Best Soft Top Surfboards of 2022

Updated on November 11, 2020

If you’re relatively new to surfing and looking to master your skills in a safe way, a soft top surfboard is going to be your best bet. The quality and construction of these boards have increased tremendously over the past several years and with a wide variety of brands and board types, it can be difficult to pick the right one. Fortunately, we’ve carefully selected the best soft top surfboards to narrow down your search.

Also known as a “foamie”, soft tops offer a host of advantages, especially for beginners. They’re much safer than traditional hard tops: if you bail or wipe out, a blow to the head from your board will be less dangerous. Foamies are also extremely durable, meaning you can beat up these boards as you learn the basics without fear of totally trashing an expensive hard top.

Lastly, soft tops tend to be a bit thicker than hard tops, lending themselves to greater buoyancy and making your task of learning the sport that much easier. You also don’t need to wax a soft top! Simpler is better, right?

For more of our top surfing gear recommendations, check out the Best Surfboards.

 

Quick Answer – The Best Soft Top Surfboards

Almond Surfboards Secret MenuView at EvoWavestorm Classic PinlineView at AmazonSouth Bay Board Co. – HeritageView at AmazonRock It SHORTBUSView at AmazonCatch Surf Skipper QuadView at AmazonWave Bandit Performer TriView at AmazonBoardworks Froth!View at AmazonSoftech FlashView at BackcountryOdysea Catch Surf LogView at BackcountryCatch Surf Original 54View at Evo

 

Comparison Table – Best Soft Top Surfboard

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Name	Length	Thickness	Weight Capacity	Fin Setup	Price	Rating	Review
Almond Surfboards Secret Menu	Short (5’4” ft)	2.75″	180 lbs	4-fin (Not Included)	$	4.3	Read Review
Wavestorm Classic Pinline	Long	3.25″	200 lbs	Thruster (3-fin)	$	4.8	Read Review
South Bay Board Co. – Heritage	Long	3”	260 lbs	Thruster (3-fin)	$$$	4.7	Read Review
Rock It SHORTBUS	Medium	3”	200 lbs	Thruster (3-fin)	$$	4.5	Read Review
Catch Surf Skipper Quad	Medium	3.125″	250 lbs	Quad (4-fin)	$$$	4.45	Read Review
Wave Bandit Performer Tri	Medium	3.125″	200 lbs	Thruster (3-fin)	$$	4.4	Read Review
Boardworks Froth!	Short	2.5″	190 lbs	Thruster (3-fin)	$$	4.2	Read Review
Softech Flash	Medium	2.66″	200 lbs	Thruster (3-fin)	$	4.6	Read Review
Odysea Catch Surf Log	Long	3.33″	230 lbs	Thruster (3-fin)	$$$	4.6	Read Review
Catch Surf Original 54	Short	2.5″	175 lbs	Twin Fin (2-fin)	$$	4.0	Read Review
Name	Length	Thickness	Weight Capacity	Fin Setup	Price	Rating	Review

Want to learn more about a technical term? Check out our Features Explained section below.

Need buying advice? Take a look at these Things to Consider.

Reviews – The Best Soft Top Boards for Surfing

Almond Surfboards Secret Menu

Specs

Length: Short (5’4” ft)Thickness: 2.75″Weight Capacity: 180 lbsFins Included?: NoFin Setup: 4-fin (Not Included)

Features

No-Wax-Necessary Deck PadQuad Fin Box For Picking Up Speed100% Recyclable

BEST FOR: SURFER LOOKING FOR A HIGH-END FOAM BOARD

At 5’4 long and 36L, the R-Series Secret Menu is designed for the optimal blend of easy paddling and rip-ability. It’s a board that is best for 2ft – 4ft waves but can also keep up with a big barrel under the most capable feet. It’s wide tail is great for picking up speed even in smaller surf.  Almond Surfboards created the Secret Menu with a deep awareness of the role we play when it comes to protecting the natural world. It’s foam injected core is 100% recyclable through Almond’s Recycling Loyalty Program.

View at Evo

Wavestorm Classic Pinline

Specs

Length: LongThickness: 3.25″Weight Capacity: 200 lbsFin Setup: Thruster (3-fin)

Features

Textured Traction Pad (to help you stand up and stay on)Includes Removable Ankle LeashExtra “Grippy” Soft Top

BEST FOR: LONG LASTING QUALITY

If you’re the kind of person that scrutinizes quality because you value where your dollar goes, then this is the board for you. Considered one of the most recognized brands in surfing, Wavestorm is known for crafting quality boards at an affordable price.

