Since summer is just around the corner, wouldn’t you want to choose a surfboard that you can use to have an enjoyable wave ride? To help you find the one that you’ll like best, here are the top 15 surfboards for summer, followed by a brief buying guide.
Superbrand Spam
The Superbrand Spam is designed for speed. Able to handle waves from 1 to 5 feet in height, this surfboard can be used by beginner and expert surfers alike. It is regarded as a flying skateboard for the sea capable of being ridden as a thruster or as a twin fin in smaller conditions. Its wide outline and single to double into vee give it speed and maneuverability in super tight areas.
The Spam is a great groveler, able to project and float over flat sections with relative ease. It is versatile and should become the go-to board of many surfers.
Sharpeye Surboards Modern 2.5
The Sharpeye 2.5 shares similarities with its predecessor, notably its rocker and thickness distribution. Designed to be a thruster, it offers a unique combination of stability and drive.
This is a great board for handling waves that are up to chest-high. It offers more volume in the chest area for enhanced flotation.
The key difference between the Sharpeye 2.0 and 2.5 is the tail. The newest model has a round tail, while its predecessor has a swallow tail. The 2.5 also has two extra fin plugs and a bouncier bottom for enhanced stability.
Lost Surfboards Maysym
This asymmetrical board is designed to be more forgiving on the heels and more resistant on the toes. Designed by reputable shaper Matt Biolos, the Maysym is based on his V2 StubRocket that is known for being a favorite of weekend warriors.
The two varied tails put together provide a different feel underfoot. The longer rail line allows surfers to generate speed easily. It has a single channel on its toe side, adding a tail rocker for increased drive and traction.
The board’s heel side has a round tail and shorter rail line for faster turns. The quick bottom also tends to turn backside because of the shorter rail line. This is highly recommended for intermediate and advanced level surfers.
For more quality water sports equipment, check out our guide on the best wakesurf boards.
Channel Islands Neckbeard 2
The predecessor of this surfboard was known for its generous shape and large tail. It excelled at catching waves and paddling. The second iteration features a wider tail block and increased hip for increased maneuverability and responsiveness.
This shortboard measures about 5.5 feet long and was designed by shaper Britt Merrick. It comes in thruster or quad-fin set-up, with the latter offering more speed down the line. It features a flat, wide outline for ample planing. It is quick off the bottom and excels in snappy turns and speed floats. Also, it has a pointed nose shape and wide tail. This is a surfboard that can be easily used by all surfers regardless of their surfing experience.
Chili Surfboards Pretty Sweet
Perhaps the best summertime groveler on this list, the Chilli Surfboards Pretty Sweet surfboard offers generous volume and wide nose. It can catch waves easily and turn quickly. With an aggressive bottom contour, the board should let surfers get up and planing on the waves in small surf conditions. It has a flat rocker and a little kick in its nose area to help surfers get out of a shorebreak in the event that it pops up on them.
This is an easy-going and fun surfboard for beginner and intermediate surfers alike. It is highly recommended to beginners who have only used a softboard. Intermediate surfers looking to do their thing when the waves are poor should also consider it. Advanced surfers who don’t want to use a longboard should also give this surfboard for beginners a second look.
Pyzel Surfboards Gremlin
The Pyzel Surfboards Gremlin is easy to paddle. It also goes and gets up quickly. Packing extra volume in a shorter and wider package, the Gremlin will let surfers accelerate quickly and sustain their speed with relative ease. This is a low-entry rocker with a wide outline for easy speed. It can glide through slow and weak sections. It has a left curve through the tail rocker to enhance its maneuverability.
The surfboard won’t pose serious problems to surfers, regardless of their level of experience. Beginners will find this a good choice, especially if they want to veer away from a longboard. Expert surfers, though, would likely prefer to ride this board up to 6 inches below their height, while intermediate surfers may stick to a level around their height.
