Best Bodyboards Guide
There’s tons of options for bodyboards out there. We’ve looked at a bunch of different ones and found that some of them are completely useless.
Whether they snap just by being touched by a wave or bend irreparably, these boards will only let you down.
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You having the best time you can at the beach is our goal so we don’t want to see you bummed out on your next board. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of some of our favorite bodyboards. These boards are tried and trusted. Whatever your skill level, we’re pretty sure we found the best bodyboards for you.
Whether you’re looking to get your feet wet for the first time or need the next board to get totally shacked, we have something for you. So we’ll jump into our list of top bodyboards.
Our Favorite Picks
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#1 Best Professional Bodyboard - Custom X Titan
#1 Best Overall - Morey Mach 7
#1 Best Bodyboard for Big Guys - Morey Big Kahuna
#1 Best Kids Bodyboard - BPS
#1 Best Value - Wavestorm 2 Pack
The Top 5 Best Bodyboards
#1 Best Professional Bodyboard - Custom X Titan
Custom X has been in the bodyboarding game forever. They know what it takes to make boards for top level pros.
Now, they’ve put all their knowledge into making a board that’s well-priced and easy for anyone to pick up and have fun on.
In addition to a polyethylene core, one of the things that separates the Custom X Titan from the competition is the use of stringers to give the board stiffness and speed down the line of any wave you catch.
If you’re a smaller rider, the Titan comes with one stringer. If you’re a larger rider, the Titan comes with two stringers for extra support.
Besides being stiffer for more speed, the Custom X Titan is shaped to help you out on the wave face.
Besides having a crescent tail to help hold you on the face, the Titan has 60/40 rails to help it bite into the wave and hold a tight line through heavy drops and big barrels. Combined with channels in the tail, you’ll have no problem turning this board and catching air.
The shape and construction of the Titan also allows it to be used for either prone or drop-knee bodyboarding. There is enough support and stability near the rails that you’ll feel like you’re in control. But, the board is still maneuverable that it won’t feel like you’re laying on a table when you ride prone.
#1 Best Overall - Morey Mach 7
Tom Morey invented the boogie board. They know what they’re doing when they make bodyboards and the Mach 7 is one of their most iconic and popular ones.
Morey has many different lines of bodyboards, but make no mistake about it. When it comes to the Mach 7, they’re as legit as they come.
The Mach 7 is shaped from a PE (polyethylene) core. This core helps the board go great for the fun summer surf when the waves are a little more hollow and have a shorter ride length, but bodyboard will also work in any water temperature.
The PE core will excel when the water gets colder and the waves bigger in the winter too.
The Morey Mach 7 has a crescent tail that, together with channels on the bottom, help this board’s versatility in any kind of waves for any style of bodyboarding.
Whether you need to turn and spray buckets or need speed to escape any barrel, you’ll find the Mach 7 to be maneuverable and quick.
Besides having an outstanding outline, the Morey Mach 7 also boasts a stringer for added speed, durability, and stiffness.
For us bigger guys, it can seem like every board out there is made for some teenage kid to ride.
Fortunately, Morey has an answer with their Big Kahuna board. Finally, a board we can feel confident on whether the surf is large or small.
The Big Kahuna has several options in the core, coming with either a PE or EPS core.
The EPS core gives the Big Kahuna a little bit more float power so that it can help support some extra weight on the water.
At 44”, this board is a couple of inches longer than most other bodyboards.
Though only a few inches, you’ll feel the difference immediately if you’re tall. On this board, you won’t feel like you’re laying on a restaurant tray while you try to balance.
To help you out, the Big Kahuna’s template is wider than the standard board. In addition to providing more flotation, the extra width will provide stability on any wave so that you can feel in control and ready for whatever the wave sends your way.
The BPS Green Machine bodyboard is a solid option for any grom to get into bodyboarding. With its EPS core, slick bottom, and small size, this board floats, is easy to control, and ready to shred.
Any kid will be stoked and ready to hit the waves when they get their hands on a BPS bodyboard. To make sure no kid is bummed with their board, it even comes with a leash included so that the board is ready to ride from the first moment.
One of the best things about the Green Machine is that it’s user friendly.
Besides it’s buoyant core and included leash, the Green Machine is designed with an easy to use crescent tail that will help hold the board wave and keep it from sliding around in the water.
The Green Machine even comes in a huge variety of colors and different sizes, so it’s easy to make sure that you’re getting the best board for you.
How awesome is it when you buy something and end up getting two for the same price? Wavestorm thinks it’s pretty awesome too and is willing to hook you up. Wavestorm has been making pretty awesome gear all over the place, and they’re bodyboards are just another addition to their line.
The Wavestorm bodyboard comes with a precontoured deck for maximum control and comfort. With the speed slick bottom, the extra control you’ll feel from the deck grooves will be appreciated.
