A substance rubbed on the top or deck of a surfboard for traction. Needed due to the slippery nature of a board's original fibreglass surface. Surf wax comes in many different varieties: softer wax for colder water temperatures, and harder wax for warmer water temperatures. Different textures like stickier wax or wax that creates a bumpier surface. NOTE: It's thought that the use of wax on surfboard decks stems from a Palos Verdes surfer of the 1940s who took his Mom's floor wax and used it for the purpose.