Best Surfboard for Beginner Small Lady

[eireann]

Hi, Just looking for advice on the best board to get for a small lady beginner. I'm 5 ft 2. Done a few lessons on a foamie, am good sometimes and awful at other times! Should I get a foamie or epoxy longboard and what is the best size/length for my height? Thanks a mill

[drowningbitbybit]

Forget about the foamie - you've done that now. Time for a real board

Where are you surfing? How often will you surf?

At your size, the answer is often "as big a board as you can manage out of the water". There's no point in buying a huge longboard if you can't even get your arm around it to carry it to the water. You won't be able to manage it in the water either.
So you'll probably be in the mini-mal region rather than a true longboard. Have a look at the BIC or NSP mini-mals at around 7'6 - 8'0.

It would be worth taking a lesson a hard board if you can, just so you can feel what's comfortable.

[waikikikichan]

If you surf at a reef break like Waikiki, you can go bigger towards the 8'0" sizing. If at a beach break, you can go smaller to the 7'6" sizes. I just bought my wife who is 5'1" a 7'10" NSP funboard and she catches everything. Choosing the length is more on your ability and style of riding than on your actual height.