How to buy your first surfboard

Posted on November 4, 2007
Filed Under - leisure |

Buying your first surfboard is very exciting but also daunting as there are many types of surfboards out there and differences in shape, materials etc are a pretty technical subject.

The key thing to focus on is to get a board that is right for you, not just the latest trendy brand or shape. If you get the wrong kind of surfboard you won’t be able to surf it properly, you’ll get discouraged and you won’t have fun in the water. You might even give up surfing altogether, which would be a real pity!

Tunnel Vision surf shop

How do you know which surfboard is right for you? Ideally, you would talk to someone who knows their stuff - your surf instructor, if you have one, might be a good start. If you can get to Newquay, I highly recommend Tunnel Vision surf shop (seen in the picture above). They will give you honest advice with absolutely no expectation that you will then spend money in their shop.

Alternatively, see if you can try out a few different boards before committing to buying one. Borrow from friends, ask surf hire owners very nicely!

Although the best advice will come from an expert, you can do youself a favour by picking up some basic information that will help you to understand all the surfboard jargon. Here’s what I found useful when I was buying my first board.

Softboards

When buying your first surfboard, there are two main aspects to consider: length and materials. If you go to a surf school, the first board you ride will be a ‘foamie’, a 9 ft-plus foam longboard which is very stable, soft and easy to ride. However, there’s little point buying one of these because you will outgrow it very quickly.

Bilbo surfboardLongboards and shortboards

If you are interested in longboarding, you will progress to a hard longboard, also known as a mal (short for malibu) which is anything over 8 foot. If you are interested in shortboarding, you will progress to a hard shortboard, which is under 7 foot.

Briefly, longboards are more buoyant, stable and easier to paddle than shortboards, and shortboards are much more manoeuvrable than longboards. Most surfers that you see on TV or in the water will be riding shortboards. But longboarding has a following in the UK partly because longboards are easier to ride in crap surf – of which we get rather a lot! Experienced surfers often have several boards of different dimensions and designs that they ride in different surf conditions. And if you are a big lad, you might never bother with a shortboard as it won’t have enough bouyancy.

Mini-mals

But that’s jumping ahead. There’s an intermediate level when you are progressing from your beginner longboard to a shortboard, which is the mini-mal. These are usually 7 – 9 foot, and somewhat easier to carry than a full longboard. People who only surf a couple of times a year may never manage to progress beyond a mini-mal, so it’s a popular board to buy. This also means that it is relatively easy to pick one up second hand in decent condition - and sell it again once you’ve outgrown it.

Fibreglass and Epoxy

Most surfboards are either made of polyurethane foam and fibreglass with a polyester resin (fibreglass boards). Or they are made with polystyrene foam and epoxy resin (epoxy boards). It’s all getting a bit technical here but the basic difference is that epoxy boards are more durable and lighter but less flexible, whereas fibreglass boards are more flexible and perform better.

Custom and Pop Out

The other basic difference to be aware of is between Pop Out boards and Custom boards. Custom boards are shaped by hand, whereas Pop Out boards are produced from a factory mould. Most people prefer a Custom board to a Pop Out, but Pop Outs tend to be cheaper. Somewhat misleadingly, Custom in this context doesn’t necessarily mean shaped for you. Actually the best type of board to buy is a genuine ‘custom’ board, where the board has been shaped for you personally. It is definitely something to consider, even for your first board.

Buying guides

I’ve been having a look at surfboard buying guides on the internet and I haven’t found one yet that I would wholeheartedly recommend. It’s a difficult topic to write about in a brief article. Most guides either don’t have enough information or they are just confusing. However, some are useful and I have listed them below.

For a clear, concise explanation of the basics aimed at beginners, look at this site from New Zealand.

To find out more about surfboard types and shapes, check out the guide from secondhandboards.com.

There’s a more detailed, idiosyncratic guide from The Little Pink Shop in Croyde. It’s not the clearest article in the world but it makes a brave attempt to explain some of the subtleties for the reader who wants to dig a little deeper. Be aware though that they concentrate on the brands that they stock – there are other brands out there worth considering.

360guide, which also has an excellent wetsuit buying guide, also has some interesting material on surfboards. There is a comprehensive explanation of surfboard features, which is fascinating background but more information than you really need if you are a beginner. There’s also an entertaining canter through the history of the surfboard which is worth a read.

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