My 8 year old son is 4'2" ; 65lbs. What would be a good size beginner surf board?

Question

My 8 year old son is 4'2" ; 65lbs. What would be a good size beginner surf board?

Answer 1

My suggestion is that you buy a good used board.  One that your son can bang around a little.  And the main thing that you need to look for is the thickness of the board.  The thicker you get it, the more buoyancy that it will have and the easier it will be to ride it.  

Also, the length shouldn't be too long.  A 5 foot board is more than manageable for a 4 foot son.  Shape and make doesn't really come into play yet.  But like I said, you want something thick.  Probably 2 1/2" to 3 1/2" will work best.  Good luck, man.

Answer 2

buy him a 6-7 ft board. just go to ur local surf shop and the employees will be happy to answer ur question. since like most of them are experienced surfers. so yeah, theylle definitly know. or u could go to this site and buy the fun board. theyre perfect for beginners:

www.intsoftboards.com

Answer 3

There are different levels of "beginners."  First, a beginner who has not yet surfed; second a beginner that has been surfing but needs someone to push them into the waves since they are still not good enough to catch waves; and finally, a beginner who can catch waves but not quite good enough to do the basic "surf moves."   If your son is in the first or second level, he should start on a "user friendly" board which is normally longer, wider, and thicker to help him stand up and stay on longer.  I would recommend something that is 2 to 2 and a half feet longer than his height and about 19 to 20 inches wide; the thickness should be about 2 inches.  If he is in the third level, he should get a board about a foot (plus a few inches) longer and about 16 to 17 inches wide.  The thickness can vary from an inch to one and a half inches.

The key is to have him find surfing to be a pleasant (and healthy) experience because it is something that he can enjoy his entire life.  A knowledgeble and "child-friendly" surfer who can teach him (and help him find a board or boards) will really enhance his enjoyment.

Answer 4

if you have the money and want to do it right, go see a shaper.  custom boards are waaaaaaay better than choosing off the rack

Answer 5

Kids grow fast so you want something that may be a little big for him now that he can grow into. You don't want to invest hundreds of dollars only to have him outgrow it completely in a year and have to replace it.

Kolohe Andino is a 10 year old surfer who is 5'0" and 93 pounds profiled in Transworld Surf's July issue. He says he outgrows his boards really fast and can't ride a lot of them anymore. The largest board he has right now is a 5'8" length 16.5" width and 1.6" thickness.

I would suggest a 5'1" to maybe a 5'3" but you should talk with your local surf shop owner - especially if they have children - and get some better advice. Costco has some suitable boards sized for children right now that are pretty affordable.

Answer 6

maybe like a 6' or 7' and probably a softtop.

Answer 7

Check out the fishes at http://www.9fishsurf.com/.  They have boards that are thick and wide, so you don't have to get a big long board.  Plus the deep swallowtail and shape will make it really easy for him to paddle and catch waves.  They have quad fin models (like the Grunion or Seared Ahi) that will allow him to make adjustments as he gets better (i.e. put the bigger pair of fins towards the nose to make the board more maneuverable - put it towards the tail to make it more stable).  He'll also be able to continue to ride it as he gets better.  It's a ton of fun!