Are you buying a bodyboard? Do you need to be familiar with the world's leading bodyboard manufacturers? Are you unsure about which board model will suit your needs? Then, check the ultimate guide to buying bodyboards.
Buying a new bodyboard is always a memorable and emotional moment. You want to get the right board for the right waves.
Ultimately, it all comes down to the fun factor - you want your new board to glide you through dream waves.
Before making the purchase decision, you must consider choosing the right-sized boogie board for your body measurements.
If you're unsure how your height and weight affect your buying decision, check the bodyboard size chart.
Choosing the Right Bodyboard
Nevertheless, as a rule of thumb, the ideal boogie board is the one whose nose is leveled with your belly button.
You can get this measure with or without a board. Try memorizing these general guidelines, as they will never disappoint you.
For instance, a 5'4'' - 5'8'' (1.65-1.79 meters) rider will probably be perfectly fine with a 41.5'' boogie board.
So, what happens if you don't get your bodyboard length right?
If you buy a very long bodyboard, it will be harder to control in challenging conditions, and you may struggle to paddle into waves.
On the other hand, small bodyboards have low flotation and may sometimes feel too loose.
Cores and Price Matter
Modern bodyboards also come in multiple shapes and materials.
They are manufactured using a wide variety of core materials, including beaded cores, extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), extruded polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and arcel.
When you buy a bodyboard, it comes flat and relatively stiff. It will only become more flexible with time after a few dozen tricks and maneuvers in the waves.
A cheap bodyboard - usually under $40 - is never the way forward.
If you want to spend a few spring, summer, and autumn weekends improving your bodyboarding, get a quality board.
A high-end bodyboard will help you evolve, and with proper care and maintenance, it will last forever.
The Top Bodyboard Brands
There are a dozen brands producing quality, high-performance bodyboards.
In Hawaii, Mike Stewart created Science Bodyboards, his signature bodyboard company. Hubboards is a joint venture between multiple-time world champion brothers Dave and Jeff Hubbard.
In California, you'll find Custom X, an Oceanside company founded by Debbie Colwell in 1987, and Empire Bodyboards, a more recent brand established in San Clement.
Also, from the Golden State, there's the iconic Morey Boogie, the world's oldest bodyboard company founded by Tom Morey in the 1970s.
BZ was founded by Bobby Szabad, a former factory worker at Morey Boogie, while No. 6 is a 21st-century bodyboard brand founded by Mark Dale and Chris Wellington in Glendora, California.
In Oceania, it's impossible not to mention Manta, Australia's first bodyboard brand, and NMD Board Co., a firm founded in 1999 in New Zealand.
Finally, Pride Bodyboards, a French company born in Biarritz, is the most popular bodyboard brand in the Old Continent.
Here are our favorite bodyboards for the 2024 season:
Morey Boogie Mach 10
The Morey Mach 10 has been designed for bodyboarders seeking speed and controllability.
It features a narrow template and a slightly broader wide point for optimized, all-around riding.
Buy: Amazon.com
Morey Boogie Mach 7
The Morey Boogie Mach 7 is one of the most popular bodyboard models of all time, known for its versatility and durability.
This one is the revamped edition that maintains its classic shape.
Buy: Amazon.com
Morey Boogie Mach 7-SS
The Morey Boogie Mach 7-SS is an all-around bodyboard that will perform very well in both prone and drop-knee wave riding.
It's a versatile model featuring knee contours, raised thumb ridges, channels, and an upper chime rail.
Buy: Amazon.com
Hubboards Hubb Edition PP Pro CT
The Hubb Edition PP Pro is a high-performance bodyboard.
It features a polypropylene (PP) core, single or double stringers, mesh, surlyn slick, nose bulbs, and a handhold line contour deck to fit comfortably in your hands.
Buy: Amazon.com
Hubboards Dubb Edition PP HD
The Dubb Edition PP HD features an all-around template that will excel in drop-knee, prone or stand-up bodyboarding.
With its lightweight PP core, double stringers, and HD slick, this board is your go-to weapon for speed and durability.
Buy: Amazon.com
Hubboards Hubb Edition Quad Core Plus
The new sci-five concave bottom increases the board's overall speed, control, and responsiveness, especially in steep, hollow, and fast-breaking surf.
Buy: Amazon.com
Hubboards Houston PE Deluxe
The Houston PE Deluxe is a signature bodyboard by 2018 world champion Jared Houston.
It is the perfect board for those who prefer a polyethylene core. It features a line contour deck, stringers, and an HD slick bottom with graduated channels.
Buy: Amazon.com
Pride Royal Flush X1
The Pride Royal Flush X1 is a predominately prone bodyboard featuring a slightly higher wide point than a traditional template.
With a PP core and single to double concave channels, it is a board built to last.
Buy: Amazon.com
NMD Board Co. Ben Player Kinetic LTD
The Ben Player signature board comes with a kinetic polypropylene (KPP) core, stringer, bull grips, graduated channels, and a crescent tail.
Buy: Amazon.com
NMD Board Co. Mix Tension Tech
A thinner, stronger, and stiffer bodyboard with incredible elastic flex for instant recoil and spring-like projection.
Buy: Amazon.com
Custom X XPE
Features a tight cell deck material and double rails at 60/40 for high-performance prone riding.
Buy: Amazon.com
Custom X Beast
A forgiving bodyboard for beginner riders. With its high buoyancy, it can also be used for tandem wave riding.
Buy: Amazon.com
Empire Makai
A high-performance polypropylene (PP) board with a polyethylene (PE) deck, two stringers, nose bulbs, channels, and bat tail.
Buy: Amazon.com
Empire Bodyboards Andre Botha PP
A model designed by the two-time world champion with the same name. Delivers superb projection, optimum board recoil, and response.
Buy: Amazon.com
BZ Fundamental
BZ's finest advanced model features a narrow template ready for extreme pocket maneuvers and big wave riding.
Buy: Amazon.com
BZ Advantage
An excellent and inexpensive bodyboard for kids weighing less than 125 lbs, and under 5'2''.
Buy: Amazon.com
Tandem Boogie AIR
The Tandem Boogie AIR is the world's first tandem bodyboard.
It's an inflatable bodyboard equipped with soft handles and a GoPro mount that fits in a backpack. It takes two to ride this boogie board.
Buy: Amazon.com
Hubboards Lite Fun Size Mini Kickboard
The Hubb Lite Fun Size Kickboard is a 21" bodyboard for young children and adults alike.
It's the perfect boogie board for kids to get into the waves and for grown-ups to bodysurf and ride shore break waves. You may also use it as a kickboard in the swimming pool.
Buy: Amazon.com
Hubboards Lite Edition Boog Mat
The Hubb Lite Boog Mat is an inflatable tandem bodyboard for one or two riders.
The mat features drop-stitch technology and hand grips. The air pressure can be adjusted to match the wave conditions.
Buy: Amazon.com
The bodyboard buyer's guide and review has been updated on January 4, 2024.