Warm Winds

I recently booked surf lessons for my nieces and nephew with Warm Winds, and I can’t say enough good things about the experience! The instructors, Jake and Maggie, were absolutely fantastic. They were patient, encouraging, and really tuned in to each child’s individual level—whether it was their first time on a board or they were already catching waves. Jake brought great energy and knew just how to push the kids to try new things while keeping it fun and safe. Maggie was equally impressive—she connected so well with them, offering thoughtful tips and helping build their confidence in the water. I could tell they both genuinely cared about helping the kids improve and enjoy themselves. These sessions truly sparked their love of surfing, and I’m so grateful to Jake and Maggie for making it such a positive and memorable experience. I highly recommend this surf school to anyone looking for quality instruction with kind, professional, and skilled instructors!

Kyle! Had to share our 1st class experience purchasing a new 10 ft FCS Day cover from Warm Winds today. Kyle was knowledgeable and helpful. He brought the bag outside to test the fit to our longboard. Friendly, helpful, attentive, not pushy, polite. Thanks Kyle!

We went in there visiting from the West Coast. Sept. 5, 2025. One female employee working there folding shirts at the counter. She looked at us and kept folding clothes. Never even acknowledged us, never even came over to see if we need anything. She looked at us as we were leaving and still never said a word. RUDE!! I hope she enjoys her career folding clothes.

Kyle was incredibly patient as I spent two hours in the shop, asked a ton of questions & looked at every longboard. Finally found my new ride. You’ll find great service here. Highly recommend.

My son wanted some upgrades for his skimboard. Your employee Ryan was extremely kind and helpful and patient. He helped him pick out what he needed and did a great job installing the grips for him. Employees like Ryan will have us definitely returning again!!

The best! I’ve been wanting to get a new surfboard for a while, so I went to multiple surf shops trying to find the best option for me. I visited Warm Winds yesterday, and Nick helped me find the best board in no time! He was knowledgeable and friendly- I feel so happy with my purchase. Definitely recommend.

Easy booking over the phone, very reasonable pricing includes board, wetsuit and entry to the beach. Sam was outstanding as other reviews have said. We practiced getting up on the beach a few times, then we were into the water. It was a group of 2 so we took turns. Towards the end, I was picking my own waves and paddling solo to get a feel for whether I'd do ok flying solo. In my case, I was unusually bad at getting up and would've benefited more from doing it on the beach a few more times to focus on the emphasis items (that's just my learning style), but otherwise, all good! Sam is the perfect instructor. He's friendly, knowledgeable and gives just the right level of feedback. All of the staff were friendly at the store and at the beach, can't ask for much more. We'll be back... in fact, we just booked for tomorrow!

Four kids, two instructors, no problem! Drew and Matt were absolutely FANTASTIC! They kept four kids under the age of 11 safe and engaged when none of them had ever surfed before. The kids were over the moon and the adults had a great time watching the kids learn to hang ten. Thanks again to Matt, Drew, and Warm Winds!

Shockingly poor and dangerous service. Spent months communicating with them to plan daughter's birthday celebration. Was a task just to confirm the reservation for a lesson for 10 people. When we showed up - parking was a nightmare at the beach. I specifically asked about parking / general info ahead of time. Would have been helpful for the locals to give a couple pointers and maybe let us know that wrist bands need to be purchased for all beachgoers, but whatever - that's on me. Just seemed like a little common courtesy / customer service. Here's the real issue though. 1 instructor for 10 kids!! The beach lesson was maybe one minute long before he had all of them (ages 16 - 5yrs old) walking into ocean and getting pummeled in the break. They had no idea how to protect themselves or others from the surf board getting thrown around. Kids were getting smashed by boards around them. Several of the adults jumped into ocean to help the kids get past the break and stayed in water to ensure they were somewhat safe. The instructor seemed to only give tips to one kid at a time when he was prompted to give a tip (ie - when do you start paddling to catch a wave). Instructor admitted it was too much for him to handle on his own but that's just how WW operates. If it was a group of 10 random strangers there would be two instructors, but apparently when it's a 'private lesson' of 10ppl - only one instructor regardless of how rough the ocean is. Unacceptable. Dangerous. Should be ashamed of themselves. Find another surf shop for your lessons!

We went surfing with cayden and he was awesome, on a very windy day he was hard to hear and the waves were probably too big for me. Ring my first time but he kept encouraging us to try and I learned some safety stuff out there which felt incredibly relevant on the 4th of July. High winds meant big waves... the beach costs 12$ to get onto, with or without a booking. And you will park across the Main Street for 15$ on the holiday all day, 10$ on normal days.

