With surfing, you only need two things: the wave and the surfboard. Although you do not need more advanced equipment for this sport, you need to choose the right surfboard that suits you.
Between the wave and the surfboard, you can control your choice in buying the latter. Unfortunately, you cannot manipulate the direction and condition of the waves in oceans and beaches.
Thus, you have to make sure to choose the best surfboard to have the best experience.
In this Emery Surfboards review, you will learn more about one of the leading brands in the surfing industry. You will know its best-selling products, and you will also learn some of the essential parts of a surfboard that will help you shop successfully.
Table of Contents
Top 7 Best Emery Surfboards Reviewed
Emery is one of the brands that offer customization to some of its features. In its online shop, you can customize the board’s dimensions by adjusting the length, width, and thickness. That is why there is a volume calculator available on its website to help you decide on the board’s dimension.
Besides the board’s size, you may also customize your surfboard’s glassing, technology, and fin configuration. You may also select to add some extras like the leash and grip.
Here are some of its best surfboards.
- Black Angel 2 Emery Surfboard
- Shoe Emery Surfboard
- Stump Thumb Emery Surfboard
- 50 Cent Emery Surfboard
- Arrow Emery Surfboard
- Wedge Tail Emery Surfboard
- Press Play Emery Surfboard
#1. Black Angel 2
The Black Angel 2 is available in different sizes from 5’6 to 6’4 and has a rounded square tail. As for the fin configuration, you can choose among the three: thruster, quad, and five.
The Black Angel 2 is an improvement of the all-rounder surfboard Black Angel and a part of Emery’s high-performance surfboard collection. Unlike the previous version, the latest has an enhanced rocker in the tail that allows you to surf in the pocket tightly. It also allows you to make critical and fast turns.
This board has a single concave, diminishing to shallow double out fins that help provide more speed.
Using this board, you can surf the waves that are three to six feet high.
#2. Shoe
The Shoe is one of the best boards to use when riding small to medium-sized waves. It is available in different sizes from 5’3 to 6’5 and has a round tail shape. You can choose between a thruster, five, or quad for a fin setup.
The Shoe is Emery Surfboards’ unique model because of its shoe-like outline. It is because of its smooth nose and round tail, which is useful for rail to rail transition.
Because of its round tail, you can surf the pocket with ease. This board also provides a responsive and loose feel, which is helpful in different water conditions. It is also possible to ride this board on bigger days because of its forgiving rail and smooth features.
Using this board, you can ride the waves that are one to six feet high.
#3. Stump Thumb
The Stump Thumb is one of Emery’s collection of surfboards under the Small Wave category. You can choose among the available lengths from 5’2 to 6’4, and it has a round tail shape.
Like the other available surfboards from Emery, you can choose among the available three fin systems: the thruster, five, and quad. You only have to add some fees.
The Stump Thumb is one of the Emery Stump varieties. The others are Stump Original, and the other one is Stump Diamond. That is why this board’s design uses a hybrid concept that is excellent in long-running walls.
What makes the Stump Thumb different from the Stump Original is its slightly pulled-in round tail that makes this board responsive. It is ideal for surfers who love riding big carves, surfing the figure eights, and tight pockets.
This model is an all-rounder board that combines the features of surfboards for high-performance and casual surfing.
Using this board, you can ride the waves that are one to three feet high. It uses single to double concave.
#4. 50 Cent
The 50 Cent is one of the best beginner boards under Emery’s Small Wave category. Unlike most other products, 50 Cent has a flat rocker, which provides better speed and effortless paddling for weak and small waves.
Aside from its flat rocker, it also has a broad girth that gives more volume, holds, and turnability.
This surfboard is available in different lengths that range from 5’2 to 6’6. You may choose to customize your desired dimension.
The 50 Cent has a coffin tail shape. It provides you with two fin system selections, which are the thruster and five. With this board, you can ride the waves that are one to three feet high.
This board is excellent for above the lip surfing.
#5. Arrow
The Arrow is one of Emery’s Performance board collections available from 5’6 to 6’6 or custom size dimension. For the tail shape, you can select between the squash and swallow, and thruster and five for the fin configuration.
What makes this model different from other Emery surfboards is its prominent broad nose and tail hip, giving the board its sleek appearance and functionality. Because of these features, surfers can have more stability for landing.
