What other stuff do they (not) bring?

It is entirely up to you but "regular" surfers seem to have or do the following things. These are potentially rather geeky details that true surfers would not discuss with you, but here goes. 

• A turtle-neck rash guard. A majority of people I talked get a neck rash around the collar closure area. Be sure to pull the neck collar all the way up before closing the collar flap. Also it provides additional warmth.
• If you still have rash issues in other areas of your body there is a product called Body Glide that you can put it on the area. Athletic swimmers as well as the member of our message board swears by it. It is a special wax stick you can rub onto areas you have concerns with.
• A plastic tub to store the "wet" wet suits and other wet equipment afterwards. Also use the tub to rinse the wet suit thoroughly. Get this at any hardware supply store. I have also seen many people stand inside to use it as a "change mat." Tub rinsing will almost guarantee that your wetsuit will not get stinky. Rinse twice.
• A jug of water. This becomes very handy when you get out to wilder surfing areas where there is no shower, and your booty or feet can use a good wash upon return to your car. The best format I have seen is a used cloths softener bottle with a spout. Some people put hot water before they take off on winter sessions. Wrap the whole thing in a towel and you get a warm towel plus hot rinsing water. A change mat - any used mat on your bathroom would be handy to change on gravel parking lots such as in Montara or Jetty, or San Onofre, or on a publics street in Santa Cruz. An "artificial-turf" type works the best as you can get on it with your muddy feet and come out clean.
• Wax (if you do have non-foam boards). This serves two purposes, one is the main purpose and also another is that many times other surfers would want to "bum" your wax, that can open up some parking lot conversations. For this area, most shops recommend you use Mr. Zog's Sex Wax Green or Sticky Bumps Blue (Cold).
• Big towels. Small ones won't do while you are getting in and out of wet suites. Many of you have seen me use an old worn-out bath robes stolen from my wife, which has been very helpful. Does not look like this will catch on anytime soon, I am OK by it. A trick to wrap a towel around your waist or chest is that the whole towel wraps around you and then tuck good 5-6 inches. Thick, pure cotton bath towels have more problems slipping than cheap drug-store beach towels with acryl and it holds better when the towel is a bit wet, so dry your hair with the towel first then do the change.
• Water proof and surfer proven sun screen. Get the kind that surf shops are selling. Drug store kinds, even though they say they are water-proof, seems to drip into eyes while surfing causing pains and irritations, something you don't want while you have other things to worry about.  The idea obviously here is to prevent your skin (face) from growing non standard skin cells. The damages can occur several years after prolonged exposures to the Sun. Apply it 20 minutes before you get in the water and let the ingredients absorbed into the top skin layer,  so put it on before you leave home. I leave a tube in a car and when I am stopped at a traffic light I put it on. Most folks around here seem to use Aloe Gator SPF Gel 40. This seems to provide the lasting protection and also give less eye irritation problems (but not perfectly so) than any that I have tried.
• Duct tape. People used to use silver kind but now they make transparent kinds. This is an essential emergency ding repair tool. If you get dinged up in your session, towel dry the ding, and put the tape on, surf on for the rest of the day if it is not a big gash, and then send it to your repair shop. The foam core inside your board is like a sponge, so the water will seep through from one cell to another if there is a source of water outside. So do not surf on forever with a tape on. Get it repaid as soon as possible, and don't be those who keep the tape on for a whole season!
• I started to use special surfing type ear-plugs called Doc's Pro Plug, which is available from most surf stores around here. Chances are that when you paddle out or you wipe out you get smashed by powerful breaking waves, and if you swing your head to the side just right at the moment (happens without thinking), the water will hit directly in your ear. This can be painful ruining the rest of your day or may cause a week long painful inflammation of the ear drums.  In addition, if you are going to surf for a longer term, unwanted bone growth, called surfers/swimmers' ear can be prevented. I know a couple of people who needed their ear canals bored out by a drill. Pay $20 now, or $2000 plus pain and suffering later and a month of no surfing.  These are silicone flaps that plugs into your ears with small holes allowing sounds to pass through. It is important to hear other people yelling at you (calling your attention you are about to collide) and also listening to the sound and direction of breaking waves (that means either to stop paddling or ready to be eaten by the falling water). Like anything these are something that experts say you don't need, but I happen to feel that there is a lot of element out there that can hurt you in the way experts would no longer do.
• While worrying about the time is probably the least thing surfers should have in their minds, if you do need to wear a watch (like in before-the-work sessions), invest in a $40 - $50, 50 m waterproof with a silicone rubber belt. Do not get the metal belt kind. You are going to be wearing it over your wet suit, so you need to be able to adjust the fit quickly. The Tide display watches are fun and useful, I recommend it if you can afford it, but you will most likely going to lose those watches so I highly recommend that you stay away from the Rolex. I never wear the Rolex unless I am going to my next Mt. Everest expedition or on my 20,000 ft balloon trip challenge around the world or go some hunting expedition in Africa.  On weekend days where time is no limit, don't wear one, I would just keep surfing until the sun sets.