Article: Shortboards: What They Are, Who They're For, and Why They Still Reign in the Waves
Shortboards: What They Are, Who They're For, and Why They Still Reign in the Waves
You don't choose a shortboard on a whim. It chooses you when you're ready to push the wave further, when your surfing is no longer about floating, but about tracing. If you feel like your board is falling short, you may be about to enter a new league.
What is a shortboard?
A short, sharp, and straightforward board. Typically between 5'6" and 6'6", with a narrow nose and a short tail. Its design is conceived for making tight turns, ripping lines, and reading the wave like an escape map.
From Revolution to Standard: A Board That Changed the Game
In the 1970s, the longboard ceased to be king. The desire for freedom and maneuverability broke the mold, and the shortboard was born. Shorter, more reactive. A board that doesn't wait, that demands. Since then, evolution hasn't stopped: new materials, hybrid shapes, fins that defy logic.
Who is it for?
For those who are no longer satisfied with just flowing. If you control take-offs, basic turns, and hunt waves judiciously, you're in the right place. Of course, it won't give you anything for free. But what it gives, no other board can.
Before you jump in:
- Do you know how to row with power?
- Do you read the beak with instinct?
- Are you getting the rail-to-rail bug?
Pros and cons, straight to the point
+ The good: tight turns, controlled aggression, pure speed.
- The demanding: low buoyancy, necessary technique, less margin for error.
“When you master a shortboard, you stop surfing. You start drawing.”
Not all shortboards are the same
- Standard: The pure classic. Direct, responsive, for calloused surfers.
- Groveler: chubbier and friendlier. Ideal for slacker waves without losing his nerve.
- Performance: Surgical precision for epic conditions.
- Hybrid: perfect bridge if you come from funboard or fish.
Mistakes we all make (until we learn)
Thinking you're going to break it from the first swim. Picking up a board that doesn't have enough volume. Underestimating it. With a shortboard, you either get it... or it shows you.
How to choose your first shortboard wisely
- Look for the hidden volume. It's not cheating, it's intelligence.
- Start with a hybrid: it forgives you without taking away your flow.
- Consult a local shaper. They know more about you than you do.
What you always ask (and here we do answer)
- Is it good for small waves? A groveler, yes. A performance... you'll be fighting more than you'll be surfing.
- How many liters? 1 or 2 more than your ideal shortboard if you're transitioning.
- Fins? Thruster for control, quad for speed. Pick your poison.
- Second-hand? Yes, if it's intact. And if not, you'll learn how to repair it.
Discover shortboards made with soul
At The Surf Valley, you'll find pieces that don't come from a factory. They come from hands that know your water, your skill level, and your style. The hard part is choosing just one.
Ready to enter another league?
Shortboarding isn't a fad, it's an evolution. If it calls to you, answer it. The rest, you learn in the water. Quad Fins: Power and Stabilization