This may be one of the most durable foamies we’ve come across. It sports 3 stringers whereas most other boards have only 1 or 2. A stringer is a thin strip of wood that runs the entire length of the board to add stiffness and rigidity while maintaining flexibility. More stringers = more stability and durability. The extra durable construction of this board also lends itself to providing a superior platform for beginner surfers.

View at Amazon

South Bay Board Co. – Heritage

Specs

Length: LongThickness: 3”Weight Capacity: 260 lbsFin Setup: Thruster (3-fin)

Features

Action Camera Mount Wax-Free Textured Soft TopAnkle Leash And Fins IncludedHeat Release Valve Prevents Delamination and Bubbling

BEST FOR: LARGER FRAMED BEGINNERS

It’s no secret that South Bay Board Company is by far one of our favorite manufacturers. That’s because they make some of the best surfboards for beginners, crafting premium quality soft boards that are both safer and easier to ride than traditional hard boards.

The Heritage boasts a wide chest area making this board a solid choice for larger framed surfers that require a bit more stability. It’s almost 9 foot length and 3 inch thickness also give the extra buoyancy needed to keep you gliding atop waves, even on your first time out.

View at Amazon

Rock It SHORTBUS

Specs

Length: MediumThickness: 3”Weight Capacity: 200 lbsFin Setup: Thruster (3-fin)

Features

Comes In 8 Different ColorsFlexible Fins Are More DurableEnvironmentally Friendly Construction Made From Recycled Materials

BEST FOR: EASY RIDING

The Rock It SHORTBUS is truly a unique board thanks to some smart styling choices. At 7’ in length, this board offers a performance “funboard” shape in a slightly longer version. This will give beginners of all backgrounds the opportunity to experiment with something other than a longboard without sacrificing stability or floatability.

If you’re looking for something that’s truly easy to ride and able to catch waves without giving you a hard time, then look no further! The SHORTBUS is an appealing board and should be considered by anyone looking to have some fun on the water.

View at Amazon

Catch Surf Skipper Quad

Specs

Length: MediumThickness: 3.125″Weight Capacity: 250 lbsFin Setup: Quad (4-fin)

Features

Includes FinsIsland Inspired Graphics3 Maple Stringers For Maximum Durability

BEST FOR: MANEUVERABILITY

Catch Surf teamed up with Pro Surfer Jamie O’Brien to collaborate on a whole collection of products, including this super shredder of a board. This board is the premo soft top, offering a great quality ride for intermediate to advanced beginners with the ability to scale up as you progress your surf game.

The high volume fish shape gives the Skipper Quad the ability to make quick work of smaller surf, while the quad fin setup establishes stability, speed, power, and maximum turnability in medium sized swells. We also really appreciate the quad fin setup on the fish board shape as a one-two punch when making big, sweeping turns and powering through medium sized waves!

View at AmazonView at Evo

Wave Bandit Performer Tri

Specs

Length: MediumThickness: 3.125″Weight Capacity: 200 lbsFin Setup: Thruster (3-fin)

Features

Requires WaxExtra Thick Design Increases BuoyancyHigh-Pressure Construction For Maximum Stiffness

BEST FOR: SMALL WAVES

Sometimes small waves just aren’t what you had in mind when hitting the beach on a warm summer day, but fear not! We’ve found the best soft top to combat the “Oh no’s” and keep you having fun no matter the wave size.

The Wave Bandit Performer Tri is a sweet little hybrid board that offers a fish shape for maximum floatability in smaller surf while sporting a 3-fin thruster setup to keep you stable while shredding. Most fish boards have either a twin or quad fin setup, but this distinctive combo will also keep you high flying on medium sized waves as well.

They don’t call it the Performer for nothin’! This board is perfect for literally any level of beginner, making it a solid choice whether it’s your first board or a back up in your quiver for the smaller days.

View at Amazon

Boardworks Froth!

