Do you dream of pulling into overhead barrels, arm in the face like you’re John John Florence stalling for the barrel at Backdoor? Yeah, sure, so do all of us. The reality is learning to surf as well as John John or the GOAT, Kelly Slater, takes a lifetime of practice and a special talent.
Before you give up on your dreams, there’s something you need to know. You don’t need to be a pro to have fun when the next swell arrives at your local beach break or reef.
Surfing is fun at any level. We guarantee you that when you catch your first three-foot open-face wave, you’ll have a smile from ear to ear. That’s the stoke for you. It doesn’t care if you’re riding three-foot or thirty-foot; you get the same feeling.
Learning to surf takes some time, but if you have the commitment and dedication, then it won’t be long until you’re pulling into your first four-foot barrel. This brief guide unpacks everything you need to know on how to surf.
Contents
Buying Your Gear
Surfing is a relatively affordable sport. All you need is a pair of boardshorts, a board, leash, and some wax, and you’re ready to go. Well, maybe a wetsuit if you’re in Atlantic waters or winter conditions. However, there’s a bit more to it than that. Let’s look at the gear you need to start surfing.
Choosing the Right Surfboard
The board is the heart of surfing. Listen to a pro WSL contest, and you’re likely to hear Strider “Raspberry” Wasilewski talking to the pros about their boards. The differences in design might not be apparent to the untrained eye, but they make a difference.
The Types of Surfboards
There are several different surfboards to suit water conditions, your experience level, and what you want to do on the wave.
When looking at surfboard design, four primary components define the board design. The length in feet, the width in inches, the thickness, and the shape. These elements define the board’s performance in the water.
However, the most critical aspect of choosing your surfboard is selecting the right volume for the board to match your body weight. The volume describes the amount of water the board displaces, equating to its buoyancy in the water.
Volume for beginner boards is usually above 40-Liters. Pros will use anything from 24L to 34L, depending on their height. South African Jordy Smith is 6’4″ and weighs 200-lbs. He rides a 34L board. However, you’re not Jordy, and as a beginner, you need a board with thicker rails, more volume, and more length and width.
These factors make it easier to get to your feet on the board as a beginner. It also helps you find your balance and learn to position yourself on the wave. Let’s look at the types of surfboards available.
- Soft Foam Construction Classic Surfboard, strong EPS core with 3 stringer system
- Soft WBS-IXL ( Water Barrier Skin ) crosslink top deck and rails High Density (HDPE) Polyethylene slick bottom skin Exclusive New Color Graphic art deck
- Included removable bolt thru fins ankle leash traction pad
- Dimensions 8' x 22 1/2" x 3 1/4" Weight 11.5 lbs
- Volume 86 liters
- [3 Detachable Fins & Arc Linear Design ] The foam surfboard with 3 detachable fins can help to control speed and direction, providing great flexibility to accommodate different wave conditions. Moreover, the arc linear buffer design can provide extreme stability during surfing.
- [ High Quality & Nondeformable Materials ] Giantex srfboard blank is supported by 2 fiberglass center stringer. Made of durable EPE deck, EPS core and PP bottom, our surfboard provide a strong buoyancy and weight capacity. It has good impact resistance and wear resistance, making it difficult to deform and suitable for long-term use.
- [ Safety Leash ] The scientifically designed safety leash provides a good traction experience that enhances safety and stability during surfing. It also helps your body steadily attached to the board and prevent it from drifting away. Besides, the leash can be freely adjusted to achieve your maximum comfort.
- [ Wonderful Water Activities ] Our 6 ft surfboard will provide you with a wonderful summer! It can help you exercise your muscles and bring you a healthy life. In addition, it can be used for various water activities such as surfing, fishing, water yoga, sunbathing and so on.
- [ Widely Use ] This surfboard with lightweight and ergonomic design is ideal for kids, adults, beginners and experienced surfers. In addition, our surfboard can be used to enjoy wonderful and exciting water experience in the sea, beach, river, swimming pool and water park.
- the wavestorm 7ft surfboard dimensions are 7' x 22" w x 3" thick - weight is 10.2lbs - volume at 70 liters
- triple stringer system gives the foam core rigidity , strength, and integrity.
- patented u.v. inhibiting soft graphic deck and high density slick bottom for rigidity.
- tail pad for better back foot traction and leash.
- three fin set included is a triple performance 4.5 fin set up for more maneuverability ."
Longboards
Longboards are a niche by themselves. These boards are nine to ten feet long and built for one to four-foot conditions. They are slow to turn and challenging to control but fun to ride. They are suitable for beginners, and they are best for small wave conditions that are perfect for learning. The “log” gives you enough length and width for stability and plenty of foam for float.
Mid-Sizes
Mid-lengths and mini-mals are seven to eight feet long, and they have a more surfboard look than longboards, with thinner rails, pointed noses, pulled-in tails, and more rocker throughout the board. They suit a wide variety of conditions, from 3-foot mush to 10-foot barrels. The thinner width, thickness, and performance design compared to the longboard allow for better turning and optimal board positioning in the barrel.
