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WoodRoze sunglasses sit on a sandcloud beach towel in Newport Beach, California

Product Review: WoodRoze Sunglasses

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The primetime summer sun may be slipping away from the western hemisphere, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still protect those peepers from those sunny winter days to come. Random hot and sunny days are a thing in SoCal and your eyes deserve more than last year’s scratched up Oakley’s floating around in that sandy surf pack. Time for an upgrade that’s both stylish and functional!

Enter: WoodRoze

Based in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, this small but mighty company features high quality sunglasses that are created both with comfort and style in mind…and let’s not forget they practice “safe specs.” :)

WoodRoze Angelinas sunglasses sit on a beach towel in Newport Beach, California

Gettin’ sassy, there, WoodRoze.

Their Safe Specsä technology makes high quality the center focus as each pair of sunglasses offers 100 % UVA/UVB protection, is shatter-proof (believe me, I’ve already unintentionally tested that!) and anti-scratch and anti-microbial and much more. Check out more about the technology here.

And if you’re quite picky, like myself, about the style of shades you wear—know that WoodRoze’s sunglasses might drum up Curtis Mayfield’s “Superfly” while you cruise your way down to the sand like you’re walking the catwalk at a Dior fashion show. Should you add an afro and some bellbottoms to that look, I will give you any wave you want.

I personally gravitated towards the Angelinas, which feature a rose gold, ebony wood frame and a WHOLE lotta sass, to boot! My alter ego, Georgia Jackie, would agree that these shades spice up not just your beach look, but also your “any and everywhere you go” look. So, slap on a pair , strut your stuff and eat a peach for me!

With the Angelinas, you can choose between black, gold and blue frames and their other product lines, like After Hours, Breakers, Flaglers and Kooks offer a little more lens color choices and the same high quality materials and technology, as well.

Jackie Connor wears WoodRoze sunglasses on a sandcloud beach towel in Newport Beach, California

Yours truly gettin’ sassy and flashy in Newport Beach.

And, as I mentioned, I did accidentally drop them and had a slight panic attack about potential scratches, but alas! There were none, much to my surprise and relief. In fact, when I dropped them, they almost had a spring to their fall, so that Safe Specs tech really works!

Also important for those butterfingers out there like myself, each product comes with both a soft and hard case, which is OH-SO relieving when you’re a surfer with a sandy backpack and a budget who is dropping some serious mullah on some serious specs like these.

With my imaginary afro and bell bottoms, I gotta say (with some major sass)—I dig ‘em.

 

Check out:

Angelinas

After Hours

Breakers

Flaglers

Kooks

 

What I love:

The quality is top notch and the look is SUPER fly…I mean, fashionable.   And—with butterfingers like mine, I know these specs won’t scratch or break, especially with the hard case, while tossing around in my surf backpack.

Why:

Who doesn’t want to look superfly AND know their product isn’t going to get ruined because –butterfingers. :D

Supporting small businesses is my thing! And these peeps deserve a look and your shades may need their upgrade.

I wish:

I knew a little more about what made them create such a bad ass product with great technology.

Price:

$115

Remember, peeps—with these glasses, even with butterfingers, surf adventures and sandy surf backpacks, you can always ‘practice safe specs.’

Check out WoodRoze.

Product Review: Eidon Surf Bikinis

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woman in bikini with floral print smiles on the beach in the sunSummer-like conditions are suddenly taking over SoCal—February is famous for that. But don’t worry! It will go right back to being chilly and, despite the warm sun, the water temp is still hanging out in the 56-58 degree range. In between spouts of manic weather, let’s talk ‘kini season, shall we?

California’s quarantine madness can’t seem to keep most surfers down since crowds have reached ultra-epic (not just epic) proportions on both the trails and in the water … and sporting a cute, comfy bikini to the waves is no exception.

Enter: Eidon Surf

Eidon Surf’s philosophy of “live, travel, surf” being more than a phrase, has become scripture for all those who want to wander and need to be outside—and to this surfer girl—a huge part of my post-quarantine goals!

woman laying in the sun with Eidon bikini and sunglasses

February in SoCal–random 75 degree days are perfect for soaking up some vitamin D.

This ‘kini company is based in an even chillier part of North America—Canada to be exact, and is part of a larger wholesale brand, SGS Sports, which includes Eidon, Body Glove and Skye—each their own sportswear brands that have a single purpose: getting you outside.

 

Though we are a bit confined at the moment (read: ‘quarantine kills surfer travel’), for now, I will stare at the beautiful locales on my vision board and skip around SoCal’s local beaches in Eidon’s colorful, cute and SUPER comfy bikinis.

