There are more surf magazines on the planet than you would probably expect. Discover the complete list of surf-inspired publications with newsstand distribution.
According to Al Hunt from allsurfmagazines.com, a website dedicated to identifying and tracking surf magazines, at least 40 countries launched periodicals with surfers and surf-related topics on the front cover.
Today, the early editions and extinct surf publications are in the hands of a few magazine collectors, who are still buying old and rare issues.
As with anything in life, surf nostalgia is a smart investment.
The surf magazine movement began in the mid-20th century with Surfer Magazine.
Surfer, also known as "The Bible of Surfing," is the world's first surf magazine. The California monthly publication saw the light of day for the first time in 1960.
However, in many cases, journals and publications closed after a few months because they couldn't find their readers or the market was too saturated with other relevant players.
In some countries, there were even surf mags exclusively targeted at women and longboarders. Only a few made enough money to keep the titles afloat.
Surfing magazines popped up in landlocked countries, small isolated islands, and nations where snow is more common than water.
Digital Is Taking Over
The majority of the world's surf publications only survived a couple of years.
In some cases, they were forced to incorporate and open their spectrum to other wave-riding topics - including bodyboarding, windsurfing, and kiteboarding - to secure subscribers.
Time has also changed the way we consume surf mags and gazettes. Today, print editions are in decline, and the digital business model is taking over.
The average surf magazine reader is aged between 15 and 45 and seeks quality and innovative content, creative photographic approaches, and timeless articles.
The longest-running surf magazines are Surfer (1959), Surfing World (1962), Tracks (1970), Australia's Surfing Life (1985), Surf Session (1986), and Surf Portugal (1987).
Now, take a look at the list of worldwide surf periodicals:
ARGENTINA
Alborde (1999-2001)
Drop (2000-2001)
Rad (1996-2002)
Surfista (1988-2007)
AUSTRALIA
Australia's Surfing Life (1985-)
Australian Surf Business (2004-)
Australasian Boardrider (1964-1964)
Australian Sport and Surfriding (1962-1964)
Australian Surfer (1994-1995)
Australian Surfer's Journal (1997-2000)
Backdoor (1975-1977)
Breakway (1973-1978)
Chick (1998-2000)
Coastal Tubes (1982-1983)
Core (1999-1999)
Country Surf (?)
Crank (1993-?)
Curl Australia (2007-2008)
Deep (1985-2000)
Foam Symmetry (2011-)
Free Surf (1989-1989)
Free Surf Australia (1991-1997)
Free Surf Press (1977-1977)
Freestyle (1995-?)
Get Wet News (1990-1991)
Gold Coast Surf (2003-)
Gold Coast Surf Girls (2006-2007)
Great Surf Adventure Series (?)
Ground Swell by ASA (1992-1993)
Ground Swell NSW (1992-1993)
Ground Swell Qld (1998-2001)
Gut Zine (?)
Howl (2012-?)
Kelp (2012-?)
Kurungabaa (2008-)
Lineup (1981-1989)
Litmus (?)
Locals Only (1997-1998)
Longboarding (1998-2012)
Longbreak (2004-2007)
Making a Surfboard (?)
Mal Magic (1991-?)
Manly Surf Journal (1999-?)
Noserider (1991-?)
Noosa Surfing (2016-)
Ocean Express (1986-1988)
Oceans (1973-1973)
Off the Lip (1984-?)
Pacific Longboarder (1998-)
Paper Sea (2012-)
Pro Surf (1983-?)
Pure Journey (1993-?)
Rag (2001-2002)
Riot (1990-1990)
Sea Notes (1977-1978)
S-Girl (2004-2004)
Smorgasboarder (2010-)
Soggy Bones (2010-2011)
Shred Betty (1998-1998)
Southern Flyer (1980-1991)
Southern Soul (2008-2009)
Splash (2004-2008)
Stab (2004-)
Sunshine Coast Surf (2007-)
Sunshine Fluid (1976-1976)
Sunshine Surf Girls (2014-)
Surf (1976-1978)
Surf Adventures by Crawford (1991-1993)
Surf Adventures by Abraham (1999-2000)
Surf Adventures World Surf (1992-1992)
Surf Avenge (1992-1993)
Surf Cartoons (?)
Surf Central (?)
Surf Check (?)
Surf City Extra (1989)
Surf International (1967-1970)
Surf Rider Weekly (1992-1992)
Surf Scene (1964-?)
Surf Secrets (1994-?)
Surf Super Stars (?)
Surfabout (1962-1968)
Surfin' Mad (?)
Surfing Australia (1980-)
Surfing In the 80's (1983-?)
Surfing West Australia (2005-?)
