What is a good first surfboard to buy?
When you going to start surfing and ready to buy your first surfboard then I strongly recommend to buy online bamboo surfboards in USA. Here you easily find different variety of wooden surfboard.
Surfing: What's a good beginner's surfboard to buy?
SPOILER ALERT: this answer does not support the local surf community, you should buy hand shaped boards from local shapers as you progress, BUT as a first board learner option I would suggest the Costco wave storm. Best hundred dollars you will ever invest in for the ocean. In fact, splurge and buy the smaller board version called 'the sushi' for 70 dollars also. Full foamy two board quiver for less than two hundred dollars. Bonus, keep your receipt, if you break either on in half, Costco will replace it for free!
I want to buy my first surfboard (I'm 1.62 m). Is it better to buy a 7.3 (2.20 m) or a 7.9 (2.38 m) board? Why?
You have been told absolute shitDo not buy a softboard, like said before, it’s useless once you manage to take off.Do NOT buy a longboard either ! I don’t know why you have been advised that way like : “you are so tall you need a longboard of TEN FEET”. This is complete NONSENSE. The utility of the board is to allow you to float, the more you weight, the more you need surface and floatability from your board. If you weight 60kg/130lbs, no matter how tall you are, your board will have to support 60kg/130lbs, you being 1m60 or 1m90 is irrelevant ! It’s complete BS Plus, it’s fucking hard to carry a 10 feet longboard (for you and your car), and fiberglass is way too fragile.That being said, if you want to go for a longboard, that should be because you like this style of riding waves, this spirit, and because honestly you just want a longboard. No one should advise you to go for a longboard because “longboards are made for beginners”. This is so wrong.What you should do is : go for a Bic with a mini malibu shape. Buy it second hand (it’s unbreakable, no worries there) and see for yourself which to take. Take the one you feel more comfortable with. I first bought a Bic 7′3, and that was clearly good for me. Bic boards are MADE for beginners, so don’t worry. Try one of 7′3, and another of 7′9 (this might be a bit big though) with friends, or by renting and you’ll see which one is best for you :)Good luck !
How do I choose a surfboard?
Assuming you are a beginner and of average size, I would suggest doing what I first did when I started surfing. The first surfboard I purchased was a fun board/minimal, in my case a 7′2 epoxy Takayama Scorpion. I purchased this board after first taking two surfing lessons that I purchased on Groupon. At first, you will want to learn on something bigger, such as a 9′+ longboard that is also fairly wide and stable. Many of the boards that these schools are using will be old fiberglass boards, which makes them a little heavier and adds to their stability. This will help you get up to your feet quickly. But I would definitely not spend the money buying one of these boards; take a lesson first, and then borrow or rent something like it the next few times out.The reason I am suggesting a fun board and not a long board as your first purchase is because after a few times out, the negatives of a longboard can outweigh the positives. For instance, longboards are more difficult to carry, and more difficult to maneuver in the water, both before and after you catch a wave. To me, a fun board provided a good balance between being able to catch many waves, but also allowed me to learn fairly quickly how to maneuver on the wave, such as doing a proper bottom turn and going up and down the face. With a longboard, the weight transfer back and forth on the board needs to be more pronounced, which is why you see longboarders walking up and down the board. I feel that having to figure this out as a beginner is a lot to ask and would take a lot of time. With a fun board, I could turn and maneuver on a wave without having to transfer my weight back and forth by moving both of my feet. After you get accustomed to a fun board and are comfortable in the waves, you can then decide whether you want to focus on a longboard, or go the shortboard route. In my case, I happily used my Scorpion for over two years while surfing about 4 times a week, and still keep it for those smaller days when my shortboard won’t work.
What does a surfboard cost?
Ballpark Prices:New shortboard range $500-$700 (prices vary depending on materials, poly, epoxy, etc)Longboards range $600-$1500+Soft Tops range $250-$400Approximate prices can get better deals on used boards.
What are the biggest problems when buying your first surfboard?
When buying you first board, you have to make sure that it is the right board for you. If you are a beginner you will want a board with plenty of flotation, and a good amount of width so that you can balance easier. Some beginners buy ‘foamies’ , foam boards that are recommended for learning on.These boards will not hurt if you fall off and the board hits you.You also need the right length to suit you height. Generally the person at the shop you buy your board from can help you with that.
Surfing: Where is the best place to buy surfboard racks?
As others have suggested here, soft racks can be picked up at your local surf shop (support your local shop!!). These are great for air travel surf trips when you plan to rent a car and need a handy system to strap down boards effectively. But if you are looking for a solution for everyday use, definitely go with a hard rack (more secure and semi-permanent).If you already have a base rack with cross bars (note cross bars can be added via your dealership or as an aftermarket OEM purchase) on your vehicle then really all you need are tie down straps - I’ve had good success with Dakine and FCS - and rack pads (to protect your boards). And those too can be purchased at your local surf shop or online.But if you don’t have a base rack + cross bars - check out Thule or Yakima. I’ve used both, and highly recommend. I’ve also heard good things about Rhino-Racks. Whatever system you choose, pay the extra $$ for a base rack system with a built-in security locking mechanism. All of these companies also have tie-downs available for purchase as well. If you are willing to shell out a few more bucks…some of the systems have integrated base rack with tie-downs for turnkey setup.
I am looking to buy a surfboard or ruger 10/22, what do you think is better?
As an avid hunter and gun enthusiast, I would recommend the Ruger 10/22. The rifle is useful year-round and can be used for a variety of shooting activities, from competition to simple plinking to hunting. 10/22s are extremely customizeable, with the limit being the imagination of the owner. They are fairly inexpensive to purchase, and the ammunition is the least expensive of all ammunition produced. The good times will hardly end when you own a 10/22.I have never surfed, mainly because I don’t swim nearly well enough to face ocean waves, and partly because I’ve never lived particularly close to a beach. I imagine that owning a surfboard would be similar to owning a snowboard. The surfboard would only be useable during certain times of the year. A surfboard is much more difficult to transport than a 10/22, and it can only be used in certain environments (namely the ocean). A surfboard’s usefulness is also dependent on the weather. The rewards would probably be similar in quality to those of a 10/22.The surfboard is not a bad choice if you enjoy surfing and understand the limitations of use of a surfboard. Similarly, the 10/22 is not a bad choice if you enjoy shooting sports and also understand the limitations of use of a firearm. Overall, I believe that a 10/22 would be more useful than a surfboard and would return equal levels of enjoyment when used, and would therefore be the better option.
Why would you choose to buy a surfboard off the rack vs. having a custom surfboard built for you?
For 95% of surfers they are better to take advantage of the research and development that goes into making a modern ‘off the rack’ board as over time, they have refined the shape and materials to suit almost all levels and conditions.This is not to say that I’d you have a relationship with a shaker that knows your physical dimensions, physical fitness, surfing capability and waves that you typically ride that a better board can end up under your arm. These shaper / surfer relationships are rare however.It also needs to be said that all ‘off the rack’ board are not created equal and the likes of a Tomo, Slater Designs, DHD, HaydenShapes have way more money, time and experience behind them in shaping than many of the cheaper ‘pop outs’Therefore, like with most things in life, you get what you pay for and can never expect that a $350 Jacks board from City Beach (Australian surf shop chain) will ever match up in performance to a $1000 AUD HaydenShapesMe personally, I love surfing the modern off the rack boards and own and love my Evo by Tomo and a Slater Designs SciFi.