Best Surfboards of 2023

JUMP TO: LIB TECH X LOST PADDLE JUMPER / FIREWIRE GLAZER / SOLID SURF THROWBACK / CATCH SURF ODYSEA LOG X / SOUTH BAY GUPPY / SOLID SURF LOG / SOUTH BAY TORTUGA / BUYING ADVICE

Author: Rose Martin

The Short Version

The Long Version

One of the great things about surfing is that it’s as much fun for total newbies as it is for seasoned pros. But to get the most out of your surfing sessions, you need the right tool for the job.

If you are new to surfing, we definitely recommend starting out with a beginner board. Beginner “foamies” might not be the coolest boards around, but if you jump straight onto a technical shortboard, learning to surf will be super frustrating and probably take you longer in the long term.

Of course once you’ve mastered the basics on a beginner board, it’ll be time to upgrade – but the right board will depend on the type of surfing you plan on doing.

If you like the sound of slow rides and dancing up and down your surfboard, then you’ll want to go long. But if it’s fast-paced maneuvers that get you going, then the shorter the better. Plus, some boards are designed for small waves, whilst others are made for mighty swells, so you need to think about where you’ll be surfing and how the season affects the swell.

On top of that, if surfing becomes a passion– which it probably will – then you might end up wanting a board for every occasion.

The good news is, no matter whether you’re a rookie or a veteran, like knee-high waves or over-headers, love noseriding or aerial tricks, there’s a board out there with your name on it.

The bad news is that finding the right board can take a while.

Nonetheless, some boards do stand above the competition! So to help you on your way, we’ve put together our view on the best boards around. Enjoy!

If you love reading this review of the best surfboards, then you'll likely love reading some of our other surfing gear pages:

Need To Know What To Look Out For?

Making the best board choice can be a lot to do with dialing in the right board for your surfing style and experience. So be sure to check out our buying advice at the bottom of the article – it highlights the key things to think about before adding a new number to your quiver.

Best for Shredding Small Waves: LIB TECH X LOST PUDDLE JUMPER HP

LENGTH: 5’6’’

WIDTH: 20’’

THICKNESS: 2.45’’

TOTAL VOLUME: 30L

MATERIAL: Carbon fiber, composite, resin

PRICE: $$$$

PROS: Fast, stable landings, easy to transport and carry, extremely durable

CONS: Expensive, not designed for large waves

If you’re an experienced surfer looking for a way to shred even on days when the swell is small, you should definitely check out the Lib Tech X Lost Puddle Jumper.

With 30L of total volume, this board is awesome for those smaller waves. But don’t worry about things getting slow out there, this board has been designed with high-performance surfing in mind. The narrow tail and short nose mean you can pick up some serious speed even on small waves, and the high volume and broad nose add awesome stability to your landings (you can see why they call it the ‘jumper’).

At just 5’6’’ this board is easy to transport and carry, yet the broad outline means you’ll have plenty of paddle room and won’t exhaust yourself getting out to the breakers.

Finally, Lib Tech are known for their super durable boards, and this Puddle Jumper HP is no exception – it’s constructed with high-end materials, including a hexzylon fiber foam skin, to ensure a highly ding-resistant board.

While this board doesn’t come cheap, in this case, it really is a matter of getting what you pay for.

Best for Varied Waves: FIREWIRE GLAZER

LENGTH: 5’7’’ (inch increments from 5’2’’ through 6’1’’ also available)

WIDTH: 20 7/16’’

THICKNESS: 2 5/8’’

TOTAL VOLUME: 33.7L

MATERIAL: EPS, parabolic balsa 

PRICE: $$$$

PROS: Easy paddling, fast and responsive, works well with most waves, good for mixed abilities

CONS: Very expensive for a shortboard

If you want something small and easy to handle, but don’t want to limit yourself to punchy 6-ft waves, then the Firewire Glazer cold be just what you’re looking for.

This shortboard hybrid features a deep single to double concave to give you plenty of speed, and the rounded pulled-in tail provides awesome responsiveness too. These features make it a great board for dropping in on overhead waves, but it doesn’t stop there.

