Choosing the right surfboard is very important to pushing the level of your surfing. Without the proper instruction, it is easy to fail in choosing the right surfboard for you. In this post Santa Cruz Surf School is going to give you their picks for choosing the right surfboard.
If you don’t know which board to pick, we’re assuming that you are a beginner. If this is your first surfboard, you should pick one that is somewhat cheap. We say this because usually beginner surfers will ding,bump and scratch their surfboard many times within the first couple uses of it! You don’t want to spend a bunch of money on a board that will most likely be ruined within a few surf lessons, which is what will most likely happen with your first surfboard as stated by Santa Cruz Surf School. Try to choose a board that is used and between $100-$200 and you will be thankful later.
Your first surfboard should have enough foam to be able to float you well. If you feel like you are sinking, having a hard time getting into waves and not paddling well then you most likely need a thicker board. Sure the good surfers have smaller boards that allow for them to do all kinds of maneuvers, but if you are a beginner you won’t be doing these anyway! Getting yourself a board that has more foam and is thicker will speed up the learning process and make learning how to surf a much more enjoyable experience for you.
Consider getting a soft top, also called a “doyle” as your first surfboard while you are learning how to surf. Surf these don’t look as cool, and might need to be changed out within a year for a more high performance board but these models are much safer. Safer for you, and also safer for other surfers in the lineup.