The Mid Length Surfboard User Guide

By Ian Madden

14 Oct 2024

There seems to be a new Mid Length surfboard model from one brand or another on almost weekly basis nowadays and frankly its all getting a bit complicated! As much for our own sanity as well as giving a few guidelines to the uninitiated, we’ve put together a rudimentary guide as to what mid length you should go for.

There are two types of people choosing to ride a mid length; Firstly, short boarders who need paddling help to maintain wave count in crowded lineups and let’s be honest because you’re getting older and no matter how much gym time/swimming etc. you do, paddle power seems to ebb away slowly but surely.

Secondly there are people coming down from bigger boards, or off foamies looking to progress their surfing. Back in the day you just grabbed what you could and got on with it, nowadays there are lots of boards about to make the transition to a smaller one much easier. We break mid lengths down into 4 general categories, Mini Mid Lengths, everyday Mids, more performance focused Mids, and then Mid Twins. There are lots of cross overs where boards appear in more than one category, this might be because the board or is very adaptable or more likely where different sizes of board work in different ways.

Deep breath, here goes!

Mini Mid Lengths

The Mini Mid Length is a relatively recent innovation, basically shorter versions of established boards (and some new blood) designed to improve responsiveness and manoeuvrability without giving up that edge in paddling that you get with a longer board. The size range for these is generally 6’4 to 6’8 although there are exceptions. These boards try to give the best of both worlds, from Mid Lengths and shorter boards, i.e. higher wave count and improved performance.

This style of board is particularly favoured by surfers who normally ride short boards but want a bit more paddle power.

Here are a few of the boards that classify in this category:

- Love Machine FM (up to 6’ 9)

- Firewire Boss Up (up to 6’ 8)

- Almond Pleasant Pheasant (up to 6’ 8)

- Form Flow Stik Pro

- Form Mod Pro

- Cord Ark

- Maurice Cole Shiva

- Harley Ingleby Thunderbolt Moe Mini

- Harley Ingleby Thunderbolt Mid 6 Mini

- CJ Nelson Thunderbolt Outlier X

Everyday Mid Lengths

The Mid length suited to everyday surfing is aimed at a slightly different surfer to the mini version. These are boards that are focused on easy paddling and wave catching, a cruisier surf. They are generally loaded with glide and flow, less rocker, so wider, more drawn out turns, they feel more stable too. These boards are favoured by people maybe stepping off bigger boards or just looking for a higher wave count. These kinds of boards can work as your first hard board and suit all levels of surfer. This is where the Mid Length revolution began, we won’t forget the first surf on a Mark Phipps One Bad Egg (the board that pretty much started it all) it was a proper eureka moment!

Every brand has an offering in this category and there are some absolute beauts here:

- Mark Phipps One Bad Egg

- Skindog Thunderbolt Ova

- Love Machine FM

- Channel Islands Mid

- Almond Joy

- Almond Pleasant Pheasant

- Almond Big Bueno Fish

- Maurice Cole Hybrid

- Form Flow Stik

- Lib Tech Pick Up Stick

- MC Red Dingo

- Cord Sunseeker

- Firewire Greedy Beaver

Performance Mid Lengths

Performance Mids have a different design characteristic, this is aimed at loosening the board up to make it more adept at dealing with steeper, faster more powerful waves. This generally involves a more aggressive rocker line, pulled in tail and nose and different bottom contours. Lots of people use boards like this as a step up option too.

These boards still do all the things a mid length should do but have added performance, you might lose a bit of paddle power compared to a flatter templated board but these boards still paddle way better than a conventional short board. Favoured by people coming up from a shorter board who want to maintain a certain level of performance or people who want a board for better waves but need the extra length for paddling.

- Channel Islands M23

- Harley Ingleby Mid 6

- Cord Ark

- Firewire Boss Up

- Pukas Magnetic

- Maurice Cole RV Twin

- Lib Tech x Lost Crowd Killer

Mid Twins

There has been a big movement to surfing twin fins in recent years and the Mid length category hasn’t escaped this. A twin fin set up generates speed more readily, so it’s easy to see why they’ve become more popular. A Mid Twin isn’t just a case of only putting two fins in your board, there are design changes to make the boards more user friendly and to optimise all wave performance with this fin set up.

Within the Mid Twin world there are boards more aimed at performance surfing and boards more aimed at day-to-day surfing.

- Channel Islands Mid Twin

- Pukas Magnetic

- Almond Pleasant Pheasant

- Maurice Cole RV Twin

- FORM Flow Stik Pro

- Cord Ark

We do honestly think this gives a little bit of clarity as to where these boards all fit in together. We are of course here to talk through any questions of doubts you might have and advise of sizing etc. now let’s get onto fins for these boards... that’s a whole new story!

You can of course customise your Mid length of choice, trade in old boards against a new one and even pay on 0% finance.

Thanks for reading.

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