Surf spot

Silver Back

Forecast conditions and map view for Silver Back in Panama. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Panama
Coordinates: 9.3611, -82.2047

Metric
Metric	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00
Wave height (m)	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.9	1	1	1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1	1	1	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.7
Wave direction	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE
Wave period (s)	5.9	6	6.3	6.5	6.6	6.7	6.7	6.7	7	7.5	7.3	7.3	7.3	7.3	7	7	7.1	7.2	7.2	7	7	6.9	6.5	6.5	6.5	6.5	6.6	6.6	6.3	6.3	6.3	6	6	6	6.1	6.1	6	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.6	5.6	5.7	5.8	5.9	6	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.8	5.9	6.1	6.2	6	6
Wave energy (kJ)	42	42	49	55	59	59	70	82	101	117	134	134	134	127	121	123	122	119	112	103	90	81	73	68	66	65	67	64	59	53	50	47	45	42	41	39	36	30	28	27	25	21	21	21	22	22	21	21	21	23	28	30	32	31	31	31
Wind speed (km/h)	5.4	7	5.4	6.1	14.8	17.1	11.2	8.2	8.5	8.1	8	11.8	12.6	13.5	12.3	4.3	4.8	6.5	5.2	4.6	9.7	12.8	10.9	11.6	12.3	6.6	3.6	2.5	10.4	11.9	10.7	6.2	7.6	5.8	6.9	11.2	15	11.8	11.5	9.3	7.4	5.4	5.1	2.2	7.9	7.3	0.7	5.1	3.7	3.4	3.2	4.1	10.5	9	5.8	5.8
Wind direction	WCross	WNWCross-on	WCross-on	NNWOnshore	NOnshore	NNWOnshore	NWOnshore	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	WCross-on	NNWOnshore	NWOnshore	NWOnshore	NWOnshore	WGlassy	WNWGlassy	WCross	SWCross-off	NNWGlassy	NOnshore	NNWOnshore	NWCross-on	WNWCross-on	NWCross-on	WCross-on	WGlassy	NGlassy	NECross-on	NOnshore	WNWCross-on	WCross-on	WSWCross	WCross-on	WCross-on	NNWOnshore	NOnshore	NNWOnshore	NWCross-on	WNWCross-on	WNWCross-on	WCross	SWCross-off	EGlassy	NECross-on	NNECross-on	NGlassy	WCross	WGlassy	WSWGlassy	WSWGlassy	NEGlassy	NECross-on	NNECross-on	NOnshore	WNWCross-on

Silver Back, Panama is a powerful, reef/point-style surf break known for fast, hollow waves and a heavy takeoff. It’s the kind of spot that can deliver excellent barrels when the swell lines up, but it generally suits confident intermediate to advanced surfers rather than beginners.

What it’s like

Wave type: Mostly a reef break, often breaking with speed and shape
Best on: Solid groundswells, especially when the swell direction and tide are right
Character: Can be punchy, steep, and occasionally forgiving if the sand/reef setup is working well
Difficulty: Moderate to advanced due to power, shallow sections, and timing required

Conditions

Tide sensitivity: Usually works best on a specific tide window, often mid to lower tide depending on the exact setup
Wind: Offshore winds help keep the faces clean and make the wave more manageable
Crowds: Can be relatively uncrowded compared to more famous Panamanian breaks, but that depends on season and access

Hazards

Shallow reef / rock exposure
Strong currents
Powerful surf on bigger swells
Potentially heavy wipeouts

Best for

Surfers looking for powerful, barrelling tropical waves
People comfortable surfing reef breaks
Experienced surfers chasing less crowded setups in Panama