Specs

Length: ShortThickness: 2.5″Weight Capacity: 190 lbsFin Setup: Thruster (3-fin)

Features

Requires WaxHigh-Quality Fin Boxes And FinsLong-Lasting Construction Overturns Traditional Soft Top “Cons”

BEST FOR: CHEATING THE SYSTEM

Made with the skeleton of a hard top surfboard and wrapped in soft, foamie goodness, the Boardworks Froth! is the Michelin Man of surfboards. The construction starts as if it were being made into a more traditional epoxy hard top board, but then sneakily adds high-density foam to the top, thus cheating the system.

Throw the Pros and Cons out! Revolution is afoot!

The result is a board that is both light and long-lasting (hard top pros) but also safe for beginners and less expensive (soft top pros). The Froth! also features high-quality fin boxes that allows you to swap out your fins when you need to change up your game. In all, this board aims to please intermediate and advanced beginners due to it’s shorter length.

View at Amazon

Softech Flash

Specs

Length: MediumThickness: 2.66″Weight Capacity: 200 lbsFins Included?: YesFin Setup: Thruster (3-fin)

Features

Includes 3 FinsAnkle Leash Plug IncludedWax-Free Soft Top

BEST FOR: ALL DAY, EVERY DAY SURFING

The Softech Flash is a great all-rounder offering shortboard performance, and a perfect option for anyone wanting to hone their turning skills. This hybrid shape has a wider nose and plenty of volume for easy paddling. The Flash is built with a slick soft deck and bottom that glides over the water, making it a super quick board that catches everything

With the FCS II system, you don’t need any screws or tools to secure the fins. You can easily insert and remove the fins based on the wave conditions or the riders skill level.

View at Backcountry

Odysea Catch Surf Log

Specs

Length: LongThickness: 3.33″Weight Capacity: 230 lbsFin Setup: Thruster (3-fin)

Features

Cool Retro GraphicsExtra Thick Board Floats BetterHigh-Performance Fins Are Removable

BEST FOR: PROGRESSIVE LONGBOARDING

Odysea’s Catch Surf Log is an outstanding “long” board measuring in at 8’ feet long. This large board offers a perfect entry into surfing for any beginner. Intermediate to advanced beginners looking to expand their skill set while riding will love the Log for its wide and stable base.

You’ll find no better choice when it comes to “logging”, a traditional surfing style that focuses on performing maneuvers with one’s body to earn style points (think perching noserides or hanging heels before retreating back to the tail of the board).

View at Backcountry

Catch Surf Original 54

Specs

Length: ShortThickness: 2.5″Weight Capacity: 175 lbsFin Setup: Twin Fin (2-fin)

Features

Requires Surf WaxPop Through Ankle Leash PlugHighly Durable, Impact-Resistant Deck

BEST FOR: DURABILITY

This shortie is by far the most durable board on the list, allowing advanced beginners the ability to try new things without fear of breaking their board. Known in the Catch Surf brand as a “beater board”, the Original 54 Pro is impact resistant, lightweight, and opposes waterlogging that would otherwise slow it down.

Its short shape paired with a twin fin setup makes the Original 54 Pro a great board for catching all different types of waves, especially those in the small to medium range. If you’ve nailed down your longboard basics, this makes for a great addition to your quiver to mix things up!

View at Evo

 

 

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING SURFBOARDS

COST

One of the huge benefits to buying a soft top surfboard is that they tend to be less expensive than their hard top counterparts. If you’re new to surfing, soft tops offer a variety of advantages over hard tops and are a good choice until your skills have progressed.

The other upside to “foamies” being less expensive is that you may be able to buy multiple soft tops for the price of a single hard top, meaning you can outfit the whole family for your next family vacation without breaking the bank!

 

CONSTRUCTION

Soft top surfboards, also known as “foamies”, are a great choice for beginners of all skill levels. Although initially regarded as surfboards for “noobs” or “kooks”, the soft top revolution has flipped the script. Nowadays, you can find all levels of surfers, even professional surfers, using them in certain conditions.

SOFT TOP PROS

As a newbie, falling off your board is inevitable, but a visit to the ER doesn’t have to beFoamies are much safer for your noggin and others who may be nearby Great bang for your buck! Let’s you hit the water at a reasonable price Foamies provide more stability for beginners due to their heavy weight

SOFT TOP CONS

A heavier board means a more difficult walk to the waterWarm water surfing on a foamie can lead to board rash. Check out the best rash guards to prevent this from happeningShorter lifespan than hard tops

 

FIN SETUP

Soft top surfboards benefit just as much from specification of fin type as hard tops. Depending on your needs and intended surf style, certain fin setups will lend themselves better than others. Below we explain what type of surfing styles benefit the best from certain fin setups.

