Walk into a surf shop and you'll hear three words thrown around like they mean the same thing: foamie, epoxy and fibreglass. They don't. There are really three ways a surfboard gets built, and the build changes how the board floats, what it weighs, how it feels under your feet and how it handles being dropped in the car park.
Here's the bit that confuses nearly everyone: both hard-board types are fibreglass boards. An epoxy board and a "fibreglass" (PU) board are both wrapped in fibreglass cloth. What's different is the foam inside and the resin that sets the cloth. Once you've got that, the rest is easy.
The short version: a softboard is for learning, an EPS epoxy board is the light, tough all-rounder most surfers should be on, and a PU board is the traditional build with a flex some experienced surfers prefer. Every Summer vibes surfboard is EPS epoxy, and every Summer vibes softboard is built on an EPS core. Here's how the three compare.
The three builds at a glance
| Build | Core | Outside | Weight (8'0 mini mal) | Dings | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Softboard (foamie) | EPS foam, bamboo stringers | Soft foam deck, slick plastic bottom | 5.5–7 kg | Shrugs them off | First waves, kids, families, crowded beaches |
| Epoxy (EPS epoxy) | EPS foam, timber stringer | Fibreglass cloth set in epoxy resin | 4.7 kg (Summer vibes Mini Mal) | Tough, dents rarely | Progressing surfers, everyday waves, anyone who carries their board |
| PU (polyester) | Polyurethane foam, timber stringer | Fibreglass cloth set in polyester resin | 5.8–6.9 kg (PU 8'0s we weighed) | Pressure dents, yellows | Experienced surfers, powerful waves, custom shapes |
Weights are real boards on a scale, not brochure numbers. The full list is in What's the lightest surfboard?
Softboards (foamies)
A softboard is an EPS foam core with a soft foam deck on top and a slick plastic bottom underneath. Ours run bamboo stringers through the core for stiffness (two on most sizes, three on the 9'0s) and a reinforced deck skin, with fins included. There's no fibreglass and no hard shell, which is the whole point: you can fall on it, get hit by it and drop it, and everyone walks away.
They float like a barge, in a good way. Lots of volume and a wide outline mean you paddle into waves early and stand up on a stable platform. That's why every surf school in the country teaches on them, and why our softboard guide starts beginners here.
The trade-off is feel. The soft deck soaks up energy, the rails are thick, and once you're turning confidently the board starts to feel slow and vague. When a foamie starts to feel restrictive, it's time to move on.
Right for: anyone who hasn't stood up yet, kids, families sharing a board, surf schools and hire, and summer days when you just want to mess around. Softboards.
Epoxy surfboards (EPS epoxy)
An epoxy surfboard is an EPS foam core, a timber stringer, fibreglass cloth and epoxy resin. Every Summer vibes surfboard is built this way: a 30 kg/m³ EPS core with a paulownia stringer, glassed with fibreglass cloth and epoxy resin.
EPS is the same family of foam as a softboard core, which is why epoxy boards float so well. It's lighter than polyurethane, so at the same size an epoxy board weighs less and sits higher in the water. Our Mini Mal 8'0 is 4.7 kg; the PU 8'0s we weighed were 5.8 to 6.9 kg. Our Classic 9'4 noserider is 6.3 kg against 8 to 9 kg for a traditional PU log. You feel that difference carrying the board, paddling it and getting into waves.
Epoxy resin is also tougher than polyester. Epoxy boards resist pressure dents and dings better, stay whiter for longer, and hold up to everyday use, car racks and kids. Repairs need epoxy resin rather than polyester (polyester resin melts EPS foam), so grab an epoxy repair kit, not the standard one.
The feel is lively. EPS epoxy boards are quick to get going, which is exactly what you want in the weaker, slower waves most of us surf. Surfers who grew up on PU sometimes call them "corky" at first, and in big, hollow surf a heavier PU board can feel more settled. For the beach breaks and points most Australians surf week to week, light and lively wins.
Right for: anyone past the softboard stage, from a first hard board through to a performance longboard. Lighter adults, groms stepping up, surfers who carry their board a long way or travel with it, and anyone who surfs small to medium waves. Surfboards, sized with the surfboard guide.
PU surfboards (polyester fibreglass)
This is the traditional surfboard: a polyurethane foam blank, a timber stringer, fibreglass cloth and polyester resin. When a surfer says "fibreglass board", this is what they mean. Most custom shapers still work in PU, and most high-end shortboards and logs from the big names are PU.
