Do you want to learn how to surf on the best soft top surfboards on the planet?
If this is you then read on and learn how to get more “stoke” in your life!
Surfing is one of the most challenging sports on the planet which takes time to learn and perfect.
Once you successfully ride your first wave all the way to the beach you will be hooked forever.
What Type of Surfboard Is Best For Beginners?
There is a rough guide that you can follow but in my experience the more stable the board the easiest it is to learn and progress.
Here is a rough guide to follow taking into account height and weight for the best soft top surboards sizes:
- 50kg weight – Board of 5’5 to 6’5
- 70kg weight – Board of 6’8 to 7’2
- 80kg weight – Board of 7’2 to 7’6
- 85kg – Board of 7’6 to 8’6
- 95kg – Board of 8’6 to 9’3
- 100kg and over – Board of 9’2 plus
I always recommend to go as big as you can to begin with. You will be starting off in small waves so you can go big and really get hooked on the feeling.
Big boards are stable and catch waves super easy, which is so important for learning.
Is Surfing Dangerous for Beginners?
Not really! Compared with the other board sports like skateboarding, wakeboarding and snowboarding surfing is by far the safest.
This is due to the fact that you are generally surfing small melo waves within your abilities and using a foam surboard.
Foam boards are soft and when you fall off, beginners land to the left, right or back of the board making it pretty safe.
Surfing is alot more dangerous for the more advanced surfers. This is because they are using hard boards, surfing bigger waves, trying bigger, risky tricks and moving very fast.
In return injury is more likely to occur.
Most Common Negative Experiences Caused by Surfing
Here is a list of some of the common injuries & risks caused by surfing:
- Long hold downs, that really were only about 3 seconds but feel like 2 minutes
- Caught in a rip & taken out the back unintentionally
- Fin cut
- Reef cut or rock cut
- Being hit by surfboard
- Jellyfish stings
- Bruises & graizers
- Rashes on body in weird places
- Strains & Muscle tears
- Leash strangle, legs, arms
- Hit by other surfers
- Sunburn
- Chocking on seawater
This all rarely happens but can happen depending on where you surf, what type of board your on and how hard you charge. Be careful and surf within your limits.
How Long Does It Take to Learn to Surf on the Best Soft Top Surfboards?
This really depends on alot of factors. Factors that dictate the learning curve include:
- Wave conditions
- Coaching
- Learners past experience & confidence
- Board
- Time in the water
As a general rule they believe it takes anywhere from 100 – 150 hours to be able to ride solo along the face of a wave successfully.
But if you are just aiming to stand up and ride the whitewater all the way to the beach it could be as quick as 2 waves or a couple of 1 hour sessions. If you are at a surf school with excellent instructors then it could happen straight away if you are determined.
What Size Soft Top Surfboard Should I Get?
A general rule of thumb with board sizes is always buy a board that is 2 feet longer than your height.
But if you read our guide to board sizes above, then that would be a great start. Always go for the bigger size in general because you will progress quicker and have more fun.
Going to small to quickly is a bad idea. You will get frustrated! It will be harder to catch waves, harder to stand up and you will just quit before you get to experience the “Only a surfer knows the feeling”
Are Soft Top Surfboards Good?
Soft top boards are amazing! They are padded, hard to ding and super affordable to all beginners.
The new models look really cool also and some of the makes just look like real pro surfboards.
We are using the Elnino brand and our kids are loving it. They find it super easy to stand up on and feel safe.
Soft top boards are designed simular to hard surfboards, most have the 3 fin thruster setup allowing you to manouvure the board well.
They are light, stable, come with fins, leg rope and in bright wonderful colours.
Are Long Surfboards Better for Beginners?
The answer to this question is yes! Long surfboards are often wider as well but the width aids in a big factor for stability.
The more surface area your board takes up the more boyent and stable your board will be. So make sure you pick an adequate length, and width board to suit your height and weight.
We have opted for the 7 foot El nino soft top surfboard for our kids. This will give them plenty of stability for learing to ride waves successfully.
Do You Wax Soft Top Surfboards?
For ultimate grip you do wax up soft top surfboards. They feel grippy when dry but once wet can get very slippery.
Companies have tried to get the grip right on these style of boards, but no one has fully succeeded. So for now you will need to lightly rub a little wax on your foamy.
Don’t put too much on because you may not be able to move your feet.
El Nino Surfboards
After a heap of searching for the best soft top surfboards, we finally found one, the El Nino softboards model.
Perfect board for learning on and it includes everything.
- Board
- Leg rope
- Fins
- Instructions
The board is so stable and light enough for the kids to manage in the surf. They can even carry the board themselves all the way to the break.
Another spectacular selling point is the price! For only $249 AUD you can have everything you need to get out in the waves and begin ripping it up!
It really is a no brainer. Want to surf? Then get your hands on the El Nino Softboard.
Gauranteed to provide you with good times and the best soft topp surfboard on the planet for everyone.
Buy your’s here before they disappear and be cool!
Check out these other great products that speak cool and go well with a softop surfboard:
- The Rareform Duffle Bag Review
- A Rareform Backpack Review
- Rareform Wallet Review
- Best Rollerskate Brand