Softboard Guide: Which Softboard and What Size

Board Guide · Surfboards · Softboards · Boogie Boards

A softboard (foamie) is the best first surfboard there is, and plenty of good surfers keep one for smaller or fun summer days. This guide covers who should ride one, which size, which of our shapes suits you, and what to buy with it. The charts are the ones I use when someone asks me what to ride.

The short answer

Every size on our site lists its volume in litres, so you can check this on any board. Length and width give you stability; volume gives you float and paddle power. More float means more waves, and more waves means you learn faster.

Softboard size chart by weight and height

Use weight first. Height is a cross-check, not the deciding number.

Already standing up? Drop one row. Turning and want something looser? Drop two rows, or go to the Quad Fish 5'8 or the Hard Core series below. Sharing one board around the family? Buy for the heaviest regular rider.

Which shape?

Grom 4'0. Short, light and easy for kids to carry, with 25 L of float for whitewater and small shorebreak. Twin-fin, soft deck. Kids up to about 35 kg.

Stable Table 6'0 to 9'0. Our all-rounder learner board and the one I'd put most first-timers on. A balanced outline that's stable without feeling like a barge, a carry handle, double bamboo stringers for controlled flex (triple on the 9'0) and a three-fin setup that tracks straight. Six sizes, so one shape covers kids through to big adults.

Wider Rider 6'0 to 9'0. The same idea with a lot more width, so it carries 75 L at 6'0 and 119 L at 9'0. Maximum stability for the first sessions, bigger riders, nervous beginners and surf schools. If you're choosing between the two and you just want the most forgiving board, this is it.

Mini Mal 6'0, 6'6, 7'0 and 8'0. The classic rounded-nose shape that paddles easily, stands up early and still turns as you improve. Pick the size by the chart above. The 7'0 and 8'0 are the boards most adults learn on.

Fish 6'6 and Quad Fish 5'8. Wide, fast and loose. The 6'6 Fish (62 L) is a forgiving board for teens and adults who want fish speed without giving up float. The Quad Fish 5'8 (48 L) is for groms and lighter surfers who are already turning and want a quick, playful board for small summer waves.

Longboard 9'0. 105 L of glide. Easiest wave-catcher in the range for bigger beginners, relaxed cruisers and point breaks, with three stringers to keep it stiff.

Hard Core series (Shorty, Discus, Glider). A different build: a vacuum-bagged epoxy core under a soft deck, so they ride like a hard board with a softboard's forgiveness. The Shorty (4'8 and 5'4, Cush build) is for groms and small-wave fun, the Discus (6'6 and 7'6, Slick build) is a fast mid-length, and the Glider (10'0, Shell build) is for long rides and bigger surf. These carry hard-board volumes, so size them with the surfboard rule: 10% to 50% fewer litres than your weight depending on ability. See the Hard Core series.

Our softboard range at a glance

Shop all softboards

Choosing for kids

Buy the board that fits now, not the one they'll grow into. A board that's too big is heavy on the sand, hard to turn and teaches a kid that surfing is hard work. It isn't, when the gear is right.

• Under 35 kg, first waves: Grom 4'0. Light enough to carry, floaty enough to catch whitewater.
• Standing up and starting to turn: move up to the Hard Core Shorty, 4'8 (15.7 L) for the smaller groms and 5'4 (23 L) as they grow. It rides like a hard board with a soft deck, so it's the step before a Grom surfboard.
• 35–50 kg but still learning to stand: stay on float. Stable Table 6'0 or Mini Mal 6'0, or the Quad Fish 5'8 for a kid who's close.
• 50 kg and up: size them like a light adult from the chart above. Teens progress fast, so the Fish 6'6 and Mini Mal 6'6 are good boards to grow into.

Not ready to stand up, or just wanting waves? Start on a boogie board.

What's in a Summer vibes softboard

• Soft deck and rails, so falls don't hurt and the board is safe around other people in the water. Reinforced nose and tail bumpers on the Stable Table and Wider Rider.
• Bamboo stringers for stiffness and controlled flex: two on most boards, three on the 9'0s.
• Fins included with every board. Our Surf Series softboards (Grom, Quad Fish, Mini Mal, Fish and Longboard) have FCS Compatible fin boxes, so you can swap fins as you progress. The Beginner softboards (Stable Table and Wider Rider) take bolt-through fins only. The Hard Core series takes Future Compatible fins, the same as our surfboards. Twin fin on the Grom 4'0, quad on the Quad Fish, three fins on the rest.
• Carry handle on almost all Summer vibes softboards.
• Built by the same manufacturer that makes the big softboard brands, without the big-brand price.
• Colour-matched fins, leashes and board covers across the range, so your board and all your gear will be insta-ready.

What to buy with it

• Leash. Match it to the board length: 7' leash for a 7' board, 8' for an 8', 9' for a 9'. If you're between sizes go longer. Leashes.
• Board cover. Sun can kill a foamie. A cover, or just keeping it out of direct sun and hot cars, adds years to it. Board covers.
• Wax. The soft deck has grip, but a light coat of wax can help. Surf wax.
• Fins. The fins included are fine to get started. On the Surf Series softboards and the Hard Core series, upgrade to a premium or colour-matched set when you're turning; the Beginner softboards (Stable Table and Wider Rider) take bolt-through softboard fins. Fins.

Buying a board and the gear together? Our board pages bundle the matching leash, cover and fins at a discount. More on sizing hardware in the hardware guide.

Looking after it

• Rinse the board from salt and sand after every surf.
• Keep it out of direct sun and never leave it in a hot car. Heat can cause delaminations.
• Store it flat or on its rail in the shade, cover on.
• Check the leash for nicks and worn velcro.
• Check fins and leash plugs are tight periodically.

When to move to a hard surfboard

You'll know. When you're catching nearly every wave you paddle for, turning without thinking about it and the foamie starts to feel restrictive, it's time. The usual step is a 7'0 to 8'0 mini mal or the Discus mid-length in EPS, which is where the surfboard guide picks up.

Questions I get asked

What size softboard should an adult beginner get?

For most adults who've never stood up, a 7'6 to 8'0 board with volume close to their weight in litres. Lighter adults can run a 7'0; 85 kg and over should look at 8'0 and up.

Is a 6' softboard any good for an adult?

For an adult under 65 kg who is already standing up, yes. For a first board, it's a little small for most adults. Kids and teens love them.

Stable Table or Wider Rider?

Same job, different width. The Wider Rider has more float at every length and is the easiest board to stand on. The Stable Table is a little narrower, which makes it easier to turn once you're up. First-timers who want maximum confidence: Wider Rider. Everyone else: Stable Table.

Can the whole family share one board?

A 7'6 or 8'0 Stable Table is the best one-board-for-everyone option. Buy for the heaviest regular rider.

Can I progress on a softboard?

Yes. Our boards take you from whitewater through to green waves and turning. When you want more, the Hard Core series rides like a hard board with a soft deck.

Still unsure?

Send me the rider's weight, height, age if it's a kid, and how often you'll surf. I'll tell you the board and the size. Ask Branchy, or call 0412 695 505. You can also hire a softboard from us at Rainbow Bay and try a size first.