 


Who: Eidon Surf

Check Out:

What I love: These bikinis are very comfy and I love their semi-modest style. The crop tops are also great for hiking in warmer locales and the bottoms hold tight against my, well, bottom! The fabric, which is a combo of mostly nylon and some spandex, is super soft and though I haven’t tried it in the rougher stuff yet, I’m looking forward to seeing how long it lasts and how well it stays put. Stay tuned to my Instagram page (@ConfessionsOfASurferGirl) for updates on that.

Why: I dig the more modest style pieces lately. Call it age, call it doing everything I can to avoid being eye candy for Trestles creepers, I think there’s  potential in the crop top for surfer gals who still want to look cute and feel good in the water while maintaining a level of modesty.

I wish: The fabrics were recycled or eco-friendly.

Price: $60-70 for a bikini set

On Thursday, 2/11, enter to win a free Eidon bikini on my Instagram, @ConfessionsOfASurferGirl ! Tag a friend in the comments section of my post to enter.

Product Review: Akela Surf Bikini

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Recent surf sesh at the River in Newport. Pandemic or no, I’ve always stayed 10 feet away from everyone, regardless. Just say ‘no’ to crowds, folks.

With some beaches slowly opening, the crowd is anything but slow to get to the sand and salt water. A good thing or a bad thing? If I’m coughing 5-to-10 days from now, ask me how I’m feeling.

Despite shameless “quarantine 15” snack guilt, I recently trekked to the beach to partake in some of the recent south swell/northwest swell in my new Akela Surf bikini. In a few words–this kini combines style and comfort (and some kick-ass vintage colors!) for a ripping good time in the ocean.

Reversible in Akela Surf’s ‘Escape’ collection!

Who: Akela Surf is a bikini and wetsuit company based in Canada owned and operated by a husband-wife duo. Their mission is focused on active women who are passionate about water sports. The Akela brand features five different bikini lines, an apparel line and wetsuits. Akela uses eco-friendly fabric, like EcoNyl and Repreve, to create their colorful ‘kinis.

They base their designs around sophistication, style and personal touch by incorporating soft anti-snag, quick-dry fabric, unique patterns and functionality for women in the surf. All their design is done in-house and an artist collaborates with the company on some bikini prints.

Akela wants women to feel good and have confidence in and out of the water. They also offer an ambassador program, and you don’t need to be a pro to be part of it.

Suh Stoked.

Check out:

The Escape Collection:

What I love: The style, the colors and the soft anti-snag material are the best!

Why: I want to surf, feel comfortable and look good doing it! Also, …been hankering for some vintage stylings–have you seen my Insta stories lately?? :)

I wish: there were more bikini designs and prints. The company works with a talented designer and I think there’s more to add to their collections. I really dig the ‘kini and it’s soft texture and vintage-like color pallet…more please!

Price:

$50-100 per piece

Learn more about Akela Surf.

Read Akela’s Q&A with me!

 

Product Review: Waterborne Skateboards Surf Adapter + Carbon Complete Fleet

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Fraught with the latest flat spell blues? Skip your last rock over Lake Pacific and grab a skate from Waterborne Skateboards. This UC Irvine startup company is known for its signature truck, the Surf Adapter, straight from the brains of UCI undergrad Patrick Dumas.  The Surf Adapter can turn any skateboard deck into a surfskate dream machine. Combine awesome adapter with carbon fiber deck, and your skate experience is now ruined for any other board. Good luck trying to find another option cause there ain’t one!

Shameless plug time! After their recent collab. with Penny Skateboards, word on the street is Dumas and team may be cooking up some more board fun goodies–see my article’s last quote.

Try:

Surf Adapter

Aries Carbon Complete

Scorpio Carbon Complete

Gemini Carbon Complete

…astrological readings not included.

The Scorpio carbon fiber board–get some.

The deets:

Equipped with the Surf Adapter, each carbon fiber deck ranges between 31-39” in length. The Surf Adapter works great on a standard skateboard deck AND is absolute MAGIC on a carbon fiber deck providing lots of flexibility and incredible durability. Not only is each board a smooth ride, lightweight and fast, but they also allow you to maintain control over your carves. Think hot knife through butter.
Combine any three boards with ramps, pools, sidewalks as flat as the Pacific (I’m not bitter) and some fun tunes…and …what is this ‘ ocean surfing’ thing, again…?

