How to pick a size › Surf
Surfboard
Volume
A size chart · 147 surfboards in the atlas
A 75 kg rider wants 45–67.5 L to learn, 33.8–41.3 L once riding, 28.5–33.8 L once confident and 24.8–28.5 L as an expert. Litres are a share of your weight in kilos, a ratio that falls as you progress: a fixed margin would go negative for a light rider on boards this small.
These are rules of thumb, the ones shops and sizing guides quote, not any brand’s chart. Where a brand publishes its own rider weights, its board page shows them, and they should win.
Surf Size Chart
Volume in litres by rider weight and level · rule of thumb, not a brand’s chart
| Weight | First sessions | Getting there | Confident | Expert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 30–45 | 22.5–27.5 | 19–22.5 | 16.5–19 |
| 55 kg | 33–49.5 | 24.8–30.3 | 20.9–24.8 | 18.2–20.9 |
| 60 kg | 36–54 | 27–33 | 22.8–27 | 19.8–22.8 |
| 65 kg | 39–58.5 | 29.3–35.8 | 24.7–29.3 | 21.5–24.7 |
| 70 kg | 42–63 | 31.5–38.5 | 26.6–31.5 | 23.1–26.6 |
| 75 kg | 45–67.5 | 33.8–41.3 | 28.5–33.8 | 24.8–28.5 |
| 80 kg | 48–72 | 36–44 | 30.4–36 | 26.4–30.4 |
| 85 kg | 51–76.5 | 38.3–46.8 | 32.3–38.3 | 28.1–32.3 |
| 90 kg | 54–81 | 40.5–49.5 | 34.2–40.5 | 29.7–34.2 |
| 95 kg | 57–85.5 | 42.8–52.3 | 36.1–42.8 | 31.4–36.1 |
| 100 kg | 60–90 | 45–55 | 38–45 | 33–38 |
| 105 kg | 63–94.5 | 47.3–57.8 | 39.9–47.3 | 34.7–39.9 |
| 110 kg | 66–99 | 49.5–60.5 | 41.8–49.5 | 36.3–41.8 |
The rule at each level
- First sessions: 0.6 to 0.9 L per kg you weigh.
- Getting there: 0.45 to 0.55 L per kg you weigh.
- Confident: 0.38 to 0.45 L per kg you weigh.
- Expert: 0.33 to 0.38 L per kg you weigh.
Your level
- First sessions: still learning to get up and stay up.
- Getting there: riding, working on turns and transitions.
- Confident: linking runs in most conditions.
- Expert: the smallest board that still gets you going.
Your weight
With your wetsuit on, if you ride in one. Lighter than 50 kg or heavier than 110 kg? The finder works the range out from 35 to 140 kg.
What Fits at 75 kg
First sessions
Getting there
Confident
Expert
Across the 618 sizes listed for surfboards in the atlas, the middle 80 % run from 26 to 77 L, and half are under 40 L.
The newest at 33.8–41.3 L, for a 75 kg rider getting there
Beyond the Litres
Length and volume buy paddling speed and stability, while shorter, thinner boards with more curve (rocker) fit into steep waves and turn tighter: flatter rocker glides and paddles faster, more rocker stops the nose diving on a steep drop. The ISA defines a longboard as at least 9 ft long with widths at the nose, middle and tail adding up to at least 47 in; fishes are short, wide and end in a swallow tail, and mid-lengths sit between. In the drawings, read the tail: a pin narrows to a point and digs in for hold in big surf, a squash's square corners release water for quick turns, a swallow works like two small pins on a wide tail that keeps speed in small waves, and a round tail sits between pin and squash. A common shop rule of thumb, the 'guild factor', is volume in litres ≈ body weight in kg × a skill ratio: about 0.55–0.6 for intermediates and 0.34–0.38 for experts, with beginners near 1.0.
At the same volume, a wider board is steadier and easier to start on, a narrower one quicker rail to rail; a long board for its width glides and lifts earlier, a short one turns tighter. The finder’s cards say which is which among the boards at your size.
Questions
What size surfboard for a beginner?
0.6 to 0.9 L per kg you weigh: 36–54 L at 60 kg, 45–67.5 L at 75 kg and 54–81 L at 90 kg. The ranges shrink level by level, so most riders move down a size as they progress.
What size surfboard for a 60 kg rider?
36–54 L to learn, 27–33 L once riding, 22.8–27 L once confident and 19.8–22.8 L as an expert.
What size surfboard for a 90 kg rider?
54–81 L to learn, 40.5–49.5 L once riding, 34.2–40.5 L once confident and 29.7–34.2 L as an expert.
Should I go by the brand’s size chart?
When it has one, yes: it knows its own rails and thickness. None of the surfboards in the atlas comes with one yet, so the rule of thumb is what there is.
Is volume the only number that matters?
No: width and length change how a board rides at the same volume (above), and thickness and rails change how it floats. Start from the volume, then pick the shape.
Size charts for other sports