Kooksplaining – a surf lingo Google doesn’t know

Once a week we cover surf etiquette AND the word of the week. And today’s article is for both, I guess. Because the word is: Kooksplaining.

Don’t even Google it. You’ll find—nothing. Zero results. You get that blue creature ice fishing. I came across “kooksplaining” on Reddit in a post titled “How to (not) be a jerk to female/new/whatever surfers.” It’s so deliciously accurate that we simply must share.

I didn’t ask the poster, but I’m assuming kooksplaining is a portmanteau (in French means a hanger of all things) of kook (inexperienced surfing) and mansplaining. Although anyone can be on the receiving end of kooksplaining—woman, man, child, manchild.

Kooksplaining means offering unsolicited advice to a surfer—when the person giving it has absolutely no business doing so. In psychology, it can be linked to the Dunning-Kruger effect, which is a cognitive bias where individuals with low competence in a specific area—here, surfing—tend to overestimate their abilities. Works the other way too—those with high competence often underestimate their skills.

Someone commented that it also has to do with false confidence, which is a common trait in beginner surfers who are eager to feel in-the-know. Hmm. I am yet to meet a female beginner surfer guilty of kooksplaining.

Here are just a few examples of kooksplaining: ➡️ You’re on a shortboard. You are tired. You just caught 20 waves, you’re just chilling. Some rando, concerned about your lack of wave count, suggests you should try a bigger board.

➡️ You’re a local, but today you’re riding a foamie for fun. Then some surf tourist decides you need their tips on catching waves.

➡️ You’re a girl. Just chilling, waiting for your wave. Lalala. Suddenly, a surf school instructor starts shouting: “Paddle! Paddle! Paddle!”

 ➡️ You’re a girl. Again. You put “surfing” on your dating profile. And every single guy’s opening line is an offer to teach you how to surf.

Hold the front page: female surfers get more unsolicited advice, often patronizing. But for the very same reason, experienced male surfers are hesitant to give advice to women unless asked—either out of awkwardness or fear of coming off as creepy. Don’t worry, guys—we get it, and we appreciate it.

The effects of kooksplaining are brutal. Didn’t I say that the worst thing that can happen in the surf is being told off? Even when well-intentioned, it’s like a slap in the face. It distracts and completely erodes your confidence. Surfing is about the flow, and here you feel like someone is grabbing you by the shoulders and starts shaking you.

That’s kooksplaining for ya.

Apparently, in the rock climbing world, it’s called “beta-spraying.”

So hey—you’ve learned two new words this week! 🎓Y

You already know this, but only offer advice when asked—or to avoid danger or prevent an injury. And we are all cheering for everyone on the waves instead of kooksplaining!