How to Choose a Surfboard: 7 Steps for Beginners to Advanced Surfers
Quick Answer: Picking the right surfboard depends on your skill level, weight, and the type of waves you ride. Beginners should prioritize stability and volume, while advanced surfers can shift toward performance-oriented shapes.
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Choosing your first (or next) surfboard can feel overwhelming with so many shapes, sizes, and materials on the market.
The right board isn’t about what looks coolest; it’s about what matches your ability, weight, and the waves you’ll actually be surfing.
Get this choice wrong, and you’ll spend more time struggling than riding. Get it right, and progression comes naturally.
This guide breaks down every factor that matters, from volume and construction to board type, so you can make a confident, informed decision.
On This Page
- Step 1: Start With Your Skill Level
- Step 2: Understand Surfboard Volume
- Step 3: Learn the Main Types of Surfboards
- Step 4: Get Familiar With Surfboard Sizes
- Step 5: Match Your Board to the Waves
- Step 6: Consider Construction and Materials
- Step 7: Test Before You Commit
- Conclusion
Step 1: Start With Your Skill Level
Before comparing shapes, dimensions, or brands, be honest about where you actually are as a surfer not where you’d like to be.
Skill level | What you can typically do | What to look for |
Complete beginner | Learning to pop up and ride whitewater | Maximum stability and flotation |
Improving beginner / early intermediate | Catching green waves and making basic turns | Slightly smaller, more responsive boards |
Intermediate | Generating speed, making basic turns, reading the lineup | Fish, funboards, and mid-lengths |
Advanced | Reading waves quickly and positioning in the pocket | Responsive performance-oriented boards |
A simple rule
If you’re still learning the fundamentals, more stability is usually better than more performance.
A larger board might not look as exciting as a shortboard, but it can make learning dramatically easier.
If you’re still working on the basics, check out our guide to catching a wave alongside this one. The right board helps, but technique still matters.
DID YOU KNOW? Most surf coaches can tell within a few waves whether someone is under-boarded. Surf industry volume guides such as the Global Surf Industries surfboard finder and volume calculator can also help illustrate why beginners often benefit from more volume.
Step 2: Understand Surfboard Volume
Volume, measured in liters, refers to how much foam a surfboard contains. It is one of the most useful indicators of how easily a board will float, paddle, and catch waves.
As a general starting point:
Level | Volume (% of body weight in kg) | Example: 80 kg surfer |
Complete beginner | 100–120% | 80–95 L |
Improving beginner | 80–100% | 64–80 L |
Intermediate | 55–75% | 44–60 L |
Advanced | 35–45% | 28–36 L |
For example, An 80 kg beginner typically starts around 80–95 litres. An advanced surfer of the same weight will usually be on 28–36 litres, depending on conditions and fitness.
For a deeper look at the numbers, see the Global Surf Industries volume calculator and SurferToday’s surfboard volume calculator.
Why volume matters
Volume isn’t the only factor, but it’s one of the quickest ways to avoid two common mistakes:
- Beginners choosing a board that’s too small to paddle easily
- Improving surfers staying on a board that no longer challenges them
Your weight, fitness, ability, and the type of waves you surf should all be considered before settling on a specific volume.
Step 3: Learn the Main Types of Surfboards
Once you understand volume, the next step is choosing the right board shape.
Different surfboard types are designed around different combinations of stability, speed, maneuverability, and wave conditions.
Surfboard type | Typical length | Typical width | Best known for |
Longboard | 9’0″ – 10’0″ (274–305 cm) | 22″–23″ | Stability, glide, easy paddling |
Funboard / Mini-mal | 7’0″ – 8’6″ (213–259 cm) | 21″–22.5″ | Stability with more maneuverability |
Fish | 5’2″ – 6’2″ (157–188 cm) | 20″–21.5″ | Speed in small, weak waves |
Shortboard | 5’8″ – 6’4″ (173–193 cm) | 18.5″–19.75″ | Tight turns, steeper waves |
Gun | 7’0″ – 10’0″ (213–305 cm) | 18″–20″ | Big, fast, powerful swells |
Which type should you choose?
- Longboard: A classic choice for complete beginners and surfers who enjoy smooth, flowing waves.
- Funboard / Mini-mal: A useful middle ground. It retains much of a longboard’s stability while being easier to maneuver.
- Fish: Short, wide, and generally designed to generate speed easily. Fish boards can work particularly well in smaller, weaker waves.
