Review

WL Rating

If you’re into obscure surf history, look no further than Zuma Jay’s very cool book, Surfboard Wax: A History. Frankly, I laugh every time I say the title, because it’s such a preposterous concept. I mean, it’s wax. How does someone fill 160 pages with a history of surfing wax? Well, Malibu’s longtime resident, surf shop owner, and former mayor, Jefferson Wagner (a.k.a. Zuma Jay) managed to do it.  The first quarter or so of the book provides the written history, moving from the early days of pantry-liberated paraffin wax to the first production quality bars of actual surf wax, through to the modern day where three brands—Zog’s, Surf Research, and Palmers—dominate sales. Some of the early stories will be familiar to anyone who has read Mike Doyle’s autobiography Morning Glass, but the rest of the story will most likely be new material unless you’re a surf-history geek or lived through it all. Once you get through the written history, the rest of the book is a very cool visual history of surf wax labels through the ages. Like many surf history books, this may not appeal to the casual surfer. But if you’re into surf history, or if you have been surfing for more than 20 years, this book will provide some welcome nostalgia. (August 2011)

Surfboard Wax: A History - Jefferson Wagner

Details

Category: Non-Fiction

Reading Style: Easy

Pages: 160

Pub Date: 2007

Tags: History, Science Surfing