Beginning on a shortboard

[languageflowers]

Hi! I've wanted to surf for a few years but only just got the opportunity as I moved back here to Oregon from the Midwest. That said, I've never surfed before and I know it's really not recommended to start off on a shortboard, but I've heard it can be done. I plan on surfing once or twice a week on average, so long as the conditions are ideal when I plan on going out. Obviously I can't be in the water for really more than an hour because it's cold and hypothermia would be a concern. The waves vary from 2-3 footers on some days to 4-6 footers other days. (Surfline and Magic Seaweed are my new friends haha) I'm 5'4" and 135lbs. The reason I'm wanting to start on a shortboard, like probably most other people, is because of my car size. 6' is preferable, but I could probably fit a 6'2. (Cutting costs by starting on a shortboard and working hard enough at it sounds nicer than starting off on a longboard and buying shorter as you progress, but I bet nearly everyone thinks that anyway)

I'm totally open to any suggestions and advice as well as any board suggestions beyond the boards on these links. Tell me if any of these would be alright. Really not looking too great on the HIC Element, but I thought I'd add it in here anyway (if for no other reason than to learn why this particular one would be a bad choice). It's probably extremely obvious I'm new to all of this, haha. Thanks all for the help!

https://www.seasidesurfshop.com/collect ... -surfboard

https://www.seasidesurfshop.com/collect ... urfboard-2

https://www.surfboards.com/moredetail/2 ... etail-link

https://www.surfboards.com/moredetail/2 ... d_6ft.html

https://www.realwatersports.com/collect ... perflex-60

[waikikikichan]

1) The first two boards say 18 1/2" wide .............. not good.
2) Other than the board, what wetsuit are investing in ? ( I hope you don't intend to "cut cost" there )
3) How good a swimmer are you ?
4) What make/model car do you have ? Is it a 4-door sedan or Hatchback ?
5) Is there lifeguards were you will be surfing ?
6) Do your surf buddies have a 6'0" you can borrow for a few waves ?

[waikikikichan]

Oh forgot one more:
7) Are you going to be in the Pacific ocean or in a river ?

[languageflowers]

1) Thank you for clearing that up for me! Those two are out then.

2) As far as wetsuits go, I don't really know much other than I need a 4/3 fullsuit (with boots, hood and gloves). Xcel seems to be a good brand. Thinking of maybe this one: https://www.seasidesurfshop.com/collect ... 1046201390
I wouldn't completely rule out a 5/4, but the restrictiveness I've heard on those intimidates me. Oregon's water isn't as cold as you could possibly get, so I think I'd be alright with a 4/3.

3) I'm a pretty good swimmer. I'm not sure what level of relativity to give but swimming isn't a problem for me at all.

4) Haha... it's a 2 door Chevy Cobalt... wish I thought of that before I bought the car, but to be fair, I bought it over 2 years ago when A) I wasn't much interested in surfing and B) I was living in a place a thousand miles from the ocean. There's more room in the car itself for the board then the trunk. Of course, I can always get a surf rack installed on top of my car, but if I can go about it unconventionally and make it work without the added cost of getting a surf rack...

5) Yes

6) I don't have any surf buds yet, unfortunately. Just moved to the area a few weeks ago. I suppose I can rent different boards from the local surf shops after I get a wetsuit figured out. Just wish I could demo boards for free.

7) I'll be surfing in the ocean

[saltydog]

I just looked up water temp along the Oregon Coast and it seems like it can be somewhere between mid 55F to low 40F, which is decently cold-ish. I have a 4/3 xcel infinity chest zip but even with a hood I can only handle down to low50s. The suit in the link might be ok in the summer and early fall but if you are planning on surfing into the winter and spring you’d need something thicker. If you are on a budget (many surfers are) buy the best and thickest you can afford, maybe a slightly used one, and wear it year around. I’ve tried the cheap suit and good bootie etc. combo but they didn’t keep me warm enough long term. Whichever one you decide, make sure it fits your body shape. Different brands fit differently. For women, xcel is great for inverted triangle shape.

[waikikikichan]

4) The Chevy Cobalt's 40/60 split rear seats should allow a board bigger than 6'2" if you stick the nose down to the passenger's feet area.

