11 products
Soft Top & Foam Surfboards
Soft top surfboards for every skill level, from your first wave to your thousandth. Browse foam surfboards built for durability, stability, and straight-up fun in any conditions.
How to Pick the Right Soft Top
Foam surfboards have come a long way from the floppy rental boards you remember. Today's soft tops are shaped with real rocker, quality fins, and construction that holds up season after season. Here's what to look for when you're shopping.
How to Choose the Right Soft Top Size
Your height, weight, and skill level all factor into board size. Longer boards (7'0"+) offer more stability and paddle power, making them easier to catch waves on. Shorter soft tops (5'0"–6'0") are more maneuverable and responsive, but they require solid fundamentals to ride well. If you're just getting started, go longer. You'll catch more waves and progress faster.
Soft Tops vs. Fiberglass Surfboards
Foamie surfboards have a foam deck instead of a hard resin shell. That means less risk of dings, fewer bruises when you wipe out, and a board that can handle shore break abuse without cracking. They're also more buoyant than fiberglass boards at the same length, so you get extra paddle speed and wave-catching ability built in.
Foam Board Construction and Durability
A quality soft top starts with an EPS foam core, fiberglass stringer for flex control, and a slick HDPE bottom. Cheaper boards skip the stringer and use thinner foam, which means they lose shape fast. The boards in our lineup are built to last multiple seasons of regular use, not just one summer vacation.
Riding Soft Tops on the East Coast
East Coast waves are punchy, fast, and often close to shore. Soft tops handle these conditions well because the extra volume keeps you in the wave longer, and the foam construction can take the beating that shore break dishes out. From small summer swells to overhead fall days, a solid foamie belongs in every East Coast quiver.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Soft Top Surfboards
What size soft top surfboard should I get?
Board size depends on your height, weight, and experience. As a general guide, beginners should start with a board 2-3 feet taller than they are. Riders under 150 lbs do well on 7'0"–8'0" boards, while riders over 150 lbs should look at 8'0" and up. As your skills develop, you can size down for more maneuverability.
Are soft top surfboards good for beginners?
Soft tops are one of the easiest ways to start surfing. The foam deck is forgiving on wipeouts, the extra volume makes paddling and catching waves easier, and they're durable enough to handle the learning curve. Most surf schools use soft tops for exactly these reasons.
Do you need to wax a soft top surfboard?
Most soft tops come with a textured foam deck that provides grip on its own. That said, adding a light coat of surf wax can improve traction, especially on older boards where the deck texture has worn down. It's not required, but many riders prefer the extra grip.
How long do soft top surfboards last?
A well-built soft top can last several seasons with regular use. The main things that shorten a board's life are sun exposure and improper storage. Keep your board out of direct sun when you're not riding, store it in a cool spot, and rinse it with fresh water after each session.
Can experienced surfers ride soft tops?
Absolutely. High-performance soft tops with thinner profiles, sharper rails, and thruster fin setups can handle real surfing. A lot of experienced riders keep a foamie in their quiver for small wave days, shore break sessions, or when they just want to have fun without worrying about dings.
