Ah, the glorious longboard surfboard! Cruisey, graceful, and a helluva lot of fun, longboards are purveyors of pure joy in the ocean. It makes no difference if you’re a longboard enthusiast or an avid shortboarder, the euphoric glide of a longboard can’t be denied.
While the size and nature of longboards make for great beginner surfboards, don’t make the mistake of thinking longboards are just for beginners–many incredibly talented surfers have chosen to dedicate their surf lives to mastering the art of dancing on a longboard.
Many would agree that longboarding is the most graceful style of surfing–with long drawn out lines, noseriding, stylish trimming, fancy footwork, and plenty of hotdogging.
Longboards typically range from 9 to 12 feet long and 20 to 24 inches wide. Like all categories of surfboards, longboards come in a variety of designs to suit different styles, abilities, and waves. While there are many different variations, we’ll quickly breakdown a few main types of longboards: the high-performance longboard, traditional longboard (AKA log), and soft-top longboard.
High-performance longboards are designed with a little more rocker, more advanced rails, bottom contours, and lighter weight that give the rider more maneuverability and the ability to surf more aggressively. Traditional logs have more traditional rails and bottom contours and are typically made with a heavier weight fiberglass which carries momentum through flat sections and gives you more stability for walking and noseriding.
Soft top surfboards are made from a softer foam material and are super buoyant, easy to paddle, and resilient. Once considered the lame ugly duckling of surfboards, soft tops have become pretty darn cool the past few years and they’re now made in all types of shapes and sizes. Soft top longboards are perfect for beginner surfers, but you’ll also find skilled surfers taking them out on small mushy days, or to play around in the surf without worrying about dinging their boards.
Not only are longboards a whole lot of fun, but they also enable you to surf in more conditions, which of course, means that you can surf more days. With a longboard, you’ll easily get into waves that your shortboard can’t get close to catching. Two-foot mushy waves on the forecast? Longboard to the rescue! High tide fat rollers coming in? Longboard time. Feeling hungover and lazy? Hello, longboard 🙂
Whether you’ve been surfing for two years or thirty, having at least one longboard in your quiver will allow you to surf in more conditions and have a blast doing it. To help you in your quest for the perfect longboard, here’s a list of 34 badass longboards and their shapers to get you inspired.
Epic surf trips made easy.
Explore luxury done-for-you surf vacations with Lush Palm Private Retreats.
Longboard Surfboard Roundup
Want more surfboard goodness? (Of course you do!) Check out:
15 Surfboard Brands with Epic Style >>
Surfboard Shapes 101 / The Ultimate Guide to Modern Surfboards >>
Nice article, these boards look really cool. Which one is your personal favorite? I like the Kassia Longboard, amazing design and use of colors. It really is like a piece of art, after using it you can hang it on the wall at home on a SUP rack!
Some cool looking boards. But there are a few brands missing that have the traditional culture of shaping rather than using cnc. Maker surfboards is one of many left out. In an age of computer aided board building and mass production many true surfboard shapers are going back to the traditional methods because you can customize the board to the rider in a way a computer can’t.
That article didn’t explain anything about the boards listed and what makes them ride better/worse/different than other longboards.
Hi Sandy – Thanks for your feedback! An explanation of every board wasn’t the goal of this article, but if you would like to learn more about surfboards and how they ride, check out Surfboard Shapes 101 / The Ultimate Guide to Modern Surfboards, and Best Beginner Surfboards if you’re in the beginner or early intermediate stages of your surfing journey. Cheers
Great write-up. Always entertaining.
Thanks, Mark!
Great article!
Thank you for sharing your experience
THANKS for sharing this wonderful and joyful blog.
Our pleasure!
Hello, great article! I’d like to ask you what you think about electrical boards? Are you familiar with them, what do you think?
Hey Chris, happy you enjoyed the article! Electrical boards are obviously very different than normal surfboards, and I suppose it goes back to what kind of experience you’re looking for and why you’re considering an electrical board (whether you live inland or in an area without many waves, etc).
I definitely wouldn’t recommend taking an electrical board into a lineup with other surfers. If you have an electrical board it would be best to keep your distance and find your own little peaks away from others. I’ve ridden an electrical board a couple of times in flat conditions and they are fun, but they are a completely different experience than normal surfing. I would liken them to like a motorized stand-up paddleboard, as you’re typically standing most of the time.
I have a friend who bought a really expensive motorized surfboard and it broke down ALL THE TIME and the company was very far away so it was pain to try to get it fixed, etc. Also, it broke down one time when he was far out in the ocean and literally started sinking! He was lucky that some nearby people helped him out, but he almost saw $13,000 sink to the bottom of the ocean!!! If you’re considering buying one, I would do some serious research and especially consider their warranty and return policy because I think they are prone to going kaput. Is there a specific brand you are considering?