Customer Reviews:
 enjoyable read September 14, 2009
alternative MD (New Mexico)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Usefull tips without boring. Surfing is not something I really spend much time reading about. Much for fun to do. Worth reading.
Next level April 18, 2009
michael (santa rosa)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a must have for any surfer who wants to improve their technique, and elevate their performance--as well as improve their understanding of the ocean from a surfer's perspective. My only criticism is that it includes beginner advice, which may have been smart in terms of marketing, but it gets in the way of it being a special addition to a solid surfer's library.
The ultimate surfing book January 21, 2009
Bruno Costa (Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Excellent reading and photographs, all manoeuvers carefuly explained by the pros, and Jim Kempton has indeed put a lot of effort to bring out a bit of his knowledge to elicit this manual as top referencing for surfing studies. Besides, great customer service from Wavefinder's web site.
This Manual Breaks the Mold January 6, 2009
Jaimal Yogis (San Francisco)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
You know what would be really awesome: if you could sit down in one room - picture a classroom on a dune in front of Pipeline or something - with all of the best surfers in the world and ask them, one-by-one, every question that you'd be embarrassed to ask if you met them face-to-face. Like, I don't know, "Hey Taj - how do you approach a wave at the right angle for a good air?" "And Parko, can you add some pointers on style once I'm up there?" "Or how `bout you Andy - dude, can you stop whispering to your neighbor while others are talking? - yea you: Can you explain why you drag your butt in the wave when you're backside tube riding?"
Unfortunately that would never happen. (Even if you accomplished the impossible task of getting them in the same room, Flea and Skindog would probably throw stink bombs and run out the back.) But if it did, it would be something like having Jim Kempton's new book, Surfing The Manual: Advanced. I used to think buying any kind of surfing how-to book, unless it included a map to new breaks, would be a waste time and money. But WaveFinder has broken the mold with this one. They've gotten just about every top pro to pitch-in information on what each one of them does best. From Ken Bradshaw explaining why most surfers botch their duck dives (they use their knees or shins instead of their back foot) to Dave Rastovich discussing the nuances of fins-free reentries (it's all timing apparently), this book is like a bible for everything about surfing that you thought was impossible to explain. I highly recommend it for every surfer.
Great book to improve your surfing-intermediates & up July 23, 2008
C. Robinson
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
I've been surfing consistently for over 20 years.I got this book because I felt my surfing, though good enough, has stagnated somewhat and I needed some inspiration. What a well put-together book! The title says advanced but I recommend it from intermediate surfers up. If you can stand and do a few turns this book will start you off with a solid base for bottom turns, off the tops etc. Even after so long surfing I found some flaws in my own techniques regarding these fundamental manoeuvers. If you are refining your tube riding or starting to pop airs etc there's some good tips and there are other sections on fitness, big waves, equipment, tow surfing and so on. It's stacked with beautiful pictures of waves being ripped by top surfers to illustrate technical points but this would lead to my only criticism. The pictures make it a nice coffee table book but slightly heavy (though still possible)to travel with. Would be nice if it included a paperback text only manual of techniques to take on the road. Other than that, excellent.
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