FAQ
Gear Questions From the Car Park
The questions we hear while pulling on wetsuits and loading roof racks, answered the way we'd answer them standing at the bench: honestly and in plain words.
Most adult beginners do best on a soft-top of 8'0" to 9'0" with around 60 to 85 litres of volume. It paddles easily, catches whitewater and small waves early, and gives you far more chances to stand up. More waves means faster learning. See our longboards and mids guide.
Multiply your weight in kilograms by a factor for your level: about 0.34 to 0.38 for advanced shortboarders, 0.40 to 0.48 for intermediates and well above 0.6 for beginners. A 75 kg intermediate lands around 30 to 36 litres on a shortboard. Then adjust: weaker waves, lower fitness or colder water with a thick suit all push the number up.
Neither wins outright. PU/PE boards have a familiar, damped flex that many surfers love in good waves. Epoxy and EPS boards float higher, feel livelier, and resist pressure dings, but can feel chattery in choppy conditions. If you're hard on boards or travel a lot, epoxy is worth a look.
Absolutely. Soft-tops are the best learning tool around, and plenty of experienced surfers keep one for small, crowded or shorebreak days. Modern soft-tops with stiffer stringers and decent fins surf far better than the old school-hire boards.
About the length of your board, or a foot longer in bigger waves. Thinner comp leashes cut drag in small surf; thicker cords are safer when it's heavy. More in our fins and leashes guide.
A 4/3 covers most of the year from late spring to autumn. Winter calls for a 5/4 or 6/5 with boots, gloves and often a hood. A 3/2 suits high summer, especially in the south-west. Our wetsuit table breaks it down by water temperature.
Rub on a light top coat before most sessions and rough it up with a wax comb. Strip everything and start fresh every few months, or sooner if the wax turns grey, smooth and slippery.
No. We buy boards or borrow them and return them after testing. No brand pays for placement, and we don't use affiliate links. Read how we test for the full method.
Not perfectly, but some come close. A hybrid shortboard with a little extra foam, or a 7'0" to 7'6" mid-length, covers the widest range of everyday surf for most intermediates.
Still unsure?
Every surfer's mix of weight, fitness and local waves is a little different. Send us a workshop ticket with the details and we'll point you towards the right family of boards.
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