Discover the Best Surfboard for a Beginner Child: 2022 Buyer’s Guide

Choosing a Surfboard: Buying Guide

In the words of the Big Kahuna, “Out of water, I am nothing” describes why surfing from its origins around 1000 A.D. has continued to grow into it’s enormous popularity today. Surfing is a great sport to introduce a young person to and the surfboard is the key to their enjoyment and success. 

A surfboard for a beginner has a special design and features that will allow a newbie to surfing, to successfully learn the basics of the sport and build that passion described by the Big Kahuna. For these reasons we have gathered the following information to guide you in finding the right surfboard for a child who is learning to surf.

What To Look For

Surfing can be a blast for your child, which makes finding a safe, reliable and appropriate surfboard for their size, age and skill level paramount. The following is a list of what to look for during your search for the best surfboard for your child:

Cost

The cost of surfboards varies a great deal and in turn so does the quality. As a general rule, how much a product costs would be one of the last factors we would consider in making a final decision. 

However, as the saying goes, “kids grow like weeds.” Compound this with the fact that young people typically pick up new skills relatively quickly, which means they will likely grow out of their first surfboard after a year. 

For these reasons, you may want to consider purchasing a board that is a little longer (1 to 2 feet) so they can grow into it. The width of the board should be sleek enough to allow their arms to fit around it and so they are able to paddle out to waves.

The shape of the board, although not as important, should have an appropriate and sufficient volume for their size. A surfboard for kids in the mid to high-quality range of soft boards should provide you with an appropriate board. You need to get a quality board, keeping in mind that you will most likely be investing in a second board as your child grows and their skills develop.

Length

As a general guide, the longer the surfboard, the quicker a beginner will be able to successfully ride a wave. Typically, you will find beginner foam boards to range in length from 4 to 9 feet long. 

Longer boards are preferred for the new surfer as they are easier to balance on, especially when conditions are not ideal, allowing them to develop their skills and gain confidence. The downside to the longer board is that they are less maneuverable, which is a minor limitation for the advantages they provide.

A few factors to consider regarding the length of the surfboard:

• Longer boards provide greater balance and thus easier to catch a wave.
• The additional length will restrict some maneuverability.
• A beginner board should allow the child to develop their skills and gain confidence.
• The surfboard should have sufficient volume to ensure the child floats and the board is stable.
• The length should be a size your child can handle (carrying as well as surfing).
• Children under 5 years old that can swim, you may want to start with a beginner bodyboard that they can play with in the water and lay on catching the white water near shore.
• For children approximately 5 to 10 years old surfboards that are 4 to 7 feet long is typical. The volume should be sufficient to ensure they float and have the stability to get the feel and develop the skills for standing on a board, as well as paddling out to waves.
• Like adults, kids learn and develop at different rates. Learning the basics and gaining a level of confidence is the goal. Some children will be happy riding waves, so a longer, rounder and more stable board will be appropriate. Other children will seek more adventure and seek the challenge of doing tricks and maneuvers, so a shorter performance board may be an option.

Again, generally speaking, bigger is better for young children learning to surf. The bigger board makes catching a wave much easier and with the goal of developing skills and gaining confidence are ideal for beginner children.

Material

An important factor to consider in any beginner board is the material they are constructed from, with most being designed from either foam or a basic epoxy resin. Softer materials like foam support more volume and thus float better, while lessening the impact when the beginner inevitably wipes out. 

For the first couple of years, as a beginner learns and gains confidence, a soft surfboard is a good option for the following reasons:

• Child’s safety is your top priority.
• Generally lighter and easier to handle.
• More buoyant, making it easier to stand up.
• Thicker soft boards are more buoyant, providing more floatation, a level of padding when the child falls and making catching a wave easier.
• The more success a child experiences the more they will enjoy surfing, which means the more likely they are to continue in the sport.
• Softboards are safer and thus much less likely to injure your child.
• More advanced boards (fiberglass) have sharper edges, fins and are more maneuverable (chance of drifting into other surfers), which inherently presents more potential for injury for a beginning surfer.

When your child has demonstrated they have developed the physical skills, confidence, is able to read conditions, paddle out to waves and manage 2 to 3 foot surf, is the time you can begin considering a more advanced surfboard.

Design

Softboards are designed to be as safe as possible for you child. This includes the deck, fins that are more flexible and forgiving for the surfer, as well as mom and dad when assisting them to learn. An epoxy board design will be more durable, handling the hard knocks and conditions but are also harder on those who come in contact with it. 

Once your child has advanced their skill level and are consistently catching waves you can support their development with a move to a harder board. Typically these boards will be constructed of fiberglass or a carbon fiber. The design will present a less stable surfboard that is faster, more maneuverable and easier to control making turns.

Height and Weight

Manufacturers provide charts that detail the recommended rider height, weight and skill level for each of the board designs. The height and weight of your child directly correlates with how efficiently they will be able to paddle, maneuver and handle the board. The heavier the surfer, the longer the surfboard that is needed to be able to effectively maintain their balance. If the manufacturers chart finds your child between sizes, opt for the longer surfboard, to accommodate their weight and height, as well as their continued growth.

Fins

You will find that most surfboards have fins that are attached to the bottom of the board. The fins are typically located towards the rear of the board and are intended to assist the surfer in maintaining directional stability and support making turns.

On a beginner surfboard, the fins are not as important as on more advanced boards. Beginners are typically working on maintaining balance, gaining a level of confidence and are riding the white water near shore, which makes fins less impactful. Some boards have removable fins that may be a nice option for a younger child, making carrying and transporting much easier.