Surfboards are like cars, as soon as you buy one the value drops dramatically. So unless you already know that you're fully invested in the sport and interested in becoming the next ISA Surfing Champion, you should maybe just hire one, or buy a second hand one. This is probably the best advice anyone could give you, a second hand board will allow you to fall off and damage the board, without you worrying about it too much!
So, here are the urbansurfer top tips for getting the perfect surfboard for you:
1: A general rule of thumb is to start off with a learner board, or long-board (featured below).
These boards are best at providing stability and will keep you afloat for longer. Popular belief is that you should use a board that is about 3FT taller than you; the size being the key factor in achieving this stability. If you're feeling risky and decide to go for a smaller board, you might still want one which is wide enough to give some sort of room leeway!
Long-boards are normally soft, the reason being, it is inevitable that you'll make mistakes and fall off. This will protect you and others in the water.
2: So, we know the size of the board is important, but what about the condition? Obviously, if you're buying a used one, the chances are that it'll be worn in, and be carrying a little bit of damage.
It is up to you to make the decision of whether it's worth it or not, but to help you out, we've rounded up some top tips to make sure you're getting the best value for money:
- Beware of any 'Dings'. You may now be asking what a ding is, and that is a very good question: a ding is simply a chip, dint or small piece of damage that may be on the surf board. They can be the demise of your board, so watch out!
- Look into how much will it cost to fix any dings?
-Just like buying a car, you should find out how many times the board has been fixed. A good trick when buying a second hand board is to squeeze the rails to make sure the foam is still firm. (Side note: soft and spongy foam is a definite no no!)
Check out a couple of examples of dings below:
We hope that all your questions have been answered here, but if not, just drop us a quick email or call us!
