You want to know what a bodyboard is? Here is the answer!
 

A bodyboard is used for bodyboarding or boogieboarding as it is also called.

Bodyboards come in many colours, shapes and materials. With a bodyboard you can glide down waves and play with the surf. Bodyboarding is another form of surfing.

How to use a bodyboard? How does it work?

The first question is, how do I lie properly on my bodyboard?

It is very important that you lie on the bodyboard up to your hips and grasp the rails (side edge of the board) with one hand, resting your elbow on the bodyboard.

With the other hand grab the nose of your board. Now paddle to the spot where the waves break. From there you start into the wave with strong paddle strokes and try to glide along it and surf some manoeuvres.

Off you go on a wild ride.

Yes, here I can find the information about the right size for my bodyboard!

So that you can easily find the right size for your new bodyboard, we at Surfganic.com give you a few pointers. Your height, your weight and your skills are important decision criteria. 

• Measure the height from the ground to your belly button (minimum board length + up to 10cm for beginners).
• Your bodyboard must have enough volume to carry you, the surfer. This is important so that you have a high wave yield.
• If the board is too big, the surfing behaviour of the board and your manoeuvres on the wave will suffer. 

​​​​​​​This list from Surfganic.com should serve as a guide.

Surfer weight up to approx. 55 kg

• 36"/91 cm for experienced bodyboards
• 38"/96 cm for advanced bodyboarders
• 40"/102 cm for beginners and funboarders

Surfer weight up to approx. 75 kg

• 40"/102 cm for experienced bodyboards
• 42"/107 cm for advanced bodyboarders
• 42"/107 cm for beginners and funboarders

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Surfer weight over 75 kg

• 40"/102 cm cm for experienced bodyboards
• 42"/107 cm for advanced bodyboarders
• 42"/107 cm for beginners and funboarders

What happens if your bodyboard is too big or too small?

You have a bodyboard that is too big:

•  If your bodyboard is too big, your legs will kick out of the tail and it will be harder for you to generate speed.
• Your bodyboard is harder to control.
• Manoeuvres are difficult to perform.

You have too small a bodyboard:

• Less buoyancy means that you have a harder time getting the wave.
• You are deeper in the water and have a harder time generating speed in weaker sections of the wave.
• It is much more difficult to hold and generate speed after manoeuvres and to maintain it
• Less forgiving

What role do big or small waves play when choosing a bodyboard?

Big waves: 

• If you want to surf big powerful waves, we at surfganic.com recommend a small bodyboard.  This allows you to control your surfboard better at high speeds, as it lies much deeper in the water and does not float up.

Small waves:

• If you want to surf small, powerful waves, we at Surfganic.com recommend a larger bodyboard. The extra volume gives you more buoyancy and you can generate speed faster and extend your glide phases.

Our Surfganic.com tip: The right size of your bodyboard plays a crucial role in the water. Choose a slightly larger surfboard for maximum fun in the water.

For bodyboard beginners, we at Surfganic.com recommend the following criteria:

We recommend a boogie board with a half-moon tail to every beginner who wants to learn bodyboarding. This makes it easier for you to lie on the board and gives you much more control over your bodyboard. We recommend a slightly larger board.

See the FAQs on the right board size.

The quality level of the board is not important for the time being and only plays an important role from a higher skill level, a good intermediate surfer level.

This is what you have to pay attention to when buying as a beginner:

• Swallow tail (crescent tail)
• Wide nose (more control)
• Length of the board (from the ground to the belly button + max 10cm)
• 3D Core (wide range of use)

The core of your bodyboard is very important!

The core is the heart of your bodyboard. The core material has a huge influence on the behaviour in the water and how your board behaves during turns. The temperature, under which conditions your bodyboard is used, has a significant influence on the surfing behaviour.

Here we would like to introduce you to the three most important cores:

1. Polypropylene (PP)
2. Polyethylene (PE)
3. Mixture of PP and PE

​​​​​​​What are the advantages and disadvantages of a polypropylene core?

A boogie board made of polypropylene is very stiff and therefore has less flex. Below a water temperature of 21 ° C, the PP loses its flex and controlled surfing is difficult. The board starts to bounce on the water surface.

Polypropylene is a very light and robust material. Light boards are very fast on the wave and you can surf good power turns with them. Making a light product robust is very difficult. PP combines both.

• light
• very robust
• generates speed
• UV resistant
• keeps its shape
• mainly suitable for warm water
• little flex
• unsuitable for most European waters

Conclusion: Only suitable for warm water and surfing areas.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a polyethylene core?

A bodyboard made of polyethylene is characterised by its good flex. This means that the board adapts better to the wave. This gives you more control while surfing and the manoeuvrability does not decrease even in cold waters.

The higher weight is not necessarily a disadvantage. In small weak waves, the higher weight is a disadvantage and you lose speed. In big fast powerful waves, the weight is an advantage because the board sits deeper in the water and conects better with the wave at high speed, making it more controllable.  The durability of this material is not as perfect as the PP.