Surfing World (1962-)
Surf's Up (?)
Surfwest (2006-2008)
The Australian Surfer (1961-1961)
The Surf (1917-?)
The Word (1993-?)
Thruster (1993-?)
Tonic (?)
Tracks (1970-)
Underground Surf (1994-2003)
Wave Talk (1986-1988)
Wave Torque (1985-1986)
Waverider (1992-1998)
Waves (1981-2014)
Waves Surf Girl (2000-2004)
West Coast Surfer (1980-1983)
West Country Surf (?)
Wetside (1991-1994)
White Horses (2012-)
Women Surf (?)
X Mag (?)
BELGIUM
Freeze (2000-?)
Swell (2004-)
BRAZIL
Acao (1990-1991)
Adrenalina News (1989-1995)
Adrenow (?-1999)
Água Planeta (?)
Água Tribo (?-2002)
Alma (2000-)
Aloha (1997-2000)
Altas (1998-2000)
ASN (?)
ASPGUA (1999-1999)
Back Wash (?)
Barra Surf (?)
Beach (?)
Beach Break (?)
Beach Show (?)
Boards (?)
Boardsports Observer (?)
Brazil Surf (?)
Conexao (?)
Costa Sul (?)
Drop (1998-)
Espirito Surf (?)
Expresso (?)
Extremo Sul (?)
Feserj (?)
Fluir (1983-2016)
Fluir Girls (?)
Folha do Surf (?)
Gazeta Radical (?)
Green Surf (?)
Hardcore (1989-)
Hightide (?)
Info Wave (?)
Informar (?)
Informe Surf (?)
Inside (1997-?)
Insidenow (1998-2000)
Jornal do Surf (?)
Jornal do Surfe (?)
Jornal Extra Surf (?)
Jornal Mais Surfe (?)
Jornal Maresias (?)
Jornal Surf Informacao (?)
Journal Paulista de Surf (?)
KSSINO (?)
Lazer (?)
Lineup (?)
Mahalo Press (?)
Maneco (?)
Mundo Rad (?)
NaFaixa (?)
Nas Ondas (?)
North Shore Paulista (?)
Now (1989-1997)
Nuts (?)
Onda (?)
Página Surfe (?)
Quebra-Mar (?)
Quiver (?)
Radical (?)
Resgate (?)
Revista Long (?)
Revista Longboard (?)
Revista Surfar (?)
Rio Surf (?)
Ripe (?)
Santa Catarina Surf (2016-)
Sol E Mar (?)
Solto Na Vala (2000-?)
Soul Surf (?)
Sport Session (?)
Staff (1985-1987)
Star Point (?)
Storm (?)
Super Surf (?)
Surf (?)
Surf & Beach (?)
Surf Bahia (?)
Surf Cartoons (?)
Surf City (?)
Surf Link (?)
Surf News (?)
Surf Nordeste (?)
Surf Noticias (?)
Surf O Estado (?)
Surf People (?)
Surf Press (?)
Surf Sul (?)
Surf Tress (?)
Surfar (1988-)
Surfboards (?)
Surfer Brazil (?)
SurfnaLata (?)
Taking Surf (?)
Tempo Esporte (?)
Terral (?)
The Surf Press (?)
The Surfer's Journal Brasil (2012-)
Top Surf (?)
Trip Board (?)
Vaibe (?)
Venice (?)
Vertical (?)
Vertical Surf News (?)
Visual Esportivo (?)
Visual Surf Magazine (?)
Wave Wind Sports (?)
Wet Paper (?)
X-Pression (?)
CANADA
Drop (?)
Island Swell (1992-?)
Northern Swell (?)
SBC Surf (2007-)
CANARY ISLANDS
Elmaquinola Radical (?)
Grand Azul (?)
Radical (?)
Radical Girls (?)
Rompeolas (?)
CHILE
Demolicion (?)
Green (?)
La Quilla Loca (?)
La Tabla (?)
Lineas (2011-)
Marejada (?)
Nauta (?)
Surfeando (?)
COLOMBIA
Radical (?)
COSTA RICA
Core Magazine (?)
Global (?)
Planet Surf (?)
Surf Guide (?)
Surfos (1997-)
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
Lime (?)
ECUADOR
Radical Magazine (?)
EL SALVADOR
Olas Permanentes (?)
Surfeando (?)
FRANCE
ASP (?)
Beach Brother (2002-)
Chicks' Power (?)
Cosmic Tubes (?)
Desillusion (?)
Enjoy (?)
Fluid (?)
Free Surf (?)
Free Surfing (?)
Girl Power (?)
Kink (?)
Max (?)
Onboard (?)
Radical Surf (?)
Ride On (?)
