4, 3 ,2 ,1 - Our size-guide to ‘perfect’ surfing!

Did you think surfing is all about adrenaline, short boards and big waves? Well, if so, you are not alone! The myth, that the longer you surf, the more you will become a millennial version of Kelly Slater hacking your toothpick-board into perfect barrels seems to prevail over decades. Many surfers seem to think there is only one road to go down, one horse to ride, one shoe to wear.

So is bigger really better or is shorter better or bigger and shorter better? Is a big board uncool and am I only a real surfer when dreaming about hollow-offshore 8ft point breaks?

The answer is- as with so many things in life- a bit more complex than just a black and white yes and no. Here is our big-wave-barrel-froth debunked, or in other words, our size-guide to ‘perfect’ surfing:

The perfect wave

• We are all still searching and probably will continue searching for the perfect wave. But in general, what makes great waves is not only the size: It is the time period in between them, compared to their size, in relation to the wind direction. Sounds like maths? Well, with this odd way of measuring we can determine the power of the wave and whether or not we have an easy paddle out. The wind direction will make the waves either wonderfully glassy and smooth or annoyingly choppy and bumpy.

The perfect board

• Because everybody is so different and there is such a variety of surfing conditions, there is also a variety of boards available. The search for the perfect board is as old and complex as the search for the perfect wave. In general however, not only size matters! Shorter boards are for faster rides and more radical trickery on more hollow-shaped waves, whilst longer boards are for long, smooth rides requiring mostly slower and more elegant movements of the surfer. Next to the size of the board the shape of the tail, rails, nose, curvature of the stringer, as well as the width, thickness, volume, material and construction of the board are influencers of what makes a good board perfect for specific conditions.

The perfect ride

• Again, everybody, every board, every wave is different. A perfect ride usually involves a long peeling wave breaking in one or two directions, but never all at once. A skilled surfer taking off just as the wave breaks, makes as much use as possible of the green face of the wave performing various tricks. The perfect ride includes skill and creativity of the surfer making the best out of what the ocean is offering to them.

Perfect size say whaaat?

Jazzy