During our special 12 days of Christmas review we looked at the DPop by DennoPop, a surf aid product designed to help surfers of all levels in lifting their chest from the surfboard during paddling, as well as give them a boost in their pop-up. (original article here) The staffers at iJS recently had an opportunity to revisit this product during an impromptu drop-in from some good friends, both of whom were interested in learning to surf more since their last visit to Hawaii. Always eager to aid newbie surfers to the path of fun and safe surfing, we jumped at the chance to leave the office and get into the ocean for some on-the-field assignment.

BONUS: Enter for your chance to win a FREE DPop, courtesy of our testers and DennoPop. (See the end of the review for details)

Our mission, since we eagerly chose to volunteer for it, is to get a first-hand assessment of the DPop from the perspective of a new-to-surfing surfer, as well as a veteran waterman who has surfed everything from a shortboard to a wooden door complete with doorknobs. Using the DPop on two 9’6″ epoxy longboards, our testers AJ and Mack paddled out into the chest high waters of Waikiki and reported back on what they discovered.

The Product: The Dpop is constructed from compressible foam shaped like a wedge, designed to curve the surfer’s body into the ‘paddling position’ while lying prone on a surfboard. Measuring 6.5 inches by 9.5 inches and sporting a 1.75 inch high wedge, the simplicity in design matches the ease of use of the DPop. Attached to the deck of the surfboard via Velcro strips, the Dpop can be easily removed or adjusted in or out of the water without the worry of it coming off during a gnarly wipe out.

About the Surfers

AJ: As a beginning surfer who gets to surf once or maybe twice a week, the soreness in my rib cage and lower back are a constant reminder of the amount of work it takes to paddle out into the ocean to surf. Plus the fact that I haven’t surfed in over 5 months, my paddle strength is non-existent!

Mack: Having surfed for almost all my life, muscle aches are just part of my daily surf session. I don’t know if my back is sore anymore, just part of what I pay for being in the ocean I guess.

Paddling

AJ: I was in love with how it took the pressure off of my lower ribs and let me rest my body on the foam. I could relax my back and still somewhat be in the arched position ready to paddle or pop-up. My shoulders felt better being higher off the surfboard. It really allowed me to paddle down into the water rather than splashing away from the rail.

Mack: I had to move the pad around a bit once I was in the water, so the Velcro was really useful in finding the sweet spot for my back. Although I can easily arch my back and paddle in that position without much effort, having the pad support my weight was a definite plus. I didn’t feel much difference in my paddle, which I think is a result of years of muscle memory.

Pop-Up

AJ: It was all about the assistance that I felt I got by being “up” from the board. Usually, after about 30 minutes of paddling around, I have no strength left and pop-up like a wet rag. The added support allowed me to focus the energy I saved from arching into other things like standing up and even turning.

Mack: It definitely can help a surfer pop up faster since the pad places you in a semi arched position already, but again, since I am an old salt with many years of habits and personal preference, I found the pad to be a bit bulky at times, and quite helpful at others. Hard to say why that is, but I think I just developed a rigid style that doesn’t adapt well to new devices. That being said, AJ was definitely paddling faster, popping-up quicker, and eve surfed a longer session than usual!

The Verdict

AJ: Thumbs up, I know people looking to improve their paddling and pop-up will see a difference right away – you just have to find your sweet spot on the board and the pad.

Mack: I’m all for anything that helps people surf stronger and better, adn watching AJ definitely showed me that the product works. For me though, I found DPop’s pad support great in alleviating back pressure and rib soreness, but I noticed no considerable difference in my pop-up or paddling.

The DPop is a unique and simple product that allows surfers of all levels to find increased paddling speed, pop-up quickness, longevity in surf sessions, and an overall great support tool for the lower back and ribs. We recommended this product as a great gift for surfers, and have found that beginner surfers looking to improve their surfing and sessions benefit the most!

Available in a variety of colors and designs, the DPop is currently sold at the DennoPop website store, and coming soon to a surf store near you.

In the meantime, we are GIVING AWAY a FREE DPop to two lucky readers, courtesy of the folks at DennoPop.

To qualify for the drawing, simply submit your complete entry via our contact form on the site, with a valid e-mail address and you will be automatically entered in the DPop drawing.

(Winners will be contacted solely through the e-mail address registered with the iJS website. Winners will be randomly selected from all collected registrations.)

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