General
cutback
What does cutback mean?
A turn performed on the shoulder or flats of a wave to bring the surfer back toward the breaking, most powerful part.
"She linked a smooth cutback back into the pocket."
Origin
Surf term for 'cutting back' toward the wave's power source.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cutback in surfing?
It's a sweeping turn back toward the curl and pocket of the wave, used to return to the most powerful, breaking part after riding out onto the flat shoulder.
Why do surfers cutback?
Riding too far onto the flat shoulder loses power, so the cutback swings you back to where the wave is still breaking and pushing.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
