Hollow Meaning in Surfing

Hollow describes a wave that is very steep and has a concave face. This shape creates the perfect environment for riding inside the barrel or tube. The lip of a hollow wave pitches forward and creates a circular tunnel. These waves are very powerful and move with a high amount of speed. Surfers must take off quickly to avoid getting caught by the falling lip. Hollow conditions often form over shallow reefs or very steep sandbars at sea. A surfer tucks into a hollow wave at a fast breaking beach spot. This type of surf is the goal for many high performance ocean athletes. One rider stands tall inside a hollow and cylindrical wave at a reef. Success in hollow surf requires precise timing and a very fast surfboard.