Order To Put On Booties, Gloves, And A Hood?

Divisive days, these. 

Even when you are right, you are wrong about something or typically everything. If anyone tells you otherwise, you are living in an echo chamber. 

Surf culture is not immune to this. And so now, it’s time for Stab to enter a difficult, but necessary, conversation. Even if it divides our audience. 

Of course, this is about the order in which you should put on wetsuit booties, gloves, and a hood as the water temps drop. 

On Stab’s podcast, coincidentally titled The Drop, Danny Johnson and I invite people to confess their surf sins to us. We then give them a penance so that they may commence their healing journey. So far, highlights have been a blind man trying to call Mick off a wave at Snapper, a gentleman who lied to Conner Coffin’s face about a good/bad wave, and someone who awkwardly returned his friend’s dad’s yellow longboard after borrowing it and spray painting it black because he thought they’d never actually want it back (my personal fave). To participate, email a voice note to [email protected] or DM us on Instagram. We can remove the weight from your shoulders. 

In a recent episode, a gentleman named Jason shared the following with us:

My biggest surf sin to date is that in my earlier years, I would wear a wetsuit with boots and gloves but no hood. I think that I was under the impression at that time that hoods were not comfortable and extremely un-cool. I am now wiser and have realised that the acceptable wetsuit hierarchy is hood first, then boots, and then, only in the coldest of latitudes are gloves acceptable. Please help me make this right, as I feel the guilt over this misdeed has caused a mental block that is holding back my surfing progression.

We addressed it on the pod and, since then, I have been bombarded with passionate responses to this. Some have been in support. Some have been in disgust. Many have included threats of violence. 

It is a very hot cold water topic but we must do our Wim Hof breathing exercises and dive in. 

Wetsuit related behavior changes depending on your location. I have observed it in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and Africa. And so without further ado, I would like to go on record stating that this is what I believe should be the appropriate global order: 

Booties >> Gloves >> Hood. 

In reality, though, this is what I most often do: 

Booties >> Hood >> Gloves. 

Now, for the rationale: numb hands make paddling more difficult and should be avoided at all costs (including that of surfer’s ear surgery). Your head will adapt after a few duck-dives and the brain freeze you endure in order to arrive at that comfort level will only make you stronger. 

However, the reason that I usually put a hood on before booties is because I tell myself it is to protect my ears from any bacterias, viruses, algaes, etc, in the water because it rains a lot in the winter where I live. This is a blatant lie to myself as it truly all comes down to comfort. 

You may be wondering how I can say to do one thing, but do another thing myself. Well, friends, that is an integral part of our society — the idea that this is the way it should be, just not for me. 

In any event, if you ever put a hood on before booties, your loved ones should find it difficult to look you in the eyes. 

Onto the stories.

Surf100 Mexico Featuring Dane Reynolds, Mason Ho, and Mikey February

Ever felt the sweet embrace of irony when contemplating the fact that, while more and more people are taking up surfing, fewer and fewer companies seem to target surfers? There exists a strange fascination with trying to get convince the uninitiated to give you either money or attention in exchange for sandals or a broadcast. 

Anyway, Surf100 feels so uniquely, distinctly, thoroughly like surfing. If you don’t watch this, you’re doing something wrong.

Gender Equality And The WSL: Where We Came From, Where We’re Going, And What Happens If Teahupo’o Is Bombing Next Year?

Let’s pause for a moment and contemplate the future of, say, Erin Brooks’ career. We’re talking World Title potential, for sure. She’s got enough talent and drive to figure out Pipe and Teahupo’o but, up until very recently, nothing incentivized her to do that. With the new fully synced up men’s and women’s CT schedule, that has fully changed. Think about the longterm positive impact this will have on women’s surfing. 

It’s fucking great, so we caught up with the WSL’s Head of Tours & Competition, Jessi Miley-Dyer, to learn more about it .

Near-Death And Glory At The Biggest Greenbush Ever, Featuring ‘Nasty’ Nate Behl And Nic Von Rupp

If we all viewed the ocean like Nate Behl, no death bowl would go untested — and there’s something romantic about that. Recently, he and Nic Von Rupp scored the best Bush we’ve ever laid eyes out. They had to travel all day and night on a sail boat going 6 knots (7mph/11kmh) to get there. And when they did, they went hard. By the end of the swell, an already-injured Nate scooped into a devilish wave that almost flicked his lights off. 

A prize, in his mind, was the fact that he didn’t have to lug a board bag around an airport with a mangled shoulder while concussed.

Why Are Surfers Apprehensive About Cannabis Sponsorships?

For many years, as far as mainstream media was concerned, surfers and stoners were weird, wild, deadbeat dropouts, many of whom had an affinity for VW buses. But now, as both the surf and cannabis industries become increasingly legitimate (see: Olympic inductions and legality in general), there is a surprisingly low amount of crossover between the two worlds — at least on the professional side of things. Here, we explore why alcohol sponsorships are commonplace while weed sponsorships are unheard of. 

My First Milli 

As this piece was coming together, Ryan Miller and Morgan Maassen verbally accosted for flying economy on TAP Portugal airlines. You’d be hard-pressed to find either of them above 30,000 feet in seats that don’t go fully horizontal. The surf-photographers-turned-multi-millionaires tackle a big question, as the title suggests, and they do it in the most fascinating and granular way. If you want a glimpse behind the scenes, this is it.

Comment of the week: 

Maybe in Oregon? 

One last thing: 

Never forget that being overgunned can be just bad — if not worse — than being undergunned.