TechJune 30, 2026·6 min read

Inside Palm Springs Surf Club's Ex-Pro Setting Menu

How a former CT surfer rebuilt PSSC's wave library, and why the new "Snapper" setting is quietly the best barrel in North America.

Illustration of Palm Springs Surf Club Surf Loch wave pool with San Jacinto mountains and mid-century architecture.

Palm Springs Surf Club runs on Surf Loch, a pneumatic caisson pool with more per-wave programmability than any tech on the market. The physical pool has been the same since day one. What changed this year is the menu: a former CT surfer joined the operations team full-time and rebuilt the wave library from scratch.

What actually changed

PSSC's caissons fire in software-defined sequences. Every setting is a script, pressure, timing, angle, per-caisson. The new menu re-scripts every advanced setting around one principle: the wave should reward a critical bottom turn.

The five settings worth booking

  • ~"Snapper", head-high right, quick bowl into a two-second barrel section. Currently the best pool barrel in North America.
  • ~"Kirra", long, workable right wall built for repetition. Ideal for tuning turns.
  • ~"Backdoor", short, ledgy left with a heavy takeoff. Advanced only.
  • ~"Sandbar", playful right ramp, made for punts.
  • ~"Waikiki 2.0", the beginner setting, but with a slightly steeper shoulder to force earlier commitment.

Written and hand-verified by Wave Pool Party.

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