Hot Wax is absolutely amazing! My husband and I have always wanted to go kayaking on one of our Emerald Isle trips. Hot Wax provided all of the equipment we needed! A standard 1 person kayak for me and an anglier kayak for my fishing hobbist husband; which included a rod holder, anchor as well as paddles and life jackets for both of us! Lani and Mike were super great at communicating with us on delivery timing and answering any questions that we had!  We will absolutely be using Hot Wax in the future and recommending to our family and friends!!  Thank you so much again Lani and Mike!! read more

If you're looking to find a great surf and kayak shop, this is the place. I met Mike & Lani just before a strong storm was forecast to hit. I'd thought I'd beat the storm, but it was already pushing waves over the docks. They let me postpone my excursion for a few days until the weather improved, then helped me out again. Both Mike and Lani know surfing, it's in their blood. They are well connected to the community and are just great people. Great selection and their store has most anything you'd need to kayak or surf. I enjoyed looking around in their shop. It's actually cheaper for me to rent from the Hot Wax Surf Shop than to haul my own kayak to the island. I can't think of a better place to go for rentals, accessories, and good solid advice. read more

Our rental experience with Hot Wax was wonderful. We had 3 adults and 3 teens renting Kayaks and SUPs - one of us had just a little experience paddle boarding. Everyone else was new to both. We signed up for the self-guided 1/2 day at Cedar Point Recreation Area. The instructional videos were very helpful and our equipment was in great shape. The owner also graciously accommodated one teen's request to change from a kayak to SUP at the last minute. My only suggestion (this has nothing to do with Hot Wax) to any novice renting and going to this park would be to watch the weather closely. Our morning was pretty and didn't start out windy, but that quickly changed and we drifted pretty far away from our put-in-point without realizing it. Getting back was BRUTAL because we were fighting the current and winds. An hour going out took us about 3hrs to come in. Not a great experience for a beginner, but it's one they'll always remember. read more

Great experience, great service. Just as we started kayaking, a storm blew in. They allowed us to pull the kayaks out of the water and go back to the house to wait out the storm. We returned a couple of hours later and paddled in the sunshine. : ) read more

The ideal surf shop the lady I talked to gave perfect recommendations and even brought my board in to recommend repair kits the prices are unmatched by a long shot Bert's is an overpriced tourist trap south swell takes your money and is extremely overpriced and mismanaged Hot Wax is how a real surf shop should feel read more

Had a great experience. Took my surfboard in for a repair and it was done lightning fast and at a great price. Thank you!

My husband and I had a great experience with Hot Wax Surf Shop. Corbin the shop guy waited on us and worked with us on getting the kayaks dropped off. The shop is really nice as well as all of their equipment. The prices are not bad at all for the service we received. $45 for 4 hours and the kayaks are dropped off right where you launch. The delivery guy (forget his name-from Holly Springs but lives in EI) was super! We wished we had of carried some cash to tip him as he was very accommodating and knowledgeable about the area. We will be back here to do the Cedar Point state park area. Thanks Again. Karen read more

The people here that helped us on Last Tuesday morning were very friendly, helpful and informative. This was my first time to try the new hybrid SUP/Kayak. I am glad I did it but next time would go with the standard SUP. And the next time would definitely be with Hot Wax. Launch and pick up was timely and easy. Overall a great experience. read more

Perfect way to kayak! We followed the staff member to Cedar Point, he unloaded the kayaks for us, gave us an overview of the best paddling routes, then picked everything up after we were done. Couldn't have been easier! read more

In this day and age it is hard to find a surf shop that is actually staffed by professionals. Most shops are staffed by young kids who often give lots of attitude towards thier customers. I came in from out of town on a day off of work and was warmly greeted buy Lani, one of the owners. She was awesome to say the least. She spent a long time with me trying to figure out how to lower the seats in my rental car so I can bring one of the boards to the beach. She also let me use a Towel and a quick shower after returning board and gave me great directions so I could get to the airport in time. Hot Wax has been in business since the 80's for a reason. The other shop that I went to first in town had really bad plastic surfboards and snotty nosed kids behind the counter. Thanks Hot Wax guys. read more