- Shortboard: Designed for experienced surfers who want greater responsiveness and maneuverability, particularly in steeper or more powerful waves.
- Gun: Longer and narrower, with a design intended for fast, powerful waves. This is generally equipment for experienced surfers and bigger swells.
For most beginners, the progression starts with a longboard or funboard before gradually moving toward shorter shapes.
You can see what becomes possible with shorter, more responsive boards in our guide to surfing tricks every surfer should know.
Step 4: Get Familiar With Surfboard Sizes
Surfboard sizing isn’t just about length. Length, width, and thickness all affect how a board performs in the water.
Dimension | Main effect | General guide |
Length | Longer boards paddle faster and catch waves earlier; shorter boards are more maneuverable. | Beginner: 7’6″–9’0″ (229–274 cm). Intermediate: 6’2″–7’2″ (188–218 cm). Advanced: 5’8″–6’4″ (173–193 cm). |
Width | Wider boards provide more stability and are easier for beginners. | Choose more width for stability; less width for performance. |
Thickness | Adds volume and flotation without necessarily making the board longer. | More thickness generally means more flotation and easier paddling. |
These ranges are starting points only. Your weight, fitness, skill level, and local wave conditions should also influence your final choice.
Step 5: Match Your Board to the Waves You'll Surf
The best surfboard on paper isn’t necessarily the best board for the wave in front of you. A performance shortboard can feel great on a fast, hollow point break but frustratingly unstable on a slow, mushy beach break.
Match Your Board to the Waves
- Small, soft waves: Longboards, funboards, or fish for easier paddling and better speed generation.
- Mellow beach breaks: Longboards and funboards for stability and early wave-catching.
- Faster point breaks: Fish, mid-lengths, or shortboards for greater responsiveness.
- Steeper, powerful waves: Performance shortboards or guns for experienced surfers.
This is especially important in Taghazout, where different types of breaks are found within a relatively short distance.
Our Taghazout surf spots guide explains the area’s different breaks in more detail.
It’s also worth checking the Taghazout surf forecast before heading out, since swell, wind, and tide can influence what type of session you’ll have.
Taking a lesson?
If you’re booking surf lessons in Taghazout, choosing the right board becomes much easier.
Instructors can match beginners with equipment suited to their ability and the day’s conditions, allowing you to focus on learning rather than guessing which board to use.
Step 6: Consider Construction and Materials
Two surfboards can have similar dimensions but feel completely different because of the materials they’re made from.
- Soft-top (foam): Stable, forgiving, and durable, making it the most common choice for beginners and surf lessons.
- PU (polyurethane): The traditional construction. Heavier and easier to ding, but its flex feels smoother and more damped in choppy or powerful waves, which is why most performance boards are still PU.
- Epoxy: Lighter, more buoyant and far more ding-resistant than PU. The livelier feel makes paddling and wave-catching easier, though some surfers find it skittish in chop. A strong all-round choice for beginners and travellers.
For most beginners, soft-top or epoxy boards are usually the best starting point thanks to their extra stability and flotation. As surfers progress, PU and performance epoxy boards become more popular for their responsiveness.
Step 7: Test Before You Commit
No amount of online research can completely replace actually riding a board.
Before buying, try to:
- Rent or borrow different shapes and compare how they feel.
- Ask a local instructor or shaper for advice.
- Pay attention to how the board feels, rather than simply how it looks.
- Consider the waves you’ll actually surf, rather than choosing based on what looks impressive.
- Respect surf etiquette when testing new equipment in the lineup.
If you’re new to surfing, our guide to surf etiquette for beginners is worth reading before testing different boards in crowded conditions.
Why renting can be a smart choice
Buying a board immediately isn’t always necessary.
If you’re still figuring out what works for you, renting lets you compare:
- Different lengths
- Different volumes
- Different shapes
- Different constructions
This can help you understand what you actually like before making a significant purchase.
It’s also one of the advantages of learning at a surf camp. An all-inclusive learn-to-surf package in Taghazout can give you access to different equipment while you’re learning.
Conclusion
Choosing the right surfboard means matching it to your skill level, weight, and the waves you surf.
Start with the right volume and board type, then consider size, construction, and local conditions.
Still unsure? Try before you buy, or get advice from a local instructor. A surf lesson in Taghazout can help you find the right board for your level and the day’s conditions.