When most people think of surfing, they tend to picture a laid-back scene – blue skies, rolling waves, and a bunch of people pretty calmly waiting for the next set. But big wave surfing? It’s an entirely different beast. Imagine standing at the base of a six-story building, except that building is made of water, moving at breakneck speed, and more than likely to swallow you whole.

Riding a 60-foot wave isn’t just about balance and board control – it’s about survival, insane physical conditioning, mental toughness, and knowing how to play a deadly game with the ocean. It’s a battle against nature, where one wrong move, one split second, can hold you underwater for well over a minute or grind you against a jagged reef.

So what does it actually take to ride one of these monsters? A lot more than just skill.

What Makes These Waves So Different?

Not all waves are created equal. While normal surfers chase 3-to-6-foot waves, big wave surfers are in another league entirely. A wave officially counts as a “big wave” if it reaches at least 20 feet, but the true legends chase 50, 60, or even 100-foot waves (depending on how you measure).

Where Do These Mammoth Waves Happen?

Only a handful of spots in the world generate waves big enough for this kind of surfing. These places have the perfect combination of deep-sea storms, ocean floor structure (bathymetry), and underwater canyons that focus the power of the ocean into these towering walls of water.

Some of the most famous big wave spots include:

• Nazaré, Portugal – Home to many of the biggest waves ever surfed, with monsters regularly reaching near feet.
• Mavericks, California – Freezing cold, brutally powerful, and known for some of the heaviest wipeouts in history.
• Jaws (Peʻahi), Hawaii – The birthplace of tow-in surfing and a proving ground for the sport’s biggest names.
• Teahupo’o, Tahiti – Not always the tallest waves, but some of the thickest, heaviest barrels in the world.

These waves move faster, hit harder, and require a completely different approach than normal surfing.

The Equipment: Built for Extreme Conditions

When riding waves this big, your regular performance board won’t cut it.

Big Wave Guns vs. Tow-In Boards

• Paddle-in boards (Guns): For surfers paddling into massive waves under their own power, these boards, called guns, are longer (9-11 feet), narrower, and heavier to help generate speed and stability.
• Tow-in boards: Since some waves move too fast to paddle into, jet skis pull surfers into position. Tow-in boards are shorter (5-6 feet), much more maneuverable, and have foot straps for extra control.

The Life-Saving Safety Gear

• Inflatable vests: If you get held underwater by a wave, you can pull a cord, inflating the vest to bring you back to the surface.
• Thicker leashes: Standard surf leashes would easily snap under the force of a 60-foot wave. Big wave leashes are extra thick and durable, and they often also have pins/clips that can be pulled so that a surfer can separate himself from the board if needed.
• Jet Ski Rescue Teams: The unsung heroes of big wave surfing, these teams pull surfers out of dangerous situations before the next wave rolls in.

Every piece of gear is designed to keep you alive.

The Training: Becoming (Somewhat) Ocean-Proof

Riding a big wave is one thing – wiping out is another. The human body, particularly the modern human body, isn’t really built to survive the forces of a massive wave crashing down on it, so surfers train their bodies and minds to handle the punishment.

Physical Conditioning: Next-Level Endurance

Big wave surfers are part athlete, part free diver, and part fighter. Their training includes:

• Breath-hold training: Many can hold their breath for 3-5 minutes to survive long wipeouts.
• Lung-expanding exercises: Swimming and hypoxic training (low-oxygen workouts) improve their ability to function with little air.
• Strength & agility: They need explosive power to paddle into waves and agility to adjust mid-drop.
• Cold-water tolerance: Many big wave spots are in freezing conditions, so surfers train in cold water to avoid hypothermia and maintain focus under pressure.

Mental Training: Staying Calm in Chaos

Imagine being held underwater by a force so strong that fighting back is pointless. That’s a normal wipeout in big wave surfing. Panic essentially equals drowning, so surfers have to train their minds as much as their bodies:

• Meditation and breathwork: Helps them stay calm and lower their heart rate during long hold-downs.
• Controlled exposure to extreme situations: They simulate wipeout conditions so they don’t panic when it happens for real.
• Visualizing success and survival: Before dropping in, they mentally prepare for every possible outcome.

Big wave surfing isn’t just about being physically strong – it’s about mental resilience.

The Brutal Reality of These Wipeouts

To be blunt – this sport is deadly.

• Wipeouts can hold surfers underwater for 30+ seconds, all the while tossing them like rag dolls.
• Hitting the water at high speeds is like slamming into concrete.
• Many big wave breaks have sharp reefs or rocky bottoms.
• Getting trapped inside a two-wave hold-down can be fatal.

Surfers have lost their lives chasing these waves. Legends like Mark Foo, Sion Milosky, and Malik Joyeux all died as legends in the sport, doing what they loved. The risk is real, but so is the obsession.

The Mindset: Why Do They Do It?

So why risk everything for a single wave?

For big wave surfers, this isn’t just a sport – it’s an obsession, a calling, and a connection to something bigger than themselves. The feeling of dropping into a 60-foot wave is pure adrenaline, but it’s also about:

• Pushing human limits: Seeing what’s possible in one of the most extreme environments on Earth.
• Reverence for the power of nature: No amount of training can truly conquer the ocean. You ride with it, not against it.
• The brotherhood/sisterhood: Every big wave surfer knows they’re part of something special. They rely on each other for safety, advice, and survival.

The thrill, confronting the fear, and the chase – that’s why they do it.

Conclusion: It’s More Than Just Surfing

Most people, even most great surfers, will never ride a 60-foot wave, but big wave surfers live for it. It takes years of training, specialized equipment, and an insane amount of mental toughness to even attempt it.

And yet, despite the risk, they keep coming back for more. Because for them, there’s no greater feeling than standing on the edge of nature’s raw power – and making it to the other side.