Product Review: Ho Stevie! Surf Gear Pack
Even though we love our surf brands, sometimes we love to hate their prices and lack of supply (read: supply v. demand economy) or the nightmarish purchasing experience (dear pop-up banners, No I do not want to sell you my soul for an extra 10% off my purchase!!). As, more often than not, BROKE surfers, we seek a fair price for good quality items without needing to trade your cousin a few surf lessons for his friend’s hookup at Volcom. And if you have Amazon Prime, you can stow that soft top and 6:00 a.m. wakeup call because Ho Stevie! has got ya covered.
Ho Stevie! Traction Pad really stuck with me.
Based in San Diego, California, Ho Stevie! is the biggest surf brand on Amazon, out-ranking many of our old surf standbys with solid surf gear that includes pretty much everything from soft top boards to wetties, fins and more ready to be at your doorstep in less than a day if you sport Prime. If not, it’s still worth the extra wait because Ho Stevie! cuts out the middlemen retailers and expensive sponsors so they can offer the same quality products as the bigger brands that are much easier on your pocketbook, money clip, change jar, couch cushions, car cup holders…you get the idea.
Think: one small step for your savings, one giant leap to (eventually) surf the Maldives, right?
In my case, not only am I in desperate need of a surf trip, but I was also in desperate need of a new traction pad…a pair of FCS fins didn’t hurt either and hey, who doesn’t need an extra leash?! As it turns out, I already had a Ho Stevie! changing mat that I love. 😊 Oh! That soft top looks pretty funnnn…
Ho Stevie fin set up did not disappoint!
The traction pad is EVA foam that uses 3M adhesive backing to reeeally stick to your board. Trust me, I was skeptical because I never had to change out a traction pad before, but when you have a *magic * board that’s kinda hard to put down, my old traction pad begs to differ. All it took was about 20 minutes, a little Sticky Bumps wax remover to take off the old one and some elbow grease to apply my fancy new Ho Stevie traction pad—and boom! It’s like a new board with the same magic.
But where would a real magic board be without a brand-spankin’ new fin setup? Disclaimer: I am no fin expert, but I’m just going to put it out there—in my nearly 20 years of surfing, I do know when I have a set of solid fins—they make a difference! And Ho Stevie! definitely did not disappoint.
Ho Stevie! has all kinds of different setups for your fin/board needs. I went with the Fiberglass Honeycomb Surf Fins since I semi-know what to look for in fins. Built for high-performance waves, these fins have a honeycomb structure, are lightweight and pretty responsive and fast, especially when dropping into hollow Newport waves. For a third of the price, they function pretty damn well. Give them a shot.
Ho Stevie! Leash outlasted Newps.
You know, until I used my Ho Stevie! Surf leash, I don’t think I appreciated the small details of the actual leash itself. What I like about this particular leash is not only it’s durability, but also how easy it is to simply pull it off with the convenient pull tab. After getting to the shore, the last thing I want to battle is my leash’s death grip around my ankle.
FYI–I have surfed Newport River Jetties many times with this gear and nothing has budged or withered. Not only is this gear wallet-friendly, but it’s also solid in more powerful waves all around.
Check out:
Traction pad: $19.97
Fiberglass Honeycomb Surf Fins: $39.97
Surf Leash: $19.97
What I love:
Traction pad: It really stays on…I mean reeeealllly stays on and–it comes in a few different colors and designs and can really add some extra “flare” to your board—office space and red staplers not included.
Fins: Who doesn’t like getting the same quality fins for less than half the price?! Now I don’t have to hyperventilate when River Jetties claims one of my fins again.
Leash: Its comfortable and easy to remove, no tangling around my toes and feet
Why:
I like supporting folks who haven’t been steeping in bro culture mire for decades. And not to mention founder and CEO Stevie himself is from Wisconsin and had dreams of becoming a surfer (hmm sounds so familiar!). And he made it happen. I dig the tenacity.
Check out Ho Stevie!
P.S. Another great thing about Ho Stevie!– They create a lot of video content that shows you how to use their gear, or why their gear is top quality.
For example: Get a load of why their soft tops rock.
