The Best Soft Top Surfboards for All Ages and Abilities



The right beginner surfboard is fundamental to a surfer’s development, so it’s important that you choose the right one.
Beginner boards are big, stable, and extremely buoyant, thus great for catching waves in the white water. They are also
incredibly durable, will last a lifetime, and still be fun to use once you progress to the intermediate and advanced stage.
There is no better time than now to hit the waves, so read on for a rundown of some of the best soft top surfboards. 

Best Soft Top Surfboard for Groms
If you are looking to introduce your child to surfing, look no further than our 5’ Guppy Beginner Surfboard and 6’ Guppy
Beginner Surfboard. These are the best soft top surfboards for children up to 80lbs and 100lbs. respectively. The
boards short lengths and thickness lend themselves to catching whitewash waves and venturing into 2 feet waves. A
lightweight EPS closed-cell foam core prevents these boards from absorbing water, and an in-built carry handle means
that even small children can comfortably pick up and carry them. Add in a 21-inch chest area, and small beginners will
be popping up in no time. Plus, with round-edge fins, they’ll be safe from harm when falling.


Best All-Round Budget Soft Top Surfboard for Beginners
Want a quality surfboard for all the family that’s friendly on the pocket? Our 8’ Guppy Beginner Surfboard can be surfed
by anyone from kids to adults up to 160lbs, although it can support 180lbs. This is the thickest South Bay Board Co.
surfboard, and there’s a reason for it. The thickness, coupled with a rounded nose, adds increased buoyancy and paddle
ability, making catching waves a breeze. Like the shorter Guppy models, this longer version works best in the
whitewash and two-foot waves. While being classed as a budget surfboard, it by no means lacks quality—it has a
double wooden stringer system for added strength. Ride it, smash it, pretty much do what you like with it because it’ll
keep on performing.


Best Premium Soft Top for Teenagers
Our 7’ Ruccuss Premium Beginner Surfboard is arguably one of the best soft top surfboards for beginners on the
market. It combines the shape of the traditional funboard with the buoyancy of a soft top and the look and technical
features of the boards you see experienced surfers using in busy line-ups. Among the premium characteristics are a
slick high-density polyethylene bottom deck, a triple stringer system, and a heat-release valve. Being able to withstand
up to 160lbs, the board is good for pre-teens, teenagers, and even lightweight adults. It’s a fantastic option for those
that want to paddle beyond the whitewash. Choose it, and you’ll be popping up on the wide chest area and going down
the line within a few sessions.

 
Best Premium Soft Top for Adults
We get it—not everyone can ride the smaller boards, which is why we created the 8’ Verve Premium Beginner Surfboard. Inspired by the classic mini-log surfboard, the 8’ Verve is our original soft top and best-selling board. It’s one
of the easiest for beginners to stand on, too. With an 80-liter volume and rider weight of up to 200lbs, it’s a bit of a
monster. But the extra surface area improves stability and makes paddling out and into waves a whole lot of fun. Like
all of the SBBC soft top surfboards, this one has the same lightweight EPS closed-cell core and benefits from a triple
stringer system.

Best Soft Top Longboard

The 8’8 Heritage Premium Beginner Surfboard is another of our monster-size soft tops. It replicates the shape of the
traditional mini-log longboard and is designed with the lazy beginner in mind. With a weight limit of up to 260lbs, the
8’8 Heritage is ideal for heavier riders and is a board of choice among surf school instructors. That said, its not
uncommon to spot experienced boarders hanging ten on one on smaller days—that’s where the rounded nose and
widened chest area come in handy. Naturally, this board comes with all the standard performance shape aspects and
premium materials of our beginner surfboards.
Remember, our soft top surfboards come installed with a patented heat release system, which allows the heat to escape
from the board and prevents de-lamination. As a result, your board won’t succumb to bubbling and deterioration and
thus last for hundreds of surf sessions. They are also available in a range of colors that’ll enhance you and your kid’s
coolness on the beach. 

Still not sure which board is for you? Let us here at South Bay Board Co. help you out with our surfboard finder quiz.

 Stay Stoked!