Our tips on how to prepare for a greener surf holiday to Portugal
Packing the right kind of gear for your surf trip might not sound like a big deal, but to be honest it actually makes a big difference.
The way you pack can make your surf trip easier, your sessions more enjoyable, and at the same time it can reduce the impact you have on the places you visit. We have personally experienced this in several surf trips in the past and we see it on a daily basis with our guests.
Portugal is one of the best surf destinations in Europe. The coastline is still wild, the waves are consistent and surf culture is deeply connected to nature. But like any surf trip, travelling to surf also has an environmental impact.
Flights, equipment, and consumption all play a role. We’re not here to pretend that surf travel can be perfectly sustainable. To tell the truth, it probably never will be.
But there are small choices you can make that help reduce your impact. And one of the easiest places to start is simply how you pack your bag.
Bring the Right Wetsuit for Portugal
To be honest, one of the most common mistakes we see surfers making when they come to Portugal is bringing the wrong wetsuit.
Portugal is indeed one of the warmest surf destinations in continental Europe and many people imagine this almost as a tropical surf destination. The reality is that the outside temperatures might be hot, but the Atlantic Ocean stays relatively cool all year round. To give you an idea the temperature normally goes from 18-22 degrees in summer to 15-18 degrees during winter. Our suggestion is to bring a 3/2mm or 4/3 for the good season, while taking a comfy 5/4 for winter.
Bringing the correct wetsuit might sound like a small detail, but it makes a big difference. If you arrive with gear that actually works for the conditions, you avoid needing to buy or rent something else during your trip. Simply using the wetsuit you already own for several seasons is often the most sustainable option.
If you are thinking about replacing your wetsuit, it is also worth looking at brands that are trying to do things a bit differently. One example is Wildsuits, a wetsuit brand that was born within the European surf community and is strongly connected to Portugal.
What makes their wetsuits interesting is the materials they use. Unfortunately most traditional wetsuits are made from petroleum-based neoprene, which is essentially synthetic rubber derived from oil. Wildsuits instead uses limestone-based neoprene, combined with recycled materials like old tyres and recycled plastic bottles. This approach replaces part of the petrochemical materials normally used in wetsuits and reduces the environmental impact of production.
They also use water-based, solvent-free glues and recycled fabrics in the inner and outer linings of the wetsuit, which helps reduce chemical pollution during manufacturing.
Choosing a brand like this doesn’t magically make surfing impact-free, but it’s a step in the right direction.
What we like even more is that Wildsuits created a recycling system for old wetsuits. Wetsuits are one of the least sustainable pieces of surf equipment we use, and most of them eventually end up in landfill.
Through this program, old wetsuits are collected and reused to create new materials instead of being thrown away.
Here at Lemontree Eco Surfhouse, we collaborate with Wildsuits and act as a collection point for used wetsuits. So if you have an old suit sitting in your garage that you no longer use, you can simply bring it with you on your surf trip and leave it here. We will send it to Wildsuits so it can be recycled and given a second life.
It’s a small gesture, but honestly it’s one of the easiest ways to make your surf trip a little bit more responsible.
Travel With a Durable Board Set-Up
Now, we could talk about eco-friendly surfboards forever. But to be honest, this is still a very niche part of the surf industry, and most of us simply can’t afford a wooden board or a fully eco-built alternative. Or you might be like us and already have your quiver sorted.
So instead, what we want to focus on here is something much more practical: how to travel with your surfboards properly so they stay safe and last longer. Because at the end of the day, the most sustainable board is the one you can keep using for years instead of replacing after every trip.
We often see surfers travelling with gear that simply isn’t prepared for the journey.
Surfboards are fragile, and flights, cars, and airports are not exactly gentle environments. When boards get damaged during travel, it often leads to repairs, replacements, or even buying new equipment during the trip.
A good board bag is one of the best investments you can make if you travel with your boards. A properly padded bag protects your equipment and helps your boards last much longer.
It’s also worth thinking carefully about how many boards you really need to bring. Many surfers travel with a large quiver, but often one or two versatile boards are more than enough.
Portugal’s surf spots, especially on the Atlantic coast, are mostly beach breaks. A board that adapts well to different conditions will often cover most situations you’ll encounter.
Travelling with fewer boards not only makes your trip easier, it also reduces the chances of damage and unnecessary replacements.
Avoid Single-Use Surf Accessories
Surf trips can create more waste than most of us realise.
Plastic water bottles, disposable sunscreen containers, wax packaging, snack wrappers… after a week of surfing it all adds up.
To be honest, avoiding this is not complicated. It just requires a bit of preparation when you pack your bag.
A few simple things help a lot:
- a reusable water bottle
- reef-safe sunscreen
- a durable wax comb
- a reusable container for snacks or lunch at the beach
None of these items will change the world on their own, but together they reduce a surprising amount of waste during a surf trip.
Reuse, Repair and Recycle
One of the most sustainable things you can do as a surfer is simply use your gear for longer.
Before leaving for your trip, it’s worth checking your equipment. Fix small dings on your board, make sure your leash is still in good condition, and check that your fins and accessories are ready for another season.
Packing a small ding repair kit can also be very useful. If something happens during your trip, you can repair it quickly instead of replacing your board or searching for a surf shop.
The same logic applies to wetsuits, clothing, and accessories. Reusing what you already own and repairing things when possible is often far more sustainable than buying something new.
The trough is that the most sustainable piece of surf gear is usually the one you already have.
Support Sustainable Brands and Services
Every piece of gear we use has an environmental footprint. Surfboards, wetsuits, wax, clothing… everything has an impact.
That doesn’t mean we need to stop surfing, but it does mean we can be a bit more thoughtful about the brands we support.
Some companies are genuinely trying to improve the way surf products are made, experimenting with better materials, recycling programs, and more responsible production.
Supporting brands that are making this effort helps push the surf industry in a better direction.
The same goes for the places we choose to stay or the surf services we use during our trips. Smaller businesses that care about the ocean and their local environment usually have a much more natural connection to the places where we surf.
In the end
Sadly surfing will probably never be a perfectly sustainable activity. Travelling, buying equipment, and chasing waves all have an environmental cost.
But that doesn’t mean our choices don’t matter.
Packing the right gear, avoiding unnecessary waste, repairing equipment instead of replacing it, and supporting brands that are trying to improve their impact are all small decisions that make a difference.
And when you visit places like Portugal, where the coastline still feels wild and relatively untouched, making those small choices feels even more important.
What we would really like to make clear is that we are not here to preach. We’re simply sharing practical advice based on what we’ve seen work over the years. The bottom line is quite simple: in surfing, like in any other sport, the longer you can use your gear, the better. The less new equipment you need to buy, the better it is for both you and the environment.
