Wave Height Converter

Hawaiian scale measures waves at roughly half the face height. A 4-foot Hawaiian wave has a face height of around 8 feet. The tradition comes from Hawaiian surfers who measured the back of the wave rather than the face. It's why North Shore surf reports can sound deceptively small — '10-foot Hawaiian' is a very serious 18-20 foot face.

4 feet equals approximately 1.2 meters. A 4-foot wave is roughly chest high on an average surfer. In Hawaiian scale, 4 feet face height is reported as 2 feet. This is a fun, manageable size for intermediate surfers at most breaks.

Most modern surf forecasts (including Quiver) use face height in feet — the height of the wave face as seen by a surfer paddling toward it. Some forecasts use significant wave height (Hs) from buoy data, which is a statistical average and typically smaller than surfable face height. Always check which scale a forecast uses.

Beginners generally do best in waves 2-3 feet face height (knee to waist high). These waves have enough power to push you but aren't large enough to be dangerous. Once comfortable, 4-5 foot waves (chest to head high) are a great next step. Avoid surf above head high until you're a confident swimmer and have solid pop-up technique.

Back height (also called trough height) measures the wave from the trough — the lowest point at its base — to the crest, seen from behind the wave. It's roughly 70% of the face height. Some forecasters and older reports use back height because it's easier to measure from the shore.