6) As a beginner, Don't go surfing alone. But good idea to rent a 6'0" board before you go out and buy one. ( but if it was a reputable surf shop, they wouldn't rent a beginner a 6'0" )

[dtc]

. (Cutting costs by starting on a shortboard and working hard enough at it sounds nicer than starting off on a longboard and buying shorter as you progress, but I bet nearly everyone thinks that anyway)

The issue here is how much you value your time. Is taking (say) 75 hours to get to a certain level, but at the cost of having a longboard and roof rack, better or worse for you than taking 175 hours to get to that level (but having a shortboard)?

If you really want a 6ft surfboard, look for something that is a lot wider. It may take a while if you are sticking with second hand boards. Something like the following (random internet picks)

https://www.thesurfboardwarehouse.com.a ... xYEALw_wcB

https://www.thesurfboardwarehouse.com.a ... gpEALw_wcB

https://shop.pukassurf.com/products/bw- ... 2-x-21-x-2

[pmcaero]

does Costco still sell the cheap Wavestorm? Pretty much a no-brainer for beginners

[languageflowers]

4) The Chevy Cobalt's 40/60 split rear seats should allow a board bigger than 6'2" if you stick the nose down to the passenger's feet area.

6) As a beginner, Don't go surfing alone. But good idea to rent a 6'0" board before you go out and buy one. ( but if it was a reputable surf shop, they wouldn't rent a beginner a 6'0" )

Ah, thank you for mentioning that with my car! I knew the backseats somehow collapsed, but I went out with my owner's manual a couple days ago, tried messing with it and just couldn't get it. I bought my car used, and the previous owners slightly modified a couple things about the interior. I thought maybe they, for whatever reason, might've had the back seat collapse feature modified as well. Went on YouTube after seeing your reply, thought to give it another go, and with the help of a quick video, got it easy. Sucks when YouTube teaches you something about your car more effectively than your actual owner's manual, haha. I could definitely comfortably fit at least a 7'2" in my car now with the added space from the trunk. I'd love if I could find a solid 6'6" at the shortest though. But it's great that I know I actually have the room for even a 6'6".

[languageflowers]

I just looked up water temp along the Oregon Coast and it seems like it can be somewhere between mid 55F to low 40F, which is decently cold-ish. I have a 4/3 xcel infinity chest zip but even with a hood I can only handle down to low50s. The suit in the link might be ok in the summer and early fall but if you are planning on surfing into the winter and spring you’d need something thicker. If you are on a budget (many surfers are) buy the best and thickest you can afford, maybe a slightly used one, and wear it year around. I’ve tried the cheap suit and good bootie etc. combo but they didn’t keep me warm enough long term. Whichever one you decide, make sure it fits your body shape. Different brands fit differently. For women, xcel is great for inverted triangle shape.

Thank you for the recommendation! 5/4 has always intimidated me because of the lack of flexibility, but I think I found a couple good ones by Xcel (found a pretty good, surprisingly flexible one by Hotline as well at Cleanline Surf but it looked to be men's only - I could always order a women's one direct from Hotline, but I get wary of buying my first wetsuit online without being able to physically try it on before buying)... People really seem to like Xcel, let me know if these are any good. I'm a pear shape rather than inverted triangle.

https://www.seasidesurfshop.com/collect ... 0994644173

https://www.seasidesurfshop.com/collect ... s-fullsuit

[languageflowers]

Cleanline also has a couple women's 5/4 Billabongs...

https://www.cleanlinesurf.com/billabong ... oduct-tabs

https://www.cleanlinesurf.com/billabong ... oduct-tabs

[dtc]

The best wetsuit is the one that fits you. Its really that basic. Some wetsuits are cut differently than others and fit people differently than others. For example, I (male) find Xcel wetsuits are the best fit for me, while there are others (billabong, for example) that I literally cannot zip up because they are too tight across my shoulders. This is despite the size charts for wetsuits almost always suggesting that they can fit me.

So I think you are entirely correct when you say 'I get wary of buying my first wetsuit online without being able to physically try it on before buying' I once tried on 7 wetsuits on a hot day to find one that fit and it wasnt pleasant... I was totally exhausted by the end of it. But I found the one that fit and now I can buy that make online if I need to and know it fits (until they change their cut, which probably will happen...).

