SURFBOARDS: THE RIGHT SIZE AND THE RIGHT SHAP

If you have been asking yourself the question: Which surfboard is the best choice for me?
Then you've come to the right place with the surfboard buying guide in Phiere's blog. We've put together some questions and answers about different board shapes, volumes and sizes and don't want to withhold our surfing know-how from you.

What you can expect from this blog post about the right surfboard size:

The Phieres Surfboard Buying Guide explains the most important features and terms for the different Surfboard sizes and Shapes. We want to support you and help you with your purchasing decision.

Why choosing Volume, Nose, Tail and Fins of your surfboard are important and how your Setup, board control and buoyancy significantly influence the surfing style. In Phieres Surfboard Buying Guide you will learn how your previous surfing experience and your surfing skills are related to the different board shapes.

What should I pay attention to when buying a surfboard?

The aim of this blog post is to give you an overview of the different types and Constructions of surfboards , shortboards, swallow tails, hybrid and all-round surfboards. The best shapes for Wakesurfing, pool surfing, river surfing and surfing are described. So that at the end no questions remain unanswered and you are well informed about what you should look out for when buying a surfboard.

The interaction between the right set-up, area of ​​use and your rider level

Your new surfboard should match your rider performance, i.e. your surfing experience and ability. However, it must also allow enough flexibility so that your surfing style can quickly reach the next level and you can have fun surfing, pool surfing, river surfing or wake surfing.

The interaction between the correct set-up, application area and your Rider Level will make the difference. There are often only small differences between improving your surfing skills, the fun factor and the frustration factor when you don't get it right on the first drop. Only with a well-chosen surfboard shape and setup will surfing really stoke you! Because with the right surfboard and the perfect setup, you can concentrate on your progress in surfing and improve your skills from wave to wave!

Choosing the right surfboard is crucial!

We answer a wide range of questions about buying a surfboard and give you an overview of the most common surfboard shapes . From shortboard to longboard, from tail to nose and from rocker to the right fin setup. We look at the topic of surfboard shapes and surfboard construction from all angles to make your purchase decision easier .

Surfboard Shapes - Different designs for every application
From beginner surfboards to professional boards, many different shapes and designs allow for many areas of use and possibilities. Whether shortboard, hybrid board or fish,
any change of shape and every little detail affects the properties of the surfboard . Factors that strongly influence control, maneuverability and buoyancy.

Considerations and questions to ask yourself before buying a new surfboard:

1. How is my rider performance? How well do I surf? Beginner or already have good surfing skills?

2. Which surfboard shape suits my surfing style?

3. How do I choose the right size and volume of my new surfboard?

4. Surfboard fin setup: differences between single, thruster, quad,…

5.      Where and in what area do I mainly surf?

Don't worry if you can't answer all the questions for yourself yet. In the following lines, all the important details are explained.

1. Rider Performance
The most important thing is that you improve your rider performance, i.e. your Experience and ability , realistically assess . From this you can then choose whether you want a board with a lot or less volume, more stability or aggressive performance, supportive buoyancy or quick response. The interaction between the right set-up, area of ​​use and your rider level will make the difference between improving your surfing skills, having fun or being frustrated.

2. Surfboard Shape – the surfboard shape
The shape of the surfboard is called the shape. The following should be taken into account when it comes to board shape:
Nose , Tails , Rockers, Finns & Size affect the characteristics of the board and determine which waves, surfing styles and surfing levels the surfboard is best suited for.

Overview and designations: How is a surfboard constructed?
rocker - describes the curvature of the board and determines performance and speed (see 2.3)
Nose - the front part of the surfboard (see 2.1)
Rails - the edges of the surfboard, the rounder the more forgiving, the thinner and more angular the more aggressive
Bottom - the bottom of the surfboard
deck - the top of the board on which you stand and paddle
Pad - thin pad that provides support during turns and maneuvers
Finns - determines important characteristics of surfing behavior (see 4.)
Leash plug - to attach your safety leash
Tail - rear part of the surfboard (see 2.2)

2.1. Surfboard Nose:
The nose is the front part of the surfboard . The shape influences the maneuverability and buoyancy of the board.

The pointier the nose, such as the Pointed Nose , the more maneuverable and responsive the surfboard is, although the Pointed Nose offers less lift. This nose can be found on high performance boards such as our shortboard, the Phieres Phestation.

A wide and round nose is called a rounded nose . This offers more buoyancy, stability and supports you by making paddling easier in the water. The rounded nose is mostly used on longboards and beginner surfboards.

The Round Pointed Nose offers the perfect balance of maneuverability and lift. The mixture of Rounded and Pointed Nose is perfect for Progress and progression into your surfing style and is the best choice for more advanced surfers. Phieres Phizzy, our hybrid surfboard.

2.2. Different surfboard tail designs:
At the surfboard Tails , the back part of the board , there are many different designs. Different widths, tips and edges determine how quickly your board reacts during turns, cut backs and other maneuvers. Square , Squash, Round & Swallow are popular and often used tail designs:

• The Square Tail Its wide end provides a high level of safety against rapid tipping and also remains very manoeuvrable and agile.

  The square tail is used on the popular shortboard, the Phieres Phestation.

• The squash Tail is very similar to the square, only with rounded edges/rails. A very common shape for classic boards such as the Phieres Phizzy . Very good stability and responsiveness are the result.

