Surfboard comes in a variety of sizes and shapes. Knowing the purpose for which a board is designed can be confusing at times. If you are not sure what style of surfboard is right for you, keep reading!The following article explains some general guidelines for classifying surfboards.

EGG (6-8.5 feet)

Eggs look like stubby, rounded, hybrid longboards. Common in smaller surf, these boards about having fun, not so much about performance and tricks. Eggs are a good choice for beginning surfers, because their width makes them pretty stable (read: easier to stand up!) and they work great on small waves.

FISH (under 7 feet)

A fish, as described here, is a short, stumpy board for riding small waves. The board’s name can be confusing, because “fish” also refers to a swallow tail shape that is found on other types of boards. Fish boards usually also have the swallow tail, and are often twin-finned for getting crazy on the small days.

HYBRID / FUNBOARD (7-9 feet)

Funboards, or “mini-mals,” are smaller versions of the classic longboard shape. Due to the funboard’s reduced size, surfers have better mobility in the water, though they will sacrifice in stability and paddling ease. Funboards either have a single fin (like most longboards) or three fins (thruster style).

LONGBOARD (9-12 feet)

Longboards are characterized by their rounded nose and long length, and they typically sport a single fin. They are wide throughout, with a slight taper at the tail.

SHORTBOARD (5.5-7 feet)

Shortboards are characterized by a slender pointy nose and generally smaller dimensions. These boards allow surfers excellent mobility for tricks and sharp cuts, but they are small, so they’re harder to stabilize. Usually, shortboards have 3 or 5 fins (thruster or Bonzer style), and are ridden by more experienced surfers.

Stand Up Paddle (SUP), or in the Hawaiian language Hoe he'e nalu

A Stand Up Paddle board more information......