Surfboard Buying Guide

The first thing that you should know when looking to purchase a new surfboard is what you want from it. There are a million different shapes and sizes, all of which serve different purposes. You want to narrow it down as much as possible in terms of preference so that the market doesn’t overwhelm you. 

At the dawn of the surf, it was pretty easy. It was just a plank that you got on to and did your best not to fall over, but today, creating a surfboard is bordering art. 

There is the utilitarian side of it, sure, but there’s also the aesthetic side. In a perfect world, you don’t want to sacrifice one for the other, and with a bit of luck, you’ll never have to.

If you want to be picky about it, then you have to take every little detail into account. And we mean everything. Your weight, your expertise, your age... Your body type, skill set, fitness, injury record, etc. However, in most cases, you won’t be turning pro anytime soon, so start with the big things.

Buying a Board as a Beginner

The worst thing you can do as a beginner is get the wrong board for you and keep going with it. You don’t want your love for surfing to fade because of your equipment—set yourself up for success. Don’t go for a shortboard because that’s what you’ve seen in amazing videos.

But, how do you know when you’ve found the right board for you? Take our word for it: you’ll definitely know. It will fit like a glove and feel like an extension of your body. If your board doesn’t feel that way, then we hate to break it to you, but you’re probably surfing the wrong board, and it’s time for a switch. 

Either way, there are three main things to consider when buying a new surfboard, and they come down to the dimensions, volume, and build. 

Let’s take a closer look at all of them and see where your tastes lie. 

Dimensions

The first and most obvious thing that you’ll want to consider when starting your journey towards a new surfboard is the dimensions. 

You have to take a close look at the length, thickness, and width of a board in order to get a good estimate if it’s cut out to do the job that you’ll be asking it to do. 

Are you surfing shallow waters? Will you need a board that can do sharp turns? What about stability? More? Always more, right? Well, it’s not that simple. The sweet spot of a board lies in the details. 

In most cases, as a beginner, you will want to gravitate towards bigger surfboards. This is not ideal for quick and sharp turns, but it will provide a lot more stability, which will directly go towards your confidence.

Remember that the wider a board is, the easier it’s going to be for you to place your feet. As a beginner, you won’t quite know where to place your feet at all times, and this might lead to you losing balance and falling over a lot. We don’t want that. Before you go into the length, make sure that the width is right. 

Once the width is settled, take a look at some lengths. How tall are you? Does an 8-foot surfboard look outrageously long in comparison to you? If not, then an 8-foot longboard is a good place to start. 

If this seems way out of proportion with your body, you can take a look at some 7-footers as well. 

The Solution

A great example of this would be The Solution surfboard. Known far and wide for its outstanding versatility, the Solution offers riders the most diversity out of any of the Chemistry models. It will definitely cover most of your needs as a beginner surfer, but it also has a lot of space for growth.

It features a unique concave that lends itself to paddling and offers a great deal of control because your feet are very close to the water. 

If that doesn't cut it for you, you can even go with something like the Padillac.

The Padillac 

The Padillac can be the perfect surfboard for those that are looking for a wider outline and more volume. This board is excellent for paddling and has a lot of inherent drive to it. But, get this: because it has a curved rocker, it retains a ton of maneuverability as well. 

Beginners will probably love this board because it will give them that extra push of confidence. Did we mention that you can mount up to five fins? Crazy right? 

Volume

The volume is the area that the board occupies. This is measured in liters—as in liters contained or how many liters fit into the volume of the board. As with the width, you will want a board with a substantial amount of volume if you are looking for a more stable ride. 

Having a lot of volume can have its shortcomings in some areas, but you’re presumably getting your feet wet and not going for the best performance board on the market. 

It’s very easy to calculate the ideal board volume based on your body type, dimensions, and weight, but there is no better way to see if a board is right for you than a real-life scenario. 

So, yes, by all means, use the volume calculator to get an estimate of what would suit you, but the final verdict has to be made in the real world. 

The South Bay Board Co. 8' Guppy

Boards such as the 8-foot Guppy are in high demand when it comes to beginner surfboards. 

Standing at 8’, the Guppy's features a rounded nose which gives it a lot of buoyancy, speed, and passability. It’s super comfortable because of its 80-liter volume construction, so you won’t be sinking anytime soon, and its wide squash tail gives the rider enough control and stability so that they feel in command at all times. 

The Build

Last but certainly not least is the build of the board. Which materials were used, and how was it put together? 

Before going into the build, make sure that you already have a rough idea of what you’re after in terms of dimensions and volume. 

If you’re buying a board first-hand and say that you’re a beginner, they will undoubtedly throw a foam board at you, but this is not a hard rule, and you don’t want to go with the first thing you see. 

That being said, foam boards are great. They are very lightweight, feature soft tops, and are quite durable. The best part is that they are quite affordable, as far as surfboards go. 

But if foam is not cutting it for you, you can always take a look at fiberglass or wood-made ones. After all, they were the original board build way back when. 

Fiberglass boards are surfboards that feature a polyurethane core that is covered in fiberglass. While they are great for a number of things, they aren’t as durable as the foam ones. And if you are starting out, it’s safe to say that you are hitting more than a few forks in the road before you learn how to steer with the best of them. 

However, if you’re serious about your craft, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at our OMBE Method of learning. You just might be surprised at what you can achieve. 

EPS or Epoxy Surfboards

EPS or Epoxy surfboards are the new kid on the block. They are the latest in technology and design. They feature an expanded polystyrene foam core that has an epoxy resin coating.  

For the most part, they are lighter than the foam boards and a lot more durable than the fiberglass ones.  But there are a few things that you should consider before going for one. 

If you don’t consider yourself to be an absolute beginner, and if you have some experience with foam boards, then maybe it’s time to take a look at some EPS longboards. 

The build on these is absolutely spot-on in most cases. You are getting a modern design that has a lot of thickness, volume, and length without sacrificing much in the weight department. 

Mini-mals

Mini-mals build on what soft tops can offer you in terms of skill development and overall progress. 

Feel free to look into vintage shapes, such as the fish surfboard design, that are usually both thicker and wider than your run-of-the-mill board. 

Having said that, you will want to pay close attention to the setup on fish boards because having a twin, thruster, or quad fin setup makes all the difference in the world. Usually, the shorter the board, the more the fins come into play. 

They are great performers on big wave surfs because you are able to correct any move in the blink of an eye and not drag on the consequences of a wrong foot placement or turn. 

They are also great if you are looking to make a transition into shortboards but don’t want to cut directly from long to short. 

Although these are the main parameters that should be on your list, there are also other things to consider, and for the most part, they are tied in with your style of surfing and the conditions that you are surfing in. 

So, there is no one-size-fits-all here, just a general guide. 

In Closing…

A perfect surfboard buying guide is hard to come by. Your local surf shop can endorse fish surfboards or a certain type of surfboard fins and take you away from the foam surfboard rack. Having said that, a surf shop is not the first place you should be going to. At least not without going for a few surf lessons and learning how to catch waves first.