What to consider when choosing a surfboard

What to consider when choosing a surfboard
Posted on: Thursday December 28th, 2017
Written by: Surf N Sea
Many factors go into choosing a surfboard. Once you get comfortable surfing, you’ll develop your own preferences for type of surfboard, but when first learning to surf, there are several factors to consider:

Skill Level:

A beginner is going to use a different board than a professional. Some boards are easier to learn on because they have more floatation, which provides stability, but a professional would look for something that is smaller, more maneuverable and responsive. For beginners generally a soft-top board is good because, it’s easier on the body, thicker and wider providing the buoyancy and stability needed to learn.

Body Type:

The bigger you are, the bigger your board will be (in general) because of the volume that the board can hold. If you’re taller and weigh more, you might need a different type of board than if you’re short and spry. Depending on your body weight will determine the volume or thickness the board will need to catch waves.

Wave type:

Where you surf and what type of maneuvers do you want to do? Many surfers own several boards specific to different wave conditions. Just like you wouldn’t take a street bike down a mountain trail, some surfboards work better for certain conditions. Here are a couple examples:

• Longboard: Best for small, slow rolling waves. Due to large surface area, these boards  glide through flat sections, provide more lift and keep momentum going longer.
  
• Fish: Great for small to medium height waves that are a little steeper. These boards are loose and have more maneuverability, perfect for waves 2 feet to 4 feet.
• Gun: Guns are deigned for large waves 10 feet and over. The shapes are narrower and longer, designed to provide paddling power enabling the surfer to catch large waves and handle fast breaking waves and cutting through the water at maximum velocity.
• Shortboard: The short board is typically wider, thinner and more maneuverable designed for vertical surfing.

If you’re new to surfing, or looking for guidance on choosing your surfboard, stop by our surf shop. Our team will be able to help you find a board that is perfect for your level of surfing and the type of waves you want to ride.