ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING A BODYBOARD FROM THE EXPERTS

Here at Bodyboard shop we take great pride in giving you the best advice & kit available. We want to educate because having the right equipment from the beginning will speed up the learning curve thus meaning that you, the rider, will get the same rush as we do. It may look difficult to spot the differences between boards & fins but believe me there are some. Spending £10 more on a board can give you one that is twice as good & a lot easier to catch waves, which after all is why we choose to Bodyboard. With the right kit you get better therefore the sport as a whole improves. We’re going to tell you all you need to know and what all the other shops don’t! Its time for your first lesson!

MATERIALS

There are 3 types of materials used in the construction of Bodyboards.
1) EPS Expanded polystyrene. Very light & often found in cheaper boards…Dents & can snap. Not much flex/ Recoil which is essential for wave riding. Watch out for overpriced boards using this material. These tend to be super light & very stiff. Often laced with gimmics. They may look great but you can get a lot better for your money. Most Surf shops don’t know the diference between this & the better bodyboarding materials so get sound advice before buying
2) PE Polyethelene or Dow. Much better. Tend to have more of the valuable flex & recoil that a bodyboard needs. Tend to have a softer feel about them & are a bit heavier…. Works well in the UK & Europe…Often PE boards have a stringer or rod for extra strength.
3) PP or Polyprop. This material is the strongest of all the cores used in a bodyboard. Great for travel but watch out for PP boards that are too stiff as they only flex well in much hotter climates. PP cored boards with softer outer materials work best here in the UK.

BODYBOARDS ARE MASS PRODUCED ITEMS, MAKE SURE THAT YOUR BOARD IS GRADE A. One with the slightest twist or bad lamination could last half the length of time. This is why we hand pick all our boards at BODYBOARD SHOP

FLEX/RECOIL

The valuable ingredient! Imagine a car with no suspension, now take that car down a rough track! You would bounce all over the place & loose both speed & control. A bodyboard with the right flex will plane faster, give you easier entry into the wave, will be easier to turn & give you much more control. At Bodyboard SHOP we can’t stress enough how important this is in a board and whatever the level of skill the rider is too…. Even as a begginner you will find a board with the correct flex/recoil will be so much easier & fun to ride.

THE RIGHT BOARD FOR YOU

Having the right board makes all the difference. Firstly the board should be the right for you. Stand the board next to you, the nose should come somewhere between the top of your hip to you navel (tummy button). If the board is too big you’ll struggle to control it, if it’s too small then you’ll lose valuable flotation. English waves tend to be a little weaker than most so keep flotation high on your agenda when looking for a board for use during the summer months.

LESSON 1: YOUR BOARD

Boards with a widepoint half way down the board work very well in the waves we get here both for Prone (lying) & Dropknee (semi standing). The further up the board the widepoint is then the more directional the board will become, this is more condusive to bigger wave riding & more drawn out turns.

Make sure the board is to hold the board on its edge & look down its rail, it should be nice & flat. Boards with excess rocker are harder to catch waves on, they push water & are therefore slower. When you need rocker (for turns) you should be able to bend it into the board whilst riding

This leads us nicely into. Having the right flex depends on the materials used and the climate. Stiffer boards work better in bigger waves, clean surf and warmer waters, they tend be harder to control in smaller waves, especially when it’s choppy (this is England after all!). I liken a stiff board to be like driving a car with no suspension down a rough track, it’ll be slower & a lot harder to control. Having good flex/recoil will fire you through bottom turns, spins, rolls & airs. Check the flex by placing the tail on the floor & placing your palm on the deck give the board a flex. Turn the board around and do the same this time with your palm on the slick, if the board bends & springs back without too much effort then you’re onto a good board. Remember that all boards tend to become more flexible with time.

