Help choosing a surf board?

Question

alright i know a million people ask this question every day but i am pretty much clueless about surfing, i am like 5'10 and weigh 160 i want a board i can practice with and get good with . i am a almost an expert snowboarder and i used to skate but not gonna lie i couldn do 50/50 but anyway should i get long board and or a small board? what exact length with and type of board? and not to be disrespectful but right now idc about mother nature and how i need to learn the ocean first k thanks

Answer 1

I have seen this type of question asked all to often here, and all to often the wrong answer is given...

Ideally what you want to do is go get some surfing lessons. Go to a surf shop, a real surf shop, and they will take you out and teach you a little, give you a feel for the sport. When its time to get your first board, the surf shop can help you better than anyone, because they will know exactly what is right for you.

If you don't want to get lessons, then still go to a surf shop and ask them for advice on what kind of board to get. They can help you best, because they know the type of waves which you'll be surfing, and in general have the most knowledge to help you out.

Thought skating and snowboarding are similar, they still have many differences and there is no guarantee that you will be able to start on a shortboard or progress to one quickly, nor have a much better understanding of the sport than others who have not. It will certainly be helpful, but surfing is its own sport, and you need to start from scratch. Like I said, get the advice from someone at a surf shop, not on the internet.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Dude... if you snowboarded and skated then your gonna hate a longboard. Your used to boards that move when you tell them to and a shortboard will do just that. Sure it's going to take some getting used to, cuz a shortboard is more squirley but you'll be thankful if you stick with surfing. The board you want to ride someday should be about 6'1" tall and about 2'1/4" thick... Most people start out with something thicker to help balance, but if your already sturdy on your feet don't waste your money buying two boards. Get the 6' 1" and just don't give up. Seriously, one week of two-three hours a day sessions and you'll thank me. Also... here's the only decent tutorial I've seen for beginners on standing: http://www.aboutthebreak.com/tutorial_su...

Answer 3

Get a used longboard 9 feet or longer and spend about $300.  You will be able to learn how to surf quicker, can ding the board (you didn't spend too much money), and you will have more fun.  When you can start catching waves and having fun then look at a smaller board like a funboard 6'6"-7'6" or a fish 6'.

Have fun!

Answer 4

the best boards to learn on are bigger boards like a long board or a tall thick short board. but you may need to spent alot of money like around 600$-800$ but i would get a used board because your just going to ding it up. it will be alot cheeper then a new board. hope i helped.

Answer 5

what Chris said

and make sure to work on your shoulder, arm and back muscles, you don't use them as much skating and snowboarding. and paddling is one of the major parts of surfing.

Answer 6

Bro, not caring about nature, or your ocean skills isn't disrespectful, it's stupid. Unless you plan on playing in the waist deep beach break at some tourist trap beach, what you don't know about the ocean is what will kill you. Yes, surfing is fun, and cool, but it is also a dangerous ocean sport (art), So if you don't know about the ocean, and you don't care about nature (OUR environment) stay out of the water, there are enough kooks in it already.

Surfing is an ocean sport, to do it right, you have to be at home in the ocean, with its currents, rips, undertows and sometimes big waves. I don't just mean being good at swimming in a pool, the ocean can be very unforgiving. I have seen lots of really good pool swimmers have to get rescued. You have to learn surf etiquette (so the experienced surfers in the line up don't want to drown you), how to paddle and take off on a wave, and how to ride a wave.

Take the time time to learn about the ocean. Go swimming, body surfing and body boarding. When you are really comfortable with it, it's time to start surfing.

Some folks have said that skateboarding may help. Well, any balance improving activity can be helpful to improve your surfing. That could be skate, snow, wake or skim boarding, working out on a Indo board, or doing the balance beam. HOWEVER, surfing is nothing like skateboarding. You have to paddle and catch a wave. First, and most important, you have to be at home in the ocean. You need to learn the mechanics of surfing, paddling out, catching a wave and standing up on the surfboard. It is after you have gotten all that down, that your balance becomes important, and if you have good balance (because, perhaps, you skateboard), that will only help you ride better

Lessons are usually the best way to start, unless you are an adolescent or young adult with lots of pals who surf who can teach you. Go to a real surf shop. A real surf shop is not a bathing suit store that sells some surfbaords. The folks there can hook you up with lessons, and even rent you a board to learn on. Just work on your basics, and after you feel good, think about buying a board, but don't rush into anything. Poeple who earn their rent money working in surf shops know about surfboards, and they are where you should go to get surfboard advice!

I have been surfing for 42 years, and I am sure you will have a lifetime of fun, once you learn, the RIGHT WAY. However, if you think it's just some cool thing to do, and you know you will be just SO GOOD at it, stay on the beach. Good luck!