If you’re wondering which surfboard is best for you, then you’ve come to the right place. For beginners, intermediates and advanced surfers, our guide will break down the essential details. With our help, you can bring your surfing up to the next level.

Beginner – As a beginner, you might have only surfed a few times or not at all. Higher volume surfboards are just right for you. They make it easier for you to get up (takeoff), paddle and give you enough stability to progress quickly. Fun in the water is guaranteed.

Intermediate – Takeoffs and turns. Intermediate surfers paddle on green, unbroken waves. You  can take off on clean waves  and work straight on top and bottom turns. Medium volume surfboards are for you. They are more playful and agile, perfect for improving your skills.

Experts – As an experienced surfer, you feel comfortable on any waves. Cutbacks, top to bottom turns and duck dives are no problem for you, your surfboard is always under control.

Depending on wave size and swell, you can choose a board that fits your surfing style.

The volume determines how much uplift your board has, so it is the most crucial factor when buying a surfboard. For beginners, the more volume, the better. High volume surfboards are more stable and make it easier for you to take off. More volume also means easier paddling. As you advance, you should try boards with less volume. They are more agile and better for faster turns.

The shape determines which waves and surf style you should be riding. When choosing a shape, your ability and level are the most important – that’s why you see a variety of shapes in the waves. Here are some examples of shapes that you will find on the beach:

1. Mini Malibus are long, between 6′6 to 8′ and have a high volume. They are easy to paddle, stable and forgiving – perfect for beginners. Their volume makes them ideal for small and slow waves.

2. Short and manoeuvrable with lots of volume, the fish has a characteristic shape. These boards have a wide shape and a swallow tail, little to no rocker and are short built. Because of their shape, they have a lot of volume on a short length so remain agile and playful. Fish boards are great for advanced surfers and small to head-high waves. They are also the ideal transition board from a mini Mali to a shorter board.

3. Hybrid surfboards combine the great characteristics of different shapes. They close the gap from shortboards to fish or mini malibu. Compared to a shortboard, a hybrid has more volume, a wider nose and less rocker. This shape can be paddled easily and still surfs playfully. A real all-rounder.
Hybrid shapes are ideal for experienced surfers. They perform very well in hip-high to head-high waves.

4. Shortboards are made for aggressive and fast surfing. They have a pointed nose, the strong rocker and the sharp rails. They have little volume, so are more agile and let you surf powerfully. The step up from a mini Malibu, fish or hybrid surfboard.

5. Longboards usually have a length of 9 feet and more. A longboard is characterized by a rounded nose, a narrowing square tail and a large middle fin. Due to the length and the high volume the handling and the dynamics of these boards are very limited. Paddling on a longboard is easy but the surf style is more comfortable cruising and smooth than aggressive and fast. If you are looking for a board for small waves and relaxed riding then a longboard is the right one for you. Although these boards have a lot of volume they are rather unsuitable for beginners due to the handling.

The back end part of the board is the tail. Its shape influences the speed, agility and control of your board. Here are the most popular tail shapes. The all-rounder, this tail shape is well suited for fast, steep waves. Its round shape makes it very manoeuvrable, but it is less stable than other tail shapes. Pin tails are for big wave surfing. The pointed shape stabilizes your board and gives you more control – great for surfing down the line and maintaining speed.
A squash tail has rounded edges. This shape has the perfect balance between stability and agility. It is well suited for the most different waves, surfboards with a squash tail are versatile. The swallow tail gives you power for fast and sharp turns. It’s also great for weak, smaller waves as it provides the surfboard with more lift in the back.

The front part of a surfboard is called the nose. Its shape influences the buoyancy and agility of your board. There are round, round pointed and pointed noses. Rounded noses are great for beginners, while a pointed nose tends to have a lot more rocker, making it less stable and more maneuverable, better for seasoned surfers.

Many factors influence the behaviour of your surfboard in the water. In addition to the tail and the nose, the shape of the rails, the rocker and the bottom shape are also influential. Here is a short overview of these shapes and what they do.

Rails are the edges of your surfboard. They extend from the nose to the tail and help you to turn. Round and thick rails are forgiving, more stable and slower. Edged and thin rails are for agile, fast and aggressive turns.

Wings are small dents along the side of the board that interrupt the water flow along the edge, which makes the surfboard even more playful. At high speeds, this can be a disadvantage. Hybrid and shortboards can have wings.

There are different types of surfboard constructions. They affect the surfing behaviour, the weight and the durability of your board. Each has pros and cons, your budget, your surfing style and your surfing level will also influence your decision.

The final factor for the behaviour of your board is your fins. They differ in construction, size, arrangement, materials and other factors.
The size of the fins is based on your bodyweight.