Longboard
A standard 9'0" longboard sits around 65 to 75 litres and its length does not depend on your height: how you ride it sets that. At 176 lb (80 kg) and improver level the reference figure is about 52 litres of useful minimum volume.
Length8'6"–10'0"
Width21 %
Thickness2½"–3½"
Fill0.61
The longboard is the one family where the surfer's height does not enter the calculation: a 9'0" is a 9'0" whether you are 5'3" or 6'3", because what defines the board is the distance you need to walk on it. What does change with your weight is width and thickness.
It is also the most forgiving board on volume: with litres to spare it still works, which is not true of any other shape.
Longboard size chart
| weight | vol | length | width | thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 132 lb | 39 L | — | — | — |
| 154 lb | 46 L | — | — | — |
| 176 lb | 52 L | — | — | — |
| 198 lb | 59 L | — | — | — |
| 220 lb | 65 L | — | — | — |
Who it is for
Anyone after classic style, nose rides and paddling without effort. Also anyone surfing very small, long waves.
Who it is not for
Anyone after radical surfing, or crowded beaches. Nine feet in a busy line-up is everyone's problem.
Which waves
Small, long, gutless waves. Weak point breaks.
What size longboard should I get
Between 8'6" and 10'0", and the figure depends on how you want to ride it rather than on how tall you are. This is the one board where length does not scale with your height: a 1.65 m surfer and a 1.90 m surfer both end up on a 9'0" if they want the same kind of surfing, which is why the height row of our size chart is flat for longboards.
What does move the number is style. Around 9'0" to 9'6" with plenty of volume is the classic log: it paddles into anything, it noserides, and it is what you want if the goal is trimming and walking the board. From 8'6" down you are into performance longboards, thinner in the rail and easier to turn, and they ask for more from you in weak surf.
Weight matters more than height for the volume, not the length. A heavier surfer needs the litres, and on a longboard those come from thickness and width rather than from adding feet. Run your weight through the calculator and take the length from the range above, in that order.