• Round Tails are the all-rounders, as the name suggests your surfboard is very maneuverable, but a little less stable than other tail designs.

• A Swallow Tail gives a lot of buoyancy, control and playfulness. You can recognize it immediately by its V-cut and find it on Fish Surfboards like the “ Phieres Phensey “

2.3. Rockers:
Rocker is the curvature or Bending of the surfboard when you look at it from the side. A distinction is made between weak and strong rocker as well as nose and tail rocker.
A flat rocker or full rocker determines the performance of your board when surfing waves of different sizes or speeds.
Boards with a Flat Rocker are very flat. They offer little flow resistance and glide excellently over the wave. This rocker is perfect for standing, knee and shoulder-high waves.
Surfboards with Full Rocker Although the board glides more slowly due to the smaller contact area with the water, the board remains more stable and easier to control in powerful and high waves.

3. Size and volume
Surfboards are generally measured in feet and inches. The volume is determined by the length, width and thickness and is given in liters and is the most important factor when it comes to buoyancy and stability on the water.

The dimensions given are Length (feet/ft.) x Width (inches/in.) x Thickness (inches)
Example: Phieres Phestation 5.0 x 21" x 2 3/8"

Conversion to the metric system: 1 ft = 12 in; 1 ft = 30.48 cm; 1 in = 2.54 cm

3.1 Volume
Basically, the following applies to the volume of the surfboard: The bigger and heavier the person, the longer and more volume the board should be. Especially for beginner Surfboards with lots of volume . Advantages are more stability during take-off and more boost in the water. This saves you energy until you are in the line-up and when paddling towards the wave.
Of course, a voluminous board is not the most playful. But once you have gained some experience and caught your first waves, you will be amazed at how easy surfing can be.

3.2 Length:
The longer the surfboard, the higher the speed and the easier it is to handle when paddling and dropping the incoming wave.

3.3 Width:
The wider your surfboard, the more stability you get and the easier it is to catch small and medium waves such as whitewater waves and green waves.

3.4 Thickness:
If your board is thicker, it also has more volume and is easier to paddle towards waves due to more buoyancy. The thinner your surfboard, the more maneuverable and playful it will be.

4. Surfboard fins – different set-ups:
All of our boards are offered with a five-fin option and are delivered with five fins. However, this just means that you can decide for yourself which fin set-up you want to use.

The differences between Singles , Twins , Thrusters , Quad and 5-Fins are a crucial point in the Maneuverability and speed of the surfboard . As a fin system we use on all Phieres Surfboards FCS (Fin Control System) The advantage of FCS is that the surfboard fins are available in almost every board shop and are easy to replace. Depending on the board and weight, the fins are available in sizes XS - XL.

• Single fins are mainly used in Longboards and SUPs used and give the board a lot of grip and stability. However, quick turns or changes of direction are difficult.

• Twin Fins are perfect for higher speeds and are usually used in Fish Boards mounted. Twin fin setups are playful, fast and great for tight turns. However, they are not really suitable for big waves.

• Thruster fins: Due to the best combination of maneuverability and stability, thruster fins are the best known and most most used surfing style . A thruster setup is the best balance between single and twin fin. Suitable for almost all waves.

• Quad fins give the board a very agile dynamic when pushing for modern Fish Boards and Hybrid Shapes . However, due to the greater water resistance, fast and tight cuts are more difficult to manage, but they offer great grip in tubes and barrels.

• Five-Fins are extremely rarely surfed because the resistance becomes enormous and more or less only serves as a placeholder for the different fin set-ups.

5. Area of ​​use: Wakesurfing, pool, riversurfing or surfing at sea
River surfing and wake surfing are becoming increasingly popular as lifestyle sports in our latitudes. Spots such as on various rivers, wake surfing by boat on the lake or the Eisbach in Munich attract surfers from all corners of the world. Community is growing steadily and this always creates new projects which enable us to continue our To pursue a hobby and attitude to life . Of course, you can't compare it to perfect waves at sunset on a deserted beach, but the feeling of standing on the surfboard remains.

When surfing, it makes a difference whether you want to practice your skills mainly in wake, pool, river or at sea. In waters with standing waves such as River surfing or wake surfing , where there are usually only low waves, are also the Boards accordingly shorter and more agile If you have not had much experience in surfing, it is definitely advisable to consider a board with more volume, such as the “Phieres Phizzy” for such waters.

As you have now found out, the right Board selection is absolutely crucial to quickly experience the first successes on the surfboard. Especially as a beginner or if you are not yet a very experienced surfer, you should Don't switch to a smaller surfboard too soon , even if it looks cooler and is easier to carry under your arm than a more beginner-friendly board with more buoyancy.
Calmness and composure will also help you much more than getting lost in the waves with a professional shortboard that only a few surfers can handle and thus making yourself unpopular with the locals.
It's important that you learn a lot from the beginning and catch as many waves as possible. This is much easier with a larger surfboard.

Therefore, remember:
To learn to surf and have a lot of fun quickly, you need a few things. A lot of patience, perseverance and motivation as well as the surfboard,
which has the right shape and volume for your personal surfing style.

Find out which Phieres surfboard suits you and your surfing style best!

If you still have questions after all this information or if something is not quite clear: Contact us to receive personal advice from our team!