Eastern Lines Surf Shop — Local services in Belmar

I have been renting boards from here for three years, and unfortunately, they have lost a loyal customer. Today, when returning the board, they insisted that we caused a crack in it. I have been surfing for over six years and have done some simple board repairs myself. I believe that this kind of damage is an old one, not caused by us. However, the store claims it was our fault and demands a $40 repair fee. They also reported it to the police. We asked the store if they have any photos or evidence showing that the crack was not there before they rented it to us. They rudely replied, "Do we have to record or film every action of every customer?”(This person isn't even a witness.) This is a basic action to protect the rights of both parties and a professional behavior that a rental store should have. The store not only failed to double-check the condition of the board with the customer before renting it out but also lacks relevant evidence. They directly accused us of damaging the board and demanded payment. We are a group of tourists, preparing for a happy journey for the long weekend of July 4th. To continue our journey, we don't want to deal with the police and just settle by paying the money. I would advise anyone planning to rent a board here: don't...

I hope this message will help folks avoid experiencing what I did today. If you plan on renting a board, please call first. They make decisions on whether they will rent based on wave size for the day. I have rented in the past from them and was unaware of this protocol. This was challenging to learn on the day of because I don't get much vacation time, don't get to spend time with my children that often, and money is hard to come by. So when I went today on a day off and the owner wouldn't rent a board it was extremely disappointing for my son and I. I have been surfing for over twenty years and have never heard of this from any surf shop. I do understand that the owner doesn't want a board to break during a larger size wave day. Ultimately I acknowledge that he doesn't want the customer to have to pay for a board if it does break. Hard costly lesson to learn when using limited vacation time and driving two hours to get there. Shorter story, call first, they may not rent to you if the waves are between "2...

I came here back in May for my very first wetsuit. As an avid body boarder, I wanted to expand my love for the ocean to those days that it is just too cold without a suit. I came in looking for a suit I saw online, but this is where the magic happened. The staff here is extremely skilled and knowledgeable. These guys helped me pick a suit that has gotten me through the whole summer whether it be upwelling or now in October when the temperature gets a little chilly. I am coming back soon to grab a 5mm winter suit and accessories from these guys, and I can be assured that I will get the best ones for my liking, at an affordable price. To sum things up, these guys have amazing service, great prices, and a wide variety of merchandise to choose from. You can bet everything you got that I...