Water watch: Rip Curl unveils surfing smartwatch

Australia – Surf brand Rip Curl has branched out into wearable technology with the launch of a smartwatch that enables surfers to track and record every wave they catch.

Rip Curl describes Rip Curl Search as ‘a multi-platform digital ecosystem and device’. The device is the waterproof GPS smartwatch, which links to the user’s phone and laptop, creating the multi-platform digital ecosystem. By synchronising with the other devices, Rip Curl Search extracts information on the surfing trip and passes it immediately to the surfer in the water.

Users of the Rip Curl Search app can track their own performance to see how long and how fast they have surfed, and keep up to date on the weather and the size of the waves. This information can be shared via Facebook Connect, enabling surfers to challenge friends, create surf clubs and share photos of their exploits.

Surfing is cooler than ever, as we reveal in our City Surf microtrend, but the wearable technology industry is having difficulty engaging people. Rip Curl Search works because it adds tangibly to users’ lives.