If you're definitely into a surf shaper's philosophy, or if you follow a strict shaping method, you might want to pay extra cash to have his name on your new board.

 There's a huge difference between going surfing only once a year, catching waves every weekend, and hitting the surf nearly every day.

 There are four types of waves. What are the average conditions at your local beach? Do you prefer mushy waves or punchy rollers?

 Do you need to compensate for extra weight with a larger board? Have you got enough arm power to paddle out on a shortboard in bigger surf?

 Can you handle a two-hour winter surfing session, or do you just hit the lineup for a couple of rides in the summertime?

 This one is often forgotten, but it can be critical. As a rule of thumb, keep in mind that a 7' surfboard usually fits inside a car.

 Buying a surfboard can be a pretty daunting, considering all of the options you have available nowadays. That’s why we’ve condensed everything that you’ll need to know.

 The first thing that you should know when looking to purchase a new surfboard is what you want from it. There are a million different shapes and sizes, all of which serve different purposes. You want to narrow it down as much as possible in terms of preference so that the market doesn’t overwhelm you.

 At the dawn of the surf, it was pretty easy. It was just a plank that you got on to and did your best not to fall over, but today, creating a surfboard is bordering art.

 There is the utilitarian side of it, sure, but there’s also the aesthetic side. In a perfect world, you don’t want to sacrifice one for the other, and with a bit of luck, you’ll never have to.

 If you want to be picky about it, then you have to take every little detail into account. And we mean everything. Your weight, your expertise, your age... Your body type, skill set, fitness, injury record, etc. However, in most cases, you won’t be turning pro anytime soon, so start with the big things.

 The worst thing you can do as a beginner is get the wrong board for you and keep going with it. You don’t want your love for surfing to fade because of your equipment—set yourself up for success. Don’t go for a shortboard because that’s what you’ve seen in amazing videos.

 But, how do you know when you’ve found the right board for you? Take our word for it: you’ll definitely know. It will fit like a glove and feel like an extension of your body. If your board doesn’t feel that way, then we hate to break it to you, but you’re probably surfing the wrong board, and it’s time for a switch.

 Either way, there are three main things to consider when buying a new surfboard, and they come down to the dimensions, volume, and build.

 The first and most obvious thing that you’ll want to consider when starting your journey towards a new surfboard is the dimensions.

 You have to take a close look at the length, thickness, and width of a board in order to get a good estimate if it’s cut out to do the job that you’ll be asking it to do.

 Are you surfing shallow waters? Will you need a board that can do sharp turns? What about stability? More? Always more, right? Well, it’s not that simple. The sweet spot of a board lies in the details.

 In most cases, as a beginner, you will want to gravitate towards bigger surfboards. This is not ideal for quick and sharp turns, but it will provide a lot more stability, which will directly go towards your confidence.

 Remember that the wider a board is, the easier it’s going to be for you to place your feet. As a beginner, you won’t quite know where to place your feet at all times, and this might lead to you losing balance and falling over a lot. We don’t want that. Before you go into the length, make sure that the width is right.

Spyder Surfboard reviews

 Once the width is settled, take a look at some lengths. How tall are you? Does an 8-foot surfboard look outrageously long in comparison to you? If not, then an 8-foot longboard is a good place to start.

 A great example of this would be The Solution surfboard. Known far and wide for its outstanding versatility, the Solution offers riders the most diversity out of any of the Chemistry models. It will definitely cover most of your needs as a beginner surfer, but it also has a lot of space for growth.

 It features a unique concave that lends itself to paddling and offers a great deal of control because your feet are very close to the water.

 The Padillac can be the perfect surfboard for those that are looking for a wider outline and more volume. This board is excellent for paddling and has a lot of inherent drive to it. But, get this: because it has a curved rocker, it retains a ton of maneuverability as well.

 Beginners will probably love this board because it will give them that extra push of confidence. Did we mention that you can mount up to five fins? Crazy right?

 The volume is the area that the board occupies. This is measured in liters—as in liters contained or how many liters fit into the volume of the board. As with the width, you will want a board with a substantial amount of volume if you are looking for a more stable ride.

 Having a lot of volume can have its shortcomings in some areas, but you’re presumably getting your feet wet and not going for the best performance board on the market.

 Having a lot of volume can have its shortcomings in some areas, but you’re presumably getting your feet wet and not going for the best performance board on the market.

 It’s very easy to calculate the ideal board volume based on your body type, dimensions, and weight, but there is no better way to see if a board is right for you than a real-life scenario.