Surfing for Beginners: Finding the Right Board
The roar of the ocean, sunlight breaking over the water, that incomparable feeling of catching your first wave—you’d be hard-pressed to find a hobby more exhilarating than surfing.
But, when you’re just starting out, getting the hang of everything can be a bit intimidating. Especially when it comes to finding the right board.
“How big should my board be?” is a question we field all the time from beginners. That’s why we’ve prepared this handy cheat sheet for folks who want to learn how to surf and are hunting for that elusive perfect first board.
It’s got all the basic info you’ll need to get started. Let’s dive in and explore beginner surfboards, shall we?
Go with a soft-top surfboard
Our first bit of advice? Invest in a soft-top surfboard.
The soft deck tops are made from a resin-encased artificial foam that offers the right balance of give and sturdiness that you want when you’re just starting out.
Another plus?
If you’re investing in a good quality Froth surfboard from Boardworks, it’s going to last you a long, long time. Durable and well-crafted, you won’t have to worry about finding a new beginner board when the next person in your family becomes interested in surfing.
Longboards are your best bet starting out
This might seem counterintuitive, but the longer the board, the more manageable it will be for a beginner.
Why? Well, they’re more stable, they’re wider and thus offer more surface area, and they’re more conducive to catching waves—meaning, you’ll get more actual practice, and you won’t just end up bobbing over wave after wave.
If you can, get a longboard that’s at least 3 feet taller than you.
Both of the Froth longboard options available through Boardworks are 9 feet tall, and are great places to start.
Save shortboards for later
As we’ve said, longboards are better for first timers. They’ll help you enhance your technique and improve your wave maneuverability skills so that you can handle the speed and the reduced surface area of a shortboard down the road.
Ultimately, though, you’re going to want an arsenal of different surfboards available as you gain more experience—especially since shortboards are more conducive to catching certain types of waves.
So, it’s worth dipping your toes in, so to speak, and checking out the range of shortboard options out there, even though you’re just starting out.
We’ve got a variety of Froth shortboard options available in the 5 – 5’6” length range.
Explore our shop
Feeling inspired? Ready to hit the water? Then continue exploring our lineup of Froth long- and shortboards for more shopping inspiration.
Their affordable price point—combined with the range of size and color options—make them the ideal brand to kickstart your surfing life with.
Regardless of what brand you choose to go with, just remember our advice, and you should be good to go. You’ll be catching waves like a pro in no time at all. Happy surfing!