Surfboard Racks

There are no two ways about it: while the surfboard is not the most important thing in the surfing world, it’s definitely up there. Sure, there are surfers that have done exceptional things with unconventional boards, but those are few and far between. 

You want to take the whole ordeal of choosing the right surfboard rack seriously. It’s a good idea to take the long read and go through a lot of options before you finally settle for one. It can be a long, tedious process that takes up a lot of time, effort, and money. 

Not to worry, though—if you persevere in your pursuit, you will find a rack that fits both your needs and standards perfectly. 

You want to protect your boards and not throw them around and render them unusable in a short period of time. This is where surfboard racks come in, and we’re here to tell you all about them.  

What Is a Surfboard Rack?

In essence, surfboard racks can be anything that is utilized as board storage. Yes, you can throw a blanket on your board and call it a day, but you don’t really want to do that unless you’re being funny. 

When it comes to a surfboard rack, you will find that there are two main types of racks that you can go for. Neither is better than the other, but they do come off as quite different, especially when it comes to storage space. The two main options that you can go for are the vertical and the horizontal racks. 

Why Get a Surf Rack?

There are a lot of different factors that will lead you to getting a surf rack. Let’s narrow them down to the most essential and common ones. 

Space

Most longboards will be about ten feet tall and won’t fit in your closet. This means that you might face big problems when it comes to finding a space to store your favorite longboard. Even if you don’t own longboards, this one’s pretty self-explanatory.

Safety

You might not think that you will need to keep people at bay from a surfboard when it comes to their safety but think again. That ten-foot plank can fall on someone at the wrong angle fins first. But that’s only one side of it; you also want to keep your board safe from dings, scratches, or hits, and that’s much easier to do when it has its place. 

Tidiness

If you have more than one surfboard, then you have to get a rack; there is no way around it. Maybe with one, you can just use the old blanket trick, but if you have a couple and an appetite for a couple of more, then you want to keep your living space clean and neat by keeping your boards organized. You don’t want to have them under your bed and against walls.  

Convenience 

With everything sitting neat and tidy, it’s very convenient to just walk up to the rack and pick it apart for the gear you need. Also, if you need to move your boards to another spot, it’s super easy to just deal with a rack instead of hand-carrying every single one across halls with glass and vases all around. 

Display

Well, aside from everything we just mentioned, surfboards just look amazing when they are displayed in a rack. They sort of become an art display. It’s up to you to match the colors and light to make it just right. All of this is available and can be done to your liking. If you dream it, there is probably a way to build it, so express yourself. 

What to Look for When Buying Surf Racks

There is almost as broad a selection of racks as there is of surfboards. There are a million things to consider when coming up with the perfect rack. Keep an eye on these few key points, and you should be good to go. 

Materials

Not all surf racks are built equal. Naturally, a lot of this is reflected on the price, and it goes beyond the design and functionality. The build quality, the quality control at the factory, and the raw materials that are used make all the difference in the world. 

Mounting Points

A crucial thing to consider when getting a new surf rack is where and how it can be mounted, or if it can be mounted at all. If you are looking for something that hangs from your wall or ceiling, you will want to take that into consideration. 

Check for the attachment points: the type and the number. Do they fit in your grand scheme of things? You do not want a rack that will come flying down from the ceiling because you couldn’t mount it properly. 

Padding

This is a super obvious one, but the padding is the thing that stands between your surfboard and the hard materials of which the rack is made of. Do not cut corners on the padding. Get the best quality out there. You are bound to regret it when you see random scratches if you cheap out on this. 

The padding should cover all hard surfaces and run through the entirety of the frame. That being said, a lot of car racks come with no mounting, so you have to get it separately. Or is now the time to go for that blanket? Just joking, of course. 

Types of Surfboard Racks

Alright, so we touched on this in the beginning, but there are a lot of different types of surfboard racks to consider. The first thing that you are going to want to think about is whether you want your rack to be for indoor or outdoor use. 

It comes down to how good the sealing of the rack is and, of course, its aesthetic nature. You don’t want your boards on display in an aluminum trunk in your living room. 

Indoor racks are more about the experience and look of things. Yes, they do offer protection, but that’s not the main selling point. Outdoor racks, on the other hand, are tanks that are built to withstand heavy-duty use and abuse. 

Horizontal and Vertical Racks

Right, so you have made your choice of an indoor or outdoor rack. Now, it’s time to take a look if your rack should be vertical or horizontal. 