Slide (?)
Spot Magazine (?)
Spots Secrets Surf Skate (?)
Surf Atlantique (?)
Surf Europe (1999-2014)
Surf FM (2010-)
Surf Mag (?)
Surf Roll Surf (?)
Surf Saga (?)
Surf Session (1986-)
Surf Tag (2011-?)
Surf-Time (?)
SurfTime (?)
Surf Wind (?)
Surfie (?)
Surfing France (?)
The Search (?)
The Surfer's Journal France (1995-)
Trip Surf (?)
Under Currents (?)
Wanegaine (?)
GERMANY
Blue (2000-)
Brett (?)
Free Magazin (?)
Golden Ride (?)
Lineup (?)
Prime (2015-?)
Rausch (?)
Slack (?)
Stoke (?)
Surf Wave (?)
Surfing Europe (?)
Surfers (1995-)
Tide (?)
Wax (?)
GREECE
3S (?)
HAWAII
Alii Nation (?)
Aloha Surf Guide (2009-?)
Board Stories (?)
Chicsurf Coupons (?)
Contrast (?)
Fluid (?)
Free Surf (2004-)
Good Times (?)
Grom Surf (2012-?)
Ground Swell (?)
H3O (?)
Hawaiian Line (?)
Hawaiian Surf & Sea (?)
Hawaiian Surfing (?)
Hawaiian Surfing Guide (?)
Hawaiian Surfriding (?)
Heavywater (?)
High Surf Advisory (?)
Local Surfer (?)
MAC (1975-?)
Makai (2004-?)
Maui Surfing (?)
Nalu Underground (?)
Scam (?)
Star Bulletin (?)
Tiare Girl (?)
Trim (2015-?)
Wavelength (?)
WSSM Womens Surf & Style (2004-)
INDONESIA
Bali Belly (2013-)
Lines (2009-)
Magic Wave (2001-?)
Southern Swell (?)
Surf Time (1999-?)
IRELAND
Fins (?)
Tonnta (?)
ISRAEL
Adrenalin (?)
ITALY
Dreams (?)
Freezer (?)
GirLand (?)
King Surfer (?)
Revolt (?)
Surf Magazine (?)
Surf Latino (1996-?)
Surf News (1994-?)
Surf Session (?)
Surfers (?)
Surfing Encyclopedia (?)
JAPAN
Beach Girls
Blue Beach
Blue Sea Life
Core Surf Japan
Dropout
Everblue
F+
Flow 1st Edition
Flow 2nd Edition
Glide
Glide 2nd version
Hot Spin
Jessica
Nalu
On the Board
Side Way Stance
Surf 1st
Surf Magazine 1st Edition
Surf Magazine 2nd Edition
Surf Millennium
Surf Patrol
Surf Times
Surf Trip
Surfaholic
Surfer Girls
Surfer Japan
Surfer's Mind Mag
Surfin' Life
Surfing Classic
Surfing Shonan
Surfing Surfriders
Surfing World
Take Off
The North Shore
Thrillin Junction
Tide Tables
Transworld Surf
Warp
MEXICO
Central Surf
Estilos
La Ola
La Ola Mexicana
Olas
Planeta Surf
MOROCCO
Amouage
NETHERLANDS
6 Surfing
Salt
Soul Motion
Surf Sport & Style
Surf'n Beach
NEW ZEALAND
09 Magazine
Aotearoa Liquid
Aqualine Shredabout
Curl
Damaged Goods
Daily Surf
Expressions
Freebird
Front Cyde
Gound Swell
Kiwi Surf
New Zealand Longboarder
New Zealand Surf
New Zealand Surf Magazine
New Zealand Surfer
New Zealand Surfing
NZ Tracks
Ocean Action
Runt
Slide
South Surf
South Nelson
Surf NZ
Surfing New Zealand
Surfriding in New Zealand
Swell Lines
Wai-ngaru
Waves
Waves '80
NORWAY
Fri Flyt
PERU
Aqua
Revista Tablista
Surfing Peru
Tabla
Tabla Hawaiiana
Tubos
X3 Mag
PORTUGAL
Free Surf (?)
GetWet Surf Gazette (?)
Girlz Onfire (2005-?)
Magnolia (?)
Nose Rider (?)
Onfire (2003-)
Portugal Radical (?)
Splash Mag (2007-2009)
Surf Europe (?)
Surf Magazine (?)