Went here yesterday with my 2 year old twins and had a horrific experience. My husband and I were scolded every time the kids touched or went near anything. I understand there being a liability if the kids got hurt but there is a polite why to relay that to customer. We are made to feel extremely unwanted. At one point, an employee scolded my husband because my daughter was too close to the stairs. As a parent of little kids you are already on edge going anywhere. I do my best to make it comfortable for everyone around us. I have taken my kids everywhere with me from day 1 and have never been made to feel this way. To add insult to injury, when I went back in just to convey how bad the experience was for me, all I got were excuses instead of any apology.

A GREAT surf shop. Board shorts. Surfboards. Tee Shirts. Sweatshirts. Flip-flops. Sunglasses. Surfboards. An online webcam. Rash guards. Wetsuits. Surfboards. Great selection. Really good prices. Run by people who surf - all year round. Nice people. People who don't mind if you grew up nowhere near the ocean. Looking to look cool at the beach this summer. Drop in. Get outfitted. Look cool.

Do not buy anything more than a T-Shirt at this establishment. After purchasing a $50~ child's watch, it became defective a week later. We brought the watch in with receipt and they took possession of the watch. They indicated they would work with the manufacturer to provide a replacement. Six weeks later...after no contact...I went back in to the store to inquire. The associate said they've been working with the manufacturer but don't have a resolution (i.e. didn't do anything and dropped the ball). I asked why I wasn't contacted and there was no response. They said they could continue to work with the manufacturer and a replacement "may" be delivered to the store, but as I indicated I am not local and would not be able to pick up the replacement. They would not offer to ship it to me. Then they offered a store credit but then immediately rescinded. They would not provide a store credit or a refund. I returned the watch to them within the store return policy yet they didn't honor their own policy. I asked to speak with the manager - the associate said I would have to wait a while yet clearly she was going back and forth to communicate with the manager. Finally, the associate came back and handed me back the watch with the manufacturer warranty and said I should work with the manufacturer directly. I understand the defective watch is not their fault but they need to stand by their products and their own store return policy. Now, six weeks later, I have to start the whole process over working directly with the manufacturer. This could have been a better experience. I rarely write reviews but just had to in this case. Deeply disappointed by this establishment and as I started, do not buy anything more than a t-shirt.

Shopped here in the past but will not be back. Went in with my husband last night, planning to buy at least one pair of sunglasses. My husband who lived in gansett for 7 years, had mentioned before that their merchandise is infamously overpriced. However, being small business owners ourselves, we would be happy to give our money to a small shop, even if it means paying a little more. I did find a pair of sunglasses I wanted, as did he- both Smiths, mine were $170, and his were $180 or $190. Being end of the season, there were lots of sale signs/racks. My husband asked the man who was helping us (not really helping, he opened the sunglasses case and didn't say another word), if we bought two pairs if there could be any discount. Without looking up or making eye contact, he said: "no, no sales on sunglasses." My husband said "OK, thank you we can find them cheaper online, anyways." While I wasn't thrilled with my husbands response, the clerk immediately said "THANK YOU FOR BEING AN ASSHOLE." Naturally, we walked out and won't be back. And the best part- a quick google search in the car on the way home, I found the exact sunglasses we were about to buy for $60!! $110 cheaper! I'd shop somewhere else.

Update: They have become significantly more client friendly. We used to go into the shop a lot more. The prices are high but used to be worth the trip due to the selection. Last few times the staff has been so rude that we walked out without our purchases just because they were so ignorant. There are certainly less expensive shops so when you spend money for good quality and service, you expect it. Go elsewhere and avoid feeling slighted.

I love this place. I've caught the surf bug later in life. My first purchase was a used longboard in pristine condition. They've got racks and racks of new and used boards...you can spend some serious time wandering around the basement. But I'm writing this review based on the winter wetsuit & gear I just bought. You can roll the dice on mail order, but for something as $$ as a good wetsuit, you want to try it out in person. Employee Mike was super-helpful in getting me the right size suit. Same for boots and gloves. I was quickly out the door and over to Narragansett beach, paddling in 45 degree water...staying super warm! I see a few negative reviews but I've really never had a bad experience...guess I always hit WW when it wasn't so crowded. Support your local business, this is a great one.