We had a great time on a beautiful day! Saw lots of beautiful animals: fish, little crabs, hermit crabs, jellyfish, stingrays and dolphins. Unfortunately we had a few concerns with the setup and care by this company: -Neither of the employees were wearing masks. The person indoors did not have a mask on despite working with customers to sign forms on a computer kiosk. She did seem to be distancing herself but her version of distancing seemed to be moving 3 feet away from the customer (instead of one foot otherwise) when they had to move into her position to sign a waiver on the computer. I may have missed it but did not see hand sanitizer offered (sharing computer) either. I understand some may not be pro-mask but wearing masks and making hand sanitizer available is important to customers at the moment. It is interesting that the owner mentions two immuno-compromised family members in response to a review from a frustrated customer about a month ago, but clearly is not enforcing health guidelines that will protect customers. Honestly, between this and the customer floating around with his mask hanging off of one ear, I would have taken my business to a company who is more willing to care for me and my family as they would their own. - Didn't provide any direction on how to use their equipment. We are used to generic paddles that can be used no matter how they are held. These paddles have a specific position. There happened to be someone (not with the company) at the put-in site that let us know that most of our group happened to be holding our paddles backwards and upside down. Btw, if you stop and look at them (we were more focused on getting in the water and out of the way as the employee was unloading more kayaks for the next people) you realize that the cupping should be facing you. But the shape of the paddle is a bit difficult to determine whether it is right side up or down. It is not that difficult but we really weren't focused on positioning as no one said anything. - No warning about local critters. I understand everyone knows there are critters and you have to be careful. Coming from out of state, it would have been nice to get a warning about the more dangerous local critters and what to do. We did not realize there are stingrays in the area. Fortunately we knew what to do as we were faced with one between us and our kayaks as we returned from a break. read more

If you've ever wanted to try surfing, please for the love of all that's holy give it a shot. Its an experience that many are sadly avoiding merely out of hesitation. This shop has a great staff that will help you get there. They helped me catch a few waves and I experienced the thrill of riding. The staff is very friendly so don't be intimidated. I left with the impression that surfing is one of those activities that isn't hard to get started in but provides ample challenge to keep one interested. read more

Yesterday we went to Hot Wax Surf Shop to rent a stand up paddle board. I walked in and the employee was wearing a mask and greeted me. She was so nice and helpful then the owner went out to check on our truck to see if it was ok for us to haul the SUP. We ended up renting a kayak too as the inflatable one we had decided to die! The owner and employee were both very helpful. She helped my daughter with water shoes while the owner assisted with putting and securing equipment on the truck. She (I wish I got her name!) showed us where we could go, explained the area while showing us on the map, gave tips and pointers. When she checked me out for water shoes it was nice to see they had hand sanitizer for use on the counter. It was such a pleasant experience. Outside the owner explained how to handle the equipment. He even reminded us that the boat ramp flooring may be quite slippery and to be careful. We even learned something new too and that was how to measure your paddle! Returning the stuff was easy too. An employee came out to help unload. They had a special place to put "used" equipment for cleaning. Love that! We were all very pleased with Hot Wax Surf Shop. This is our first time visiting Emerald Isle. We will definitely come back to Hot Wax SS when we visit the island again! read more

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I called to schedule last-minute surf lessons for my twin 9 yr-olds and and myself and they couldn't have been more accommodating. the staff is extremely friendly and kyle was an AMAZING instructor. everyone went above and beyond for us, including kyle going back to the beach to retrieve the boys' glasses that were left in the sand. --surf lessons were the highlight of our vacation. thanks so much guys! read more

Our two children attended their Surf Camp and had a wicked good time! Our son's comment was, "[this] was the best time I've ever had!" They will return to finish their camp tomorrow and are very excited to attend. Their instructors were patient, attentive and interesting. They did a fabulous job and the children were comfortable. read more

