It really depends on your skill level, weight, and the type of waves you want to surf. Beginners would benefit from a longboard as they offer more stability and easy paddling. Advanced surfers can go for shortboards to get better maneuverability.

Surfing is safe for children if they are supervised by an adult or instructor, wearing proper safety gear, knows basic swimming skills and are surfing in safe, shallow, and calm waters.

• Shortboard: performance-focused; quick turns and fast maneuvers
• Longboard: stable, great for beginners and classic style surfing
• Fish: wider and shorter, great for smaller, slower waves
• Soft top: foam board, ideal for learning and safety
• Hard: epoxy board, responsive and great for cold waters

Yes, fins provide stability, direction, and control. Surfboards can have various fin setups such as single fin, twin fin, etc.

If your kid can paddle and catch waves on their own, it might be time for an upgrade. Especially if your child shows interest and confidence in maneuvering or they are consistently riding more waves.

Keep longboards, soft tops and fish boards on smaller waves. You can challenge those bigger waves with shortboards.