You’ll still have heaps of fun when the waves are small too thanks to the generous volume and the wide chest area that makes paddling a breeze. This means you’ll be able to catch small waves early, even when they’re lacking power (but you’ll still pick up speed thanks to the concave).

The small size makes this board super easy to get from A to B, and our only major complaint is the price tag. Overall, if you can afford it, this is one versatile board that performs well in pretty much all conditions and is well-suited for intermediate and advanced surfers alike.

Best for Style: SOLID SURF CO THROWBACK

LENGTH: 5’10’’ (5’6’’, 5’8’’, 6’0’’ and 6’2’’ also available)

WIDTH: 21.4’’

THICKNESS: 2.7’’

TOTAL VOLUME: 40.1L

MATERIAL: EPS, hemp, organic cotton, recycled polyester, resin, wood

PRICE: $$$

PROS: Easy paddling and transport, great for practicing turns in small waves, eco-friendly construction

CONS: Not ideal for big waves, expensive

The Solid Surf Co Throwback, with its minimalistic earthy appearance, has to be one of the quirkiest boards on the market, but that’s not the only reason we love it so much. 

This fish board makes a great stepping stone for anyone ready to dip their toe in the world of shorter boards. Similar to traditional beginner boards, the total volume of just over 40L makes this board ideal for smaller waves, and its broadness for easy paddling.

But unlike beginner boards it’s also a great board for picking up the pace. The quad fin set-up, laid-back concave, and thin tail will send you racing down the line, and they make this board super responsive too. Plus, it’s way easier to carry around than a traditional ‘foamie’.

We also love that the core is constructed entirely from recycled materials, and various other eco-friendly products have been used too – and even the packaging is completely biodegradable.

This board does come with a pretty hefty price tag, but if you’re looking for an eco-friendly way to step up your game, this board may be it.

LENGTH: 8’0’’ (6’0’’, 7’0’’ and 9’0’’ also available)

WIDTH: 23.0’’

THICKNESS: 3.375’’

TOTAL VOLUME: 86L

MATERIAL: Composite, polyethylene, wood

PRICE: $$

PROS: Easy paddling, rounded nose, great for small waves, better maneuverability than most beginner boards, great value for money

CONS: Slightly heavy to carry on land

Catch Surf have teamed up with some of the best surfers around, including the legendary Jamie O’Brien, to produce an awesome line of soft-top surfboards – the Log x series.

The Catch Surf Odysea 8’0’’ Log x features a broad chest area and is the most buoyant surfboard on our list. These features make it ideal for catching smaller waves and make paddling a breeze too. The buoyancy and a collision-friendly round nose have made this board extremely popular among beginner surfers.

But it’s not only beginners who love this board – the tri-fin set-up and slim railings make this surfboard great for turns too. This does reduce the stability a tad for beginners, but it means that you’ll love this board even when your surfing skills progress. Overall it’s an awesome board for both true beginners and anyone hoping to catch those smaller waves.

The robust composite core is reinforced with stringers so this board will definitely last you a while, just bear in mind it’s a little on the heavy side so you might need to take some breaks if you’ll be walking far to the waves.

On the whole, this board offers a fantastic balance of volume and maneuverability, and it will stay strong as you develop from a beginner to a more advanced surfer. And the best part is, the price has stayed surprisingly low.

LENGTH: 6’

WIDTH: 22’’

THICKNESS: 3’’

TOTAL VOLUME: 40L

MATERIAL: Expanded polystyrene, wood, HDPE plastic

PRICE: $

PROS: Constructed with safety in mind, plenty of space and volume, very economical

CONS: Not super robust, not suitable for people >100 lbs

Ever seen a youngster shredding away while you’re struggling to catch a wave and wished you’d learnt to surf when you were young? Well, it might be too late for you, but it’s not too late for your kids! And the South Bay Board Co. 6’ Guppy is the perfect introductory board for any little ones (weighing up to 100 lbs) to learn on!