By using this board, the surfer can enjoy riding the waves that are three to six feet tall.
The Arrow comes with a flat to a moderate rocker, single to double vee, and medium to low rail.
#6. Wedge Tail
The Emery’s Wedge Tail is another surfboard that belongs to its Small Wave category. It is available in custom size or 5’4 to 6’2 length. It has a swallow tail shape and a thruster fin setup.
The Wedge Tail will make the surfer fan of the 80’s happy because of its retro appearance. It has a forward, broad nose and a flat rocker that provides enhanced stability and responsiveness for rail to rail surfing.
This model is an excellent choice if you are looking for speed and control, making it an ideal option to ride the one to four feet high waves. This board also has single to quad concaves.
#7. Press Play
Like the Wedge Tail, the Press Play is also a part of the Small Wave Emery Surfboards category. Because it is for small waves, it is the ideal surfboard to use for casual and fun surfing during summer.
Its unique features include the slight double concave belly, rolled vee through the tail with deep rail concave, and broad surface area. Its slight double concave provides initial speed. The concave bottom allows you to generate more speed as you surf rail to rail, and its broad surface area will enable you to ride choppy waves and unmakeable airs successfully.
The Press Play is available in different lengths, from 5’4 to 6’2 sizes, or you can choose to have a customized one. It has a rounded diamond tail shape and a fin configuration that may be a thruster, five, or quad, depending on your choice.
With its generous volume and wave capacity, the Press Play is also an ideal board for beginners who want to ride the waves that are one to three feet high.
About Emery Surfboards
Alan Emery was the one who founded the Emery Surfboards. He created his products by consulting and receiving feedback from pro surfers who include Adam Melling. Emery combined his knowledge in technologies and hand-shaping techniques, with his long years of surfing experience.
According to him, he was born in Byron Bay and grew up there and in Lennox Head. His environment was one reason why he had an intense passion for surfing.
He said that he owed his talent in board design from his surfing experiences that started in his childhood. From there, his passion for surfing evolved to being an obsession until it grew to become famous.
It is not surprising that the Emery Surfboards eventually grew to become a well-known brand worldwide.
Its surfboards are diverse. Some can ride the small to medium waves, others are for casual use, and others are for high-performance.
Emery Surfboards categorizes its products according to the board’s capabilities and classifications. These categories are Small Wave, Performance, Retro Bay, Bigwave, Boardstore Stock. The company also offers customization to some of its features to assure that you will receive the board that suits your riding style and abilities.
Other than surfboards, Emery also sells apparel, surfer fashion accessories, and surfboard accessories.
Parts to Consider When Buying a Surfboard
As you read the different products available in Emery, you have encountered many words, such as rail, concave, fin, nose, etc. When selecting a surfboard to use, you should take each of these words into consideration because they have roles to play that can affect your surfing performance.
If you are a pro surfer, you probably know what these words mean, but if you are a beginner, you might feel overwhelmed.
The following words are the common parts of the boards that you should consider when buying a surfboard from Emery.
Nose
The nose refers to the tip at the board’s front. It may come in a rounded or pointed shape where the rocker points to aid in providing direction.
Rocker
It refers to the vertical curvature of the surfboard from the tail to the nose. It has two classifications: relaxed and heavy. Relaxed refers to the rocker with a slight curve, while heavy describes a rocker with a steep curve.
Aside from the classifications, the surfboard rocker’s curvature has two states: the continuous and staged.
The continuous refers to the constant curve from nose to tail, while for the staged, there is a flat section in the surfboard’s middle.
The flip, also known as the nose rocker, indicates the curved part between the nose and the flat part of the board. The kick or the tail rocker is the space between the flattest part of the board and the tail.
It is crucial to consider the rocker type when buying a surfboard. Changes to it can affect your performance.
For example, an enhanced tail rocker provides better lift and maneuverability. Thus, increasing the board’s speed. Surfboards with relaxed rockers are better for handling small waves, while the heavy rockers enhance the drag that is excellent for turns and speed.
Bottom
From the term itself, you already know which part of the board it is. It is an essential consideration because it aids control of the water flow under the board to channel it in the right direction.
The bottom of the board has different contours, which are mostly concave and convex. Sometimes surfboards have channels that increase control and speed.
Concave refers to any part of the surfboard that goes beyond the rail line. The convex or the vee remains underneath the rails.