Short Boards
Shortboards are where most surfers want to end up with their equipment. When the waves are four to six feet and decent, or 6-foot+ and pumping, you want to go to your favorite shortboard for the session. However, shortboards are harder to ride. They have lower volume than mid-sizes or longboards and thinner rails with less width and length.
As a result, you need to have a firm grasp of paddling and popping up to your feet before you can start riding a shortboard. Shortboards are available in a variety of designs. From the 5-foot fish for those flat, mushy days to the 6’4″ pintail blade for those overhead barreling conditions.
Shortboards don’t float on top of the water as much as longboards due to the lower volume. They also have more rocker in the nose and tail, making it easier to hug the wave face. Shortboards come in thruster (tri-fin) or quad (four-fin) setups.
The thruster is a good choice when turning on a wave. The quad is for riding barrels and straight-line speed. When you’re choosing a shortboard, the general rule is to buy a board that’s 2-inches shorter than your height. Your step-up for big waves should be an inch over your height.
Soft Tops
The soft top is another great choice for learners. These boards come in a range of lengths and shapes with a foam top. If the board hits you in the head, it’s not going to knock you unconscious like a glassed board. Some people complain that soft-tops don’t offer the same performance and shortboards. Those people need to watch Jamie O’Brien pull into a 10-foot Pipeline in Hawaii on his 9-foot soft-top log. Ben Gravy is another surfer who can surf any wave on a soft-top board.
PU or EPS?
When you’re buying a traditional shortboard, you have the option of purchasing it from the shaper in PU or EPS foam. The PU foam is a conventional material. EPS is the next-generation of surfboard material. It’s lighter and has better buoyancy, but it costs more.
Some surfers complain that EPS doesn’t feel right, providing too much chatter on the face. However, some surfers love them. It’s all about personal preference.
Waxing Your Board or Trac-Pads?
Surfers stick to the board using a rear traction pad positioned over the fin box. Some might use the same trackpad for the front foot as well.
However, trackpads can be uncomfortable if you’re surfing without a shirt. So, most surfers choose the configuration of a trackpad on the rear and wax on the front.
- Perfect for Cool/Cold Waters: Designed for surf wax water needs, working best in Water temperatures 69°F / 20°C and Below—apply with a surfboard wax for optimal texture.
- Long-Lasting Surfboard Wax: Durable surf wax provides excellent grip and is easy to apply, ideal for surfboards, bodyboards, and cool-cold water conditions.
- Superior Bump Building: Enhance traction with surfing wax that delivers great bump-building characteristics, perfect for increased control during rides.
- Sustainable & Non-Toxic: Crafted with Nature-Safe, all-natural ingredients, this board wax ensures safe use for you and marine environments.
- Refreshing Blueberry Scent: Features a pleasant blueberry aroma, elevating your surfing experience every session.
Surfing Gear Accessories
Fins
Along with your board, you’re going to need some fins. The fins slot into fin boxes on the rear underside of the board.
As mentioned, you get them in thruster and quad configurations, with most boards allowing for a thruster or quad setup.
The rake and lead on the fin are the most important factors. The steeper the rage and shallower the lead, the better the find performs in hollow waves.
Leash
The leash is essential for beginners. It keeps you attached to the board. You secure the leash to the tail plug in the board and around your foot using a Velcro strap.
The leash should be 1-foot longer than the board to prevent it from snapping the board back at you after you come off a wave and land in the water.
Wetsuit
If you’re surfing in cold waters around the Atlantic or southern Pacific, you’re going to need a wetsuit. Northern Californian winters require you to wear a 3/2mm full suit.
New Jersey winters get even colder, and you’ll need a 5/4mm wetsuit to keep you warm. When it’s really cold, you’ll need booties for your feet and a hoodie to protect your ears.
Learning to Surf – A Complete Guide
Ok, it’s time to unpack the process of learning to surf. IT takes some time to get used to the board and how it moves in the ocean.
The learning curve is different for everyone, and you can’t expect miracles if you have no board riding experience. However, like the kid behind the counter in the surf store in the movie “Point Break” said, “Surfing’s the source, stick with it, it’ll change your life.”
Instructor or DIY?
When you’re learning to surf, you have the choice of teaching yourself or learning from an instructor. If you can handle the embarrassment of someone teaching you on the beach, then it’s a great way to build your skills faster than trying to learn them yourself.
However, it’s not impossible to learn yourself. There are plenty of tutorials available for learning to surf on YouTube. Watch the videos from the top creators and put what you learn into practice in the water; you don’t need someone showing you how.
The only reason why an instructor benefits you, and the reason why you’ll get into waves faster than DIY, is that they show you your mistakes and teach you how to correct them. Doing it yourself will take you longer to figure out what you’re doing wrong.
Understanding the Beach, Wind, and the Water
One thing that makes surfing so great is its deep connection with nature. Going surfing isn’t as simple as throwing your board on the rook racks and heading to the beach like it was the gym. The reality is you can’t surf every day. The weather, water, and wind control whether you get to surf or not.
