The Best Surfboards to Learn on
Whenever your starting out on a new Sport you always have to get the best equipment to help you learn and grow with confidence. This is especially true with Surfing, the fact that you are entering an environment that is alien to Humans means that you not only have to learn to surf but also learn to survive in order to succeed. So choosing a beginner surfboard is very important for your learning and confidence.
The biggest mistake i feel is new surfers settling for any surf gear they can get cheaply. The market is saturated with cheap surf equipment that will not aid you in your journey but hold you back. I would also advise anyone venturing into the sea to learn to surf to get a few local surf lessons first. This way you are shown the basic rules on safety and etiquette which seem to be missing from a lot of the Beach breaks lately.
Foamy or Hard Surfboard
Soft top or Foamy Surfboards
Most Surf Schools will teach you on a Foamy Surfboard, they are soft tops which are easy to paddle, safe to use, easy to catch waves on and don’t damage easily. The Foamy was originally built to cater for the surf school industry but now you can buy all sorts of soft top surfboard. However with a choice of shapes and designs, but they all work on the same principle, they are easy to ride in straight but not very responsive and will only take your surfing so far.
Having said that they are super fun on samll days especially when you are a more experienced surfer. The upside of a foamy is it will make you more confident in the water while learning if you need to build up your confidence then a foamy or soft top might be the board for you. A good tip on buying a foamy would be to get one a similar size to the one you had lessons on, plus these boards are quite expensive these days so try and get a good second hand board as you won’t be on it for long.
Hard Surfboards
Anyone who has been surfing 20years plus knows that you had to buy a Hard board back then, we didn’t have foamy surfboards to ride unless you got a surf school lesson. So the old school way is to get a few good lessons under your belt, buy a decent learner surfboard like a Minimal or a small Longboard and get stuck in. The disadvantages to this way is the Hard boards are a lot harder to learn on, they are harder to catch waves on, hurt when you have an accident, get damaged and can be expensive to buy.
However if you spend a year riding a foamy you still have to transition to a hard board at some point so you then have to start learning all over again. You can pick up a second hand Minimal for the same price or sometimes cheaper than a soft top, and you can also learn to repair small dings and cracks yourself with Sun cure resin.
So the point I’m making here is a Soft top is a good choice but will hold you back at some point. Whereas the Hard board might be harder to get started on but eventually get you surfing to a higher standard quicker.
Summary about choosing a Beginner board
Both are great and you yourself will know the type of person you are. If you are confident and can’t wait to get stuck into learning to surf then get some lessons first and invest in a good second hand Minimal leaner board, then just go for it and good luck. However if you are a bit intimidated by the Ocean then go down the Soft top surfboard route to build up your confidence until you are ready to get a hard board. The main thing is it is hard to do but should be fun while you learn to surf so go for it.
If it is your Kid who is interested in surfing then the best board is the Kids Weemal or the Kids Minimal they love them
Give me a ring if you need any help with this or any other surfboard info I’m here to help 07789764475
Your Comments