Choosing a board01
Fish vs Groveler: Which Is Better for Your Everyday Waves?
Choose between a fish and a groveler by looking at your waves, your turns, and the boards themselves—not the label on the rack.
Read the guideThe Board Hogs journal
Find the board for your waves.
Clear choices, real model specs, and honest tradeoffs. Start with the waves you actually surf, then compare boards that fit the job.
How we write these guides
We compare published specs and design notes, cite the sources, and call out what those details cannot tell you. These are buying guides, not claimed ride tests.
Begin here
The first decisions
Choosing a board02
What Surfboard Should You Buy After a Foamie?
Ready for a board after your foamie? Choose by the waves you catch and the turns you can make, with practical options for your first hard board.
Read the guideBoard comparisons03
CI Mid vs M-23: Which Fits Your Surfing?
Compare the CI Mid and M-23 by outline, fins, stock dimensions and the turns you want to make before choosing your next Channel Islands board.
Read the guideChoosing a board04
Surfboards for Small, Weak Waves: How to Choose
Choose a small-wave surfboard by the waves you surf and the turns you want, with practical options from longboards to grovelers.
Read the guideBoard design05
How Much Surfboard Volume Do You Need? Why Liters Aren't Everything
Use volume to narrow your next surfboard, then check the outline, rocker, rails, waves, and the board you already ride.
Read the guideBoard comparisons06
Firewire Seaside vs Mashup vs Dominator 2.0: Which Fits Your Waves?
Compare the Seaside, Mashup, and Dominator 2.0 by wave type, shape, fins, and real stock dimensions before choosing your next Firewire.
Read the guideChoosing a board
11 guidesChoosing a board01
Can You Duck Dive Your Surfboard? What to Consider Before Buying
There is no magic liter cutoff for duck diving. Learn what board buoyancy, shape, technique and your usual waves mean for your next purchase.
Read the guideChoosing a board02
Getting Back Into Surfing After Years Away: Choosing Your Comeback Board
Returning to surfing after a long break? Reassess your wave count and choose a comeback board for the waves you surf now.
Read the guideChoosing a board03
Your Favorite Surfboard Is Discontinued. What Should You Buy Next?
Replace a discontinued surfboard by tracing what your actual board does well, then comparing current shapes without expecting an exact clone.
Read the guideChoosing a board04
How to Choose a Surfboard for Your Child
Choose a child's surfboard by what they can do in the water, not age alone. Compare soft boards for first rides, independent surfing and the next step.
Read the guideChoosing a board05
Is Your Shortboard Too Big? The Problem With Oversizing a Performance Shape
A bigger performance shortboard can help—or leave the same design mismatch. Learn when to size up and when to choose another shape.
Read the guideChoosing a board06
Mid-Length vs Fish: Which Makes a Better Second Board?
A mid-length and a fish can both expand a one-board quiver. Choose by the waves you miss, the turns you want, and what your first board already does well.
Read the guideChoosing a board07
Mid-Length vs Longboard: Which Should You Choose?
Choose a mid-length or longboard by your usual waves, current skills and the style you want to learn—not a length label alone.
Read the guideChoosing a board08
One-Board Quiver: How to Choose a Versatile Daily Driver
Need one surfboard for most sessions? Start with your usual waves, then choose the tradeoffs in shape, size and style you can actually live with.
Read the guideChoosing a board09
Choosing a Surfboard for a Heavier Surfer: Beyond Extra Liters
More foam can help, but it is only part of the fit. Choose a surfboard for your waves, paddling, stance and turns—not a weight chart alone.
Read the guideChoosing a board10
Two-Board Quiver: Cover More Conditions Without Buying the Same Board Twice
Build a two-board quiver around the sessions your current board misses, with a simple way to spot useful range and expensive overlap.
Read the guideChoosing a board11
What Surfboard Should You Ride If You Only Surf on Weekends?
A weekend surf schedule changes the buying decision. Choose a board for your actual waves, current skills and the rides you can fit into each session.
Read the guideBoard comparisons
4 guidesBoard comparisons01
Alternatives to the CI Mid: Mid-Lengths Built for a Similar Job
Love the idea of a CI Mid? Compare the Pyzel Mid Length Crisis, Firewire Seaside & Beyond and Lost Smooth Operator before buying.
Read the guideBoard comparisons02
Firewire Dominator vs Dominator 2.0: What Actually Changed?
The original Dominator and Dominator 2.0 share a name, but Firewire changed the tail, rails and bottom. Here's what that means when buying used.
