Longboard Surfboards

Longboard surfboards have been around for centuries and date back to the birth of surfing. In the very early days of surfing tribes used long flat wooden boards to catch waves. Over the years the materials and shapes have changed dramatically. The longboards we see today were made famous and made surfing famous in the sixties.

Today the new shapes are now performance or beginner orientated with the characteristics to match. The longer surfboard is popular because they work brilliantly in small waves and allow a different set of skills like hang ten, drop knee turns and walking the board. Longboard surfboards are shaped between nine and ten feet long, they have thick rails and often a larger central fin. The longer shape makes paddling longboards very easy which also helps the rider to catch smaller less powerful waves. The shape helps the board to plane early and also allows the rider to get to their feet easily. Longboards do require the surfer to adopt a slightly different riding style. On a shorter board the board turns easily on the wave face, with a longer board you can still turn the board thanks to its clever rail design but you are required to walk down the board to engage the turn. Longboard surfboards can be split into two separate distinctive shapes. The Malibu longboard is the classic and most traditional shape.

The nose rider longboard has a more refined bottom where the vee is flattened off to help improve the boards shape when riding on the nose. If you love surfing and want to surf more, getting a long board is no longer seen as been un cool. Over the past few years there have been a huge growth and interest especially in the UK for long boards. Some exciting up and coming youth riders include Ben Skinner and Eliot Dudley who are travelling the UK and abroad to promote the exciting features and capabilities of Longboards. In the surfing industry some of the most beautiful looking shapes and colours are often seen in long board designs.