What PU does well is feel. The foam is denser and the resin softer, so the board flexes in a smooth, damped way that a lot of experienced surfers love. It sits a touch lower in the water, which helps hold a rail in powerful, hollow waves, and on a classic log a bit of heft helps the board trim and stay planted on the nose.
The costs are weight and durability. PU boards are the heaviest build, they pressure dent under your heels and chest within weeks, they ding more easily and the foam yellows in the sun. Dings are cheap and easy to fix with a standard polyester kit, which is some consolation. They also cost more: name-brand PU boards run about $1,100 to $2,500, and premium logs and gliders $2,500 to $4,000.
Right for: experienced surfers who know they want that flex, surfers in powerful or hollow waves, traditional loggers who want weight for trim, and anyone getting a custom shape from a local shaper.
So, epoxy vs fibreglass?
Trick question. Both are fibreglass boards. An epoxy board is fibreglass cloth set in epoxy resin over EPS foam; a "fibreglass" board is fibreglass cloth set in polyester resin over PU foam. The cloth is the same stuff. The foam and the resin are what change the weight, the float, the toughness and the feel. When you see "epoxy vs fibreglass", read it as "EPS epoxy vs PU polyester".
The crossover: a hard board inside a softboard
Our Hard Core series sits between the two. It's a vacuum-bagged epoxy core under a soft deck, so it rides like a hard board with a softboard's forgiveness. Three bottoms, three stages: Cush (soft top and bottom, for learning), Slick (hard slick bottom, for speed) and Shell (hard ABS bottom, for shredding and gliding). If you're standing and turning but not ready to give up the soft deck, or you want a board the kids can share with you, this is it. Hard Core softboards.
Which build should you buy?
- Never stood up: softboard, with about as many litres as you weigh in kilos. Don't overthink it.
- Standing, starting to turn: a Hard Core softboard, or a first epoxy board at 7'0 to 8'0 (Mini Mal or Discus).
- Turning confidently: epoxy, sized by the chart in the surfboard guide. Fish, Discus, Mid Twin or a longboard, depending on your waves.
- Experienced, chasing a feel: epoxy or PU. Light, tough and lively: epoxy. Traditional flex and weight for powerful waves or classic logging: PU.
- Kids: softboard first, then the Shorty Hard Core or the Grom in epoxy once they're turning.
Two things change the answer: how often you surf and your local beach. If you surf once a month, or your beach is small and soft most of the year, lean towards more float and the lighter build. If you surf every week in waves with push, you can come down in volume and the PU argument gets stronger.
The bottom line
Softboard to learn. EPS epoxy for just about everyone after that: lighter, floatier and tougher, at a fair price. PU when you specifically want its feel and are happy to carry the extra kilos and the dents. And if anyone tells you epoxy boards aren't fibreglass, now you know better.
Cheers, Branchy
Surfboard construction FAQ
Is epoxy better than fibreglass? They're both fibreglass. Epoxy (EPS core, epoxy resin) is lighter, floats higher and dings less. PU (polyurethane core, polyester resin) is heavier, with a flex many experienced surfers prefer. For most surfers in everyday waves, epoxy is the better buy.
Are epoxy surfboards good for beginners? Yes, once you can stand up. A 7'0 to 8'0 epoxy mini mal or mid-length is the classic first hard board. If you've never surfed, start on a softboard.
Is a softboard an EPS board? The core is EPS, but it isn't glassed. A softboard has a soft foam deck and a plastic slick bottom instead of fibreglass and resin.
Do epoxy boards ding? Less than PU, but yes. Use an epoxy repair kit; polyester resin dissolves EPS foam.
Which is lighter, epoxy or PU? Epoxy, by roughly 1 to 3 kg at the same size. Our Mini Mal 8'0 is 4.7 kg; the PU 8'0s we weighed were 5.8 to 6.9 kg. More in What's the lightest surfboard?
Why are PU boards more expensive? Mostly brand and distribution. Name-brand PU boards are sold through shops with a big-brand margin on top. Our boards are EPS epoxy, designed on the Gold Coast and sold direct, which is why they cost around half.
Can I leave my board in the car? Don't, whatever it's made of. Heat delaminates boards, and EPS epoxy boards hate a hot car most of all. A board cover helps on the way to the beach.