• suitable for cold water
• good control
• Material is heavier than PP
• not as durable as PP

Conclusion: Perfect for European waves and waters.

Core-mix-sandwich construction methods
 

In addition to the classic bodyboard core, a combination of both materials in sandwich construction has recently become popular. These cores combine the positive characteristics of both core materials.

1. two-colour 3D core

This core for your bodyboard consists of two parts. Instead of using only one conventional material, both are used here.

• The best of both worlds:

The mixture of PE and PP makes the board robust, light and gives you super performance. The two core materials are laid on top of each other in a sandwich construction and joined together under vacuum. The PE makes the bodyboard flexible, the PP material ensures that it is very robust and lasts longer. 

2. low-density PP cores

This PP core is foamed with a low density and is therefore much lighter, which makes the bodyboard faster. Stiffness is reduced and the material can be used in colder or all surf conditions.

3. EPS core
An EPS core made of Expanded Polystyrene is mainly used in bodyboards for children. The material is very cheap. The buoyancy and flex is acceptable and you will have fun on the waves only at the beginning.

• easy
• very robust
• generates speed
• UV resistant
• keeps the shape
• good flex
• suitable for all water temperatures
• not as robust as a PP core

Our Surfganic.com tip:

We always recommend a 3D core combination. You won't go wrong and you will have fun in all surf conditions. And fun is the most important thing in surfing.

Is a stringer important on a bodyboard?

To answer this question, let's first look at what a stringer really does on a bodyboard and what it is good for. 

The stringer sits in the middle of the boogie board. You can think of the stringer as the backbone of the board and it gives the bodyboard stability and durability. This stringer can be made of wood, carbon or glass fibre rods.

1. The stringer gives the board stability, which makes you paddle better and increases the performance of the bodyboard.
2. Too much flex makes the board not glide properly through the water and makes it too reactive for some surf conditions.
3. Important in warm water temperatures (flex of the board increases due to heat)
4. for heavy bodyboarders

How many stringers does a bodyboard have?
Normally, every bodyboard has one stringer and this is located in the middle of the board. Some boards have more than one stringer, which makes the board more durable, but also heavier, which makes it slower to surf.

This is the new trend in stringers in the Boadyboard.

There is one long stringer in the middle and two shorter stringers on the sides. This keeps the flex above the elbow, which is an advantage for turns.

What are the most important tail shapes on a bodyboard?

The tail of a bodyboard determines the riding characteristics of your bodyboard. It influences the stability in the wave, the manoeuvrability and the speed of your boogie board.

What is the effect of the tail shape on a bodyboard?
The tail of a bodyboard determines the riding characteristics of your bodyboard. It influences the stability in the wave, the manoeuvrability and the speed of your boogie board.

• Swallowtail (Crescent Tail)
• Bat Tail (Wing Tail)
• Squaretail (straight edge)
• Vee tail (V-shaped convex tail)
• Rounded Tail (rounded concave tail)

The Squaretail, Vee Tail and Rounded Tail are found in less than 1% of all bodyboards sold worldwide.

What are the advantages of the Swallow Tail for bodyboarding?
The U-shape of the tail leaves a large part of your body in the water and lets you place your hips better on the board. This gives you much more control in the wave. The wide outline gives the rails a perfect hold in big, steep and powerful waves.

• Good for kids and beginners

• Perfect for big and powerful waves

• Good manoeuvrability

Is a Crescent Tail / Swallow Tail suitable for beginners?

Yes! The Crescent Tail/Swallowtail is perfect for beginners. This type of board also offers children a lot of fun and quick success on the wave.

What are the advantages of the Bat Tail for bodyboarding?

The shape of the tail resembles a bat, which is where the name Bat Tail comes from. This tail of the bodyboard does not lie so deep in the water and thus the flow resistance is reduced. This makes it perfect for heavy surfers and also for small waves where you need an extra boost of speed. Because it doesn't sink so deep, you can perform perfect manoeuvres on the wave wall.

• Good for small waves
• Good acceleration and speed
• less drag
• good for heavy surfers

Attention:

In big waves the board is difficult to control and it becomes unstable from surfing!

The bodyboard nose is another decisive factor.

A "normal" nose width on a bodyboard would be approx. 13" (i.e. approx. 33 cm). 

What are the advantages of a wide nose on a bodyboard?

• makes your board glide better
• You have more control over your bodyboard

What are the advantages of a narrow nose on a bodyboard?

• The narrower the nose, the more manoeuvrable and direct the control of your board.
• The board is easier to paddle because of the lower water resistance.

Which bodyboard nose is suitable for beginners?
Our Surfganic.com recommendation is a Crescent bodyboard with a wide nose.

What are nose bulbs?

Nose bulbs are indentations in the nose area of your bodyboard. This makes it easier for you to hold onto the board. This option makes sense for all bodyboarders, as it significantly improves board handling.