The shape of the tail will affect how the board will track in the wave. Crescent tail boards tend to grip into the wave nicely thus making them very user friendly for prone & dropknee. The smaller the tailpeg the more the board will hold. Slightly bigger tailpegs enable the tail to release more easily e.g for spins. The Bat tail has become very popular over the past few years. By increasing the flotation over the rear of the board, the bat tail can give more speed but tends to give the board a little looser feel. In most of the waves we surf in England we tend to ride the back of the board more so the bat tail is a good option for those looking for a performance in smaller conditions. If you're thinking of a board for 50/50 dropknee/prone go for the crescent. If you are wanting one for mostly prone then go for the bat, just make sure it’s not too extreme a design!

Nobody likes a big nose! Well that’s not strictly true, too wide a nose is fine in bigger waves but for most conditions a nose approx 12" work just fine for prone or dropknee. Smaller noses tend to make the board looser & less stable for prone turns, better for dropkneers who want to pull gnarly forehand turns!

Well that gives you a small idea of what the board should look/ feel like. Board design is a large subject so if you need more advice or more details on materials, shape or any other questions then call into the shop, phone the hotline 01209 844806 or Email dave@bodyboardshop.co.uk . The reason we hand pick the kit here is to get away from the problems that can arise due to mass production. With our extensive knowledge we can get u on the kit that will last. We pick all our kit with you in mind, you’ll get a better board, cheaper & with all the advice you need.

SWIM FINS

For quicker entry into waves & for those long paddle outs swimfins are essential. The fit is paramount. If the fins are too tight cramp will set in after a short time in the water, causing pain everytime you surf. The best time to try them is in the afternoon when your feet are at their largest! Try them with a sock so you have the option of winter use (you never know!) The fin should feel comfortable. Avoid letting the foot be bent in the fin & make sure the ankle strap isn’t too tight on the back tenden. If you have a wide foot or high instep then look for a fin with a wider foot pocket. Avoid diving fins as they drag too much. Shorter fins give more burst speed which are much better for getting into waves they can also act as a rudder to help through turns & holding in on steeper waves.
There are many different shaped fins; some have stiffer blades, some tracker better in the face of the waves. Call us for details on fin performance etc. Don’t forget you’ll need tethers, Velcro straps that prevent you loosing your fins the first time you paddle out! Our fins start at £19.95 including tethers.

LEASH

There are two main styles of leash, the wrist or bicep. Look for a leash that has double swivels, one at either end of the leash cord. Swivels help to stop the leash tangling. Look also for strong Velcro with a strap that doubles back on itself. A strong leash is an importatant part of your kit & loosing your board can mean loosing your flotation device, the very thing that could get you back to the beach quickly & safely. Never compramise on your leash, go for quality every time. BULLYS LEASH, wrist or bicep £14.99

BODYBOARD BAG

Always look for quality constuction when buying a bag for your boards. Piped seams are stronger. Buy a lighter colour or reflective bag to reflect heat & prevent your boards from warping. Padded bags give excellent protection; they cost a bit more but save you money in the long run.
Note: Never over pack your boardbag as this can cause the zip to pull on the nose of the board causing damage & warping of your prize board.
At BODYBOARD SHOP we carry bags that can carry up to 4 boards. Bags start at £14.99 for a piped reflective with padded shoulders & front pocket.

SOCKS

In the British summer you can get away without wearing socks but winter is another story. Good socks will offer warmth & protection from fin rubs. Buy your fins big enough to accommodate socks underneath. Look for glued & blindstitched (sealed seam) construction in socks for winter use preferably 4mm for toasty tootsies.
Well there you have it, a little bit of knowledge for you to share. We could go a lot deeper into materials, hydrodynamics & other stuff but we wouldn’t want to blind you with science! It is BODYBOARD SHOP ethos to cut out the crap & give you the real deal on getting the right equipment. Spending £5 or £10 here & there can make a major difference on how much easier it will be to catch & ride waves. The rest is down to you. Remember, because we deal with all the companies we can choose the best boards from each price bracket. By hand picking all of our equipment we can assure you that you’ll get the best kit for your hard-earned cash.

For any other information or requests about buying a board, Wetsuit or anything else please fill in our information request form by surfing related call us on 01209 844806 & we’ll get you sorted.