Best 8ft Surfboards | Reviews (Rock-It, Wavestorm)
One of the most popular surfboard sizes, 8 ft surfboards, are often considered the “in-between” boards. They are halfway between the longboard and the fish surfboard. Also known as midsize surfboards or funboards, they are the best “next step” stick for the beginner surfer ready who’s had enough time practicing. Their popularity made the market saturated with 8ft surfboards. Understanding what you need to consider in getting an 8ft surfboard and what you need them for will make it easy. Our list of the best 8ft surfboards should be able to narrow down your choices, along with the other things you need to know: Who should ride the 8ft surfboard Strengths and weaknesses of 8ft boards Is 8ft surfboard a good board for beginners Who Should Be Riding An 8ft Surfboard? The confusion about whether 8ft surfboards are longboards or funboards sometimes calls for a debate. To put it simply, longboards are any boards over 8ft long and 20in wide at their most basic level. Funboards, on the other hand, are surfboards 6 to 8ft long. Having said that, it is but fair to say that 8ft surfboards can be considered as both. They may not go beyond the 8ft length, but they do not come short of a longboard’s key size, either. 8ft surfboards also do not go beyond 8ft nor below 6ft for a funboard. So, who should be riding these boards, then? 8ft surfboards are ideal for beginner to intermediate levels who have already learned the basics on a longboard or soft tops and are now equipped to advance their surfing skills. Its dimensions – volume, length, width, and thickness offer an enjoyable surfing experience. Top 5 Best 8ft Surfboards Reviewed Transitioning into funboards or mid-length surfboards makes the surfing experience more exciting. It lets you take the skills you’ve gained from longboards and add the perks of a more maneuverable surfboard for a more thrilling ride. Here are 5 of the best 8ft surfboards you may consider. South Bay Board Co. 8’ Verve Surfboard Rock-It 8’ Big Softy Surfboard Wavestorm 8’ Sunburst Graphic Surfboard Wave Bandit 8’ Easy Rider (Tri Fin) Boardworks Froth 8’ Surfboard 1. South Bay Board Co. 8’ Verve Surfboard Size: 8ft x 1.89ft x 1.91ft / 80 Liters Colors: Aqua, black, blue, white Built to get beginners up onto their feet, the Verve from South Bay Board Co. is a monster 8ft surfboard with a broader and thicker profile that allows you to paddle the board with ease, getting you locked into a swell as early as possible. This is why most surf coaches and surfing schools prefer the Verve to use for teaching since it makes their jobs a lot easier. Its improved performance comes from getting rid of the screw in fins and going with an extra-durable plastic screw through its fins. The upgraded fins and fin boxes bring a whole new echelon of speed, control, and overall performance. Moreover, the 3-fin thruster setup gives the surfboard the additional boost it needs. All of these are incorporated in their lightweight EPS closed-cell foam construction. Its triple stringer system is composed of two wooden stringers and one fiberglass rod stringer. Plus, its bamboo body armor on top and bottom improves its durability and resistance to heat damage. 2. Rock-It 8’ Big Softy Surfboard Size: 8ft x 1.89ft x 0.27ft / 81 Liters Colors: blue, white, yellow, pink, green, orange, red, teal. All with sea camo stripes on the bottom The Rock-It Surf’s 8’ Big Softy Surfboard design aims to make it the most straightforward board to surf on. Big, but not too big, buoyant, easy to maneuver, and stable. This 8ft surfboard is ideal for beginners or simple summer cruisers. This 8ft surfboard is constructed with quality materials and environmentally sensitive methods. Its three marine wooden stringers are layered with epoxy nano-coating to repel water absorption. This coating is wrapped with a patented EPS foam and a color-fast and UV-resistant soft top layer. Its entire body is heat laminated but with no harmful dyes, glues, resins, nor toxins during the production process. Every Rock-It 8’ Big Softy Surfboard is manufactured in a facility that utilizes collected rainwater and recyclable materials. The broad texture of this board does not require wax, although a bit of application here and there can improve grip. As with most Rock-It surfboards, this comes with a one-year warranty against manufacturing defects. 3. Wavestorm 8’ Sunburst Graphic Surfboard Size: 8ft x 1.89ft x 1.87ft / 86 Liters Colors: Sunburst graphic design If you haven’t heard of Wavestorm, you aren’t surf shopping that much. Wavestorm is one of the widely recognized surfboard brands, particularly in the US, mainly because they are highly accessible. You can find them in almost any retail store and surf shop. The Wavestorm 8’ Sunburst Graphic Surfboard is one of the brand’s best-selling and performing learn-to-surf boards. It is as if fun is built into its virtue because of its lightness, softness, and maneuverability. All thanks to its years of extensive research and manufacturing experience. This 8ft surfboard features a strong EPS core with three marine-ply stringers and a robust EBS IXL (Elastomer Barrier Skin) soft crosslink top deck with a solid textured grip. Its bottom is an HDPE (High-density polyethylene) slick that lets quick snapbacks and keeps the core rocker. Best for beginners and experienced surfers, this funboard comes with a pre-installed leash plug with a removable ankle leash, removable bolt-thru thruster fin set, and traction pad board. 4. Wave Bandit 8’ Easy Rider (Tri Fin) Size: 8ft x 1.89ft x 0.28ft / 86 Liters Colors: black and white, orange and pink, hot pink and pink, turquoise and white The Easy Rider is Wave Bandit’s longboard in their lineup of surfboards. And, following the customary with longboards, there isn’t a size to person ratio for this surfboard. Shortboards have limitations due to weight capacity and maneuverability. Longboards, on the other hand, rely more on the kind of ride you feel. This 8ft surfboard … Read more