Warm Winds is a very cute, very crowded surf shop with an enormous array of bikinis, boards, shorts, sunnies, and any other kind of beach/surf apparel you could dream of. Upon entering, you may feel overwhelmed as the sheer volume of stock inundates the space. However, I manages to squeeze myself through the various racks and displays to find quite a few cute times. Did I purchase said items? No. Why's that? Because, despite seeing and hearing several girls working behind the counter, not a-one greeted me, asked if I needed assistance or even acknowledged my existence, for that matter. Little did they know I would have happily purchased the bikini I was walking around with, a cover-up to go with it and the straw fedora what would have been perfect for the beach. The board selection is pretty impressive - I won't pretend to know much about surfing, but I do know that the variety of sized and shapes offered at Warm Winds is a good thing, especially since they're in such close proximity to the beach. A word for Warm Winds: you have great brands, a great location and a cool name. Just organize your space and train your staff, and you'll get your five stars, for sure.

Came in last week for a wetsuit. Ask for Cam!! He was unbelievably helpful, patient, upbeat and really knew what he was talking about. Would definitely recommend this place to my friends!

Went in here and spent some money on surf gear. The staff and management leave a lot to be desired. If you like a 100% self serve environment, then you would like it here. But when I buy technical gear, I need some help and info. I just didn't get much help or product knowledge. THE KICKER: They made me take a full day of surf board rental, even though I wanted a shorter time (which is option 1 or 2 on their website). What a scam.

Although this store has good products, it is managed unfairly. I travel to Narragansett every summer, and used to shop here regularly. As time passed, I noticed how rude and uncaring the staff was to their customers. For example, the manager of this store physically assaulted a friend of mine, as well as following other customers around at an uncomfortable distance. Don't shop here, it could be you too!

Dope shop in Narragansett. I believe it's private owned if not they have amazing service and knowledge for surfers of all levels. Also have some cool clothes and gear!

Outstanding experience! My 17 YO walked in with about 1% of the information he needed to make an informed purchase of a board for a week-long area surf camp. Mike and others on the staff spent all the time we needed, gave us the benefit of their collective experience, and even helped me to know what I needed to do to safely transport the board. I read some of the negative Yelp reviews about how impersonal the staff could be, but we experienced absolutely none of that. We could not have been happier. I'd definitely like to go back and look at the rest of the stuff they carry. Thanks, Warm Winds!

Great selection of boards, outer wear, surf gear, has a little of everything, staff was really nice. This will be the shop I buy from while I am in town.

still my favorite surf shop! bought my first board here in 1993, and have never bought a board anywhere else! The folks at Warm Winds are so cool and laid back, They are helpful and nice. They carry all the great surf gear, as well as stay up on styles. Love em. Thanks Warm Winds!

I've been going to this shop for years and find the highly negative reviews very questionable. The staff and owner have always been very friendly and very helpful not only to me but to everyone else I've witnessed in the shop. I can't comment on the prices except to say they seem to be generally in line with the many other shops I've been too, plus the board and wetsuit selection may be the largest I've ever seen anywhere. This is a great shop run by good people.

I found Warm Winds to be an excellent place to shop. It is much bigger than it looks from outside, and they have a lot of merchandise (reviewer Chris already listed most of it). I found the sales staff to be super helpful and friendly. They answered my novice questions patiently and offered valuable opinions when solicited. They went over and above when I had an issue with a skim board, were quick to respond and very customer service oriented. I would highly recommend them

i bought an item here for a gift last week and, upon purchase, inquired about the return policy if the gift didn't fit. I was told I could return the item and/or exchange it. Of course, the gift was the wrong size and when i tried to return it, i was informed by the snarky sales girl that i needed the receipt (a detail that was not mentioned when the inquiry was made). Not only was she snarky, but she then proceeded to watch me as a looked through the store for a replacement item as if i was going to steal something. I did find the receipt and attempted to again exchange the item, this time only to find that the item was not labeled correctly - a store error. At my third trip to return the item, the same snarky cashier quipped in an attempt to be funny that the item was not returnable. The short of this diatribe is that the store does have cool surf gear BUT, the staff attitudes suck! having spent the better part of the last two decades in southern california, i can attest first hand that this surf shop while it may have the corner market here in RI, would not stand a chance in real surf towns where the attitudes there are genuine and authentically laid back, not "I'm too cool for you because I surf " . I guess if you're the only game in town you can afford to skimp on customer service.

We had an excellent experience. My 11 year old son took a lesson with Casey today. It was his first time surfing and he got up in no time. Casey was super nice, knowledgeable, and obviously works well with kids. My son had a great time, he can't wait to rent a board and get out there to practice some more. Now his younger brother wants a private lesson and maybe I'll give it a try too. We stopped in the shop afterwards and I bought a cute top, half off. The girls behind the counter were friendly. Also, I stopped in a few months ago to look at SUPs and found the staff to be very helpful and informative then too. I highly recommend this shop for families, and people of all ages. We'll be back for sure.

