Surfing Waves

I have a question for all you knowledged surfers. What's the deal with soft boards??....the "hybrid between performance and foam"?? I'm new and looking for an inexpensive longboard that i can learn well on. Any recommendations/criticisms on "softtop" boards? Thanks.

those suckkkkkk, just buy a real board, try buying a used board, thats what i do

i have 1 from my friends dad, and he gave me his surfboard when he was drunk, and i have another i just got today from my friend for free cause he doesn't surf anymore, and i got a good deal on a longboard, only cost me $200 when it was really supposed to be $400 (in american dollars)

Thanks for the response Tokyo. Damn, sounds like you got the hook up for sure.

no worries ;)

I have never seen one except through the internet, but BIC surfboards are said to be good for beginers.

I bought as a first board a fiberglass mini-mal and i think it is good to start. My board is only 7´2, so not that good as a beginer board, but i can get some waves with it and it is not as hard as a bigger board would be to get past the braing waves to the outside.

I don't think that soft surfboards suck - they are the perfect board for some people in certain circumstances. They are a great board for surf schools, people who only intend to surf for a couple of days a year and want to get the most out of those days, and for small children.
They are a waste of time if someone is looking to 'get into surfing' and who needs a board that they can progress on.

hey, orlie- do u live, in the u. p.? where? i'm trying to find some decent surfing in michigan. do you know of any spots around traverse city area?

I never thought there would be anyone else from michigan on here....

Hey eesalou...this is Orlie. Yes, i do live in da UP, eh? I live in Marquette, right on the shore of lake Superior. I dont know too much about any surfing in Traverse, but i do know that every once in awhile we get some really big waves that come in from the north. The biggest waves i've surfed on (or at least tried to surf on...i was using a windsurfing board...talk about a chest rash!) was about 8-10 feet. REALLY DANGEROUS WAVES! They crash really close to shore. But you know what the best thing is about surfing on Superior?? Absolutely NO SHARKS! It doesn't even cross my mind! Cheers.

yeah, that's what i was thinking too.....No sharks!

but i bet you have to wear a wetsuit when your surfing on superior.......and what about bug spray? when i went there, it was like one huge swarm of bugs all around the shore (at porcupine mountains)

Yeah, totally wear a wetsuit...or a drysuit if there's ice chunks floating around hehehee. The bugs aren't bad in the water, but you need full armor as soon as you get out. The mosquitos can kill you up here.

im looking to get into surfing too, so at the weekend i went to newquay and hired a 'proper' board! I went out on it but after an an hour or so, still had no luck, then i met up with my friend who has a soft top board and has been surfing for a year or so, we swapped boards for the days because she wanted to try something new, and within 10 minutes i was standing up, i it was a great board and really easy to get on with, think I'll get a soft board, then when im starting to get the hang of it i can sell it and get a better one! So id def advise one to get started with!

Amy has it right. Softops are great to get started on. They are stable and slill manouver well. I have used them and still do when conditions are crowded and i don't want someone runing over my glass board. Softops will make the learning curve easier and you will have no problems selling it once oyu get beyond that skill level. Here in Santa Cruz when one of those boards show up for sale they are quickly snapped up by someone.

If anyone has a very reasonable or free softbaord I could pick up to teach my 6 year old how to surf, that would be great. I am in San Diego but will drive if something cool is available. I have Sea World passe, magic Mountain tickets and Hurricane harbor passes to trade if someone is interested.

Thanks,
Michael
myklmoss @gmail.com

I overheard someone who teaches surfing say that softtops are used by some pro surfers. He also said that softtops are good because you don't have to wax, and that surfers of all levels would find them acceptable. The message was that softtops are for more than just beginners.

Is this true?

dude toguest last reply whoever sair that was a total liar and a moron trust me funboards are crap,garbage ,junk,whatever you say in your world it still equates to lousy ride and foam with to wax in the same sentence and if ya still beleve dude I got a bridge to sell you.

Tokyo...whatever.... has no clue!

Softboards are excellent for someone wanting to get into surfing. They are a perfect entry level board and will be usable for most people until the stage when they are carving and doing reos etc.

If you surfed each weekend for six months you would progress very well with a softboard.

Most quality surf schools use them exclusively because
1. Repairs are mostly non-existent
2. safe (physically)for new surfers
3. safe for people around the new surfer
4. generally cheaper than f/g
5. have a much quicker (less steep) learning curve

Choose the length of board by your weight and you should be good to go, and will outperform an equal person in experience/weight/age etc in the learning phase.

Good luck.