The Best Surfboards for Every Type of Wave (2024)

Updated June 6, 2024 08:49AM

If a surfboard is a paintbrush and a wave is a canvas, then surfers today have thousands of different tools to make art. Are you a traditionalist, like the Old Masters? Take out a classic longboard. Are you more keen on surrealist style, channeling your inner Salvador Dali? Go for an asymmetrical shape. What about contemporary, akin to Yayoi Kusama? You can’t go wrong with a high-performance shortboard.

But with endless options on the market, all perfectly catered to different surfing styles, abilities, and conditions, deciding which surfboard to ride takes work. Luckily for you, we grabbed seven seasoned surfers last season, set them loose with a variety of currently available boards, and narrowed down the field for a comprehensive report on today’s best of the best.

At a Glance

All gear in this guide was tested by multiple reviewers. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.

Best Small-Wave Boards

Best Quiver-Killer

Album Surf Twinsman

Stock Dimensions: 5’0″ x 18.75″ x 2″ – 6’4″ x 21.5″ x 2.75″

Pros and Cons
⊕ Paddles well for its size
⊗ Needs a good-sized wave to get going

Twin-fin surfboards aren’t what they used to be. What was once a go-to design for cruise-y, mellow surfing, this shape doesn’t sacrifice when it comes to high-performance. It can turn a small-wave session into something much more. Just look at Josh Kerr – he’s pulling massive airs on these boards. And the Twinsman is the pinnacle of that balance between user-friendly and high-performance.

Speaking to that blend of high-performance and classic fish style, tester Charlie Hough noted: “It feels like a responsive fish. Once you get going, it has the performance of a thruster and the speed of a retro fish.” What’s more, Hough added, “If you are looking for a board with X-factor, this is the one. You ride it 4-5 inches shorter than your normal board which gives you more control under your feet. It will bring an extra spark to your day-to-day sessions and will allow you to do surfing you have never done before.”

Best Classic Longboard

Channel Islands CI Log

Dimensions: 9’0” x 22 5/8” x 3” (70.4L) to 10’0″ x 23 1/4” x 3 3/16” (85.5L)

Pros and Cons
⊕ Maneuverability with a classic style
⊗ Not the best board for anything too high-performance

This is the modern longboarder’s longboard. It has all the staples of a classic style, while allowing for contemporary surfing, too. Wanna walk the nose? Go for it. Wanna put it on rail and do some turns? Be our guest. This board was a longtime passion-project from the best minds at Channel Islands, resulting in a longboard that can do it all.

“The funny thing about a good traditional log is that is can work for a beginner to intermediate really well,” said Malibu-based tester Devon Howard. “But if a high-level pro gets on this board, they will be able to unlock features of the design that allow them to tap in and do their best surfing in and around to pocket.” Howard said that that wasn’t a common feature for most of the other boards he tested.

Overall, this board has all the modern perks, but comes in a timeless package. This is the longboard for everyone, from beginners to pros.

Best Alternative Boards

Best in Good Surf

JS Industries Big Baron

Dimensions: 5’10” x 19″ x 2 7/16″ (29L) to 6’4″ x 20 3/4″ x 2 3/4″ (38.7L)

Pros and Cons
⊕ Good for pointbreaks and open-face
⊗ Doesn’t do well in smaller surf

Amongst hardcore rippers, the mid-length gets a bad rap. But the Big Baron is different. It’s not just for beginners. This board is inspired by mid-lengths of generations’ past, and the ones that were ripped to bits on the Gold Coast of Australia’s infamous pointbreaks. The flat rocker holds speed through weaker sections, while a double concave through the fins allows for maximum maneuverability. Plus, it can hold in a variety of wave size.

Laguna Beach-based tester Eli Viszolay said, “I took the board out at Cloudbreak on a stormy day when nobody was around. It was low tide and the waves were head high—barreling down the point. I had finally started to get used to the board and the thing worked like magic. It’s a lot different than a shortboard but when you adapt to it, your speed and flow increases a lot.”