They gave me great customer service. Beautiful store with great products. Wen I walked it I said wow. They have a ton of stuff. I went downstairs and they had a tone of surf boards. A great surf shop. Great displays. If only I could surf.

So surprised by some negative comments on here. I've been coming to this shop for years and it always seems to be expanding and growing. The staff are always helpful and friendly. It is by far the best shop in the area, I'd never go anywhere else.

I signed up for the private surfing lesson and was with an instructor named Casey. It was a perfect experience- he was extremely helpful and well-spoken, and had knowledge to share about anything I asked. He was very encouraging and shared great tips while we were in the water, and was always making sure I had all my questions answered. His knowledge of the sport of surfing really showed when he would make tiny corrections after I'd wipe out time after time, and eventually I was able to ride some small waves, which really made my trip. I'd recommend a surf lesson with Casey any day- it was so fun and informative, and I already know I'll do it again next time I'm in the area!

Honestly, I have heard the bad stuff about WW over the years but can only speak from my own experience which was phenomenal. I special ordered a board from Stewart and Ryan took an enormous amount of time to make sure the design was right and to clearly explain the process. When I finally went to pick up my board I was speechless by how perfect it was. Another buddy of mine out here in Western Mass went through the same special order process with Ryan and also raved about how on it he was. Always been impressed by the amount of great boards they have in stock as well - just last week they got a mouth-watering shipment of Takayamas to make any long boarder drool. Great Shop!

Surf shop is huge.. Did a lesson and bought a wetsuit from them. Lesson was amazing. KC the instructor was awesome. Super chill and helpful. Wetsuit was well priced on sale and the young lady who helped me was great... Absolutely recommend this place.

My friends and I took a lesson with Casey and he was great. We were both a little nervous but he took his time with us and we both were able to stand up a few times! I would recommend Warm Winds lessons to anyone who wants to try, I truly believe you will not get a better lesson. Casey also did a lesson with my two younger cousins earlier in the summer he was amazing with them as well. They couldn't stop talking about him the rest of the summer! He was great with kids and twenty-something year olds!

Totally agree with the people who said the staff is rude and they have dumb policies regarding rentals, returns. Hopefully someone opens up another surf shop so this place is forced to act like a company that values its customers. I've been to many surf shops in a lot of different places and have never run into a bunch of more condescending, less helpful people than the people who work at Warm WInds. Needless to say I will not be returning.

I had a terrible time at this store. The return policy is asinine; once they have your money, don't ever thing about getting it back, they will not credit your account under any circumstances. The stock is very limited, and overpriced. Any surfers worth their salt are better off supporting another local store, this one robs their customers (check price comparisons online for ready proof). The last time I was in a pinch and had to stop there, the clerk acted snobbish to my mother and when I asked for the information so I could complain, he wouldn't give it to me! And basically told me they don't care. You are a fool to shop here, and if you let them take your money you deserve the poor treatment.

I've never had anything bad to say about this shop until today, their customer service was down right rude. We had come in asking some questions looking to add things to a new board and it seemed like they were happy to help until we left and realized we had forgotten something, I ran back in to ask a question and no one came to the door, instead I heard the employees talking in the back room about how the customer who just left kept asking questions about this and that and how he sounded like an amateur. Word to the wise, listen for the doorbell in your shop and watch what you say because you never know who is listening...

I have been a customer of Warm Winds for nearly 10 years. The service has always been excellent. I tend to always want something out of the norm. They always try to help me.They always get back to me. Appreciate the extra efforts.

Worst experience I've had in a store. Terribly return policies, hIked prices, and rude staff. I'll drive an hour away before going here again.

My faith in customer service has been restored, thanks to one very accommodating owner at Warm Winds! Thank you, Ryan, for reaching out to us. My husband has been shopping at your store for many years...lets just say since he was a teenager! I'm sure he will continue to do so. Your swift response to our dilemma has maintained a very satisfied customer! Thanks again.

Warm Winds is a wonderful resource for all things surf and sand. I've found the staff to be very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. They have quality gear and plenty of inventory to choose from. I've made both big and small purchases here and have always been happy with the transaction. The prices are fair...I don't feel like I've overpaid for anything; surfboards, wetsuits or clothing. My wife doesn't surf and she even enjoys the store. Last season I took a few lessons and had a real good time with the instructor. He was very helpful. Warm Winds has always been a great experience! They've earned the 5 stars.