The right surfboard depends on your skill level, your local waves and your weight. Beginners need a long, high-volume board. Experienced surfers can ride shorter, lower-volume boards that turn faster. This guide explains the parts of a surfboard, the main types, and how to choose one.
The Parts of a Surfboard
- Nose: The front tip. A wide, round nose adds paddling area and stability. A narrow, pointed nose is lighter and turns faster.
- Tail: The back end. It has a big effect on how the board turns.
- Squash tail: The most common. A good balance of grip and looseness.
- Swallow tail: Two points that add grip and drive in small waves.
- Round tail: Smooth, continuous turns.
- Pin tail: Narrows to a point for control in big, powerful waves.
- Square tail: Releases quickly and feels loose.
- Rails: The edges of the board.
- Full or round rails: Forgiving and stable. Good for beginners and soft waves.
- Medium rails: A balance of both.
- Sharp rails: Bite into the wave for hard turns on steep waves.
- Bottom contour: The shape of the underside, which controls how water flows under the board.
- Flat: Fast, but less responsive.
- Single concave: Channels water through the middle for lift and speed.
- Double concave: Channels water between the fins for lift and easier turns.
- Vee: A V-shaped bottom that helps the board roll from rail to rail.
- Rocker: The curve from nose to tail.
- Low rocker: A flatter board that paddles fast. Good for small waves.
- High rocker: A more curved board that fits steep waves and turns sharply, but paddles slower.
- Fins: Fins give drive, grip and pivot. The two main fin systems are FCS and Futures. Changing fins, or the number of fins, changes how the board feels.
- Deck: The top surface you stand on.
- Stringer: A strip of wood down the center of most traditional boards, which adds strength.
Types of Surfboards
- Longboards (9 feet and up): Easy to paddle, very stable and catch waves early. Ideal for beginners, and for experienced surfers who like noseriding. Best in small, soft waves. Catch Surf and Takayama make popular longboards.
- Funboards or mini mals (7 to 8 feet): The next step after a longboard. They turn more easily than a longboard but still paddle well.
- Shortboards (under 7 feet): Built for speed and sharp turns in steeper waves. Less stable and harder to paddle, so they're not a good first board. Channel Islands and Firewire make well-known shortboards.
- Fish (usually 5 to 6 feet): Shorter and wider than a shortboard, often with a swallow tail and flatter rocker. They're fast in small to medium waves.
- Hybrids: Mix features of different types, such as a shortboard with extra volume.
- Guns (7 feet and up): Long, narrow, thick boards for very big waves, such as those in Hawaii or at Mavericks.
How to Choose Your Surfboard
- Be honest about your skill level. Beginners need a longboard or a large funboard. Intermediate surfers can move to shorter boards. Advanced surfers often choose lower-volume, high-performance boards.
- Match your local waves. For small, soft waves, choose flatter rocker, a wider outline and more volume. For steep, powerful waves, choose more rocker and a narrower outline.
- Check the volume. Volume, measured in liters, tells you how well a board floats. Heavier surfers need more. Two 6'0" boards can range from 25 to over 40 liters, so don't go by length alone.
- Think about your goals. Do you want to cruise, or practice sharp turns?
- Try before you buy. Rent different boards first, and ask the staff at your local surf shop for advice.
How to Care for Your Surfboard
- Keep it out of the sun. Heat can cause delamination (the fiberglass separating from the foam) and yellowing. Never leave it in a hot car.
- Rinse off salt water. Salt corrodes fin screws over time.
- Fix dings quickly. Even small dings let water in. Keep a ding repair kit at home.
- Store it properly. Use a board bag or a rack, away from heat.
The Bottom Line
Choose a board for the surfer you are now, not the one you want to be. More volume means more waves, and more waves mean faster progress. If you're unsure, rent a few boards and ask your local surf shop.