Important Guidelines On How To Choose Your First Surfboard
Decided to learn how to surf? And now, you are very excited to buy your first surfboard as you picture yourself gracefully carving (or maybe ripping and shredding) those wonderful waves. You have an image of a thin, sleek new board with remarkable graphics just like Kelly Slater or Steph Gilmour. Well, you must be very patient to hold on because surfing takes a lot of practice and the right surf gear for beginners to experts. Before learning how to balance on the surfboard and to catch waves, you need to buy a surfboard.
First, you need to put in mind the basics of surfing, especially gearing up on your first waves. It would be just like a beginner driver getting into a Formula One race car. You will surely crash it on the first turn, if you even get there. Yes, reality bites. Surfing takes a lot to master and there will be plenty of wipeouts, dings and disappointments as well as heaps of fun and excitement along the way. And your first surfboard will be the one that will boost you along the way and possibly make you or break you as a surfer. I only say that it may "break you" because if you choose a board that is way wrong for you, then you may well give up before you really experience the sheer joy of flowing as one with the power of the wave. If you really experience that, you are obsessed, and you will do whatever it takes to experience that again and again.
So here are the important guidelines on choosing your first surfboard:
- Try to Consider Your Experience and Fitness Level
Have you experienced surfing before? Your age. Are you fit? Are you a good swimmer? Are you proficient at any other forms of surfing such as bodysurfing or bodyboarding (boogie boarding)?
Let us say, you have never surfed before, then I would recommend training, either paid or from an experienced friend or family member. There is much more about the surf and the waves before you even think about how to stand on and then maneuver a surfboard. Try borrowing some surfboards before you own one so that you can feel what is the best for you.
For people who are very young (below 6-7) or for those who are over say 30, especially if you need to know how to be on top of the surf, I would recommend that maybe you start on a bodyboard or a kneeboard before having a surfboard. You need to learn the basics, bodyboards and kneeboards are much easier than surfboards, because you will not have the difficulty of learning to stand up and balance as well as learning about how to paddle out, how to read the surf and how to catch a wave. You can have lots of fun on a bodyboard or kneeboard and get to a skillful level fairly quickly, plus all the basic skills you will learn will be directly transferred to riding a surfboard. By this stage you"ll be much more confident and it will also take a lot less time to become a good board rider. This is the method that I took and I have never regretted it.
- Would it be New One or a Second Hand?
Buy inexpensive surfboards, do not waste much money on your first surfboard. Like $100 is ideal or better you get a second hand surfboard, that way you won"t be as upset if your surfboard gets dinged because more often than not as you are practicing you will ding it. Little spots of yellowing and small dings will not really affect its performance too much when learning. Its job is not about looking good, but to get you over the really uncomfortable stage. When you are done with it in maybe six months time, you can easily sell it or trade it in.
You can try to search eBay or the classified ads of your local newspaper for an old board, ask surfer friends for one of their old boards, or search the racks of used boards in the surf shops.
- Would it be Hard or Soft Surfboard?
Because you are still learning how to surf, you need a soft surfboard. It is made of a bodyboard-like material and the fins are flexible to avoid injuries while practicing to surf. One good way to get the kids or those who may not be that comfortable in the water up and riding without a ride to the emergency room. Soft surfboards are light-weight, very buoyant and easy to paddle and maneuver. They are suitable for true beginners. They are used a lot by surf schools and can be bought on a second hand from them. As soon as you are much confident surfing, move to a fibreglass board.
- How About the Shape of the Surfboard?
Right now, you are better with a more rounded tail and a fuller (not pointy) nose to the board, though shape does not really matter. One point to note is a good amount of rocker in the nose, so you will not nose-dive as easily when you are taking off on a wave. See the diagram above.
- Your First Surfboard should be Long, Wide and Thick
A surfboard which is called longboard is much easier and less exasperating while learning the basics of surfing than a shortboard. You need a bigger board with enough flotation for you to paddle and catch waves easily and then the stability to make it easier for you to balance when you do get on a wave.
Check that the board is at least 18-30 inches longer than you. Children can probably get by with a board in the 7- to 8-foot range, but full-sized adults will be better off learning on a longboard more than 8 feet. You have to note that a 10 ft board is hard to store and transport. If I were you, I probably wouldn"t go past 9 ft.