With a flatter rocker, and drawn-out rails, it might just even improve your style. “Probably in between cruise-y and high performance,” Viszolay continued. “The board reminds you to smooth out your turns using the rail.”

Best Softboard

Catch Surf 54 Special

Pros and Cons
⊕ Durability; don’t worry about dinging it
⊗ A bit chunky

Although you might not see John John Florence or Carissa Moore riding them on the Championship Tour, softboards have come a long way in the last decade or so. No longer are they just for beginners at Waikiki or Doheny. Just ask Blair Conklin. The stylish skimboarder and softie surfer enthusiast is doing more progressive surfing on foam boards than many pros on traditional foam and fiberglass. And these days, they work in pretty much all conditions—especially the 54 Special.

“It’s the Swiss Army knife of surfboards,” Conklin said. “Groms love ‘em, experts love ‘em, and they even work great finless. I think I have had the best surf sessions of my life on this board.”

Conklin said that he especially loved the 54 Special’s durability: he didn’t have to worry about dings, and found the board could take a look of abuse. “I have never been able to snap one of these things and I have been in plenty of conditions that probably should have. It has three stringers which makes it rigid, fast, and impossible to break.”

The one downside? Conklin says after riding the 54 Special, you might never want to ride a high-performance shortboard again.

High-Performance Boards

Best Reliable Shortboard

Chili Surfboards Shortie

Dimensions: 5’10” x 18 5/8” x 2 5/16” (26.5L) to 6’2” x 19 3/8” x 2 3/4” (33.9L)

Pros and Cons
⊕ Reliable, responsive, forgiving
⊗ Needs solid surf to really show its strengths

During his final year on the Championship Tour, World Champion Adriano de Souza helped James “Chilli” Cheal develop the Shortie. So, yeah, you could say this board was built for high-performance. But it’s also got a forgiving nature, too; meaning you don’t need to be a World Champ to shred on it. With extra foam in the stringer line, it’s got paddle power and holds speed through flat sections, making it ideal for anyone from pros to average joes.

“It’s high performance,” remarked tester Dane Zaun, a Los Angeles local, “but forgiving enough for anyone looking to ride a shortboard to have fun and improve. That big sweet spot makes it so fun and forgiving.” According to Zaun, some high-performance boards are good when you’re surfing well, but really bad if you mess up. “It’s always nice to click in with a board and feel like it’s an extension of you—that’s what the Shortie does,” said Zaun. “It clicks in good surf, while accentuating your own strengths as a surfer.”

The bottom line? If you want to rip, this board is for you; if you want to learn how to rip, this board is forgiving enough and a good place to start.

Best Board to Push Your Limits

Pyzel Red Tiger

Dimensions: 5’4” x 18 3/8” x 2 1/16” (22.2L) to 6’4” x 20” x 2 3/4” (36.9L)

Pros and Cons
⊕ Fast, extra hold, good turning radius
⊗ Requires a wave with push

Described as their “fastest board yet” with a “fun-formance” philosophy, and a favorite of John John Florence, the Pyzel Red Tiger is a board that moves. Need a little pep in your surfing? Give this board a try. Testers found that the flattened-out rocker allows for extra speed in those slow sections, without compromising for high-performance in steeper waves either. This board works well in gutless waves to pumping, overhead surf alike.

Tester Kevin Meza, a surfer known as the “Baja Koala,” said he loved how well this board did when he was going fast. “I think one of the standout differences I felt on this board, when compared to other popular models on the market today is how well the board responds with so much speed, without losing control due to all that double concave it has in the back-foot area.” According to Meza, the pulled-in tail gives the Red Tiger release and more of a skateboard-like feel. That said, Meza said that his favorite part was that the board didn’t skid out while hitting a powerful section with speed.

