If you want long-lasting perfect bumps on your board, base coat is the only way!
There are a few ways to apply the base coat. My preferred method is to make a bunch of small circles all over the board, wherever my feet will go and where I place my hands for my popup. Once I have the small circles everywhere, I go back over them diagonally both ways.
The other option I’ve done for years is diagonal lines one way across the board and then diagonal lines the other way across the board, making a crisscross pattern.
Both of these techniques create super nice bumps and an excellent base for your wax.
I am not particular about the brand of base coat, but I tend to use Sticky Bumps.
You can also get super creative with your base coat and make cool art designs on your board. As long as you have enough bumps in the right place, you should be good to go.
Depending on the temperature of the water, you must use different types of wax. There are many choices: tropical, warm, cool, cold, and x-tra cold water wax.
When it comes to wax brands, there are several options to consider. For cold waters like those in Santa Cruz, I prefer Sex Wax, specifically the cold-to-cool variant in the purple box. For tropical waters, Sticky Bumps, Tropical in the yellow box, is my go-to. Another interesting option is KASSIA Palo Santo scented wax, which comes in a unique triangle box and has a delightful scent.
I love the smell of wax, and my dog does too. But be careful: you don't want your dog to eat your surf wax. It’s not edible for our furry friends.
And don't leave it in the sun unless you want to start over and remove all the wax from your board.