LONGBOARDING

Single Fin: Most commonly found on longboards, the Single Fin setup is a great choice for beginners without experience but also scales up as you become a better surfer. Characterized by a single, long fin in the center of the board, this setup provides ample stability and tracking.Thruster: Increasingly found on longboards in recent years, the Thruster setup is a nice modern variant for the world’s oldest and most traditional surfing style. The Thruster setup is characterized by 3 fins: 1 in the center towards the rear of the board with 2 flanking fins positioned further forward. A longboard with a Thruster setup will be more nimble and better at turning, especially in smaller waves.

FUNBOARDING

Thruster: Most commonly found on medium length “Funboards”, the Thruster’s purpose here is to provide speed and maneuverability. The flanking fins provide more agility and lend stability to fast turns. This setup on medium length boards is aimed more at intermediate and advanced beginners.

FISHBOARDING

Twin Fin: With just 2 fins on either side, the Twin Fin setup is designed to create speed and maximum maneuverability. Typically mated to a “Fishboard”, the purpose here is to make turning a breeze. Intended more for intermediate to advanced beginners, this setup sacrifices stability for maneuverability.Quad: The Quad setup leverages 4 fins, 2 on either side of the board, to achieve similar results as a Twin Fin but with more power and stability. The extra set of fins provide better tracking without sacrificing speed. Intermediate and advanced beginners will both appreciate how this setup performs on Fishboards.

 

LENGTH

Skill level is usually the first determining factor when deciding on what length of surfboard to buy. Checkout the breakdown below.

TRUE BEGINNERS

Long 8 ft or longer Type Of Surfing Longboarding Why It’s A Great Choice Boards above 8 ft are going to provide a larger footprint for beginners without any surfing experience. The longer the board, the wider and thicker it will be, thereby shortening your learning curve.

INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED BEGINNERS

Medium6 ft – 8 ftType Of Surfing FunboardingWhy It’s A Great Choice This intermediate length is a step down in size from longboards and provides more maneuverability and agility. Intermediate and advanced beginners will appreciate this size as it gives them more control over their board.

ADVANCED BEGINNERS

ShortAnything shorter than 6 ftType Of Surfing Funboarding and FishboardingWhy It’s A Great Choice Advanced beginners who have mastered all of the basic surfing skills will find shortboards and fishboards opening a whole new world of possibilities. Their short length and sometimes unique shape (in the case of fishboards), provide new ways of seeing the world of surfing.

 

THICKNESS

Soft top surfboards tend to be more beginner friendly by adding extra thickness to increase buoyancy in the water and increase performance under certain conditions. 3’’ in thickness is the sweet spot. Anything thicker lends itself to beginners with no experience while thinner boards will be manageable for intermediate to advanced beginners.

 

WEIGHT CAPACITY

When choosing the best soft top surfboard, you want a weight capacity that is higher than your bodyweight. The weight capacities listed are for true beginners and intermediate beginners. Advanced beginners will be able to cheat higher than the listed weight capacity as their skill will allow them to handle a smaller sized board.

 

 

FEATURES EXPLAINED

DECK

The area of the board where the paddler stands.

FIN MOUNT

A slot in the surfboard where a fin can be inserted.

BUOYANT DESIGN

A surfboard with a buoyant design will float better and with less effort. This is a good feature to keep an eye on if you’re a beginner with no experience or when surfing small waves.

ANKLE LEASH PLUG

A small knob with a hook in the rear of a surfboard where an ankle leash can be easily attached.

EPOXY FINISH

A very durable final coating over hard top surfboards. Most hard tops are finished with epoxy as opposed to the older and heavier fiberglass finish.

FISH SHAPE

A style of surfboard that looks like a fish! They are typically short (less than 6 ft), very wide, and really thick (more than 3 inches). They are best suited to small waves when beginning your foray into surfing.

FIN BOX

The area underneath the tail of the board that offers options to add or remove additional fins in order to customize a particular fin setup.

READ MORE

For more of our top surfing gear recommendations, check out these popular buyer’s guides:

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Surfboards For Beginners

Soft Top Surfboards

Skimboards

Bodyboards

Boogie Boards

Surfing Wetsuits

Rash Guards

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