5 Tips for Buying Your First Surfboard (Plus My Recommendations!)
So, you’re looking to buy your first surfboard? The seemingly endless number of options can be a bit overwhelming. As a beginner, how can you be sure that you’ve bought the right one? Of course, you want to find the sweet spot between price, quality and skill level, right? Well, I’ve put together a list of some things to consider when purchasing your first surfboard. Hopefully they help you cut through the clutter and get out there to catch some waves!
1. Understand What Type of Surfer You Are
Before buying a board, take into account all the variables which determine what type of surfer you are. How much do you weigh? What types of waves will you be catching (this will be based on your skill level of course)? What’s your level of fitness? All of these questions will help you determine your board type. For the purposes of this blog, we will assume you are a beginner surfer (i.e. you’ve only been surfing a handful of times.)
2. Buy Used
First, definitely consider buying used! It can be tempting to simply buy the most expensive board on the market and call it a day. Don’t do this! The reality is this first surfboard will be used to improve your skill set that you currently have (if any at all). This really will be a temporary type of board because as you progress in your skill set you will definitely want to move on to a more advanced type of board / shape and / or size.
Alternatively, you might be considering a higher-end board that happens to be on sale rather than choosing a similarly priced beginner board. While this may be a great deal, consider again that this board will be temporary for like a year at most if you are committed to advancing your skills. So don’t blow a bunch of cash on a new stick...it’s like buying a new car off the dealer’s lot...you will lose money right when you walk out of that surf shop door :)
Also, it can’t hurt to check other sources such as Craigslist, upon closed Facebook groups, or by asking your friends, to name a few other options. I know that you can find a quality board to learn on without breaking the bank.
3. Board Types
I do not recommend that you start out with a soft top board. A lot of surf programs put people on these types of boards more for a liability reason than to help one progress at the art of wave riding. If you are serious about surfing then get a “real” surfboard. And by real I mean either a polyurethane or epoxy type of board. Since I’m assuming you are new to the sport the longer and thicker the surfboard is the easier it will be to paddle and to surf on the board due to it being extremely buoyant. The downside to these longer and thicker boards are that they are relatively heavy and are hard to get through the oncoming surf. But for beginning levels you want the ease of paddling and buoyancy factor in your corner. You most likely won’t be heading to the outside to surf the unbroken waves just yet anyway. So a stable easy to ride board is key to start.
4. Board Dimensions
You need a board that fits your ability level. As mentioned above, longboards are the ticket to learning to surf. The board lengths for men starting out should be in the 9’0” – 9’6” range and for the ladies 8’6” – 9’0”. These recommendations depend of course on each individual’s weight. The shape you are looking for is the round type of nose (not a pointy one!). Find one with lots of volume up there that runs down the midsection of the board before tapering in towards the tail. There are a lot of different tail designs; just know that at this point, so early in the game, it will not really matter for you.
After height, the next thing to pay attention to is the thickness of the rails. Typically a board will be thickest at the middle of the board and thin out as you move up towards the nose and also down towards the tail. For both men and women, a good beginner-style thickness is at least 2 ¾ to 3 inches at the board’s mid-point. The thicker the board, the easier it is to paddle and stand up on. This is because the thicker it is, the more buoyant, which you definitely want at this stage.
One last but very important feature to evaluate in a board is something called the “rocker”. The rocker is the lift in the tail area and also the nose area of a surfboard. The best way to see the rocker of a surfboard is to lay the board (no fins in). fin-side down. Step back from the board and crouch down to see the midsection of the board resting on the ground. In this position, you will see the nose lift off of the ground as you look towards the nose of the board, and again down towards the tail. This rocker variable is probably more important than anything else you can look at with your first surfboard. Here’s why. If a board has a lot of lift in the nose area and tail area it means you have less board in the water which in turn makes it harder to paddle. If you are not on that exact “sweet spot” of a board, you will have fits not only with paddling for waves, but also once you get up you will have issues surfing it as well. The more pronounced rockers are meant for experienced surfers, only, as boards with lots of rocker allow the surfer to maneuver in very technical ways.
Instead, for beginners, I recommend that you look for a board with less rocker up front to the nose and again, back towards the tail, as it will be much easier to paddle, and very forgiving with respect to finding the sweet spot after you stand up. The trade-off here is that you lose the ability to make sharp, crisp turns. As I mentioned previously, you won’t be ready for this right away as you first need to get the fundamentals and technique down. This is why I tell you not to buy a brand new board at first because you will graduate from that board in a relatively short period of time!
5. Shop Local
Where should you buy your first surfboard? Your local surf shop is a great place to start but keep in mind some shops employ these young kids who may or may not be tuned into what a beginner needs. Listen to the shop employee and remember these tips I’ve given you. If the person is pointing you in another direction, then off to another surf shop you should go! This can be a process, as I’ve found over the years going into surf shops all across the world. Some shops are understanding, with a cool vibe and everyone is helpful and friendly. Other shops you can walk into and just feel the “I’m too cool for you attitude,” so it may take you a few stops to find the right shop. You should feel welcome and comfy, not intimidated because you are a beginner surfer!
Recommendations
We have selected a few of our favorite boards for beginners! Our team either used these boards when we were starting, or we recommend them to our visitors. Remember, ideal surfboards differ from person to person based on the surfer’s size, their taste, where they’re surfing and their skill level. These are just a few of our favorites.
Both the NSP and GSI boards are great, because they have perfect dimensions for beginners and well-established brands. The Firewire boards are light, strong, beautiful and, most importantly, eco-minded - combining a bamboo deck skin on both the top and bottom decks with balsa parabolic rails to control flex.
I hope you’ve found this brief both informative and helpful. Please know that I am always available to contact via our toll-free line (866)433-3355 in CA or the US if you are in need of any advice! I’ve had a lot of clients who contact me when looking for the ideal board. Some have even called me directly from the shop, and I love helping my surfers out, so please feel free to contact me if ever in doubt.
Pura Vida,
Tim Marsh