What Size Surfboard Do I Need?
The choice of surfboard size depends on a couple of factors. The first is ability and the second is time in the water. In general, the bigger the board is, the better it will be to catch waves on. Take a look at the tables below to get an idea about the minimum sizes that you should be looking at for your surfboard.
General Guidelines
- A novice surfer will need a larger board than a more skilled surfer.
- A surfer who only surfs occasionally will need a bigger board than one who surfs regularly.
- A board that is too small will hold back a surfers’ improvement and probably result in frustration.
Shortboard Sizes
Note that the sizes below should be used as a guide only. If you′re in doubt, get something a little bigger than suggested below. Surfboard measurements are still in imperial, so it′s feet and inches.
Surfing Less Than 1 Day Per Week|
Surfer Weight (lbs.) |
Surfer Weight (kg) |
Surfboard Length |
Surfboard Width |
Surfboard Thickness |
|
100-140 |
45.4-63.5 |
6′2″-6′4″ |
18¾″-19¼″ |
2¼″-23⁄8″ |
|
140-160 |
63.5-72.6 |
6′4″-6′8″ |
19″-20″ |
23⁄8″-2½″ |
|
160-180 |
72.6-81.6 |
6′6″-6′10″ |
19½″-20½″ |
2½″-25⁄8″ |
|
180-200 |
81.6-90.7 |
6′10″-7′4″ |
20″-21½″ |
2¾″-3″ |
|
200 + |
90.7 + |
7′4″ + |
21½″-22½″ |
3″-3¼″ |
|
Surfer Weight (lbs.) |
Surfer Weight (kg) |
Surfboard Length |
Surfboard Width |
Surfboard Thickness |
|
100-140 |
45.4-63.5 |
6′0″-6′4″ |
18½″-19″ |
2¼″-23⁄8″ |
|
140-160 |
63.5-72.6 |
6′2″-6′6″ |
18¾″-19¼″ |
23⁄8″-2½″ |
|
160-180 |
72.6-81.6 |
6′4″-6′8″ |
19″-19¾″ |
2½″-25⁄8″ |
|
180-200 |
81.6-90.7 |
6′8″-7′2″ |
19½″-20½″ |
25⁄8″-27⁄8″ |
|
200 + |
90.7 + |
7′2″ + |
20″-21½″ |
3″-3¼″ |
Funboard Sizes
Funboards are much more suited to someone new to surfing and are ideal to start getting waves straight away. You still need to make sure the board is large enough to suit your weight and surfing ability.
Surfing Less Than 1 Day Per Week|
Surfer Weight (lbs.) |
Surfer Weight (kg) |
Surfboard Length |
Surfboard Width |
Surfboard Thickness |
|
100-140 |
45.4-63.5 |
7′0″-7′4″ |
20¼″-21″ |
2½″-2¾″ |
|
140-160 |
63.5-72.6 |
7′2″-7′8″ |
20½″-21½″ |
2¾″-3″ |
|
160-180 |
72.6-81.6 |
7′6″-8′0 |
21″-21¾″ |
2¾″-3″ |
|
180-200 |
81.6-90.7 |
7′10″-8′4″ |
21½″-22¼″ |
3″-3¼″ |
|
200 + |
90.7 + |
8′2″-8′8″ |
22″-22¾″ |
3¼″ + |
|
Surfer Weight (lbs.) |
Surfer Weight (kg) |
Surfboard Length |
Surfboard Width |
Surfboard Thickness |
|
100-140 |
45.4-63.5 |
6′8″-7′2″ |
20½″-21¼″ |
2¼″-2½″ |
|
140-160 |
63.5-72.6 |
6′10-7′4″ |
20¾″-21½″ |
2½″-2¾″ |
|
160-180 |
72.6-81.6 |
7′2″-7′8″ |
21″-21¾″ |
2½″-3″ |
|
180-200 |
81.6-90.7 |
7′6″-8′0″ |
21½″ -22¼″ |
2¾″-3¼″ |
|
200 + |
90.7 + |
7′10″-8′4″ |
22″-22¾″ |
3″-3¼″ |
Longboard Sizes
Longboards are in a league of their own in terms of sizing, performance and longboarding is its own surfing discipline, however the basic tenets of the "General Guidelines" above also apply.
