Longboard vs Shortboard: Progression Path for New Surfers

Longboards and shortboards aren't better or worse than each other - they're different sports played with different equipment. Many surfers try to force a single-board progression path (start on a shortboard or start on a longboard) without realizing each is its own discipline. The right first board depends on what kind of surfer you want to become.

I've spent time on both. My first real board was an 8 ft funboard, which turned out to be the wrong choice. My current quiver has a 9 ft longboard and a 6'2" shortboard, each used for different conditions. Here's an honest breakdown of what each board does and when each makes sense.

The Longboard Discipline

Longboarding is surfing as it was originally practiced. Boards are 9-11 ft long, wide (22-24 inches), and thick (3-4 inches). They're heavy (7-12 pounds), stable, and paddle easily. You stand tall, walk the board, do cross-steps to the nose.

Longboarding rewards smooth, stylish surfing. The goal isn't tight turns or critical maneuvers. The goal is flow, trim, and reading the wave. A well-ridden longboard in clean conditions is one of the most elegant displays in surfing.

Equipment: a quality longboard costs $700-1,500. Popular brands: Harbour, Bing, CJ Nelson, Robert August. Entry-level longboards can be bought for $500-700.

Longboard styles

• Noserider (9-11 ft, wide) - traditional logging, slow but flow
• Performance longboard (8'6-9'2, narrower) - mix of modern and classic
• Single fin (9-10 ft, single fin) - traditional, less maneuverable
• Thruster longboard (9'6+, three fins) - more aggressive riding

The Shortboard Discipline

Shortboarding is high-performance surfing. Boards are 5'8" to 6'6" typically, narrow (18-20 inches), thin (2.5 inches), and light (4-6 pounds). They're designed for critical maneuvers: snaps, airs, barrel riding, sharp turns.

Shortboarding rewards explosive surfing. You ride the wave hard, make fast decisions, execute tight maneuvers. The learning curve is steep. Getting comfortable on a shortboard takes 2-5 years for most surfers.

Equipment: a quality shortboard costs $600-1,200. Popular brands: Lost, Firewire, Channel Islands, Pyzel. Custom boards run $800-1,500 depending on shaper.

Shortboard styles

• Performance shortboard (5'8-6'2, narrow) - high performance
• Fish (5'6-6'0, wider, flat) - for small wave surfing
• Hybrid (6'0-6'6) - middle ground, versatile
• Gun (6'8+, narrow) - for big surf

Which to Start On

Start on a longboard if:

• You mostly surf in small waves (2-4 ft)
• You want to learn quickly and feel success early
• You care about style and flow more than critical maneuvers
• You have physical limitations (bad back, older age)

Start on a shortboard if:

• You mostly surf in bigger waves (4-8 ft)
• You're willing to work hard for 2-3 years before feeling competent
• You want to progress to high-performance surfing
• You're young and athletic

For most first-time surfers, I recommend a soft-top 9 ft longboard for 6 months to 1 year. Learn the fundamentals: paddling, wave reading, standing up, basic turning. Then decide.

The Transition Boards

Many surfers want to eventually ride shortboards but don't want to jump from 9 ft longboard to 6'4" shortboard. Transition boards smooth the progression.

Minilongboard (7'6-8'0 x 21"-22" wide): shorter than a longboard, easier to turn. Great for 6 months to 1 year of transition.

Funboard (7'0-7'6 x 20"-21"): between minilongboard and shortboard. Paddle-able, turn-able. Versatile for varied conditions.

Midlength (6'6-7'0 x 19"-20"): shorter than funboard, more critical. The bridge to true shortboarding.

A natural progression: longboard -> minilongboard -> funboard -> midlength -> shortboard. Each transition takes 3-12 months depending on how often you surf.

Why Some Surfers Stay Longboard

Longboarding isn't just a step toward shortboarding. Many excellent surfers ride longboards by choice. The discipline rewards skills that shortboarding doesn't require: cross-stepping, nose riding, stall timing, style.

The competitive longboard world has its own culture and events. Professional longboarders make careers without ever switching to shortboards. Rob Machado, Joel Tudor, Kelia Moniz - all world-class longboarders.

If you find yourself enjoying longboarding for the flow and style, don't feel compelled to switch. Shortboarding isn't "better" - it's different.

Why Some Surfers Quit Longboard

Longboarding has limitations in certain conditions. In steep, hollow surf, longboards don't fit the wave. In small, soft waves, you can't do critical maneuvers. Some surfers outgrow the longboard's capabilities.

If your surfing style is shifting toward aggressive riding - tight turns, airs, barrels - a shortboard opens up the performance you can't do on a longboard.

The decision to switch is individual. Some surfers switch after 2 years. Some switch after 5. Some never switch because longboarding is what they want to do forever.

Wave Conditions and Board Choice

Small mushy waves (1-3 ft): longboard dominates. The volume helps you catch waves that shortboarders can't catch.

Clean head-high waves (4-6 ft): either board works. Longboarders ride with flow, shortboarders ride with performance.

Bigger waves (6-8 ft): shortboard starts to dominate. Longboards become unwieldy in bigger, faster waves.

Serious size (8 ft+): shortboard or gun only. Longboards don't work in heavy surf.

Multi-Board Quivers

Most serious surfers have 3-5 boards for different conditions. A typical quiver:

• 9'0 longboard - for small days and mellow fun
• 7'2 funboard - for intermediate days
• 6'4 shortboard - for solid surf
• 6'8 step-up - for bigger days

You don't need a quiver immediately. Many surfers get 1 board per year as they progress. Budget $600-1,200 per board. A full quiver over 3-4 years costs $2,500-5,000.

The Equipment Rabbit Hole

Fins: each board has a fin setup. Single fin for traditional logging. Twin, tri, or quad fin for shortboards. Fin choice affects board feel dramatically.

Leashes: matched to board length. 9 ft leash for 9 ft longboard. 6 ft leash for 6 ft shortboard.

Wax: cool water wax or warm water wax. Top up every session. Keep your stance area waxed fully.

Choose your board based on what you want to do, where you surf, and what you enjoy. Don't let others tell you longboarding is for beginners or shortboarding is the real sport. Both are real. Both require skill. Pick the one that makes you want to go surf more often.