The first thing you need for river surfing!
Any surfer will tell you that the right wetsuit is the most important thing. Not only for river surfing, but for surfing in general. It is worth to organize your own wetsuit, even before you get your first board. If you want a wetsuit for the whole year, we recommend you to take a 5/3mm or 5/4mm wetsuit. This will keep you warm even at 9°C and is suitable for Swiss rivers all year round. It will not constrict you and you will still be flexible enough for river surfing. If you are more of a summer surfer, then a 3/2mm wetsuit will be enough. This will keep you warm up to 15°C and can still be worn at 25°C without any problems. Since there are a lot of stones in the rivers, it is definitely worth wearing a wetsuit. It offers you not only protection, but also serves as a buoyancy aid. A good wetsuit costs between 200 and 300 Swiss francs. If you are not sure if this sport is for you, you can get one for less money or rent one for the time being. In any case, make sure that the wetsuit fits tightly, but does not restrict your freedom of movement.
The next thing you need is the surfboard. Basically, almost anything can be surfed on the river. At the beginning a big surfboard is suitable, which gives you a certain stability, but you should not go over 60 liters volume. You can rent a board at your local surf store. It is worth trying many different boards. Especially in the beginning, where your learning curve is very steep, you will progress even faster with a board change. As soon as you are confident in turning, it is worth to always surf with the same surfboard, because you can still develop quickly. Which is the right surfboard for you and for the river, we will look at in more detail in a later chapter.
What is the cost of surfing systems to surf the river?
What you need to surf a natural river wave, we have explained above. Now we'll show you what the other surfing systems cost.
Rigid rope
By a rigid rope we mean a rope that has no more than 50% elongation. This rope can be attached to a bridge or a tree. This way you can easily surf back and forth in the river. Climbing ropes with 30% stretch are best and should be at least 10 meters, but more likely 15 or 20 meters. Cost around 60 Swiss francs.
Bungee rope
A traditional 16 meter bungee rope made of rubber with about 250% stretch + all materials will cost you between 500 and 600 Swiss francs. With such a rope you can surf up to 100 meters. You can find this rope at www.bungeemonkey.ch or www.royalropes.ch
A high performance, 15 meter latex/silicone bungee rope with about 500% stretch + all materials will cost you between 700 and 850 Swiss francs. With such a rope you will be able to surf up to 150 meters. You can buy this rope at www.seporsurf.ch order.
winch
Gasoline powered
A winch with gasoline, 300 meters of rope + all materials will cost you between 2'500 and 3'500 Swiss francs. You can reach a speed of up to 60 km/h. You can find a more detailed description in a previous chapter. You can find such a winch under www.kawinch.de or www.getvints.de
Electrically operated
An electric winch, 300 meters of rope + all materials will cost you between 2,800 and 5,000 Swiss francs. Here you reach a speed, as with the gasoline-powered winch, up to 60 km / h. You can find such a winch under www.rewinch.com or www.motowinch.com
SeporFlow System
The SeporFlow system is so far only available for providers with a permit. This system combines bungee surfing and winch surfing and is a special enrichment in terms of river surfing in Switzerland. Soon you will have several locations where you can test this system. Stay tuned!
How much does a surf course in the river cost?
A course in the river will cost you between 50 and 250 Swiss francs. It depends on what and where you want to surf. Most bungee surf schools charge an average of 69 Swiss francs (including wetsuit and surfboard) and spend 2-3 hours with you on the river. This is no different with the Seporflow system and winch. Courses can be booked either at www.bungeesurfing.ch or under www.seporsurf.ch .
If you're in the mood for a special adventure, the people from Madfish Wildwasser SUP might be something for you. For 170 Swiss francs (materials + 80 CHF) they will take you on a 7-hour whitewater trip, on the river Reuss in the canton of Aargau or at various other locations. You can book courses under www.wildwassersup.ch book.
Is there also something for a small budget?
Of course. If you want to follow the free spirit of surfing and don't want to spend a lot of money, here is a good option. As soon as the water is warm enough (May, June, July) you can rent a surfboard at your local surf store for 30 Swiss francs and visit the river wave in Bremgarten. There you can enjoy the sun and cool down in the water with like-minded people. This is probably the cheapest way to go surfing in Switzerland. Before you head out, check out our community and check out our Swiss Riversurf Spots. There you will find many helpful tips to be properly prepared.
Also the 2 river waves in Thun in the canton of Bern are a highlight that can be surfed for free. What is special about these waves is that they are in the middle of the city and always attracts many spectators when surfing. More information can be found at www.flusssurfen.ch. As a last option you can also join one of our Free Surf Days at SEPORSURF. But book early enough, these places are very popular and not free for long.
Your SEPORSURF Team
