The ocean is not a backdrop. It is the whole point.

Understand the Water is POD's editorial series for people who spend serious time in the water. Not beginners looking for a starting point, not casual observers. People who want to go deeper into the mechanics of wave riding, bodysurfing technique, swim fin selection, open water swimming, ear health, and the physics of what actually happens when a human body meets a moving body of water.

Every article in this series is written from direct experience. No academic framing. No generic advice recycled from elsewhere. The same standard applies to every POD product function first; nothing is added that does not serve a clear purpose. This standard applies to every piece of content published here.

The series covers five disciplines: bodysurfing, bodyboarding, surfing, swimming, and open water. New articles are published regularly.
Published regularly, accurate, honest, and never needing updating, regardless of when someone reads it.

Read what is relevant to your water. Come back when the next one drops.

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Understand The Water

POD Connection 6-foot surfboard leash in black with padded ankle cuff, rail saver, and straight cord coiled on a white background

Surfboard Leash Size Guide - How to Choose and What to Avoid

Choosing the right surfboard leash matters for every surfer, regardless of experience. A well-matched leg rope keeps your board within reach after a wipeout and reduces risk when paddling back through the break. The mistakes in leash selection are easy...

Read moreabout Surfboard Leash Size Guide - How to Choose and What to Avoid

POD Connection bicep leash in black with a coiled black cord alongside a POD Chase It wrist leash in black and blue with a coiled blue cord, on a white background

Bicep vs Wrist Bodyboard Leash - Which One Stays Out of Your Way

Bodyboard Leashes: Bicep or Wrist, Which Works Best for You? A bodyboard leash, sometimes called a boogie board leash, is one of the most important pieces of equipment you carry into the surf. It keeps your board within reach after...

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Two POD AquaLuxe swim goggles on a light blue background, one in blue with a yellow nose bridge and one in pink with a purple nose bridge, both with clear lenses

Swimming Goggles: Our Top Three Swim Goggles For Children

As a parent, you play a crucial role in your child's swimming journey. Whether they're starting swim lessons or already a recreational swimmer, your choice of swim goggles can significantly affect their comfort and performance. No child wants to struggle...

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Five-panel image showing bodyboard shaping and manufacturing stages including CNC cutting, overhead shaping on a machine, hand planing the rail, foam core detail, and applying a slick skin bottom, photo credit Surfer Today.

Bodyboards: Leave it to the Shaper POD Bodyboard Accessories

Photo Credit: Surfer Today Experienced bodyboard shapers do what they do best. They design boards with specific waves in mind, choose core materials that balance flex and strength across different water temperatures, shape rocker lines and rail profiles that suit...

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POD Protect Our Destiny logo in green overlaid on planet Earth viewed from space against a blue star field, with the Protect Our Destiny tagline arcing beneath the globe.

Which Is More Eco-Friendly: Polyurethane or Other Plastics?

Polyurethane is itself a plastic. The useful comparison is with thermoplastics, the type behind most packaging and single-use products, and the deciding factor is lifespan. A polyurethane product that lasts for years puts less on the planet than a thermoplastic...

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Bodysurfing Handboard Guide - Size, Shape, and How to Choose

Bodysurfing Handboard Guide - Size, Shape, and How to Choose

The illustration above shows the physics of the human hydrofoil, the bodysurfer, in motion. Lift force, drag, and the lift-to-drag ratio all directly affect how a handboard performs. Understanding these forces is what separates a well-chosen handboard from one that...

Read moreabout Bodysurfing Handboard Guide - Size, Shape, and How to Choose

A clean barrelling wave breaking over a sandy beach viewed from the dunes, with coastal grass in the foreground and deep blue water behind the wave face.

How to Body Surf Like A Pro: With Or Without A Handplane

Bodysurfing is wave riding in its most direct form. Your body is the vehicle, the wave is the engine, and everything between those two things timing, position, and technique determines how the ride goes. Whether you ride freestyle with just...

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POD PF1, PF2, and PF3 natural rubber swim fins shown side by side against an ocean background, with the PF1 in blue camo, PF2 in black and white camo, and PF3 in orange and black camo.

Swim Fin Fit and Comfort - Keeping Your Fins On and Lasting

Why Swim Fins Slip, Rub and Wear Out A swim fin only does its job while it stays connected to your foot. Once it slips, rubs or twists, your kick goes into managing the fin instead of moving water. Whether...

Read moreabout Swim Fin Fit and Comfort - Keeping Your Fins On and Lasting

Six-panel instructional image showing how to use a POD bodysurfing handboard, with action shots of riders on waves, an above-water hand grip view, and an underwater shot, illustrating the three principles of lift, speed, and control.

How to Bodysurf: Learn to Use a POD Body Surfing Handboard

POD makes handboards in polypropylene, cedar and walnut, and polyurethane. Each carries the same signature shape. The concave bottom channels water across the hull as the board accelerates across the wave face, generating upward lift that raises the rider higher...

Read moreabout How to Bodysurf: Learn to Use a POD Body Surfing Handboard