Walk into any surf shop and the talk turns to volume, litres and length. It can sound like a formula, but volume is really just how much float a board has. More float means the board sits higher in the water, paddles faster and catches waves more easily. When you are learning, that is the whole game, and getting it roughly right saves months of frustration.
Start with your weight
Volume only makes sense next to your weight. As a starting point, a rider up to 60kg is well served by 60 to 70 litres for first waves. Between 60 and 75kg, look at 70 to 80 litres. Between 75 and 90kg, 80 to 90 litres. Over 90kg, look for 90 litres and up. These are rough numbers, but they head off the most common mistake, which is buying too little board too soon and then fighting it every session while everyone else catches waves around you.
Softboard or hard board
Most people learn fastest on a softboard. It is stable, forgiving and safe to be hit by, and the soft deck is kind when you are clambering to your feet. Our Pebble softboard comes in 7'0, 8'0 and 9'0, with the 8'0 around 74 litres, which suits a wide range of adults. A hard board such as a longboard or mid-length paddles beautifully but is less forgiving while you learn, and it needs more careful handling on the walk down and in the shorebreak. You can read more about the shapes in our board guide.
Length, width and shape
A longer, wider board catches smaller, softer waves, which is what most days on the Cornish coast offer. Length adds glide and makes paddling less tiring between sets. Width adds stability when you are standing up. Thickness adds float. A short, thin, narrow board will catch almost nothing until you are confident, so resist it for now, however good it looks in the shop.
You can always go shorter later, and most surfers do, once their balance and paddling have caught up. Buy the board that suits the waves you actually surf, not the one you hope to surf one day. A leash, some cold-water wax and a board cover will keep it usable and safe on the roof of the car. If you would rather not choose each piece, the First Surf Kit bundles an 8'0 Pebble, a 7ft leash and three bars of wax. Boards travel boxed by our board courier and take 3 to 5 working days to arrive. If you are buying for a child, size up rather than down: they grow, and a slightly bigger board is easier and safer to paddle while they learn.
A quick checklist
- Match litres to your weight before anything else.
- Up to 60kg: aim for 60 to 70 litres.
- 60 to 75kg: 70 to 80 litres. 75 to 90kg: 80 to 90 litres.
- Over 90kg: 90 litres and up.
- Learn on a softboard if you can, it is safer and faster.
- Go longer and wider for small, soft Cornish days.
- Add a leash, cold-water wax and a board cover.