With an EPS core, the Wavestorm is both lightweight and tough. Not only that, but it will easily float you so you’ll have no problem having fun as you ride waves.
The Wavestorm 2 pack makes it easy to have a blast at the beach as it comes with a leash already pre attached for you. The hardest decision you’ll have is which of the two to ride.
How To Choose
Size and Weight
If you have a small frame, there’s no need to get the biggest bodyboard you can find. Likewise, if you’re larger, a small board will do you no good. Be sure you take the size into account before you
Price
There is a huge variety of different priced boards depending on how serious you are. If you want to take bodyboarding seriously and get seriously shacked in the green room, you don’t want to skimp on a good board.
How Often You Will Use it
If you want your board to last, it will pay off to get a more durable board that you can progress on.
Crescent Tail or Bat Tail
Crescent tails are more versatile and help hold the tail of the board in the wave making it easier to turn. Bat tail boards go faster but can sometimes slide out of control. They are not recommended for drop-knee bodyboarding.
Skill Level
An entry level board will have different features than a performance board. If you’re getting your first board, you probably don’t need to have the most tech stringer or hand shaped outline. Whereas if you’re looking for your next board, more features can make for more enjoyable surfing.
FAQ
What size should my bodyboard be?
“What size are you?” is the short answer. It depends on your height and weight, but most riders will have no problem riding something between 40.5” and 44”. You can find a better breakdown with this nifty size chart guide.
Do you wax bodyboards?
You can wax a bodyboard, but usually it’s not necessary. Unless you’re riding huge waves or hucking even bigger airs. There are special bodyboard waxes, but most people also just use regular surf wax.
DO NOT wax the bottom. Wax is for grip not for speed like skis or a snowboard!
How do you catch waves on a bodyboard?
There’s two places to catch a wave on a bodyboard. Bodyboards just don’t travel as fast as a normal surfboard, so you have to catch the wave later. This means you’ll either catch the wave right before it’s cresting and about to break or after it has already broken, on the white water.
To catch the wave, kick with your feet to build up speed and lean forward, but not too far forward, so that the wave can pick up your momentum. While kicking, you don’t want to splash too much since more splashing means more wasted energy. As you get comfortable catching waves, try turning on the face of the wave.
Do I need fins to bodyboard?
If you are doing anything besides riding the white water of a wave that has already broken, you will need swim fins. Fins will give you extra strength to catch waves and help you paddle out to the waves. You can think of them like a helping motor so you can save energy and gain power. Just make sure you get surfing swim fins and not diving fins or pool fins. Surf fins have no heel and a nonadjustable strap.
What is the best bodyboard brand?
Custom X and Morey are two of the top bodyboard brands. Besides these two, there is also Science, Toys, Madrid, VS, NMD and BZ that are considered reputable brands.
Is bodyboarding easier than surfing?
In some ways bodyboarding is considered easier than surfing because surfing because you don’t have to stand up on the board to ride the wave. Many surfers start surfing on a bodyboard since it is a great way to learn how to read waves and have a blast. Kicking a bodyboard can also be easier than paddling a surfboard because your legs are much stronger than your arms.
Is bodyboarding easy?
Although bodyboarding is one of the easiest ways to ride waves, it can be difficult to master. Riding a wave after it has already broken is the easiest way to bodyboard and can be easy. Catching an unbroken wave and getting barreled on a bodyboard can be more challenging.
Can you surf on a bodyboard?
If you are riding a wave, you’re surfing even on a bodyboard. If you mean stand up surfing, you can do that on a bodyboard too. Be warned though, standing up on a bodyboard is very difficult though and not recommended as it is hard to control the board.
What kinds of waves are best for bodyboarding?
If you are just beginning, white water is the best waves to bodyboard. Since bodyboards don’t carry as much kinetic energy, they often require waves that have more strength than a longboard. But since you don’t need to stand up on a bodyboard, you can also ride quicker, more hollow waves on a bodyboard.
What is drop-knee?
Drop-knee is a different style of bodyboarding where you place one foot on the front of the board and your other knee on the back of your board. It is more similar to stand up surfing than prone bodyboarding.
Final Verdict - Which Should You Buy?
If you want a board that can do it all and will last you even if you’re an advanced bodyboarder, look no further than the Custom X Titan. Between its outline and construction materials, it has everything you’ll need to ride any wave of your choosing.
Whether it’s getting barreled, throwing down airs, or just getting started, the rails and crescent tail will help you ride any wave the way you envision riding it. You’ll be able to stick to the face like glue while still being able to turn.
The stringer together with the PE core will help keep your the Titan in great shape through any wear. The stiffness and durability will keep this board pushing through any wave and feeling fast even over time.
The Titan’s overall excellence makes it an easy choice for us.
