Surfboard Size Chart

When buying a new surfboard, size is everything. Hitting just the right surfboard volume will improve your wave count and surfing performance. Poor board choice is among the biggest reasons why many struggle to improve. How do you find the perfect board size for you?

There are a few factors to consider. Aside from skill level, surfer weight, height, and fitness, it also depends on what you want the board to do. Different shapes of surfboards are suited to different styles of surfing, which affects the ideal surfboard measurements considerably.

Here's my guide to choosing the right size surfboard for your specific needs.

More...

Surfboard size chart

Surfboard sizes are usually given as a set of measurements including length, maximum width, thickness, and volume (in liters). Some surfboard measurements also include the tail width. For advanced or intermediate-advanced surfers, choosing the right board usually involves an in-depth conversation with their local surf shop or preferred shaper. Surfing style, surfer weight-to-height ratio, and preferred wave types all affect board choices for the better surfer who surfs regularly.

At the other end of the scale, i.e. the true novice surfer, the right surfboard is often as simple as the biggest one they can carry down the beach. However, dimensions and surfboard shapes do matter more for the beginner to intermediate surfer. For anyone who surfs regularly with the intention to catch waves and improve, a simple size chart provides a good rough estimate of the right length surfboard.

The following descriptions and charts are based on relatively "average" shapes within each category.

Beginner Surfboard Size Chart

Beginner surfers need a bigger board than advanced or intermediate riders do.

More volume translates to better stability and makes catching waves straight to the beach easier for a novice surfer.

A high wave count, i.e. lots of attempts at popping up and riding, is key to making the progression from true beginner towards being an intermediate surfer.

Many beginner surfers choose a first board shaped around something similar to a longboard template, with a wide nose and fairly parallel rail lines, although they can also be designed more along the lines of an oversized shortboard. Our how to buy a surfboard article offers additional tips and tricks.

The best beginner surfboards also have soft foam decks instead of the hard surface of a traditional fiberglass board. A foam board is generally the best surfboard choice for beginners as it helps prevent injury during the learning process.

Weight (Lb)	Board Size (Ft)
100 - 135	7’2” - 7’4”
135 - 155	7’4 - 7’6”
155 - 175	7’6” - 7’8”
175 - 200	7’8” - 7’10”
>200	>7’10”

Funboard Surfboard Size Chart

For a beginner surfer who's ridden a few waves and wants to start transitioning from their foam board to a fiberglass one, a fun board is a logical place to start.

These mid-length surfboard designs, almost always using a thruster fin setup, tend to sit in the 7' to 8' range (for adults) and carry plenty of volume for riding weaker waves and maintaining stability.

However, they are a little more refined than true beginner boards, generally having less chunky rails, and this is useful once you start surfing on the open face instead of riding whitewater waves straight into the beach.

For a beginner-intermediate rider who only surfs occasionally, it may even be best to stick with a funboard in the medium to long term, whereas someone who surfs regularly and is developing into a more skilled surfer will eventually move on, usually either towards longboarding or a high-performance shortboard.

All sizes in the following chart are based on improving intermediate surfers. For a beginner-intermediate rider, err on the side of a larger board by adding an extra 2".

We've got a best funboard surfboard reviews page to check out once you've determined the size you need.

Weight (Lb)	Board Size (Ft)
100 - 135	7’0” - 7’2”
135 - 155	7’2” - 7’4”
155 - 175	7’4 - 7’6”
175 - 200	7’6” - 7’8”
>200	7’8” - 7’10”

Shortboard Size Chart

A true shortboard is used to practice high-performance surfing and aimed at intermediate, advanced, or professional surfers. The smaller board dimensions require a higher fitness and skill level to use, especially since they are generally used in steeper waves and heavier surf conditions.

Design-wise, shortboards tend to have a relatively narrow nose and tail with most of the volume set around the middle of the board. Different designs have the widest part set forward or back of the center point but it's become increasingly popular to keep the bulk of the foam under the surfer's chest when paddling. The tails come in a range of shapes, from the flat-ish squash tail to rounded pins and even swallowtails (no, not every swallow-tail surfboard is a fish).

When looking at high-performance shortboard sizes, note that age and fitness are just as important as surfing ability. A less athletic surfer will want a few extra liters compared to an equally skilled surfer with a higher fitness level. If in doubt, err on the larger size when you first transition to a shortboard. That way, you'll definitely have fun on your new board even if you then decide to go down a size for your next performance board purchase.

Sizes in the chart are based on improving intermediate riders. Advanced surfers may wish to go 2-4" shorter than the table values.

If you're looking for a place to start checking out boards, our best shortboard surfboard reviews has a few you might be interested in.

Weight (Lb)	Board Size (Ft)
100 - 135	5’10” - 6’0”
135 - 155	6’0” - 6’2”
155 - 175	6’2” - 6’4”
175 - 200	6’4” - 6’6”
>200	6’6” - 6’8”

Fish Surfboard Size Chart

Fish surfboards are wider through the nose and with a flatter rocker than high-performance shortboards and have a broad, deep-cut swallowtail.

Originally made as twin fins, they are now also commonly available with quad (four) fin setups.

Fish are fast, loose surfboards, and many surfers keep one due to how much fun they can be for surfing in weaker waves.

Fish are often considered the perfect board for beach or point breaks in the 2-4' size range.

However, a more skilled surfer can ride a fish on all sorts of wave types including overhead conditions.

Because of their width and thickness, fish are usually surfed a couple of inches shorter than a standard shortboard (depending on surfing ability). Sizes in the chart are based on intermediate riders.

Beginner-intermediate riders may consider a fish as an alternative to a funboard, in which case they should aim for a bigger board, around 2-4" longer than the listed size.

Head over to our best fish surfboard review for a couple of highly recommended boards.

Weight (Lb)	Board Size (Ft)
100 - 135	5’6” - 5’8”
135 - 155	5’8” - 5’10”
155 - 175	5’10” - 6’0”
175 - 200	6’0” - 6’2”
>200	6’2” - 6’4”+

Longboard Size Chart

As surfboard sizes go, longboards dwarf the previous two categories.

These much bigger boards catch waves almost effortlessly, maintain speed down the line, and are less prone to catching rails due to their width and buoyancy.

The trade-off is less maneuverability, you have to rely on smooth carving turns rather than "hacks". The bigger boards are also very difficult, if not impossible, to duck dive so you need to be careful paddling out in powerful waves.

The traditional longboard shape has a wide, rounded nose (for noseriding), long rail lines, and a fairly narrow tail with one large center fin.

However, thruster and quad fin setups are also becoming more popular choices for modern longboarders.

When buying such a large board, there are guidelines based on bodyweight but you also tend to size them based on other factors. Given that even a "small" longboard has way more volume than any shortboard, getting enough foam ceases to be such a major concern. In fact, for many surfers, the question when choosing a longboard is less "How big a surfboard do I need?" and more "How big a surfboard can I handle".

So, if you're an intermediate surfer or above who's chosen to ride a bigger board, consider the guidelines in this table to be the upper end of the recommended scale, rather than as a minimum.

Once you've figured out the size you need, our best longboard surfboard reviews is a good place to start shopping.