All athletic sports are incomplete without the appropriate gear to complement the athlete's talent, strength and hard work. Sometimes, the correct gear can be indispensable, in that a slight miscalculation to lead to serious physical harm to the athlete. The same applies to the water sport of surfing.
Surfing is more or less dependent on the strength, daring and agility of the surfer. However, his or her greatest accomplice in this becomes his surfboard, a lightweight, 15 metre long streamlined platform, which he stands on to navigate the waves. The surfboard suffers the maximum brunt of the force of the sea water and thus needs to sturdy and well-maintained. It should be purchased with great care and thought, taking into consider the riders preferences.
1. Preparation
Surfboards come in all shapes, sizes and colours tailored to various requirements. Before buying a surfboard one should be aware of their personal details, such as age, height, weight, surfing experience and fitness level. Other than this, one should also be aware of the statistics of the beaches they will be surfing, the tides and kinds of waves. One can even select artistic surfboards that are suited to one's style statement and feel truly one with their partner in surfing adventures. With this information, the surfboard salesmen will know exactly what surfboard to suggest.
2. Volume and Length
The length of the surfboard is ideally considered to be about twelve inches longer than the height of the surfer, known as the longboard. However, the longer the surfboard the more comfort it is guaranteed to have. Beginners are usually suggested boards that are seven feet long, twenty inches wide and three inches thick.
The volume of the board also becomes a major determining factor. Beginners are suggested boards with volume above 60 litres, so that the board remained buoyant during the learning phase. The board should also be made of the right material, preferably with a softer surface for beginners, so as to avoid serious injury due to falling.
3. Physical Condition
This is probably the most important factor to bear in mind and, when ignored even slightly, has led to many surfing accidents. Once one has narrowed down upon one board, one must then check it for even the slightest holes, cracks and discolouration. Surfboard salespeople are notorious for trying to cover up small errors in the making of the board but this can be hazardous as even the smallest weak point can cave in under the pressure of the waves. Salespeople will sometimes try and cover up minor defects with a thick layer of wax. Thus, one must stand by and make sure they scrape every bit of wax off the board before making payment. It is advisable to buy a new surfboard and not second hand since a surfboard must have a long life. Also, one must go personally to pick the board up and not have it delivered.
4. Accessories
Along with the board, one needs the add-ons which may or not be complementary with the purchase of the board. One will need a wetsuit, wax, a board bag, a car carrier and also a leash. This leash is highly important and should ideally be a foot longer than the length of the bridge.
5. Budget
Surfboards are a long term investment that may potentially make or break one's surfing career. As such, compromising on the quality for a lower budget is not advisable. A beginners' board can cost from 250 to 500 USD. Sometimes, one may find what seems to be the perfect board for dirt cheap prices. It is inadvisable to purchase these as they are probably damaged internally and are therefore being gotten rid of by the previous owner.
Surfboards have gained the importance as a companion for the star surfers. A beginners' surfboard is something an avid surfer will always remember, as it might remind them of the board they cruised their first waves on. The first surfboard should always be selected with great care, compromising on absolutely no factor and making sure that the surfboard provides one with all that they had hoped for.