With 40L of volume behind it, plus a broad outline, they won’t exhaust themselves paddling out to the waves. On top of that, they’ll have plenty of space to practice their pop-ups and they can practice on waves that are nice and small.

To keep your kids safe while they’re crashing around, the board comes with a soft foam deck, a curved nose, and rounded fins. We also like that it comes with an in-built handle to make it easier for them to lug their board around on land.

This board also comes in at a very reasonable price point, partly due to its midrange materials – it can handle some bumps and scrapes, but don’t expect it to last forever.

We think this is a worthwhile trade-off though. After all, your kids will outgrow this board in no time, so a cheap and cheerful (not to mention safe and beginner friendly) board is going to be ideal.

Best Longboard: SOLID SURF CO LOG

LENGTH: 9’2’’ (9’0’’ and 6’6’’ also available)

WIDTH: 23’’

THICKNESS: 3.12’’

TOTAL VOLUME: 74.6L

MATERIAL: EPS, Hemp, Organic Cotton, Recycled Polyester

PRICE: $$$$$

PROS: Great for noseriding, easy paddling, eco-friendly materials

CONS: Heavy, very expensive

If noseriding is the name of the game (and let’s face it, with longboarding, it usually is) then look no further than the Solid Surf Co Log.

With a blunt nose, flat rocker, and some extra kick in the tail rocker, you’ll be dancing your way up to the nose of this board in no time. And, once you’re up there, you’ll be nice and stable too thanks to the generous length of this board and its single-fin set-up.

Although carrying this board down to the shore will definitely take some muscle work (it isn’t called ‘the log’ for nothing), once you’re on the water, you’ll find paddling a breeze thanks to the flat entry and serious buoyancy (75L).

Like many Solid Surf boards, the log has been constructed from a range of eco-friendly materials, including a core made from recycled materials.

While this board does come with a pretty hefty price tag, longboards always cost a bit more – and at least this board is a good for the environment as it is for you!

LENGTH: 9’6’’

WIDTH: 24’’

THICKNESS: 3.25’’

TOTAL VOLUME: 92L

MATERIAL: EPS, wood, bamboo, resin

PRICE: $$$$

PROS: Fun for all levels, very stable, great value for money, heat-release valve

CONS: Not the fastest board, hard to transport 

Find yourself getting through a block of wax a week just coating your longboard? Well, no more. The South Bay Board Co 9’6’’ Tortuga Hybrid is an awesome all-round longboard featuring a textured soft top that’s so grippy you won’t need wax to stay grounded.

This foam layer, combined with a gentle round nose, mean this board can handle some bumps and is also super safe for beginners. Plus, the incredible amount of volume (a whopping 92 liters!) and wide chest area leave plenty of room for practicing paddling and pop-ups.

But it’s not just beginners who’ll love this board - the nose is extra wide to provide stability for noseriding. At the other end, the squash tail also adds to the overall balanced feel of this board, making it a great board for cross stepping.

Longboards are known for their hefty price tags and, although this board isn’t exactly cheap, it’s reasonably priced considering its build quality and size. We love that it comes with a heat valve too to protect it from those harmful UV rays, so it will last you that bit longer.

Overall, the Tortuga might not be the fastest board out there, but it certainly offers a smooth, steady ride that will appeal to both beginners and advanced surfers alike.

BUYING ADVICE FOR SURFBOARDS

Although it’s easy to get lured in by carefully crafted high-performance surfboards, it’s important not to overshoot and grab a board that’s way beyond your skill level – it will slow your progress down in the long run.

So here are some key things to think about before purchasing your next board – you’ll see we’ve broken most of them down according to skill level.

Volume

BEGINNER: When you’re new to surfing, volume is key. Boards with lots of volume float well in the water, so you don’t have to paddle as hard to get out to the breakers. Larger volume boards are also more stable on the water. By going for a board with plenty of volume, you won’t exhaust yourself on your paddle out and you’ll have a fairly flat surface to practice your pop-ups on.