If you are mainly surfing shortboards, then a vertical rack would be the way to go because you will be able to move the rack easily through the space without having to worry about the ceiling and anything that hangs from it. 

Now, if your board selection is a bit of a mixed bag or if you are a longboard surfer, then you will probably want to go with the horizontal racks. 

Even though they are more bully and will take up more space in your room, they are still mobile and can be moved from place to place, unlike wall-mounted racks. 

Wall-mounted racks are best for surfers that don’t really want to switch things up too much and are set on what they like. By opting for wall-mounted racks, you are sacrificing mobility for aesthetics. 

The displays are beautiful and can seriously be considered pieces of art if that’s your thing. Wall mounts also free up a lot of space in your room. However, you have to be mindful of how much weight you put on there. Every rack has a different maxim threshold that it can take. 

Car Mounted Racks

Of course, there are riders that all but live on the road, so it makes little sense for them to have to mount and unmount their racks on a day-to-day basis. 

This is usually where getting a car rack makes a lot of sense. Look, you’re going to want a car mount either way, but if you’re really using your car and switching surf spots, you will want to invest a lot into your car rack - it’s your alpha and omega. 

You can go for both a hard and a soft car rack, the latter of which is more mobile, but we recommend that you go for the hard rack because it provides an added layer of security. 

Bike Racks

So, what about surfers that don't have cars or those that use mopeds and bikes to transport their boards? 

Well, there are racks for that as well. These racks can be a bit pricier because they highly depend on your vehicle. In essence, they are extensions that are added to your bike.

Things to Be Aware Of

Height

For the most part, surfboards are just too big and take up a lot of space to be stored and transported without additional care about how the transport and storage will be executed. 

You will need to be aware of the height of everything in relation to your rack. 

Yes, the ceiling might be the most obvious of forks in the road here, but literally everything that might get caught up between the board rack and its movement is a hazard. 

So, be sure to have height clearance on the trajectory before planning out your moves. 

Yes, we know that the rack isn’t that much higher than the longest boards, but those few inches can scrape everything in sight. 

If you measure for horizontal placement, make sure to include the fins as well, or you will be doing one of those not counting yourself when counting the group mishaps. 

Straps

A strap is a strap right? No, not even remotely. You want to be very particular with your straps. Consider everything - the size, the width, the length, the materials, and the buckles.

Neoprene buckles are great when you are trying to make a cushion between your car and the rack that is sitting on it. 

You can also go for locking straps so that you can leave your car with your rack on it and not worry whether they are going to be there when you return. 

You don’t want to leave your rack on your vehicle with non-locking straps and spend the night or be away from it for a prolonged period of time. You are basically giving free boards away if you do.

Price

It goes without saying that the price of the rack plays a big role in your final verdict. You might want to go one of two ways here. Most surfers either go for the most bang for their buck scenario, or they go all out so that they can get the best of the best.

Cheap, poorly built racks are out of the question. Don't even consider them. You won’t be saving any money if you get them because you will have to get a solid rack in a very short while, so save yourself the trouble and headache and skip them altogether. 

Noise

Noise and pushback are usually the last things on a surfer's mind when they are shopping for a surfing rack. It’s important to consider whether the rack is aerodynamic or not if you plan on taking it on the highway. It might seem obvious, but nobody takes this into account until their whole car starts buzzing from the wind breaking up against their rack. 

Hard racks come with special aero bars that slice through the air and keep the noise down.

Compatibility

Even though there is more room for wiggle when you are choosing a rack for your car than your moped, it’s still not a one size fits all scenario. 

You have to pick a rack that is compatible with your car. If you are going for a hard rack, you should definitely call the manufacturer and ask if their racks are compatible with your car model. 

Soft roof racks are more forgiving, and for the most part, they can fit anywhere. 

Function

Before you get a rack, you will want to know its function. When and where are you going to be using it? What are you going to be storing in there? For how long? Everything is down to form and function, so know what you are after before you commit. You have to know how many surfboards you want to store, what types of boards, and for which purpose. 

In Closing…

Now you know that surf racks come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you settle for horizontal surfboard racks, surfboard wall racks, or freestanding surfboard racks, you want to consider your needs and preferences first. 

A thick foam padding wall rack with a protective rubber strip isn’t considered a versatile rack. A surfboard stand, on the other hand, can serve as a surfboard rack anywhere. 

When it comes to transport, whether you are carrying a single board or multiple stuffing boards, you want to keep your boards safe.

The reality is that you won’t be able to find the rack you need at first glance. So, take it slow and learn as you go. It will take a while, but it should come together in the end.