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Surf Arsenal
 * Here's a new idea for customizing your approach to sun protection (above left). Phone Aloe Up (800-950-2563), ask to speak to customer service, then tell them your travel itinerary, your
sunbathing plans, and your special dermatological needs ("I'm a dotcom code writer and haven't ventured outdoors since November, 1998.") They'll mail you everything you need in a nifty mesh sack. Ordering direct means you bypass the typical 30 percent store markup, saving you enough bread for a couple of après-surf pints.
* It's fleece. It's hooded. It's hip-length. It's for women. Lucky for them, because the Picànte! hooded pullover ($94, above) is far cozier than any beach blanket. The inside is warm and fuzzy, the outside is brushed smooth. A tunnel-style front pocket warms sea-chilled hands, while
the arm pocket just sits there, looking cool.
 * While Def Leppard's first world tour may have been louder (the drummer had two arms back then), the Mysterioso Unisex rashguard ($36, above right) repels sunlight better than the roof
at Madison Square Garden. OK, that's obvious hyperbole. But the polyester/Lycra blend does have an SPF 25 rating (T-shirts, by comparison, are only SPF 6), meaning you can surf all day worry-free. And unlike most sunscreen lotions, the company's proprietary weave and printing technique is chemical-free.
 * A pox upon the beachgoer who calls DaKine's Access ($100, left) a mere daypack. This 2,200-cubic-incher has enough stow-away pouches to make a baby kangaroo leave its
mama. For instance: a built-in, seam-sealed wetsuit bag. A tarpaulin-lined pocket that keeps surf wax and sunblock from mucking up your valuables. A fleece-lined pocket for sunglasses, CD, or MP3. A detachable cell-phone case...the list goes on. Spend an extra 20 bucks and you also get a snap-in nylon mat—ideal for shimmying sand-free into
your board shorts.
* This is the cheapest eight ounces of adventure a beach bum can buy. Designed by a Laguna local named Tex Haines, these 7-by-13-inch foam-core handboards ($35) put the "surf" into bodysurfing by adding some lift to your otherwise nonfloating bod. Name your color or pattern, and chances are they've got it.
 * Think of a wooden surfboard, and the words "pier" and "submarine" come to mind. Randy French's handcrafted planks are anything but dense and unwieldy. The NoCal shaper's classic nine-footer is comprised of a lighter-than-usual
foam core that leaves room for old-school aesthetics on the outside. The veneer is a concoction of tropical Fijian light and dark woods and, of course, is strengthened with a proper dose of epoxy. When all's said and surfed, this ready-for-the-big-waves tri-fin barely tips the scales at 15 pounds. It's also billed as the strongest, most durable deck on the
market. At $779, it better be.
* Sure, they got their canal back, but damned if their hats aren't still international domain. The Panama just got cooler with the Stetson Airway ($55, right), which is loosely woven on top to let in either the wafting caress of an offshore breeze or a bracing blast of recycled air
from the turbo A/C unit in your SUV.
* Light offshore winds make for clean breaking waves, but while you're waiting to capture the best of the set, your body is getting flash frozen like a slab of halibut. Don the Mysterioso M-Tech Top ($58, right) though, and you'll be hotter than a photographer at a Reef photo shoot.
The breeze can't penetrate the Lycra blend rashguard, and a Polartec lining traps warm air. Wear it under a wetsuit and the breathable top adds the equivalent of one millimeter of warmth.
* You don't have to be called Buffalo or Layne in order to appreciate a good pair of surf trunks. You'll be smitten in all liquid venues with Patagonia's Pataloha Board Shorts ($50, right), which are decidedly more Miami
than Maverick's, with their MTV-Beach-Party motif.
* A midsole made of EVA (the same material that cushions running shoes) and soft gel pads underfoot qualify Skecher's Ninja-Katanas Sandal ($43, right) as boardwalk-worthy and comfy as all get-out. A knobby, trail-runner-type outsole makes
short work of Atlantic City sludge. Wearing them is arguably more gratifying than burying your feet in the sand, and they're way more attractive than your naked dogs.
Photos: Clay Ellis; Chip Simons
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