INTERMEDIATE: Once you’ve mastered catching waves with beginner boards (most likely an 8-9ft ‘foamie’), all that volume will start to get on your nerves. The long lengths, broad widths, and thick cores of these boards makes them heavy and awkward to carry around. Plus, they’re so floaty that you can’t duck dive through the waves with them, so getting out through bigger surf can become a real challenge.

At this stage you’ll want to start trying out boards with less volume – but we recommend transitioning slowly, otherwise you’ll feel out of your depth again and it will slow down your progress in the long run.

ADVANCED: When you’re heading out into huge swells, you need to be able to duck dive your way out the back, so you can’t take a board with loads of volume. Although cutting way down on the volume makes your board less stable and makes paddling harder, you’ll be able to have more control over your board – something that you need for high-performance surfing.

WEIGHT: Your weight will also affect how much volume you need on your board (the heavier you are, the more volume you’ll need).

Although finding the right volume for you will probably come down to a matter of trial and error, this online volume calculator gives you a rough idea of what volume you’ll need based on skill and on weight.

Material

BEGINNER: Soft top boards are your classic beginner boards. The deck is made from polystyrene foam, and this layer is far softer than the materials used for hard top boards. This not only protects you when you collide with your board (which is pretty much inevitable as you’re learning) but also keeps your board safe too. You might get some rips in the foam eventually, but you’re unlikely to get deep dings that lead to waterlogging. Finally, soft top foam boards are nice and floaty too, so they make paddling that bit easier and are great for small waves.

INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED: As your surfing progresses, you’ll want to start thinking about turns and other maneuvers, and that’s where hard tops come into play. The lack of bulk caused by the foam make them way more responsive, giving you better control of the board. The lack of buoyancy does make paddling harder, but it makes duck diving your way out the back far easier when the froth has some power behind it.

Nose shape

BEGINNER: The rounder the nose, the less painful any nose-first collisions will be. Plus, rounded noses also make a lot of contact with the water, which makes paddling for waves way easier and means you’ll be able to catch small waves too. So if you’re a beginner, you should definitely be using a board with a rounded nose.

INTERMEDIATE: When your confidence starts to grow, you’ll want to test out those bigger waves and start picking up some more speed. Jumping straight onto a high-performance shortboard however, is a huge step. Instead, try out a rounded point nose first – it’s still fairly collision-friendly, but you’ll have less drag thanks to less of the nose being in contact with the water.

ADVANCED: Finally, pointed noses are ideal if you want to ramp up the speed as you drop in on waves, and they help to make your board super responsive when you’re working on maneuvers too. Granted, the lack of water contact does make paddling hard work, and it’ll make catching small waves tricky, but if you’re into high performance surfing, pointed noses are the way to go. Collisions can be nasty, but if you’re surfing at this level, you shouldn’t have any problems steering clear of people in the line-up.

Leashes

Most boards come with a leash, but in case yours doesn’t or you need a replacement, you should bear in mind the following:

BEGINNER: You’ll want your leash to be at least as long as your board, so if you fall, your board will most likely be a safe distance away from you. Adding an extra foot or two won’t hurt either (but be aware that your board will extend into other people’s crash zones!).

INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED: When your surfing improves, you can definitely shed the extra foot or two. Some advanced surfers will even opt for a leash a foot smaller than their board to cut down on drag even further, but this increases the risk of you hitting your board when you fall, and you should really only consider this if you have a very high level of control while surfing.

Traction pads

BEGINNER: As a beginner, we don’t recommend using a traction pad. You’ll be learning on a soft top, and the adhesive will most likely ruin the foam eventually. Plus, soft tops are fairly grippy anyway – some just need a lick of wax while others don’t need any at all.

INTERMEDIATE: As an intermediate surfer, you’ll be starting to think about your turns and other tricks more often. A traction pad will help to keep your feet in the right place while you’re getting a feel for things – we recommend a low kick and a multipiece pad that you can spread out to cover a broad area.

ADVANCED: As an advanced surfer, you’ll want a traction pad with a high kick to keep your foot firmly in place, even when working on air maneuvers. If you’re using a high-performance surfboard, you’ll also need to make sure that your pad can squeeze onto your tail.

MORE INFORMATION

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