Responsive turns
Shortboard
A performance-focused shape for quick direction changes and surfing a wave’s steeper sections.
The tradeoff: Less glide and paddling ease than a fuller outline.
Browse shortboard modelsThe garage field guide
Surfboard types.
Find your kind of ride.
Fish, shortboard, groveler, mid-length, longboard, or gun: understanding surfboard types helps you narrow the rack. Start with the waves you actually surf and the board you already know.
This is an introduction to design families, rather than a test of individual models. Outlines overlap, and two boards in the same category can feel very different.
Speed and flowing lines
Fish
Often a wide outline and swallow tail, built around carrying speed and drawing flowing turns.
The tradeoff: A loose, flowing feel differs from a performance shortboard.
Browse fish modelsMake weaker waves count
Groveler
A compact shape with generous surface area and often flatter rocker to help maintain speed in weaker surf.
The tradeoff: Small-wave ease can sacrifice control in powerful, steep surf.
Browse groveler modelsGlide with room to turn
Mid-length
Between a shortboard and longboard, balancing paddling glide with a more manageable turning arc.
The tradeoff: The label covers very different outlines and intended waves.
Browse mid-length modelsGlide and trim
Longboard
A longer platform for glide and stability, with designs ranging from traditional noseriders to performance shapes.
The tradeoff: More board to move through turns and breaking waves.
Browse longboard modelsSpecialist big-wave equipment
Gun
An elongated, drawn-in shape intended for control and paddling into large, powerful waves.
The tradeoff: A specialist design, rather than an everyday small-wave board.
Browse gun modelsRead the whole board
Litres are one part of the story.
Volume describes how much space a board occupies. It does not describe where the foam sits, the rocker, or how the rails engage. Boards with similar dimensions can have different volumes; boards with similar volumes can ride differently.
Compare a candidate with something you have ridden: how easily did you catch waves, hold a line, and turn? Then consider the outline, dimensions, fin setup, and the waves each design targets. Your experience, paddling fitness, and preferences matter too.
For a first board or a big change in design, talk through those details with a shaper, coach, or local surf shop. A category name or a volume number cannot settle the whole choice.
Compare actual boards, then ask the riders.
Use model specifications to compare like with like. When reading an owner’s review, look for their board size, fins, ability, and surf conditions. A useful review explains where the board worked and where it fell short.
Further reading
For more detail on shapes and sizing, read Boardcave’s guide to surfboard types, REAL Watersports’ design, volume, and dimensions guide, and Surf Simply’s explanation of volume-to-weight ratios.