Surf Report

The Surf Report app from Oakley has very admirable intentions (provided you’re into surfing). It’s supposed to tell you the surf height, swell direction, tide and other crucial info before you hit the beach–for thousands of beaches. Some users report it’s not all that accurate, however, but it is free and comes with some cool surfing videos and local connections.
Surf’s up this summer with Oakley’s Surf Report app for the iPad and iPhone. Powered by Surfline, the app lets you check what the surf height, swell direction, tide and weather forecast will be before you ride the waves. Find your ideal surf spot by browsing the surf conditions for thousands of beaches and bookmarking your favorites. Also check out great surf videos, the latest surfing news, photos from recent surf events and tips from the pros in the Oakley Team Rider Bios to ensure you’ll never be out of the loop in your surfing community.

Some of the customer reviews suggest that the Surf Report needs to work out some kinks before it can be claimed to predict wave heights with up-to-the-moment accuracy, however. One reviewer who gave the app one star writes: “When is this program goona [sic] get realistic? It says San Clemente is 7 feet right now and there is barely a ripple out in the water.” Sometimes, you get what you pay for.

Price: Free.