So to answer your question - yes, Xcel make good suits. Are they good for you - if the suit fits you, then yes.

[languageflowers]

So to answer your question - yes, Xcel make good suits. Are they good for you - if the suit fits you, then yes.

Thank you for the info! I'll write down a couple that I know some local shops have and I'll go try them on there.

[waikikikichan]

I'll write down a couple that I know some local shops have and I'll go try them on there.

and also BUY THEM there after you try them on ?

[languageflowers]

I'll write down a couple that I know some local shops have and I'll go try them on there.

and also BUY THEM there after you try them on ?

So long as they're good fits, that's the plan! Not sure why I wouldn't.

[saltydog]

For women, O’Neill seems to fit tall and trim/slightly pear shape better. Rip curl and xcel fit similar in that they both fit shorter women with wide shoulders more so than others. Also here is a website that has the fit survey.
http://venusgoesgidget.com/2013/05/the-great-wetsuit-survey/

The wetsuit should fit comfortably snug as it will stretch slightly once it’s wet while a loose suit wouldn’t keep you warm.

Meanwhile try to support local surf shops if you can!

[dtc]

So long as they're good fits, that's the plan! Not sure why I wouldn't.

Its called 'showrooming' (try on in store than buy online). But for something as key as a wetsuit, which can make or break your surfing, yes - seems illogical that people would do it. However, they do..

[mg100]

Thought I would add my experience, I also tried learning on a shorter board, well not too short but a 7'0 minimal but it was far too narrow, then tried a 6'6 hybrid thing that was wide, both frustrated me to the point of nearly giving up, and in fact I did for a couple of weeks, I then did what everyone on here says to do, get a longboard, 9ft, all of a sudden I started to have so much fun and picked it up pretty quickly, you can then drop board sizes when you feel comfortable.
I thought I would pick the sport up quickly because I am not a bad snowboarder but noooooooooo, its a hard sport to learn.
Like you I thought whats the harm in getting a shorter board, i'll pick it up eventually! It might piss you off so much you give up.
1000000% recommend getting the biggest board you can fit in your car to start off with, go to a surf shop and ask them to let you see what fits.

[steveylang]

All the boards in your original post are not only too short but too narrow with pointy noses which make it harder to paddle into waves, and may have rocker and foil designed for medium to larger waves which will make it extra tough to learn on in smaller surf.

I would check out the boards at Channel Islands web site, for each board not only do they list dimensions and other physical characteristics, they also make recommendations on what type of wave size and surfer expertise level the board is good for. You might not get a CI board, but browsing their boards will give you an idea of all that can be involved in picking the right surfboard.

Just as an example, their Average Joe is a shortboard that is designed for easier conditions and broader skill level. The 6'1" version (still not right for you) is 23" wide and has volume of 47.5L, that's much more than all the boards you listed.

A longer, wider, thicker board with rounded nose is going to work better for you at anything under 7 ft. I started on a 7' Stormblade SSR soft board which has tons of volume (85L!!!) and was very stable for me from the get go. I also didn't want a longboard that might be too big for my car, so I surfed that Stormblade for half a year and not only learned to surf but had a lot of fun.

I would buy the biggest board that fits in your car, convenience be damned, with the idea that in a few months you can maybe drop down a few inches in size. And if takes longer than a few months, that even more emphasizes that you needed the bigger board. So either way you win!

[steveylang]

I thought I would pick the sport up quickly because I am not a bad snowboarder but noooooooooo, its a hard sport to learn.
Like you I thought whats the harm in getting a shorter board, i'll pick it up eventually! It might piss you off so much you give up.
1000000% recommend getting the biggest board you can fit in your car to start off with, go to a surf shop and ask them to let you see what fits

I think it's easy to say, "Don't worry, I plan on sticking with it and am okay with the challenge," we all mean it earnestly because we really want to learn to surf! But it's another thing when you're on the wrong board struggling at just about everything- paddling, sitting on the board, reading the waves, paddling for waves and constantly missing and/or pearling, etc. And that's all before you even try standing up on say a high performance shortboard that doesn't want to stay stable under your feet (because it's not supposed to!)