About

Water enthusiasts of the world, unite!

Waterhead.com was created by people who love the water for people who love the water. Our passion for water sports, travel and adventure, and health and fitness inspired us to create a one-stop resource for like-minded individuals who want to stay up-to-date and in-the-know about everything from the hottest beach destinations and vacation spots to the latest trends in gear and equipment, wellness and fashion.

So, you love the water too… you might say… Why go and make a whole website out of it?

planning a surfing trip

Good question. Here’s why: Too often, in our own planning for our own trips, or in searching for new gear or equipment, or even just in looking for some safety tips for a new adventure, we found ourselves surfing here, there and everywhere, trying to find the information we needed with little success. (This isn’t the cool kind of surfing… it’s the “man, I’d rather be surfing” kind of surfing). And that just wasn’t working for us, because, amongst other things, we just enjoy real surfing too much!

Why can’t you have everything you need in one place? We say you can.

Our mission is to provide you access to all of the resources, tips and information related to water sports and activities in one fun and convenient place. We regularly update our site with original articles and blog posts and also link to other relevant sites where you’ll find inspiration and ideas related to the latest water fads, fashion trends, product releases and health and fitness routines. If you love the water, this site is for you, whether you seek the thrills of adrenaline-pumping activities like surfing and water skiing, or the repose and relaxation of downtime on a pristine, sandy beach. We’re committed to developing and curating the latest information and providing it to you in a timely fashion. We like to keep it fun, so we’ll include Best-of lists, destination features, gear and equipment reviews, and insider tips within four comprehensive categories.

#1 Water Sports

The main reason we love the water as much as we do is that there are so many diverse activities you can enjoy in so many amazing locations. One of the best things about traveling to a new destination is checking out the local scene and learning about the most popular water sports, and, in particular, the hottest spots to take them in. But before that, there are other things to consider, not the least of which are the kinds of gear and equipment you’ll need and the most important safety issues to keep in mind. We’ll help there too, and also offer insider tips on best practices for making the most of your adventures, including recommendations for things to do when you finally drag yourself away from the water and onto dry land.

water sports enthusiast

But for now, we’re keeping our focus in and on the water! There are so many fascinating varieties of water sports, that it’s sometimes difficult to keep track of them all, from swimming and kite surfing, water skiing and snorkeling, to windsurfing and paddle boarding, (to name just a select few). Once you dive fully into a particular activity, you realize just how much there is to learn and discover. You may love kayaking, but the experience of kayaking on white water is quite different than the experience of skimming across a peaceful lake. Deep-sea fishing may be your pastime of choice but casting into the cold waters of the north Atlantic could not be more different than venturing into the warmer waters of the deep blue Pacific. The richness of the diversity of experiences available, even within one water sport, seems virtually inexhaustible. Yes, this is why we love water sports, and we know you do too!

For each of the water sports we cover, safety is always a chief consideration. It is important to have a solid understanding of exactly what you need to play it safe out there, and beyond selecting the appropriate safety equipment, this also includes taking into account the environment you’re in and paying attention to local regulations and precautions. We’re here to help and are committed to providing practical safety advice whenever we cover any water sports or activities.

Canyoning in Oscuros del Balcez Canyon

Speaking of safety, do you have everything covered in terms of gear and equipment? Not only do we have your back there, but we also love exploring the cross-section of gear and fashion. In the world of water sports, there’s plenty of room for individual expression, so we make sure to explore not only the latest gear and equipment options, but also the most on-trend looks in water and beach-centric clothing and attire.

Besides providing destination, gear and equipment, and safety tips, we’ll also share what we know about the most popular things to do and places to go once you get where you’re going- from shopping and nightlife to entertainment and cuisine. The focus stays on the water, but let’s face it, eventually you’ll just prune up and get all waterlogged if you don’t take a break here and there, not to mention you need to eat and sleep at some point!

#2 Travel & Adventure

Perhaps the only thing that compares to the excitement of actually getting out onto the water is that feeling of almost nervous anticipation that comes from surveying all of the destinations available to you. Just thinking about the next white water rafting trip on the Colorado River, the next deep sea adventure off the coast of South Carolina, the next surf expedition to the majestic shores of Oahu- it’s enough to get us in bag-packing, itinerary-making, call-off-work-right-now mode. But since most of us don’t have the ability to just skip out of town at the drop of a hat, we’re all about planning and preparation, so when you can break away for that dream vacation, you can enjoy your time to the fullest.

