It all starts somewhere, and the surf industry started with the choice of wave-riding equipment.
Depending on the era, the choice could be as simple as board, bodysurf, paipo, or mat.
In early days people made their own boards. The talented and/or industrious began to get requests for their work. The surf industry was born with this.
Swim fins were purchased, as were air mats. Early Hawaiian-style paipo boards were home crafted.
This all seems so simple - so how did it get to the complicated world of today? Where surf emporiums can practically take up entire city blocks, while their merchandise may not be 10% boards? Alas...at this point newcomers to surfing have an amazing array of wave riding equipment available to them, but the hype machine pretty much makes the decision seem to be a standup surfboard, with choice being what logo on the board.
With most of the emphasis on equipment and accessories, it seems like being a surfer is more important than surfing. This is a fundamental change in the surfing world, brought about by massively increased numbers of participants.
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