All in all, the Pyzel Red Tiger is a high-performance shortboard that doesn’t give out when it’s pushed to its limits.

How to Choose a Surfboard

Go to Your Local Surf Shop

Support your local watering hole by purchasing a board—whether off the rack in standard stock sizes or by submitting a custom order. The shop owner or manager can help you dial in the best dimensions for your height, weight, and experience, and also talk you through the best fin options for your new sled.

And speaking of experience, be honest—with the shop employees and yourself. What level of surfer are you? What kind of waves will you truly be riding on this board? Being humble and speaking truthfully will go a long way toward getting the right equipment so you can catch more waves and have more fun.

Go Straight to the Shaper

If you’re having trouble ordering a specific board through your local surf shop, most of the shapers mentioned above accept direct orders through their websites. You can tinker around with their volume calculators online and decide which board shapes and specs are right for you. If you’re still having trouble, give them a call.

Buy Used

Buying a new surfboard can be a big investment. If you’re not ready to drop a chunk of change on a freshie, or want to try a new shape but aren’t sure if you’ll like it, take some time to peruse Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and OfferUp. Reputable resellers like Surfboard Broker also have a great inventory of used boards.

How We Test

Surfers, for better or worse, have long been associated with exaggerated youth. And give a surfer a bunch of the best surfboards in the world to test ride, well, you might’ve guessed it—they’re like a kid in a candy store. But for this test, the sugar-high of surfboard testing was suppressed and testers thought carefully while documenting data, one wave, one board at a time.

The testers employed in this surfboard survey included a wide array of surfers—from current professionals in the free surf realm, to former professionals on the competitive circuit, to seasoned surf travelers, to average surfers with an above-average knowledge of surfboards. And so, each tester rode a variety of boards, and documented their findings with quantitative results on which ones worked best in specific conditions and for specific surfing styles. We tested waves all over the country—from Laguna Beach in California to Pipeline at Hawaii.

Meet Our Testers

Category Manager: Dashel Pierson

Dashel Pierson is the Associate Editor of Surfer Magazine. When he’s not writing about surfing, he’s in the water, either locally in southern California, or traveling in search of waves in far-flung locations.

Dane Zaun

Hailing from the South Bay of Los Angeles, Dane Zaun is a staple in the City of Angels surf scene. Once a competitor, now a free-surfer and father, Dane can be found in and around LA whenever the waves are good and putting on a clinic for the countless crowds the area is known for.

Elijah Viszolay

A surf nomad, Eli Viszolay is a tough guy to nail down. When he’s not hunting waves in Indonesia, Chile, Hawaii, New Zealand, or any other surf hotspot, he’s at home in Laguna Beach, California. But don’t expect him to stick around long.

Nate Zoller

One of the most well-traveled free-surfers in the game, Nate Zoller has scored waves in India, Alaska, Fiji, and more. Not a lot of folks can boast that…or add those stamps to their passports.

Blair Conklin

More known as a skimboarder than a surfer, per se, Blair Conklin’s finless finesse has made him one of the best in the world. However, he’s no slouch on a regular surfboard either. And many consider him one of the most stylish in the biz – especially in the air.

Charlie Hough

A precious metals salesman by trade, Charlie Hough owns more surfboards than the average wave-riding fanatic. (Perhaps to the dismay of his wife.) So, when a new board comes onto the market, you can guarantee Hough will get his mitts on it. Or, at the very least, know all about it.

Devon Howard

One of the most stylish longboarders to ever cross-step, Devon Howard can often be found at Malibu – weaving through the crowd, and blending both classic style with modern progression.

Kevin Meza

Known by some as the “Baja Koala,” Kevin Meza is a force of nature when it comes to shortboard innovation. From pop shuv-its, to fingerflips, Meza’s creative bag of tricks is deeper than a spitting tube at Pipeline.

Our Favorite Small-Wave, Alternative, and High-Performance Surfboards