Hayden Shapes Hypto Krypto
The Hayden Shapes Hypto Krypto is a small all-rounder capable of handling small to medium waves. One of the best-selling surfboards in the past few years, it is an excellent paddler capable of generating speed easily.
It features a refined pin tail that is intended to provide a high-performance base for surfers, allowing them to control their ride. Its chunky chest section enables even intermediate surfers to paddle faster and catch more waves.
Also, the Hayden Shapes Hypto Krypto has a cool outline. Its nose is big and wide. There is sufficient foam throughout it. Integrated with E.P. S. technology, it is lightweight, too, and the rails are low, so surfers should have fewer problems or troubles maneuvering it.
Firewire Chumlee
The Firewire Chumlee is a surfboard that is best suited for intermediate to experienced surfers. It paddles easily and glides as if it is a longboard. It is fast and turns easily and smoothly. This groveler has been getting a lot of positive reviews online. It is lightweight, strong, fast, and won’t show signs of pressure marks.
It has a full rounded tail that ensures it would push into turns easily. It has a spine with double concave that runs through more than half of the board, enabling it to generate lots of speed. The board’s helium shape flexes and bends beneath the feet, giving surfers opportunities to quickly adjust whenever the need arises. This is a surprisingly versatile board that is capable of handling waves 1 to 5 feet in height.
JS Industries Nitro HYFI
The latest iteration of the Pyscho Nitro board features HYFI construction, giving it more spring, speed, and acceleration. It has an overall low to flat rocker, which is effective in creating speed and gliding in small conditions. It comes with a stock five fin, although it can also work well as a quad and thruster. It also has full rails to reduce the cath in less favorable conditions.
It is designed for easy maneuverability without sacrificing speed and lift, with its slightly rolled vee through the nose. It offers plenty of volume, too. This is a fast and fun surfboard that should have no problems tackling waist high to overhead waves.
Mark Richards Super Twin
Erstwhile champion surfer now top shaper Mark Richards is getting a lot of love online for his Super Twin board. Richards himself regards the Super Twin as the most versatile board in his range. It is a high-performance board that is fast and easy to turn.
It features a single to double concave bottom for enhanced speed, a wider template for paddling and flotation, and a swallow tail. It performs fast and loose in waves 1 to 6 feet in height. Sizes range from 5’8” to 6’8”.
Album Surf Doom
The Album Surf Doom board is likened to a skateboard, meaning it is looser, faster, and more responsive in the ocean. Its most distinguishing feature is its concave deck designed for extra speed. It also has a generous volume and fuller rails, so catching waves should not be that much of a challenge with this board.
The board is intended to give surfers a great dive. It is recommended that the board be ridden around six to eight inches shorter and an inch wider than the surfer’s normal standard shortboard. It performs well in waves under head-high with its single concave and diamond tail.
Pyzel Phantom
The Phantom is a step-down version of the Ghost, which was a huge hit with its unique design. The Ghost was regarded as a great board for waves that are shoulder-high and up. Pyzel created the Phantom as a step-down iteration and to bring the same feel to head-high feel.
In short, the Phantom is practically the Ghost squashed at the nose with extra volume. It excels well even in epic conditions. It has full rails but not chunky, giving surfers more speed and flotation without getting rid of the sensitivity. The makers also added width to the tail and nose of the board for more of a parallel and fuller outline. This results in the board allowing users to maintain speed through tight turns and slower sections.
JS Industries – Blak Box 3 Squash Tail
This is a surfboard that can be used by any surfer regardless of experience level. It is fast and user-friendly. It excels in crumbly and fat waves, but also does well when it is clean and hollow. It is fast and maneuverable. It works well in waves between 0 and 4 feet.
It features an overall low to flat rocker that is great at creating speed and glide. It comes with five fins as stock, although it can work well as a quad or thruster, too. It has medium to low rails to reduce catch and increase speed.
