5 categories of surfboard
December 24th, 2010
Knowledge is power and gives you more aptitude in making correct choices when buying a new surfboard. Communicating what you want and need for your surfing experience is key to picking up great custom made surfboard equipment. Popular surfboard manufacturer’s websites are a free and convenient way to start checking out what surfboard designs are available and popular in the surf world.
For general information purposes, the following guide can be used for five generalised design categories:
1. High Performance Designs
This design category is used for those with more advanced surfing abilities such as pro riders like Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson, Taj Burrows and other well known world class pro surfers, and also for advanced ability surfers looking for high performance in all styles and extremes of surf throughout the world.
2. Alternative Hybrid Designs
This category is a middle ground crossover between high-performance designs and retro-style designs. Note that this category, along with the retro designs, has become increasingly popular in the last few years with the surfboard buying public throughout the world.
3. Retro Designs
This category is based on previous board designs over the past 35 years of surfing history and features many models designed and built in the fashion of their time, including resin colour tinted fibreglass layups along with glossed and polished finishes. These board designs can also be traditionally glassed as clear lay-up as well, with a more traditional sanded satin-finish on the finished product.
4. Hybrid Mini-Longboard Designs
This category describes hybrid designs morphed between alternative hybrid design and high-performance longboard design. These models can be easier to ride than most traditional small board designs, and can help the rider to catch waves easily, even with their overall smaller-than-longboard size, and are generally designed for smaller, softer breaking waves. This feature also makes this category a great design for the beginner or the older surfer looking for a fun session when the surf is below average in wave height.
5. Longboard Designs
This category includes traditional longboard and high-performance longboard designs. These models have been known to be extremely easy to ride and catch waves with, and are generally designed for smaller, soft breaking wave. This feature makes the category a favourite design of beginners or older surfers looking for a fun ride in any conditions year round.
Content taken from “Surfing The Manual: Advanced“, check it out for more tips and tricks from the very best.
Tags: surf technique, surfing, surfing skills