So, the first place to start is with understanding conditions.
Beach Breaks
A beach break has a sand bottom. You usually get a shorter ride than a reef break or a reef point break. However, like Supertubos in Portugal, many beach breaks produce meaty, throaty barrels that drain to the shore.
Reef Breaks
Reef breaks, like Pipeline in Hawaii and Uluwatu in Bali, have rock or coral bottoms. As a result, they have a more consistent wave than a sand bottom that’s constantly shifting throughout the season. However, hitting your head on the reef could result in a serious injury.
How the Wind Works
The wind is the most important factor in surfing. If you have a six-foot swell breaking in the right direction, the difference between big barrels and blow-out slop is t hind. An onshore wind washes everything out, while an offshore wind cleans up the wave face and opens the barrel.
Wave Size and Period
Every break works with a different swell direction. For example, Pipeline works best when it has an NW swell direction. This swell line opens the barrel. The further west the swell gets, the better the wave. The farther north it goes, the more it clamps the end of the barrel, leaving you eating the reef.
The size of the wave face is not as important as the wave period. A 5-foot swell on a 9-second period (the period is the gap in seconds between waves) will produce a small weak wave that doesn’t barrel. The same five-foot swell with 19 seconds would produce 6-foot barrels.
Reading Charts
Fortunately, you can stay ahead of the weather and know the conditions days ahead with charting software. Surfline and Windy have excellent charting software that shows you the wind speed and direction, swell direction, size, and period up to a week out.
Understanding Your Fitness and Limitations
Your success with learning to surf depends on your physical fitness and mental limitations. If you’re unfit, paddling out in solid six-foot surf is a bad idea, especially as a beginner. You need peak fitness and plenty of skill to manage these conditions.
As a beginner, you’re going to look to start in foamies and work your way up to three to four-foot conditions. Taking a slow and gentle approach is better than throwing yourself in the deep end and ending up in a potential drowning event.
Paddling
Paddling is the core of surfing. You’re always paddling. Whether it’s out to the peak, fighting the current, or stroking into a wave, you’re always paddling. So, the more you paddle, the fitter you get. According to ex world-number-one John John Florence, all the exercise and training he ever got as a youth was paddling. Paddle, paddle, paddle.
Breath Holds
When you come off a wave with some power and size, it’s easy to start to panic. However, panicking is the worst thing you can do.
It eats up your breath, making you feel like you’re going to drown. When you come off a wave, remain calm, and don’t fight it, your board will bring you back to the surface.
Learn to Surf in Five Steps
Learning to Surf Phase 1 – Learning in the Foam
When you start surfing, you’ll learn in the foam. These whitewater waves let you practice getting you to your feet while learning how to manage the power and movement of the wave.
Learning to Surf Phase 2 – Mastering the Pop-Up
Mastering the pop-up is the key to improving your surfing. The faster you can get to your feet, the more time you have to adjust before pulling into the barrel or completing your bottom turn.
Learning in the water isn’t good enough. You won’t get enough opportunities with waves to learn to get to your feet; it’s going to take months with this strategy.
Instead, look for a tutorial on YouTube, and practice your pop-up on the floor at home. Practice twenty pop-ups in the morning and twenty at night and watch how fast your pop-up technique improves.
Learning to Surf Phase 3 – Getting to the Backline
After you have the pop-up down and you’re comfortable with getting up in the foamies, it’s time to chase the green water of the backline. However, you’ve got to get there first.
You’ll have to practice the “duck diving” technique to get to the back past the big waves in the impact zone. Once again, look for a tutorial on YouTube and practice your duck diving in a swimming pool if you have access to one.
Learning to Surf Phase 4 – Learning to Turn
Once you’re out the back and you drop into your first green wave, it’s time to learn to turn. You get heel side and toe side turns and frontside and backside riding.
Turning involves digging the board’s rail into the water and shifting your weight through your shoulders, hips, and feet to complete maneuvers. There are also plenty of YouTube tutorials on how to complete carves, cutbacks, and snaps.
Learning to Surf Phase 5 – Riding the Barrel
Riding the barrel is what surfing is all about. Whether you’re taking on 15-foot Pipeline or Teahupoo or your four-foot beach break, the thrill of being in the tube is a feeling only surfers can describe. IT’s where we all want to be, all the time.
When riding in the barrel, the wave wants to push you into the lip. You’ll need to learn to “pump” and move your feet to trim in the barrel and stay up high, away from the lip at the bottom of the wave. You know you’re doing it right when the barrel spits you out in a violent rush of spray.
In Closing – Understanding Etiquette in the Lineup
When you paddle out to the lineup, you can’t pass everyone and head for the peak. You’ll probably find someone waiting for you in the parking lot when you get back to your car.
The lineup works like a conveyor belt; the person sitting deepest at the peak gets the next wave. As the person at the front catches their wave, the next person in line gets their turn. Respect the lineup. Wait your turn and enjoy the ride.