Sunset at Manuel Antonio Costa Rica
With that in mind, we present not only some of the best destinations in the world for water sports and activities in our Travel section, but we also take a look at what makes them special and unique from other, similar options. We break down what you can expect to find in terms of water conditions, seasonal factors, access to activities and amenities, and much more. In this way we hope to help you as much as possible in creating your perfect-fit trip. One of the ways we do this is by providing snapshots of some of our favorite options in list-form. I mean, who doesn’t love a good Top 10 list of the best places for scuba diving in the world? We’re fans, but there’s a condition… we believe you should have some contextual information to go with all the fun details. So, we dive deeper to provide insider knowledge and tips to keep you in the know. Sure, Kapalua Bay Beach is one of the best beaches for scuba diving and snorkeling in Maui, but how does it compare to neighboring Napili Bay Beach? And what if you also plan to surf and want to stay in close proximity to a few different options for beaches where you can do both? It’s these exact kinds of considerations that we keep in mind as we assemble our recommendations, lists and destination features. We want you to be as prepared as you can be so you can make the most of your time having fun in the sun.

#3 Fashion & Trends

The worlds of athletics and fashion have always combined in ways that meaningfully impact trends within each industry. Nowhere is there greater evidence of this than in the domain of water sports. You only have to look at ad campaigns by some of the world’s most famous designers, decade after decade, to see the influence of sports such as sailing, surfing and rowing making their way into the cultural zeitgeist and impacting the way athletes and non-athletes alike dress and suit up for their activities of choice. In this way, water sports are directly influencing the world of fashion. When we see huge Olympic stars like Michael Phelps enter into the public consciousness in such a huge way, we see how the influence of water sports extends out to the greater world of athletics, impacting styles in training gear and performance wear in a variety of sports beyond swimming and other water activities.

young man wearing hydration pack

One of our favorite pastimes is monitoring new fashion trends and developments within the vast world of water sports. Form is always informing function and function necessarily drives form when it comes to the latest sensations in attire, gear and equipment. As new advances are made in sports technology, and as we see these advances weaved into the way that new performance gear is designed and made, more high-performance, high-quality options are available to the general public than ever before. No longer do you have to be part of a professional sports team to enjoy all of the advantages of top-tier gear. It’s all available to everyone at your local sporting goods store. The key is knowing what you need and developing an understanding of how to use your gear and equipment to optimal effect over time.

It’s for this reason that we focus on equal parts: fashion, gear and equipment in our Fashion & Trends section. Beyond exploring all of the hottest new looks in swimwear, such as bathing suits, boat shoes, sport tops, board shorts and beach hats, we also tackle things like fishing vests, kayaking oars, helmets, surf boards, wetsuits and much more.

Our goal is two-fold: To make sure you are 100% prepared with all of the gear and equipment you need and to ensure you look your very best while you’re out there!

#4 Health & Fitness

Is there any more perfect full-body workout than swimming? What’s that you say? Surfing? Rowing? Wait, wait, wait… what about kite surfing or paddle boarding?

Ok, we get the point, and the point is that there are few better options for whipping your body into optimal shape than getting out onto the water for some exercise. And the great thing is that you don’t have to sacrifice either fun or excitement to get the workout you’re looking for. Just try to go out for a day of surfing without having fun and getting a killer workout. It’s just not possible, and we think this is a formula for creating a lifestyle that centers around health and fitness. Exercising should be fun, and if it’s not, we tend to drop our fitness routines as soon as we pick them up. A much more sustainable approach is to engage in healthy exercise routines that you actually look forward to; that make you want to jump out of bed in the morning to get started. To use our surfing example once more, you don’t see dozens of surfers arriving at the beach before sunset out of a sense of duty or obligation. Rather, they’re following their passion and bliss, and this in turn leads to the natural motivation to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle.
rowing is great for fitness

Water sports and activities offer myriad health and fitness benefits because most of them have a hybrid, cardiovascular and strength-building regimen at their core. In the case of swimming, making gains includes not only building up strength in relevant muscle groups, but also developing the capacity of breath and stamina that will allow you to push through that extra lap. So, we see that as muscle groups are being strengthened and developed, so too is the capacity and resiliency of the respiratory system. This is another reason why, even though you may feel a little drained directly after your workout, you are sure to feel energized and invigorated shortly thereafter.

Or take rowing, for example. This water sport, which also happens to be one of the most exciting group activities on our list, is a near-perfect cardio/muscle-building workout. It’s no wonder why most CrossFit classes open with a rowing session to get the full body warmed up and ready to take on heavier, Olympic weight movements. Rowing combines intense core and upper body muscle training with a brand of cardiovascular exercise that you just can’t get on a treadmill at the gym.

We’ve already touched on surfing and also mentioned the likes of paddle boarding and kite surfing, and these truly represent only a handful of the many water sports that promote healthy and active lifestyles. Combine an active daily exercise regimen with a healthy diet and remember to keep some fun in it for yourself.

Check in with our Health & Fitness section regularly to stay up to date with the latest fitness routines, health tips and resources to keep yourself in tip-top shape.