A surfboard"s width really helps when you"re starting out, better if you can get one of the wide ones as it gives stability on the smaller waves that you are normally riding. But do not get one so wide that it is impossible for you to carry or paddle easily. You need extra flotation so get a board that is thicker than average (at least two and half inches)
First, you need to put in mind the basics of surfing, especially gearing up on your first waves. It would be just like a beginner driver getting into a Formula One race car. You will surely crash it on the first turn, if you even get there. Yes, reality bites. Surfing takes a lot to master and there will be plenty of wipeouts, dings and disappointments as well as heaps of fun and excitement along the way. And your first surfboard will be the one that will boost you along the way and possibly make you or break you as a surfer. I only say that it may "break you" because if you choose a board that is way wrong for you, then you may well give up before you really experience the sheer joy of flowing as one with the power of the wave. If you really experience that, you are obsessed, and you will do whatever it takes to experience that again and again.
So here are the important guidelines on choosing your first surfboard:
- Try to Consider Your Experience and Fitness Level
Have you experienced surfing before? Your age. Are you fit? Are you a good swimmer? Are you proficient at any other forms of surfing such as bodysurfing or bodyboarding (boogie boarding)?
Let us say, you have never surfed before, then I would recommend training, either paid or from an experienced friend or family member. There is much more about the surf and the waves before you even think about how to stand on and then maneuver a surfboard. Try borrowing some surfboards before you own one so that you can feel what is the best for you.
For people who are very young (below 6-7) or for those who are over say 30, especially if you need to know how to be on top of the surf, I would recommend that maybe you start on a bodyboard or a kneeboard before having a surfboard. You need to learn the basics, bodyboards and kneeboards are much easier than surfboards, because you will not have the difficulty of learning to stand up and balance as well as learning about how to paddle out, how to read the surf and how to catch a wave. You can have lots of fun on a bodyboard or kneeboard and get to a skillful level fairly quickly, plus all the basic skills you will learn will be directly transferred to riding a surfboard. By this stage you"ll be much more confident and it will also take a lot less time to become a good board rider. This is the method that I took and I have never regretted it.
- Would it be New One or a Second Hand?
Buy inexpensive surfboards, do not waste much money on your first surfboard. Like $100 is ideal or better you get a second hand surfboard, that way you won"t be as upset if your surfboard gets dinged because more often than not as you are practicing you will ding it. Little spots of yellowing and small dings will not really affect its performance too much when learning. Its job is not about looking good, but to get you over the really uncomfortable stage. When you are done with it in maybe six months time, you can easily sell it or trade it in.
You can try to search eBay or the classified ads of your local newspaper for an old board, ask surfer friends for one of their old boards, or search the racks of used boards in the surf shops.
- Would it be Hard or Soft Surfboard?
Because you are still learning how to surf, you need a soft surfboard. It is made of a bodyboard-like material and the fins are flexible to avoid injuries while practicing to surf. One good way to get the kids or those who may not be that comfortable in the water up and riding without a ride to the emergency room. Soft surfboards are light-weight, very buoyant and easy to paddle and maneuver. They are suitable for true beginners. They are used a lot by surf schools and can be bought on a second hand from them. As soon as you are much confident surfing, move to a fibreglass board.
- How About the Shape of the Surfboard?
Right now, you are better with a more rounded tail and a fuller (not pointy) nose to the board, though shape does not really matter. One point to note is a good amount of rocker in the nose, so you will not nose-dive as easily when you are taking off on a wave. See the diagram above.
- Your First Surfboard should be Long, Wide and Thick
A surfboard which is called longboard is much easier and less exasperating while learning the basics of surfing than a shortboard. You need a bigger board with enough flotation for you to paddle and catch waves easily and then the stability to make it easier for you to balance when you do get on a wave.
Check that the board is at least 18-30 inches longer than you. Children can probably get by with a board in the 7- to 8-foot range, but full-sized adults will be better off learning on a longboard more than 8 feet. You have to note that a 10 ft board is hard to store and transport. If I were you, I probably wouldn"t go past 9 ft.
A surfboard"s width really helps when you"re starting out, better if you can get one of the wide ones as it gives stability on the smaller waves that you are normally riding. But do not get one so wide that it is impossible for you to carry or paddle easily. You need extra flotation so get a board that is thicker than average (at least two and half inches)
Source...