I recently went on a Kayak tour/lesson with Hot Wax. Mike, the owner and instructor, was extremely patient with us and had a great and very interesting knowledge of the area. Initially, upon calling the shop, both of the staff members I spoke with were extremely knowledgeable, kind and courteous. The whole experience, from start to finish was a pleasure. It was my first time kayaking and I truly enjoyed the experience. The kayaks they use are comfortable and I am even considering buying one for my own use now that I am back in NJ. If I had a complaint, I would say that the trip was too short! I would have loved to have spent some more time kayaking. Thanks, Hot Wax for introducing me to my new favorite activity. read more

Had a great week kayaking the sound with rentals from Hot Wax. They were really great about delivery and pickup and even managed to arrange storage near where we kayaked. Highly recommend them and will use them next trip, too. read more

Highly recommend the Eco Tour on paddle boards. As a first-timer to paddle boarding was easier than anticipated. Corbin, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable about the local wildlife and eco system. We learned a lot while enjoying the scenery of the sound for 2+ hours. The only downside is it is a little pricey. read more

Great private surf lesson. Very knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend.

Rented 2 surfboards for the weekend and couldn't have asked for better equipment or service! These were Real surfboards people not just styrofoam boards! My grandkids ages 14 and 12 loved them. The group of guys at the shop were awesome, helpful and knowledgeable. When we come back down we will definitely be using them for private surfing lessons, my boys are hooked on surfing now!! When we decide to purchase boards they will definitely get our business. Highly recommended using this surf shop for all your needs. read more

The owner of this company is extremely rude I have been a customer for over ten years I would never stop by that store unless it is a last option! They don't have much to offer an watch over you like a hawk! In my opinion they wouldn't even be in business if they stopped renting kayaks. South swell is no doubt the way to go. read more

Horrible experience!! Although the staff was friendly the level of ignorance and inexperience put my family in harms way.. To start, our poor instructor did not follow his own advice of wearing shoes in the water and left for the ER bleeding profusely from a very preventable injury.. Although I feel for him it set a very uneasy tone for our kids.. A replacement showed up clearly more interested in his co-workers well being (welll understood) to assure me that our kids would be fine on the water. I was pretty unsure at this point and pressed the issue with the rep, he again answered all my concerns with a 'sure, you'll be fine'..( I asked about the current, the small size of some of our group and the seemingly strong current as well as the dark clouds in the near distance) As you can guess we were NOT fine! The current quickly swept our four kids out into a strong current, with the lightening clouds they assured us were fine cracking over our heads, my husband and myself (not to brag but fit and athletic) had to do a recovery mission hauling each child over to a safe dock to hold on in fear whilst we feverishly tried to rescue the rest of our crew. Finally exhausted and angry I met onshore another company whom charges the same cost, drops their renters way upwind and upstream and follows their crew with a boat to assure their safety. When I told the shop the problems we encountered they offered a verbal apology and some T-shirts.. (As if I'd want to advertise this dangerous business practice to any poor unsuspecting tourist like myself!) do yourself a favor and steer clear of this unit of friendly but clearly naive and unexperienced unit. read more

In a world where most surf and paddle shops have good if not the same equipment, it is the service that a customer receives that sets it apart from its competitors. Here at the Hot Wax Surf & Paddle Sports shop that is exactly what you receive--fine customer service. From the moment you walk in their door to making it easy for you (to take a kayak overnight at no additional fee), to assisting in loading their kayak on your vehicle to assisting you upon its return. They also give strong advice, know the area very well and communicate it all with a smile! What more could you ask for? We found the price exactly the same as in another shop in EI (where Emerald Drive meets Ocean Dr.), but there is NO comparison as the Hot Wax people obviously LOVE their job and the other place clearly is only profit driven and NOT customer driven. Surf's up...gotta go! Enjoy!! read more

