Nic von Rupp Talks Gear, Crazy Nazaré Wipeouts and Near-Death Experiences (Watch)

Most surfers just need to grab a board with fins and a leash and they're good to go.

But for people who charge monstrous waves like Nazaré, it's a different story when it comes to going surfing.

There's a lot of gear and prep involved for big wave surfers like Portugal's Nic von Rupp just to get into the water.

Von Rupp captioned the post above:

"When surf big waves, safety is everything. I trust my Yamaha #fxsvho wave runners like it’s an extension of my body. Very grateful to be working with @yamahamarineeu Check out full behind the scenes of Nazaré Warehouse on the Von Froth Channel."

You can watch the full video here. It's just under 15-minutes long and features von Rupp giving a tour of his big wave surfing equipment in his "gear haven."

Learning about the gear is fun and a good reminder of surfing safety measures. But it's von Rupp's flashbacks to some of his worst wipeouts that are entertaining.

For instance, when he remembers a day he said will stick with him "for the rest of his life."

It was during a tow session last year when he broke his shoulder on his first wave of the day.

But he kept on surfing, holding the tow rope with just one arm.

"It was the best day ever and I didn't want to let go and give up," he recalled. "I ended up getting one of the best waves of my life that day with a broken shoulder."

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