Read the guideBoard comparisons03
CI Happy Everyday vs Two Happy: Which Fits Your Waves?
Compare Channel Islands' Happy Everyday and Two Happy by rocker, stock dimensions, and the waves you actually surf.
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Torq Surfboards Range Explained: Which Model Fits Your Waves?
From Mod Fun to Comp2, see what five Torq shapes are built to do, where they overlap, and which tradeoffs matter before you buy.
Read the guideBoard design
7 guidesBoard design01
FCS II vs Futures: Will Your Existing Fins Fit Your Next Board?
Check the fin boxes before you buy: FCS II and Futures do not share shortboard fins, but older FCS fins have one useful compatibility option.
Read the guideBoard design02
PU vs EPS/Epoxy Surfboards: What Are You Actually Buying?
PU and EPS name the foam; polyester and epoxy name the resin. Learn what changes in a surfboard build and what to ask before you buy.
Read the guideBoard design03
Surfboard Dimensions Explained With Real Board Examples
Learn what length, width, thickness and volume actually tell you about a surfboard, using three near-30-liter boards with very different jobs.
Read the guideBoard design04
Surfboard Glassing Schedules Explained: What Do 4 oz and 6 oz Mean?
Decode 4 oz and 6 oz glassing schedules, compare deck and bottom layers, and ask better questions about weight and durability before buying a board.
Read the guideBoard design05
Surfboard Rocker Explained: How It Affects Your Choice
Learn what nose and tail rocker do, where flatter or curvier boards make sense, and how to compare real surfboards before you buy.
Read the guideBoard design06
Surfboard Tail Shapes Explained: Squash, Round, Swallow and Pin
Learn what squash, round, swallow and pin tails suggest about a surfboard, and how to choose by the whole shape and your usual waves.
Read the guideBoard design07
Twin Fin vs Thruster vs Quad: Choosing Your Next Board
Twin, thruster or quad? Compare how each setup changes a board's feel, where it fits, and what to check before buying.
Read the guideBuying used
6 guidesBuying used01
Is a Damaged Surfboard Worth Buying or Repairing?
Learn when a ding is a manageable repair, when to get a professional assessment, and how to judge the real cost of a damaged surfboard.
Read the guideBuying used02
How Much Is My Used Surfboard Worth?
Price a used surfboard with comparable sales, honest condition notes, and your local market—without mistaking asking prices for what buyers paid.
Read the guideBuying used03
How to Sell a Surfboard Online: Photos and Details Buyers Need
Make a used surfboard listing buyers can trust: photograph the real board, show every repair, name the exact specs, and agree on handoff details.
Read the guideBuying used04
How to Identify a Surfboard Model From Photos and Markings
Decode logos, handwritten dimensions, serial numbers and fin boxes in a used-board listing without mistaking a likely match for proof.
Read the guideBuying used05
Used Premium Surfboard vs New Budget Board: Which Should You Buy?
Compare a used premium surfboard with a new value board by fit, hidden repairs, warranty, fins and the real cost of getting in the water.
Read the guideBuying used06
Used Surfboard Buying Checklist: What to Check Before You Pay
Inspect a used surfboard for open dings, soft spots, repairs and fin-box damage, then work out the real cost before you hand over money.
Read the guideSpecialty boards
6 guidesSpecialty boards01
Asymmetrical Surfboards: What to Know Before Buying Your First
An asym surfboard changes the two sides for different jobs. Learn how stance, fins, wave type and sizing affect your first asym purchase.
Read the guideSpecialty boards02
Custom Surfboard vs Stock Model: Is Going Custom Worth It?
A custom surfboard can solve a specific fit problem. Learn when a stock model is the smarter buy and what to ask before ordering your own shape.
Read the guideSpecialty boards03
Noserider vs Performance Longboard: Which Fits Your Surfing?
Choosing between a noserider and a performance longboard? Compare the waves, footwork, turns, and real board designs behind each style.
Read the guideSpecialty boards04
How to Choose a Surfboard for a Surf Trip When You Can Bring Only One
One board bag, changing waves: choose a surf-trip board around the surf you can ride, airline limits, and what you can rent when conditions shift.
Read the guideSpecialty boards05
Wave-Pool Surfboards: Can You Use Your Everyday Ocean Board?
Your ocean board may be the best place to start at a surf pool. Choose by the wave format, booked setting, your skill and the venue's equipment rules.
Read the guideSpecialty boards06
When Do You Need a Step-Up Surfboard?
Know when your daily board has reached its limit, what a step-up changes, and how to choose one for the stronger waves you actually surf.
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