What rail shapes are there on the bodyboard?
The rail of a bodyboard consists of two parts. The upper part (gong) and the lower part (rail). The ratio of the two parts determines the surfing behaviour and how the board lies in the water and how forgiving it is to surf.  The 50/50 and 60/40 ratio is the most commonly used, a 50/50 ratio makes the board slightly slower and more stable to surf, which can be an advantage for beginners.

What are the characteristics of the 60/40 rail ratio on the bodyboard?

• 60% of the rails are in the water and 40% are above water
• Offers more control at speed
• Good for big waves
• Suitable for most surf conditions

What are the characteristics of the 50/50 rail ratio on the bodyboard?

• 50 % of the rails are in the water and 50 % above water
• runs more stable in the wave
• slower because it is deeper in the water and therefore the water resistance is increased
• more forgiving in small to medium conditions

What are channels used for in bodyboarding?

Channels support the smooth running of a bodyboard. Channels are used to compensate for tail shapes that are more difficult to control, such as the bat tail. Channels are also used for other tail shapes.

IMPORTANT:

Channels do not make your board faster, but the opposite is the case. More surface area of the board in the water creates more friction. This gives you more control over your bodyboard at the expense of speed.

What does a single concave do in the underwater hull?

A single concave in the underwater hull lifts the bodyboard slightly at higher speeds and thus reduces resistance. This makes boards with a single concave very fast and they are often used in small waves.

Our Surfganic.com tip: A bodyboard with a bat-tail should be equipped with channels so that the board is more stable. A board for small waves should be equipped with a single concave.

Which material for the button of my bodyboard?

Two different materials are used for the bodyboard slick in the bottom. The material should be as smooth as possible to keep water resistance as low as possible. Surlyn slicks and HDPE slicks.

Which bottom slick is the best for the bodyboard?

1. surlyn slicks

Surlyn slicks are the most commonly used. The material is very robust and protects the underside of your bodyboard from damage. The material has a super flex and returns to its original shape after use.

• is used most often
• good reaction of the bodyboard
• flexible
• with good recovery properties
• robust and durable

2. HDPE slicks

HDPE bodyboard slicks are mainly used for beginner boards. The material is much cheaper than Surlyn. The material is not as robust and the recovery properties are also much lower. Therefore it is not an option for heavy surfers and in the high performance area.

• significantly cheaper
• not suitable for heavy bodyboarders
• not suitable for high performance

Our Surfganic.com tip: For beginners who want to test bodyboarding, a baord with HDPE slicks is sufficient. For all surfers from an ambitious beginner we recommend Surlyn slicks. 

Which bodyboard deck should I choose?

There are two types of decks. One is the most commonly used PE deck and the other is the Crosslink deck. We would like to show you the differences.

What are PE decks for bodyboards?

PE decks are soft and dents (normal signs of use) can occur after repeated use. However, this is not to the detriment of performance, but rather a visual effect. A depression can even be an advantage where you place your elbow and where you grip your bodyboard. The material is comfortable and offers a certain basic slip resistance.

• High quality
• Some basic slip resistance
• comfortable to lie on
• less surf wax needed

What are crosslink decks on bodyboards?

Crosslink decks have a lower density and the surface absorbs less water. Crosslink decks are stiffer and cheaper than PE decks. Therefore, these decks are often used for beginner boards.

• much cheaper
• less density (therefore lighter)
• more surf wax is needed

Our Surfganic.com tip: Definitely the PE deck.

These are the accessories you definitely need for bodyboarding.

In this list you will find essential accessories for bodyboarding. You will find everything you need in our surf shop.

The following accessories are essential for bodyboarding:

• Surfleash
• Fins
• Neoprene socks
• Surfwax

The following accessories for bodyboarding are useful:

• Boardbag
• Board sock
• Wetsuit

These are the three surfing styles in bodyboarding.

There are three styles of bodyboarding. Bodyboarding while lying down? No, with the three surf styles of prone, drop-knee bodyboarding and stand up you have some great options.

Which ones?

We'll explain that to you now. 

The Prone Bodyboard Surstyle

This is the classic way of bodyboarding and you glide down the wave lying down. You paddle the wave and grab the front corner of the bodyboard. Then you lean into the direction you want to surf. And off you go on a wild ride.

The drop-knee style

Here you surf half-kneeling on the bodyboard. Your front foot is on the front of your bodyboard deck while you place your back knee on the tail. The hands serve to stabilise and support your hold on the board. This style is very close to surfing on a surfboard while surfing. You can do 360° turns in the wave and try tuberides.

The Stand Up Style

In this style of bodyboarding, you stand on the bodyboard. Your knees rarely make contact with the board. You need real skill and a lot of practice to be able to surf this style. It is reminiscent of normal surfing, but much more difficult. You don't have fins in the board to give you stability in the wave. 

Our Surfganic.com tip: You have to find out for yourself which style suits you best.