Surf Portugal (1987-)
PUERTO RICO
Low Pressure
Mundo Rad
Primera Ola
Surf in Rico
REUNION ISLAND
Nouvelle Vague
RUSSIA
Doski
SOUTH AFRICA
African Surfrider
Amped
Backdoor
Down the Line
The Feral
Ground Swell
Legends of Jeffreys Bay
Liquid
Moments
Offshore
Saltwater Girl
Soul Surfer
South African Surfer
Southern Surfer
Surf Africa
The Bomb Surf
The Noserider
Wet
Zig-Zag
SPAIN
3 Sesenta Tres 60
Cantabria Surfing Magazine
Community
Cut Back
El Gran Azul
Extreme Session
Glide
Hebe
Local Surf
Marejada
Mas Surf
Natural
Surf Europe
Surf Limit Girls
Surf Limit
Surf Prest
Surf Time
Surf Vision
Surfari
Surfer Rule
SWEDEN
Edge
Surfing
NSM
Transition
SWITZERLAND
4 Riders
TAHITI
FaaHee
Tahiti Waves
THAILAND
Thailand Surfrider
URUGUAY
Mareas
UNITED KINGDOM
Get into Surfing
Adrenalin
Asylum
Atlantic Surfer
Boardsport Source
British Surfer
Carve
Carve Surf Girl
Channel Views
Drift
Edge
For Surfers Only
Freeride
Get into Surfing
Groundswell
Guide to Surfing in Britain
Kook
Lineup
Longboarding & Freeride
Malibu
Pit Pilot
Real Surfing
Ripple
Shorebreak
Slide
Soul Surfer
Surf
Surf Chat
Surf Europe
Surf Insight
Surf News
Surf Onboard
Surf Scene
Surfers Path
Surfing Roots
Surfs Up
SYM
The Point
The Source
Tube News
URF
Wavelength
Woolacombe News
X Elements
USA
5 Star
A Surfers Coloring Book
Action Watersport
Ashley Poster Series
ASP Pro Surfing
Astro Boys Wave Warriors
Atlantic Surfer
Atlantic Surfing
Automatic
Beach Happy
Beached Days
Beach'N Waves
Bliss
Blue Edge
Bored
Breakout
Breaks
California Surfers
California Wave
Carbon
CARtoons
Carvin'
Channel
Classic Surfboard Collector
Collector and Price Guide
Competition Surf
Corpus Christi Breaks
Cross Step
DEEP Surf Magazine
Drag Cartoons
Drop Zone LA
Drop Zone South Bay
Eastern Surf
Eastern Waves
Easy Times
Electric Ink
EZE
FLA Surf
Flat
Florida Surf
Fluid
Foam
Garden State Surf
GEO Surf
Ghetto Juice
Gidget
Greg Noll
Gulf Coast Surf
Hang Ten
Hapa
Happy
Hodads Beware
Hot Rod Cartoons
Hot Water
Inside Del Mar
Inside Surf
International Surf
Island Surfing
Jacksonville Surfer
Kema
Leucadia Surf & Ski Bulletin
Lineup
Locals Magazine
Longboard
Longboarder
Longevity
Manic
Modern Longboard Times
Morsurf
North Coast Surf Press
Ocean
Ocean Life
Our Wave
Pacific Lines
Pacific Surf
Petersen's Surfing
Petersen's Surftoons
Rage
Rare Breed
Reef
Risen
Salted
Salt
Santa Cruz Surfing
Santa Cruz Waves
Sea Breeze
SG
Shorebreak
Shred Florida
Shred Virginia
Skate and Surf
Skim
So-Cal Surf news
Soul Surf
South Bay Surfer
South East Surfer
South Swell
Spare Change
Super Stoked
Surf Beat
Surf Bulletin
Surf by Mike Mann
Surf Crazed Comics
Surf Carolina
Surf Gear
Surf Guide
Surf Humor
Surf Life
Surf n Wheels
Surf News (California)
Surf News (North East)
Surf Scene
Surf Scenes
Surf Shot
Surf Story
Surfboard Builders Yearbook
Surfboard Design
Surfer (1959-)
Surfer Girl
Surfers Path
Surfin and Ocean Sports
Surf'In East
Surfing (1964-2017)
Surfing Action Around the World
Surfing Collectibles Guide
Surfing East
Surfing Girl
Surfing Hawaii
Surfing Illustrated
Surfing News
Surfing News East Coast
Surfing Times
Surfing Voice of Surfing World
Surfing World
Surfwriters Quarterly
The California Wave
The Alternative Surf Connection
The Juice
The Log
The Surf News
The Surfer's Journal
Transworld Surf
Underground
US Surf
Wahine
Water
Wave Action
Wavelengths
Waverider
Waversons
Waves 70's
Waves 90's
Wax
Wet
Wet Sand
What Youth
VENEZUELA
Al Maximo
Extremo
S&N
Sesion
Surf Caribe
Surf Star
Tail & Tail
Unda