Long Beach Surf Shop — Local services in Ucluelet

On September 2nd, 2023, I visited this store to rent a wetsuit and a surfboard. My experience, however, took an unfortunate turn. As I removed the wetsuit, I immediately noticed large, itchy rashes all over my body.

Initially, I considered the possibility of an allergy, even though I had never encountered such a reaction before. However, when the rash worsened upon returning home one day later (pain and swelling), I had to go to the emergency room. The doctor checked it out and did a skin swab, and told me that I had been bitten by fleas and explained to me that they can survive under water. I also had to take prescription medication to help with this. It took slightly over a week for me to fully recover.

I suspect this issue may be linked to the presence of a pet dog within the store. On both occasions when I picked up and returned the gear, I noticed a dog belonging to one of the employees.

Upon contacting the store to address this hygiene concern, I was met with a shocking response from the manager. When I mentioned my hospital visit due to the flea bites, he laughed and said "This is what happens when you go to the ocean, man. It happened to me before."

After expressing the seriousness of the matter, he eventually apologized and offered a refund, which I received the following day.

I regret having to write a negative review, but it is essential to highlight this significant issue within the store. It requires immediate attention in terms of cleanliness, rigorous wetsuit cleaning procedures, and consideration of the presence of pets. Until these matters are addressed, I hope this review serves as a cautionary message to all potential renters: be sure to thoroughly inspect the wetsuits for cleanliness and the absence of...

Given the good reviews, we rented three wetsuits and boards from Long Beach Surf Shop. Two of the wetsuits reeked and all three pairs of boots were still wet. Didn't find this out until we were at the beach with all our gear so had to go for it anyway. Despite hot showers after surfing a few hours, the two of us with the rancid suits still smelled disgusting. It took three separate showers each to almost get the smell off our skin. Awful. Do not recommend. At the very least, check your suits and boots closely (i.e. get super up close and stick your hand in the boots before accepting...

Nothing but the best things to say about this place. Cool shop. Really nice gear. Great location. But what made our experience awesome was the service. Tommy not only got us set up with great rental gear, but he was super helpful in giving us tips of all sorts. To top it off, we got back after the shop had closed but he was still there... and he let us drop our gear off. He definitely went the extra mile, with a smile. Thanks again, Tommy!...