Gautier Garanx and the Tango 5:4

Orca’s range of surf wetsuits, TANGO, is now complete with the launch of the 5:4 versions with and without hood and a thickness designed for surfers who face extremely cold conditions. Handmade in Japan with 100% Yamamoto neoprene, this suit guarantees excellent thermal comfort and unparalleled flexibility, despite its thickness.

The Tango 5:4 is the perfect ally for our ambassador, Gautier Garanx, originally from Bayonne in the French Basque Country and specialist in surfing giant waves. In 2014, he won the prestigious Billabong XXL Biggest Wave prize for surfing a huge wave over 19 metres high in Belharra, a famous big wave breaker off the French coast.

Garanx discovered surfing when he was 10 years old. He became addicted to the sensations right from the start: being in the water, gliding and sharing waves with his friends. From this point on, surfing began to dictate his life decisions; he never wanted to be away from the ocean. For this reason, he chose to study what was offered by the faculties in Bayonne at the time. He studied business, which he continued for as long as he could to make the most of the waves, ending up with a master’s degree in international trade. Today, he still organises his life around surfing. He owns a surf school and you could say that he lives in sync with the tide.

How do you connect with the ocean when you surf?

It’s very simple - I’m the kind of person who can’t be away from the ocean for more than a few days… It’s crazy! I have an obvious connection with surfing. And it’s not only surfing; it’s reading the weather forecasts to see if there’ll be waves, where they’ll be good, who to go with. It’s also the emotion when you’re preparing and asking yourself how it’ll turn out… Later on, in the water, you enjoy every moment because you know that they’re all unique; each wave is unique. This is what gets me going every time, at each session, the fact that no session will be like any other. You can have all the worries in the world, but in the water, you forget about them all!

 

How have you evolved as a surfer?

I’ve been surfing for 38 years. I caught my first waves on a bodyboard and then, very soon after, on a surfboard. As the seasons went by, I began to surf all year round using really thick wetsuits in the winter. When I was a teenager, I used to compete a lot, first on the national circuit and then the European. It was when I got to 25,30, that I really started to surf big waves, and now that’s almost all I do. In 2014 I won the WSL “XXL Biggest Wave Award” prize after surfing a 19 metre high wave here in France, in Belharra.

 

What’s your favourite wave?

There are so many… But if I had to choose one, I would say KANDUI in Indonesia, in the Mentawai Islands. It’s got everything I like - the warm water, the challenge. Perfection.

 

What is the most challenging wave you’ve surfed and how did you find it?

Of all the waves I’ve surfed, the one I found most difficult in terms of unpredictability, intensity and difficulty to read was La Vacca in Santander. Everything is difficult there: accessing the place, the wave profile, the cold water, the violence of the wave, the cliff exit… It’s so complicated! I discovered this wave a few years ago, when I was invited to the challenge by La Vacca XXL. The first time I participated, I didn’t manage to catch any waves in my series. I didn’t understand the place at all and I would suddenly see extremely violent waves rise up out of an area in constant movement… The year after, I was still invited and I decided to take a risk to get points. I went really far in, under the peak. Big mistake - in the first series I got destroyed by five 6 metre high waves… When I managed to get back to the peak, the series had finished. This wave is still a challenge for me - it’s as terrifying as it is enticing.

 

Is there a wave in particular you’d like to surf but haven’t had the opportunity to yet?

Yes! I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland to discover the quality of the waves like Mullaghmore, Aileens, Crab Island, etc. It’s a project I’m planning for this winter or spring.

 

What physical training do you do for surfing?

It’s very important - actually it’s EL. As a surfer of big waves, I need to keep fit so that I can enjoy my sessions to the max and minimise my risk of injury or accidents. I follow several routines throughout the year:

• Diet: I avoid sugary foods as much as possible in order to control my glucose levels and I stay hydrated. I also eat different foods in a certain order to optimise my body’s absorption of their nutrients.
• Physical training: I train everyday - outdoors whenever I can, and indoors during winter. Outdoors I do a lot of mountain biking and enduro on the trails in Irun and Lesaka. It’s really good for your cardio and stamina. Inside, I work out in the gym with a trainer for an hour a day. I alternate six programmes (two for upper body, two for lower body and two general workouts). 
• Apnea: I’ve got apnea training once a week and I sometimes do an extra session. My main training is dynamic apnea, which is similar to what you experience when you fall into an XXL wave. Other training I do is static apnea, where you try to stay underwater for as long as possible, with your lungs full or empty. This last one helps you to relax and build confidence.

 

Are there many differences between surfing big waves and normal-sized waves?

Yes, there are a lot of differences. Surfing big waves is more physical and more intense, but that’s not all.

If you want to surf big waves, you need experience, as you need to be able to read the ocean correctly. You can’t afford to make a mistake with where, when and how you enter the water. With normal surfing, you can try to get past the break several times, but when you’re surfing big waves it’s more physically demanding because the waves are further away - they’re stronger and they’re faster.

• Commitment: This is the basis of surfing big waves. You need to be prepared to risk giving it your all to catch the wave at the right time, without hesitating. If you hesitate, the waves destroy you.
• Clarity: Make the right decisions at the right time. This will determine whether your session is successful or not. Stay calm under pressure and paddle as hard as you can to catch a wave. Recognise when a wave is too big or risky, and say no to it. 
• Tow in surf: It all depends on your relationship with who’s with you. It's a relationship of real trust; our safety depends on one another. We’re both equally responsible for each other.

 

What features do you look for in a wetsuit?

I find it very simple. You should be able to forget you’re wearing the suit, in other words, it should be flexible, warm and should fit well. On top of this, it should be practical, which means it should be durable and quick drying. I don’t like when a winter suit is heavy because, when it gets wet, it takes a long time to dry, meaning it will make me heavier on my board. The board would then be too narrow and less efficient, and I won’t surf as well as a result. A good suit is something you can’t overlook.

What aspects of the Tango 5:4 would you highlight?

Simplicity, effectiveness and simplicity. It’s everything I look for in a winter suit and that’s really hard to find. This suit is, in my opinion, by far the best I’ve used. It’s incredibly flexible which you notice just as much when you’re putting it on as when you’re paddling or surfing. And it’s warm, very warm. Not even a little bit of cold water gets into the suit, so you avoid that chill down your back when you do your first duck dive. This suit is incredibly technical! Another aspect is the design. It’s a well-designed suit, fits perfectly, without creasing or chafing. The more you look at it, the more you realise that all its technical details make it truly unique.

 

Going into a little more detail, some of the suit’s features worth mentioning are its 5mm thickness in the lower torso and 4mm in the upper torso, combined with its quick dry Thermal-X2 FD inner lining and taped seams that provide optimum protection against the cold. In addition, the Smoothskin finish in the wrists and neck prevent water from entering, while the size 10 YKK close-end zip makes it easier for you to use the suit even in the most difficult conditions.

Its superior elasticity is another key feature, with DS 40+ technology in the shoulders to guarantee you can paddle without restrictions. The frontzip construction makes it more comfortable to put the suit on, without restricting your range of movement in the shoulders. On top of this, its outer Duraskin fabric offers high resistance against abrasion, which guarantees the suit’s durability, and the padding in the knees protects this area from excessive wearing.

For the coldest and windiest days, the Tango 5:4 Hooded version incorporates a 3mm hood with the same X2 thermal lining and outer mesh neoprene. This extra feature allows surfers to enjoy the sea even in the most extreme conditions, knowing they’ll stay warm and comfortable in every moment.