I've been surfing for over 40 years (although not so much lately) but it's been entirely in Florida and some excursions to Cape Hatteras,NC and although I was always a big guy for a surfer I've been slammed every bit as hard by slightly overhead East Coast waves as I ever was playing football, skateboarding or riding motocross.....There ain't no way in hell anybody could ever have gotten me near waves like that.....dudes got balls.