Took lessons here and then with another local pro. This group definitely interested in teaching as many as possible in the high season of summer vacations. We decided to stick with a local pro who teaches 1-3 students at a time and the difference was like night and day. We felt very assured that our 3 kids were safe at all times and the guy was a natural teacher. This shop might be good for older surfers who can watch out for themselves but there are just too many students at one time for younger kids and not enough staff read more

Michael, Thanks for the apology on the inconvenience. It wasn't the questioning of experience, it was the manner in which it was handled. After assuring your employee I knew what I was doing, I was still questioned. If answering your employees questions is not enough assurance then you need to have a different system in which to gauge your customers skill-set. I am also not a body boarder. I never said that. I'm sure you will learn the first rule of business; your customer is your number one priority. When you put words in peoples mouths, you're affecting your credibility, and ultimately affecting your business. read more

Great, helpful staff. Saw good reviews on Yelp and glad we checked it out. Needed some rash shorts for the boys to go under their swim trunks to help extend our beach time. They had a good product and very helpful, friendly staff. read more

First time renting kayaks from here, my wife and I were celebrating out 3 year anniversary. We had a blast. Corbin and Phillip were very friendly, down to earth and did a great job explaining everything. Will definitely be returning to buy/rent. read more

Hot Wax was great!! Strongly recommend them. The staff is very attentive, knowledgeable and fun!

Great overall surf shop! Got a bunch a stuff from here board shorts, t-shirts, and we even rented kayaks from here. People working are great always there to assist but not in your face, super nice and friendly staff. Best surf shop I've see thus far. Can't wait to be back!! read more

Excellent customer service! Had a blast paddleboarding all weekend. Great place, will return next time we visit!

Always friendly service- lovely, helpful but unobtrusive support for surfers and nonsurfers alike.

DO NOT USE! Go anywhere else! Other shops in the area have five stars and might be worth it! This place rented me a board that was already cracked and when the cracked opened up due to the waves and salt, they charged my card the weekend I left. Multiple employees told me I was fine and that they knew the board was a fix up, not "substantial damages". They won't return my calls and are avoiding me when confronted about the issue. not to mentioned they charged me several days after the issue and did not notify me directly. read more

Great equipment! Very knowledgeable staff extremely helpful. Owners went above and beyond to help us out during our amazing trip! Definitely would recommend this shop to everyone! Thanks a lot! read more

Love this place. We've gone to Hot Wax on three vacations for surf lessons, camp, and paddle boards. The kids and teens love it! The surf instructors are fun and knowledgeable and the business owners are so professional and friendly. The prices in the store are great too! read more

I have been surfing for about 15 years and recently decided to get into standup paddleboarding. So late last summer my wife and I went to Hot Wax were we decided to rent paddleboards for the day. The staff was very friendly. They loaded up the boards, unloaded, and gave some instructions on how to do it. We had a blast doing it, but decided since it was the end of the summer we would wait until this year to give it a try to see if we still enjoyed it. Hot Wax surf shop recently put on a free standup paddleboard expo in the community, where you could get instructions, demo boards for free and they even provided you with a board to compete in some of the events. My wife, myself, and even our little furry children (dogs) had a great time at the event. The volunteers even offered to look after our dogs so we could go demo some boards together. After the expo I went home and did countless hours of research to ensure myself that I am getting a quality product. After I had narrowed it down to a couple of boards. I went into Hot Wax right at closing time (worst kind of customer, I know) and was still greeted with a smile and friendly service. The staff was very knowledgeable of the products in the store. They were able to answer all my questions and help me pick out the board that was right for me. At no time did I feel like I was being pressured into buying that day. The prices they had were right in line or better than what I could find in the area or on-line. Needless to say, I gladly purchased a from Hot Wax. I took the board out that afternoon and I got to see a sunset and full moon come out from behind the clouds that made the purchase worth every penny. Thanks Mike and everyone at Hot Wax! read more