Newport Surf School

Stay away. Matt is one of the most ridiculous people I’ve ever encountered. I took the four lesson curriculum. The so-​called «curriculum» is nonexistent. It’s the same old push and cheer lessons as anywhere else only Matt is constantly trying to sell you something: more lessons, custom boards, consulting to help you shop for the perfect board. Constantly. During a lesson right after riding across a green wave for the first time he pulled me out to tell me how important it was to get the right board and how great his shaper’s boards were. That’s it, then he sent me back in. When after my third lesson I asked about «the curriculum» he pulled out a binder of old magazine clippings and photocopies from books. He guarded the binder jealously and kept saying it was proprietary even though it was a collection of other people’s work. He fingered through the binder talking briefly about whatever happened to be on each page with no direction at all. That’s the curriculum. Overall impression was a nutty guy who was desperate to make more money off me.
Update 4÷18÷15. Matt sent this msg in response to this review:
Matt B: What the hell is up with your negative review of my curriculum and staff!!! I can’t beleive the slander you wrote either claiming I didn’t give you a full curriculum and it was like all the other lower level surf schools/​camps pushing you in the white water??? You deffinately take the cake in the name «KOOK» which we locals give to BARNEYS like you who have nothing better to do with your miserable than to slam a true professional like me!!! You stay away, we real cool locals don’t need idiots like you anyhow crowding up the line up with your uncool idiotic manic behavior!!! Stay back in N.C. with all your ass hole friends too!!! You need them!!!
Stay away.

Young instructor was doing more surfing than teaching

I just finished the four session curriculum and I can tell you it is worth it!!! I also paid Matt for an in-​shop council and I have an amazing board now, great equipment, and without question I ended up saving money, even with Matt’s fee. He really put in the time to hunt down and find me a killer board. The reason I decided to join a surf school verses having a friend teach me or paying for one of the watered-​down, one-​lesson, shove-​you-​in-​the-​white-​water options other schools provide is that I know from other sports that you get what you pay for. For example, I’ve been an aggressive snowboarder for years and learned by taking proper lessons from the get go. I’ve always been able to spot people who aren’t properly taught – even the ones that have multiple seasons under their belt. They look sloppy and unbalanced. Sure, they get by, but why would you simply want to get by? Get the proper foundation to grow from so you can be safe, progress quickly, and have fun!
Here’s a tip, if it’s off-​season and you are thinking of learning surfing, DON’T wait; do the lessons before high-​season. It’s cold but that’s what wetsuits are for. There are less people in the water, less people taking lessons so you get Matt’s full attention (not that his instructors aren’t top-​notch, but he simply has more years of teaching experience), and you have time to practice and feel confident and ready when summer hits!
I look forward to taking advance lessons once I am ready to progress to the next level.

Compare prices and credentials, this is better for the money. This seems expensive because they want you to book all four lessons at once, but they will do a single. Matt is very direct and forthcoming, some may be uncomfortable with that. If you just want a lesson so you can say you did it, this might not be your place, but if you really want to learn to surf, this is your place. He will take care of tourists, though they’re best suited to the serious-​minded. He has maybe six hired instructors who are all great. They are all very patient. I highly recommend the four lesson curriculum. (Could you learn the guitar after one lesson?). Learn from best and take advantage of the excellent teachers. I can surf now.