Beginner surfboard and when is the time to upgrade? There comes a time in every surfer’s progression where it’s time to ditch the first time beginner board. We all started on those ever popular foamies, mid lengths, and bulky longboards. But now you want something faster and more maneuverable.
Surfers often struggle to find the right first shortboard. For a first shortboard, you still need high volume and a wide outline. If you reduce the volume and width to quickly, you are guaranteed to be frustrated. A traditional shortboard is much lighter and narrower than any other type of board. These boards are harder to paddle and catch waves on, and harder to balance on.
So, if you are still reading this, you still need a beginner surfboard, just a shortboard version. Let us help you!
3 picks for people ready to move past a beginner surfboard:
Bento Box- High Volume – Good Beginner Surfboard for Easy Paddling
The Bento Box is best for if you want to catch a lot of waves. People switching to shortboards often make the mistake of going too small to quick. You don’t want to buy a board where you are stuck paddling in place not catching any waves. The Bento Box is the perfect middle ground. This board is a favorite of beginner and advanced surfers alike because it provides a lot of stability and paddle power on small days while still being easy to turn.
Throwback- Stable but Maneuverable- For Increasing Wave Count
The Throwback is a great board for anyone stepping down from a bigger board. The general wide width of the outline and tail offer plenty of stability in any type of surf. This board is a great alternative to a longboard or mid length. The board allows you to catch a ton of waves and surf smaller, lower quality waves with a lot more response.
Duck Sauce- Intro to High Performance Shortboards- For Steeper Waves
If you prefer maneuverability over stability or paddling power, this is a board for you. The Duck Sauce is the most advanced of the three beginner shortboard options listed here. This board has a high performance shortboard outline for maneuverability, with a little more volume in the nose to help the surfer get into waves.