The flat bottom stays almost at the equal rail-level.
Concave directs the flow under the board that provides better volume than the flat one. It comes in different types, which can be double, single, or spoon. What the concave does is it provides a lift to the surfboard for better speed.
You can find a bottom with a convex contour on surfboards, such as longboards and hybrids.
Boards with a convex base tend to provide better rail to rail transition and stability, depending on the type of board.
Surfboards with a flat bottom do not contribute much to the performance, except for added speed. For this reason, shapers tend to place them strategically on the board, along with other types.
Fins
Fins may or may not be detachable. Some surfboards have fins, and others do not.
Fins play a significant role in providing better control when it comes to turns, speed, thrust, etc. They come in different configurations, and each of them has its pros and cons.
It is advisable to buy detachable fins. It is because glassed-in or non-removable ones are harder to repair once they break. Also, you may customize your experience when you use removable fins.
For removable fins, you have to consider the fin plugs. That is why the fin boxes are essential considerations too to ensure the fitting of the fins. These fins boxes are dual tabs, which come in two FCS I or in FCS I and FCS II. The other is the single tab, which uses the futures.
Conclusion
If you are into surfing, you need to choose the best board that suits your skill and riding preferences. What you can do first is look for reliable brands where you can get the best surfboard.
In this Emery Surfboards review, you have learned about one of the leading brands in the surfing industry that has a global market. Because of its worldwide reputation, you can guarantee that this brand will never purposely create surfboards that are subpar in quality.
This review also tackles samples of products that you can buy from this brand. Most of the products mentioned here are under Emery’s Small Wave or Performance categories.
This brand offers more surfboards under other categories: the Big Wave and Retro Bay, where you can delve deeper to search for more products that suit your preference.
If you still cannot find the most suitable surfboard, you can confidently look from other brands now that you have some idea how to select your surfboard.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: Can I Return the Products I Bought From Emery If I Do Not Like It?
A: According to Emery, you can return your item within 60 days after your purchase. However, it excludes surfboards. If you purchased clothing from this store, you could return it within the allotted time. Note that you will not get your money back, only store credits. You also have to pay for all the shipping costs and other obligations for returning your item.
Q: Can I Ask Emery to Send Back My Money for My Returned Item?
A: Emery does not give refunds. However, if the product you received is defective or received the wrong product, that is when Emery will provide you with the full repayment of our purchase, including the postage costs. The store encourages you to talk to its customer service to assist you with what you need.
Q: What Is the Best Emery Surfboard for Small Waves?
A: People have different preferences. That is why what may be the best for others may not be the best for you. According to what most surfers prefer is the Emery Surfboards’ The Shoe. It is because this surfboard is highly responsive and loose that it can hold its lines in waves. Using this board, you can ride waves that range from one to six feet high.
Q: How Much Is the Shipment of My Item?
A: If you are from Australia, you do not have to pay anything if you bought Emery products that cost more than 80 AUD. If it is under 80 USD, you need to pay for a 10 AUD fee. Because of the pandemic, Emery changed its shipping policies for international shipping. If you bought a surfboard, you need to get a quote first, while if you purchased apparel, the shipping fee varies depending on your location. Before the pandemic, Emery was able to promo free shipping for international purchases that cost more than 150 AUD.
Q: Can I Trust the Quality of Emery Surfboards Brand?
A: First of all, Emery would not reach its global success if it sells mediocre products. To prove the quality of its surfboards, Emery Surfboards teams up with professional surfers that include Adam Melling, Steph Single, and Hiro Arai. These surfers are Emery ambassadors, whose feedback helped shape the quality of its products.
Related Resources
- Tomo Surfboards
- Spyder Surfboards
- McTavish Surfboards
- Bear Surfboards
- Salt Gypsy Surfboards
- Chilli Surfboards
- Almond Surfboards
G’day, my name is Rach Taylor and I’m the proud Founder of Surf Hungry. I am a former Australian Olympic athlete and Australian representative surf sports athlete. I’ve worked in the surf industry and lived at many of Australia’s best surf spots, sparking a life-long love of the ocean and a passion for surf sports which also rubbed off on my two young sons! I am also lucky to spend a lot of ocean-time in my favorite second home, Indonesia. In addition to SurfHungry I have founded several other websites in my areas of passion, namely coffee and rock climbing, and am also a regular rowing content contributor.