Firewire – Greedy Beaver
The Firewire Greedy Beaver excels in various conditions. While it is designed for beginners as well as surfers making the transition between short and long boards, it can also be appealing to intermediate surfers. This board is also ideal for surfers who have been gone a while and looking to get back into the sport.
This shortboard is fun to ride. It can catch a lot of waves, and it is easy to paddle. There are plenty of sizing choices from 5 feet 6 inches to a huge 6 feet 10 inches with a volume of 52 liters.
Rusty Surfboards – Utility
Last but not the least is this board from San Diego-based Rusty Surfboards that has sponsored some of the best surfers in the world. It is a longboard that is designed not only for beginners but also for intermediate and even expert riders. It is the most popular surfboard from Rusty and combines the qualities of a classic surfboard with some of the features of contemporary boards.
The Utility features a nose width of around 17 inches and a concave bottom. It has a thin center and less crown in the deck. This surfboard designed for all-around performance is more of a turner.
What to Look for in a Surboard
In shopping for a surfboard, it is important to understand the fundamentals behind the shape, size, and design of the surfboard.
Types of Surboards
Surfboards come in different types:
Shortboards are around 5 to 7 feet long. These are ideal for fast and steep waves because of their maneuverability. This type of surfboard often has a nose rocker, thin rails, and a pointy nose.
A fishboard is almost of the same size as a shortboard, although it is wider and flatter. It is ideal for beginners, too, because it is easy to balance. It goes fast in slow-breaking waves and can surf better than shortboards thanks to their fast turns.
A longboard is generally around 8 to 11 feet long. Its length makes it easy to paddle and catch waves on. It is ideal for beginners, too.
Funboards have extra volume, allowing their users to catch more wave. Extra wide and stable, this is also a perfect beginners’ board. It is suitable, too, for heavy surfers. It is often 7 to 9 feet in length.
Hybrid surfboards combine the features of other board types (hence its name). This results in a surfboard that gives its users the best of both worlds, so to speak. An example would be a hybrid board with more volume but with the feel of a shortboard.
Suitability
Below are some of the main considerations in choosing a surfboard:
Your experience level. If you are a beginner, meaning you have never tried surfing or only done it a few times, then it is recommended that you opt for a longboard surfboard. This type of surfboard is wide and stable. Remember that the bigger the board, the more stable it is. You can eventually transition to a smaller board once you have built up experience in riding and catching waves. If you consider yourself an intermediate surfer, you may step down to a smaller or more maneuverable shortboard.
Your weight. This is one of the more important factors to consider when shopping for a surfboard. Smaller boards are ideal for people who weigh less than 200 pounds. If you weigh more than this, you should opt for a longer and thicker board.
Type of waves you will likely be riding. Also, you should assess the kinds of waves you will be riding. If the area where you surf has small waves, as in 1 to 4 feet, then longboards and fishboards are ideal. If you are looking at steeper and hollower waves, then a shortboard is best suited for you.
Construction. Surfboards may be made of fiberglass, epoxy, and foam. Fiberglass surfboards are the most popular and are available in gloss and matte finishes. Should a fiberglass surfboard break down, fixing it won’t require a lot of money. Epoxy surfboards, meanwhile, are lighter. Using polystyrene foam and epoxy resin, these are designed to resist everyday dings. Meanwhile, softboards or foam boards are best suited for beginners.
Surfboard Anatomy
It also helps to familiarize yourself with the parts of a surfboard such as:
Tail. When shopping for surfboards, you should keep in mind that more angular shaped tails can enable you to handle sharper turns. A rounder shaped tail helps create round and smooth turns. A square or angular tail, on the other hand, adds stability to the board. Asymmetrical tails provide more control both for the front and back side riding.
Rocker. This is the bottom curve starting from the nose extending to the tail. This can affect the turning and carving ability of the surfboard.
Nose. This is the front of the board and plays a key role when the surfboard drops into the waves.
Rail line. Also called the plan shape, this is the curvature of the board starting from the nose to the tail.