Whether you’re a fresh grom or a bona fide shredder, the best soft-top surfboards are a fun and convenient alternative to your typical fibreglass board. While fibreglass boards are brilliant for holding up in rougher swells, soft-top boards are designed to deliver maximum fun on every wave you catch, which is why every surfer should own one.
Also referred to as foam surfboards, the best soft-top surfboards have evolved over the years, meaning they’ve moved beyond being simple flimsy boards with a basic soft fin. Simply put, these are surfboards that aren’t covered in a hard resin and are typically made from a specialised water-resistant EPS foam, which is covered with ethylene vinyl acetate for better protection.
Don’t go thinking any board with a soft foam deck is only for beginners, because plenty of advanced surfers love using them to have a good time on beach breaks. If you are a beginner, the excellent stability of these best boards makes them ideal for learning while you work on your confidence and technique.
There are plenty of options out there if you want a great foam top surfboard, but some are better than others. A big part of Australian culture is surfing, so you better believe there are several companies out there making soft surfboards with as much care as a fibreglass board.
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Mick Fanning Soft Top Surfboards
Who knows surfboards better than Mick? With three WSL World Championships under his belt, the man knows his surf tech. These soft-top surfboards are made with experienced surfers in mind with speed, power, and flow as priorities of the building process. The MF First Timers line-up was designed for those just getting into surfing who’re looking for a board that’s forgiving and fun, while also giving a stable platform for catching waves. Arriving in plenty of great colours, it’s the perfect alternative for a longboard so you can transport it with relative ease.
- Lengths: 6’6″, 7’0″, 7’6″, 8’0″
- Construction: Super Soft
- Fin System: Multi Box
Haydenshapes Hypto Krypto Soft Top
Haydenshapes is a Sydney-founded brand that’s made waves on the world stage, and the Hypto Krypto Soft Top is modelled off the brand’s original iconic Hypto Krypto surfboard. It’s designed to balance the classic soft-top board feeling with impressive performance, boasting a full-grip textured deck, ESP core, and a sleek bottom skin. It’s a great option for surfers of any level of ability and can handle solid surf even beyond the smaller beach breaks.
- Lengths: 5’4″, 5’8″, 6’0″, 6’4″, 6’8″, 7’0″
- Construction: 3mm PE closed cell cushioned foam deck, durable Thermoformed ASA bottom skin, EPS core covered with two layers of glass
- Fin System: Futures 3
Spooked Kooks Dead Hippe
Spooked Kooks have some sick colours and designs, bringing back the glory days of short shorts and thick mo’s. With a range of customisable options backed by solid engineering, Spooked Kooks is a winning company and the Dead Hippy is the classic embodiment of Spooked Kook’s throwback culture. It’s a longboard made for finding the sweet spot on the wave and riding it all the way in.
- Lengths: 7’0″, 8’0”
- Construction: Fibreglass-reinforced EPS core with dual wooden stringers
- Fin System: Futures-compatible fin-system
Softech Surfboards The Middie
Softech has got something for everyone as the soft top surfboard market continues to grow in popularity with surfing old hands. The Middie board is a great option as it can cop the biggest waves and replicate their fibreglass forefathers in durability, doing exactly what it says on the tin as an all-rounder that hits that Goldilocks zone of challenge.
- Lengths: 5’10”, 6’4″, 6’10”, 7’4″
- Construction: Epoxy core with single stringer, vacuum glassed with 6OZ. cloth, and high-density PE foam deck
- Fin System: FCS II
Degree33 Ultimate Longboard Surfboard Gray Chevron
If you’re hunting for the perfect soft-top longboard, the Degree33 Ultimate Longboard Surfboard Gray Chevron is one of the best on the market right now. Designed as a solid all-around surfboard to make sure you’re having the best time the waves can offer, it’s Hybrid Epoxy Softtop construction and grippy foam top make it ideal for a range of different conditions. The Degree33 Ultimate Longboard isn’t exactly a pocket rocket, but if you want every trip to the beach aa guaranteed good, this is one to consider.
- Lengths: 8’0″
- Construction: Hybrid Epoxy Softtop construction
- Fin System: 2 + 1 FCS fin boxes and centre fin included
Catch Surf Boards LOG x Taj Burrow Pro
The kings of the soft top surfboard, Catch Boards, are dominating the American and Australian markets. Offering some of the best company collabs and a huge range of boards, the fellas have exactly what you’re looking for. Not for your average grom, the LOG x Taj Burrow Pro is an ultimate shore-break board that arrives in a couple of epic styles, and is great for a range of different skill levels.
- Lengths: 6’0″, 7’0″, 8’0″, 9’0″
- Construction: Stiff dual composite core, triple wood stingers, old-school PE deck
- Fin System: High-performance fin system
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