Every surfer should have a collection of surfboards for different types of waves. What is the ideal surf quiver for the everyday surfer?
A versatile surfer needs variety, so two shortboards, one Malibu, and one longboard should do it.
If you had to take four surfboards to a distant surfing island for the rest of your life, this would probably be the best surf quiver.
Assuming you're a surfer who is 5'9'' (1.75 meters) tall and weighs 154 pounds (70 kilograms), four surfboards would be enough to keep you busy in any lineup.
The first surfing life experiences are usually enjoyed with larger boards that have good buoyancy and high stability.
The Malibu surfboard is the plank for life.
With a 7'4'' Malibu, you can easily learn how to surf your first waves and then enjoy smaller rides until you ride your hundredth wave.
A Malibu fits almost all wave conditions, from one to six-foot walls of water. It's the perfect funboard.
Narrowing Options
When ready, buy your classic 6'2'' shortboard with a squash tail. This is one of the most popular board sizes in surfing. It's reckoned that 95 percent of 6'2'' shortboards have squash tails.
This will be your all-around surfboard and can work from 2-to-8-foot waves. If possible, go quad with your fin setup.
You'll feel like you're riding a loose skateboard.
When you up your game even further, it'll be time to get another shortboard for bigger surfing days.
What about a 6'8'' pin tail plank? Select a five-fin surfboard so that you can maneuver in multiple overhead wave conditions.
With three surfboards and more than a decade of surfing experience, it'll eventually be time to discover the pleasures of relaxation, maturity, and aloha spirit.
The perfect longboard surfboard for an average-sized rider is a 9'6'', with 3-1/8 inches of thickness and 23 inches of width.
Walk over your longboard, pull the Hang 5 and Hang 10, practice cross-stepping, stall, and do the coffin, all while your wife or husband films your bag of tricks from the beach.
The Verdict
Four surfboards make up a nice-looking surf quiver. Have you got yours?
The perfect quiver for the 1,75.-meter (5'9'') and 70-kilogram (154 pounds) surfer:
6'2''
- Shortboard;
- Squash tail;
- 4 Fins;
- Thin and light;
6'8''
- Shortboard;
- Pintail;
- 5 Fins;
- Wide and buoyant;
7'4''
- Malibu/Funboard;
- Rounded squash tail;
- 3 Fins;
- Thick and buoyant;
9'6''
- Longboard;
- Square tail;
- Single fin;
- Ultra buoyant;
Check the surfboard size chart. Discover the most common types of surfboards.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com