Choosing a surfboard can be a difficult ordeal, especially for the new surfer.
There are many types of surfboards to choose from, and to select the right surfboard for you, it is necessary to know what types of waves you plan on surfing and what your true ability level is so you can be helped through the purchase process.
There are many types of surfboards on the market including longboards, funboards, retro fish, and shortboards.
There are also many specialty shapes such as single fins, pigs, and the list goes on.
Most beginners will learn on a longboard surfboard to start.
This is highly recommended and I would also say that it is important to start on a SoftTop longboard as these are wider, thicker, and made from a nerf like material to keep the new surfer from getting banged up.
A good performance longboard surfboard can also be made for nose riding or aggressive down the line surfing.
Funboards are surf boards that are hybrids between a longboard and a shortboard both in size and shape.
Many intermediates gravitate towards funboards to progress towards a smaller surfboard like a shortboard.
Retro fish are typically short but are wide and thick compared to your average shortboard.
A Retro Fish also has little rocker which means they are flatter.
These boards are great in smaller to medium sized conditions in flatter surf.
Since a Retro Fish has high volume and low rocker, it will glide better than a short board in softer waves.
The thruster is what most surfers think of when they think of a shortboard.
The thruster shortboard has 3 fins and is low volume, thin, and narrow.
The shortboard is the highest performance of surfboards and is what most think of when they think of a surfboard.
Buying a surfboard from a surf shop can be a good place to start as you will have someone knowledgeable helping you make your purchase decision.
Give the person helping you at the surf shop an honest assessment of your skill and which surf spots you like to go to so they will know what surf board will be best.
Finding a used surfboard is a good way to save money and can be good for those on a budget as surfboards are expensive.
Many surfers will be watching different surfboard websites online to keep an eye out for a certain surfboard size and make.
Beginners can also find a surfboard online, but be careful and make sure you know what you are looking for before you purchase.