What I love:

Everything

How I’ll use it:

When Lake Pacific takes hold or parking garage skating urges occur

I wish:

I got the bro deal—the price is painful for a carbon complete

Price:

$59.99—Surf Adapter

$379-499—for a carbon fiber complete

 

Watch Patrick and the Waterborne team shred Newport:

Product Review: COR Surf’s Excursion Waterproof Travel Pack

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If it’s not obvious already, I LOVE to surf Trestles…along with thousands of other folks from in and out of town. It’s not just about the wave, tho. I enjoy all aspects of the experience–walking there and back again, checking out the ever-evolving street art/graffiti and saying ‘hi’ to my fellow ‘Trestlers.’ While surfing Trestles for many years, I have learned that high quality equipment is essential for a top notch surf experience–and have specifically noted the evolution of my backpack.

It started with a simple drawstring sack used to carry records, which evolved into Dakine’s backpacks. At first I adored my Dakine pack, it went with me everywhere and endured all things ‘beach.’ It wasn’t until boating out to a particular break in Nicaragua that I noticed my Dakine was not 100 percent waterproof–I almost lost function of my DSLR camera because water invaded my pack. Add on my post-Trestles soggy bottom trek back to my car and you’ve got a surfer girl determined to find the perfect pack.

Enter COR Surf’s Excursion Waterproof pack.

The deets:

Designed for a two-seven day trip, this pack has removable interior laptop sleeve and pocket, a secret passport pocket, waist and chest straps, a top cinch strap for your towel. It is made of 100 percent TPU waterproof material–nothing is getting soaked unless you spill your drinks inside the pack–but of course, there’s a feature for that. Two drink holders made out of mesh material can be found on either side of the pack, although I like to keep mine on one side so it doesn’t bump into my board. Did I mention this particular pack carries 40 liters worth of stuff??

4-0.

If a magician were a surfer, this would be his dream pack.

What I love:

The depth…not like “letstalkaboutthemeaningoflife” depth…I mean, I can literally fit my entire head and shoulders inside (I’m also 5’3”), but the point is the pack is deep deep deep. I fit my wetsuit, towel, small stuff, change of clothes, and water with plenty of room to spare.

How I’ll use it:

Trestles and travel–seriously, this pack makes me want to travel (*cough* wheremysurfergirlsat *coughcough*)

I wish:

There was a separate area for my soggy wetsuit

Price:

On sale for $79.99

The Top Three Eco-Friendly Wetsuits

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Winter is coming…

No really, winter IS coming and so are the chilly waters of the North Pacific.

It’s that time of year when the wind kicks up to offshore mornings and onshore afternoons and west/northwest swells cool down the water, much to the tourists dismay. A time where kelp forests become bushier and the fish escape to warmer waters–it’s wetsuit season!

Yay??

All things in this picture are necessary in Humboldt, Calif.

Among the plethora of brands, almost all of them come with a signature flex, feel and performance level. But what some might consider, as of late, is the touted term “eco-friendly.”

I originally wanted to find seven companies, but had to whittle it down to five that I thought used eco-friendly materials. BUT- based on my searching and many inquiries, I could only find three wetsuit companies who’s materials are eco-friendly.

Ironically, many of the products we use as surfers are, in fact, NOT good for the environment and yet, we have been cached into a ‘hippy-esque’ category. Everything from our sunscreen, to our surfboards and even our wetsuits somewhere down the processing line has a negative effect on our environment…until the last five years.

Eco-friendly is the new black and many marketing and branding campaigns have fallen into step with this attractive trend. There’s a lot to be said about this most hashtagged term when it comes to our marine environment and personal health.

But what does that mean when it comes to wetsuits?

To sum it up, wetsuit materials are most commonly comprised of closed cell neoprene, which basically translates to foam rubber. Their materials and processing tends to have an impact on the environment, and, thankfully, more surf and dive companies have been incorporating more environmentally-friendly processing and products into their suits.

Below are my top three wetsuits, which I based on overall production/processing and materials, wallet-friendly price and surfable functionality.

 

Patagonia

Patagonia's Yulex wetsuit

Patagonia’s Yulex wetsuit

Based In: Ventura, California

Mission: Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.

Price Range: $129-$500

About: What started as a small company that made climbing tools is now one of the household names for environmentally-minded products for a wide range of outdoor activities like climbing, surfing, snowboarding, fly fishing and trail running. Patagonia’s goal, as a whole, is to reduce if not eliminate, pollution as a by-product of their business. They have successfully created a wetsuit by replacing non-renewable neoprene with a plant-based polymer, Yulex, a natural rubber from heva trees, which reduces CO2 emissions by 80 percent.

View Patagonia

 

Picture

Photo Courtesy: Picture Organic Clothing

Photo Courtesy: Picture Organic Clothing

Based In:  France

Mission: Organic, recycled and bio-sourced products since 2009. The best possible environmentally-friendly and unique product designs that stand out for fresh colors and valued for good quality.

