Performance shortboards

Performance shortboards

The most popular surfboard template in the world, shortboards come in a huge variety of styles and fin set-ups. Once the basics are mastered the shortboard is the ultimate wave riding craft, responding quickly to the surfer and able to perform the most high-performance manoeuvrers in the most critical section of a wave.   

Modern shortboards cater for all manner of wave types and surfing styles, ranging from fish templates and ‘fun boards’ with more volume and fish templates with clever rocker profiles to give a bit more volume, are easier to paddle and which often suit a more cruisey surfing style, to high performance thrusters, quads, and twins which come in a variety of outline shapes, lengths and thicknesses with nuanced design to suit different surfers and wave type and different conditions, including barrelling waves and more radical surfing.

‘Step– up’ boards are similar to high performance shortboards but designed longer or larger to enable paddling into larger waves for dealing with barrelling waves and radical surfing.  

Talk to your local surf shop and find out about what boards shapers in your area do best! 

On the beach – always surf between the black and white chequered flags at a RNLI lifeguarded beach. Read more about surf safety and etiquette here.