What size surfboard should I get? A shaper’s size guide

The right size surfboard comes from three things, in this order: your volume (how much float you need, set by your weight, ability and how often you surf), your length (mostly from your height and the type of board), and where the foam sits (set by the waves you ride). Start with a number from our surfboard volume calculator, check the starting lengths for each model below, then let the shaper turn that into a board.

You do not need to know your exact dimensions to order a custom. That is the shaper’s job. But it helps to understand what the numbers mean, so the conversation is quicker and you can tell when a board is right.

The four numbers

Our boards carry their dimensions, written on by hand: length, width, thickness, and often volume. For example, a Blade that Joe shaped for team rider Zac Martens reads 5'10" x 19 1/8" x 2 3/8", 27.93 litres.

Length is nose to tail. It sets how the board paddles, how early it gets into a wave and how long an arc it wants to draw. Longer is easier and smoother. Shorter is quicker to turn.

Width is the widest point across the board. Width is stability and planing area. A wide board is forgiving and carries speed over flat water. A narrow board goes from one rail to the other faster.

Thickness is measured at the thickest point, usually under your chest. More thickness means more float and easier paddling. Too much and the rails can feel boaty and hard to sink in a turn.

Volume, in litres, is the three of those multiplied out along with every curve in the board. It is the best single figure for how much the board will float you.

Why volume alone is not enough

Volume is useful and it is everywhere, so people fixate on it. The trouble is that two boards with similar litres can feel nothing alike.

Here are three boards Joe has published full figures for.

The 5'9" Blade is an inch shorter than Zac's 5'10" and holds about two more litres. It gets there with extra width and thickness, because it was built for small waves and needs to float and plane. The mid-length is six inches longer than Zac's Blade, a little wider and exactly as thick, and holds about four more litres. It gets its paddle from length, not bulk.

So litres tell you how much foam there is. They do not tell you where it is. Where it is decides how the board surfs, and that is the part a shaper works out.

A size chart by model

Each of our outlines has a starting point for length, based on your height and, on some models, your ability. These come straight from the board pages. They are starting points: two people of the same height will end up on different boards.

For an example of the fish rule in practice: Joe is six foot, an intermediate to advanced surfer, and rides a 5'5" Retro Fish.

What actually changes your size

When you fill in the custom order form, it asks for your height and weight. In the free consultation Joe goes further, covering your surfing proficiency, weight, height and fitness.

Weight sets the baseline for float. Heavier surfers need more volume to paddle and plane at the same speed.

Fitness and how often you surf matter nearly as much. A fit surfer who is in the water four days a week can ride less foam than someone the same weight who surfs twice a month. It is the easiest question to be optimistic about, and it has a big effect on whether you enjoy the board.

Ability changes where the foam goes. Newer surfers need width and a flatter, more stable platform. Better surfers can give some of that up for a board that fits tighter into the wave.

Your waves change the outline and the rocker. Soft beach breaks want width and a flatter board. Fast points and hollow waves want more curve and a narrower tail.

What you ride now is the best single piece of information. Bring it in, or bring its dimensions. “I love this one but it bogs in small surf” gives Joe more to work with than any calculator.

Common mistakes

Ordering the volume you rode ten years ago. Bodies and paddle fitness change. A couple of extra litres is the cheapest wave-count upgrade there is.

Copying someone else’s dimensions. Unless they are your weight, surf as often as you do and ride the same waves, their numbers are not yours.

Going too short on a first fish or too long on a first mid. A fish should feel small. A mid-length should not feel like a longboard. The model rules above are there for a reason. If you are torn between types, read fish, mid-length or longboard first.

Chasing one number. If you tell a shaper “I need 32 litres” you have told him one thing. If you tell him how you surf, he can work out the other three.

How it works with us

When Junkyard Surf asked Joe about custom boards, the feature put it this way: before shaping, he wants to know how you surf, “so he can build around you, not a set of stock dimensions.”

In practice that is a conversation, in the factory or on the phone. You say what you ride, where, and what you want to feel. Joe suggests an outline and a set of dimensions and explains why. You can ask for changes to the rails, tail shape, rocker and colour. Then he shapes it by hand. Boards take 4 to 6 weeks.

Questions

More answers in the Cross Design FAQ.

What size surfboard should I get as a beginner?

More volume and more length than you think. On our models, that means a mid-length like the Asym | Mid, or a Retro Fish at your height or taller. The volume calculator gives you a starting volume for your weight and fitness, and Joe will check it with you at a free consultation.

How many litres should my surfboard be?

There is no single right number. It depends on your weight, ability, fitness and the type of board. Use the volume calculator for a starting figure, then remember that where the litres sit matters as much as how many there are.

Can I order a custom board without knowing my dimensions?

Yes. Tell Joe your height, weight, how often you surf and what you ride now, and he works out the length, width, thickness and volume with you. The consultation is free.

How long does a custom surfboard take?

Boards are ready 4 to 6 weeks from purchase, and every one comes with grub screws and a leash rope.