Price Range: $48.93-$352.88
*I did the math & converted euros to dollars–does not include shipping*

About: Their entire brand is dedicated to second-life and end-of-life products, which ranges from clothing, snowboard and skateboard gear and now, wetsuits and surf gear. It all started with their first recycled polyester boardshorts collection, which was derived from their snowboard outerwear and grew into European & international distribution, which includes the United States. Worried about carbon footprints? There’s an app for that, of course. Picture also has a carbon footprint calculator that allows you to trace your own impact when you buy their products.

There are currently no shops in the U.S. that offer this wetsuit brand right now. So, if you are interested in purchasing a suit, you might have to google around. In 2018 Picture’s clothing will be available in Confluence Kayak in Denver and Moose Joe and Paragon Sports in New York.

Everything is priced in Euros and don’t panic when you see a comma for pricing…it typically means a decimal. :)

Here’s a site that sells Picture Organic Clothing.

View Picture

 

Vissla

ECOSEAS-DETAIL-3

Photo Courtesy: Vissla

Based In: Aliso Viejo, California

Mission: Advanced environmentally conscious materials designed and constructed for colder water.

Price Range: $99.95-$595.95

Just so you know: Vissla only offers wetsuits for men, for now. For ladies, their sister company, Amuse Society, features women’s suits and beach clothing, but the suits are not considered ‘environmentally-friendly,’ yet.

About: Vissla is a forward-thinking company who bases their designs and concepts around creative freedom–“a surf-everything, ride-anything mentality.” In terms of wetsuit-ery, they offer four different lines: 7 Seas, North Seas, Eco Seas and Premium Japanese. The Eco Seas wetsuit rubber is harvested from the rubber tree as opposed to neoprene and instead of solvent-based glues, Vissla uses a water-based glue that is completely solvent-free. Recycled plastic bottles serve as their interior and exterior jerseys–each wetsuits uses 45 recycled bottles.

View Vissla

Calavera Swimwear: Keeping Your Eyes on the Waves

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IMG_8264We all love a good show, but when it comes to surfing, the only thing that should be center stage are the waves, right? As a woman who is consistently in the agua, finding the perfect bikini that is both stylish and functional has often been a challenge and has made me one helluva bikini connoisseur–a picky one, I might add.

Enter Calavera Swimwear.

Gents, it’s time to forget about our lovely Ms. Blanchard’s  notorious bottom turns for a second and consider what a woman really wants out there in the deep blue. At the end of the day, girls just wanna have fun, and, let’s be honest, for the everyday surfer girl, we want to look good and nail solid backside hacks without the full moon view or surface from a luscious duck dive or turtle roll with all of our goods intact.

Or we just plain want to be in, on or near the water with no worries. Period.

Calavera swimsuits does just that: both stylish and very functional suits designed and manufactured in Los Angeles, CA, this suit stays put on the bod and has become a staple ‘kini in my surf gear.

DSCN3362 (2)“We test our suits in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica, one of the toughest waves in the world, with the idea that if they hold up in those conditions, the suits will hold up for anything,” said Calavera Swimwear Founder Anna Jerstrom.

I decided to put the Reversible Halter Top Stripe and the Core Hipster Bottoms to the California test a-la point and beach breaks. This suit saw San Clemente State Park’s hollow waves, Salt Creek’s insiders and overhead Trestles, and (on the gentler side of things), Doheny’s soft right handers. It did not budge from my bod–not to mention I felt like the female version of James Bond in the water. The top is specifically designed to avoid strain around the neck, which makes it very comfortable for hours of activity.

 

Instead of elastic bands around the edging, Calavera features ties that don’t wear out as fast as your standard bikini. You can also can tie them yourself and adjust the “hold” for your bottoms. I love this feature because all too often, elastic quickly becomes shot in the sun and salt water, which ultimately retires the bikini.

In addition to awesome designs, color palettes and solid functionality, Calavera ships their bikinis to you sans plastic wrapping! Environmentally conscious efforts, especially plastic reduction, are a major bonus that I look for in companies these days.

Calavera has passed my bikini test with flying colors. No matter the duck dive, wipeout or turn, everything stays on AND in comfortably throughout my ocean activities. And I feel great in my suit!!

To all of your surfer girls and athletes out there: I challenge you to give their ‘kinis a shot at your homebreak.

Whether your rip, glide or flounder, this bikini will stay on you. The only show the boys should be watching is that last hack you just pulled in the critical section, right? ;)

DSCN3364