Surfing Kit Tips: How to buy a Longboard – FAQ

As surfing kit tips go, having a longboard in your quiver is a must. But how do you buy a longboard? What should you consider? And how do the differ? Find out the answer to all, in this longboard FAQ.

What is a Longboard?

The longboard is the traditional style of surfboard and the most legendary of designs. In a way we shouldn’t have to specify longboard – it is the original board to surf on. Only the introduction of different surfboard types means we need to give it any name other than surfboard.

Built for the sole purpose of catching waves, rather than for speed, turning etc, the longboard can range anywhere from 8 to 12 feet in length. Like other length boards they utilise different surf fin set-ups and showcase a variety of shaping modifications.

How to buy a longboard?

Longboards are a good choice for novice surfers looking to familiarize themselves with the sport. You’ll begin any beginner surfing course on a longboard. It is best not to go short until you are proficient on the long.

Their mass and volume make longboards more buoyant than other boards, so they’re easier to paddle out and catch waves. Longboards provide a relatively sturdy surface that is more forgiving of imbalance than a shorter, narrower board.

Good beginner longboards are about 9 feet long, just under 3 inches thick, and have a single fin set up. The shape of the tail and width of the nose are non-issues at first. Just work on popping up and riding in front of the crumbling wave.

Longboard FAQ

When determining how to buy a longboard, ask yourself three things:

How big/strong/heavy are you?

Your physical size will help determine which longboard is best for you. If you weigh more than 200 pounds consider a thicker board – maybe three inches or more. This will keep you afloat while sitting on the board and make catching waves much easier.

Lighter people need less mass to keep them afloat. So consider an 8 ½ foot board with 2 ½ inches of thickness if you’re a smaller surfer.

Keep in mind you’ll have to transport your longboard to and from the beach. So if the board is too wide to fit under your arm or too heavy to walk with, you won’t be doing much surfing at all.

What Type of Surfing Will You Do?

Longer longboards (10 feet or more) are good for nose riding – if that’s you thing! But they are more difficult to maneuver into position when catching a wave.

Unless you’re an advanced longboarder, there won’t be too much hotdogging on your new board. But if you’ve got the basics of surfing down already and are looking to explore the possibilities of longboards, try a three-fin set up to help you turn more sharply.

Concave nose designs will give you stability when nose riding and beveled rails will help the board stick to your line. Shorter boards will be easier to turn along the face of the wave. A well shaped 8 foot board will give you speed, maneuverability, and nose riding capabilities.

How Much Do You Want To Spend?

Some longboards by noteworthy shapers, with beautiful aesthetics, thick glass, and perfect design can cost north of $5,000! So if you win big on slot gacor perhaps you’ll invest your winning to buy a beauty!

But spending that much money is far from necessity. You can buy a good longboard for about $1,000-£1,500. Cheaper boards can be found below $1,000 and sometimes a great bargain can be had on old stock.

Buying a used longboard is also an option. Just be sure to check over the entire surface for cracks in the glass before buying and taking it on a surfing holiday to locations known for strong waves.

If all else fails, cheap used soft tops can be found for $100 or less. You then don’t have worry about dinging it up, just make sure it’s structurally sound.

Top Surfing Kit Tips

No matter the cost, remember that nothing is worse than not doing something you want. One of the best surfing kit tips I can give you is to get out there and get surfing whatever board you have!

We hope you found this longboard FAQ useful. And not that you know how to buy a longboard you’ll probably want to find suitable surfing courses to make the most of it.