How to choose the right surf equipment

Find out the right surf equipment for you according to your surfing level. It’s very important to have the most suitable surf equipment adapted to your surf level to have the best progression possible. Here are some tips to help you choose your surfboard or wet suit before going on your surf trip.
Though, in Surf’inn surf camps all equipment is included and our instructors know exactly the kind of board and wet suit to give you according to your skills and weather conditions.

How to choose a board?

First of all, surfboards are handmade and so not all are created equal. What looks great and works well for your mate, doesn’t necessarily fits you best. Also choosing the Kelly Slater model will not make you surf like Kelly Slater.
You may be attracted to colours or artwork but don’t forget the real important features.
Here are some of them:

Design

There are different surfboards for different surfing levels.
Beginners are recommended to start on a soft board or longboard. It provides you with all the stability needed in paddling, catching waves and most of all: balance!

Intermediate surfers can opt from a much wider range of options including the traditional shortboards, fish surfboards and fun boards. It’s always good to experiment several of them before you decide which one to take.

Within shortboards there are some details like size, design and tail that really matter for experienced surfers. To find the right board for the right wave is a endless quest that all surfers go through. But basically the bigger it is, the more stability you get. Most of competitors choose a standard shortboard with square or swallow tail for more manoeuvrability and acceleration. Squash or round tails gives you more stability, reccommended for tube riding.
Big riders choose big surfboards with pin tail for better control in high speed turns.

Size

Kids and teens and light people will need shorter and thinner surfboards, because they are short and wont need as much foam to keep them a float. They need a surfboard only to be a few inches above their head.
They also need to be able to handle the surfboard in the water. If the surfboard is too big, they won’t be able to turn the surfboard as well or maybe even duck dive under the crashing waves.
This means that within the apropriate design for your level, you may add more thickness, width and lenght to your surfboard.
Always remember that kids grow up...and you don’t want to buy a surfboard each month!

Your height will determine the length of your surfboard.
For a beginner the rule is to go for a surfboard that is about 1 foot longer than your height.
As you become more experienced with catching waves and standing up on your surfboard, you will feel like reduction in length.
This will provide you with an easier surfboard to manoeuvre allowing you to begin learning how to carve along the wave face.

Waves

Where are you planning to surf?
For small waves then you will be better take a longboard or a fun board. This will allow you to catch waves easier and ride small waves with minimal effort.
For medium or not so good waves you will probably want a shortboard or a fish surfboard, to get more more manoeuvrability and speed to take the most of those waves.
If you’re a big rider chasing double overhead it would be best to choose a gun surfboard, with some extra length with a pintail.

How to choose a wet suit?

Basically it’s just a matter of trying and see how comfortable you are inside water during your surfing session. This means that you should get out of the water because you’re tired and not because you’re cold.
Kids tend to need thicker wet suits because they loose self heat more quickly.
3/2 is the recommended wet suit for all yaer round and a 3/2 short wet suit for the summer. For warm summer sessions or in tropical surf breaks, board shorts will do just fine!
Normally a 4/3 wet suit is for extrem conditions only for places in North Atlantic. If you’re surfing on those places you better use boots and surf cap as well.