How to pick a size › Surf foil
Surf Foil
Board Size
A size chart · 80 surf foil boards in the atlas
A 75 kg rider wants 75–93.8 L to learn, 48.8–63.8 L once riding, 33.8–45 L once confident and 22.5–33.8 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 Foil 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 | 50–62.5 | 32.5–42.5 | 22.5–30 | 15–22.5 |
| 55 kg | 55–68.8 | 35.8–46.8 | 24.8–33 | 16.5–24.8 |
| 60 kg | 60–75 | 39–51 | 27–36 | 18–27 |
| 65 kg | 65–81.3 | 42.3–55.3 | 29.3–39 | 19.5–29.3 |
| 70 kg | 70–87.5 | 45.5–59.5 | 31.5–42 | 21–31.5 |
| 75 kg | 75–93.8 | 48.8–63.8 | 33.8–45 | 22.5–33.8 |
| 80 kg | 80–100 | 52–68 | 36–48 | 24–36 |
| 85 kg | 85–106.3 | 55.3–72.3 | 38.3–51 | 25.5–38.3 |
| 90 kg | 90–112.5 | 58.5–76.5 | 40.5–54 | 27–40.5 |
| 95 kg | 95–118.8 | 61.8–80.8 | 42.8–57 | 28.5–42.8 |
| 100 kg | 100–125 | 65–85 | 45–60 | 30–45 |
| 105 kg | 105–131.3 | 68.3–89.3 | 47.3–63 | 31.5–47.3 |
| 110 kg | 110–137.5 | 71.5–93.5 | 49.5–66 | 33–49.5 |
The rule at each level
- First sessions: 1 to 1.25 L per kg you weigh.
- Getting there: 0.65 to 0.85 L per kg you weigh.
- Confident: 0.45 to 0.6 L per kg you weigh.
- Expert: 0.3 to 0.45 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 365 sizes listed for surf foil boards in the atlas, the middle 80 % run from 25 to 91 L, and half are under 42 L.
The newest at 48.8–63.8 L, for a 75 kg rider getting there
Beyond the Litres
Surf foil boards are much shorter than surfboards of the same volume: one shaper compares a 4'6" foil board with a 6'2" surfboard of similar volume, chosen because the short package carries far less swing weight. The volume sits under the chest for paddling, so the outlines are stubby: Armstrong's range runs from 4'0½" x 43.8 cm x 5.7 cm (24 L) to 4'11" x 52.1 cm x 7.9 cm (48 L), with a full surfboard-style nose, a squared-off tail for the back foot and a double-concave-to-vee bottom. There are no fins, just a mast box under the rider's feet, and the deck is kept stiff so every movement reaches the foil. Rule of thumb: about 36–40 L for a first board, around 38 L (4'8") for a beginner-to-intermediate surfer, then size down as skill grows.
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 surf foil board for a beginner?
1 to 1.25 L per kg you weigh: 60–75 L at 60 kg, 75–93.8 L at 75 kg and 90–112.5 L at 90 kg. The ranges shrink level by level, so most riders move down a size as they progress.
What size surf foil board for a 60 kg rider?
60–75 L to learn, 39–51 L once riding, 27–36 L once confident and 18–27 L as an expert.
What size surf foil board for a 90 kg rider?
90–112.5 L to learn, 58.5–76.5 L once riding, 40.5–54 L once confident and 27–40.5 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. Only 2 surf foil sizes in the atlas come with one so far; their board pages show them.
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