How to Choose the Right Mid-Length Surfboard

I've been shaping surfboards for decades, and one thing I've learned is that there is no reason to make surfing harder than it needs to be.

A lot of surfers get stuck riding boards that don't fit the waves they're surfing, their ability, or what they actually want to do on a wave. They struggle to get into waves, can't generate speed, and assume they need to surf harder.

Sometimes you just need the right board.

That's where a good mid-length comes in.

A mid-length gives you more paddle power and more glide without jumping all the way to a longboard. But that doesn't mean every mid-length is going to surf the same. The outline, rocker, bottom contours, rails, tail, and fins all change what the board is going to do.

What Is a Mid-Length Surfboard?

Generally, we're talking about boards somewhere around 7'0" to 8'6".

You can stretch a shortboard to 7'6", but that doesn't necessarily make it a good mid-length. The whole board has to work together.

Most mid-lengths are going to have some combination of:

• A fuller nose for more paddle power and earlier entry

• More foam under your chest

• Moderate rocker

• Enough rail line to generate speed and hold through a turn

• A tail designed around the type of surfing you want to do

• A single fin, 2+1, twin, or twinzer setup

The idea is pretty simple. You want to catch waves earlier, carry speed, and use the rail.

You don't need to force it.

Who Should Ride a Mid-Length?

I don't think there's one type of surfer who should be on a mid-length.

I've made them for guys coming off shortboards who want more paddle power. I've made them for surfers who don't want to ride a longboard. And I've made performance mid-lengths for really good surfers who want to draw completely different lines.

The important question is what you want the board to do.

You Want Shortboard Performance With More Glide

If you're normally riding shortboards but want something longer for point breaks, reefs, or bigger open faces, you probably don't want a traditional cruiser.

You still want the board to respond.

That's where the Slot Machine comes in.

The Slot Machine is a single slot channel twin or twinzer that sits between two of my round-tail performance twins, the Tur-Twin Pin and Twinny Two.

I kept the shortboard influence in the shape but added the rail line and glide you get from a mid-length.

The slot channel gives the board drive and hold through the tail, while the twin or twinzer setup keeps it loose.

If you want a mid-length that you can push, this is where I'd start.

You Want One Board You Can Surf All the Time

This is probably what I hear most.

Someone wants more paddle power, but they don't want a board that feels big and slow.

That's why I made the No Bad Days.

It comes out of the Flying Turtle family with a low entry rocker, fuller nose, and my double barrel concave through the bottom.

That bottom is important. It helps a wider board transition from rail to rail without feeling like you're trying to throw around a boat.

You get the paddle and glide of a mid-length, but you can still turn the thing.

The Twin Royale approaches it differently.

It's wider, loose, fast, and built around the feel of a twin. You can run it with keel fins and let the board generate speed down the line.

If you like long carves and letting the board run, go Twin Royale.

If you want more control and a board you can surf in a little bit of everything, look at the No Bad Days.

You Want a Mid-Length You Can Surf Hard

This is where the Hip Jell Thang comes in.

The Hip Jell uses my double barrel concave and Thang keel setup, but I designed it for a surfer who wants to push harder through turns.

You can trim it, let it run, and use all that rail line. Then when you want to put it on rail, it'll go.

That's what I like about this style of board.

You're not giving up performance to get paddle power.

You're just getting performance in a different way.

Mid-Length Fin Setups

Fins matter.

You don't have to make it complicated, but changing fins can completely change how one of these boards feels.

Twin Fin

Fast, loose, and drivey.

I like twins when you want the board to generate speed and feel free through turns. A wider-base keel is going to give you more drive and a longer, drawn-out feel. A more upright twin gives you more hold and control while letting the board pivot more easily.

Single Fin

Smooth and connected.

A single fin wants you to use the rail and draw out your turns. They're great when you've got a clean wall and room to let the board run.

2+1

A center fin with two smaller side bites gives you some of the feel of a single with additional hold and control.

It's a good option if you're surfing different conditions and want some flexibility.

My advice with fins is pretty simple: change one thing at a time.

Surf the board. Pay attention to what it's doing. Then make an adjustment.

That's how you figure out what works.

How to Choose the Right Mid-Length

When someone comes to me for a custom mid-length, I don't start by asking what length they want.

I start with the surfer.

What waves are you surfing?

Are you surfing beach breaks most of the time? Points? Reefs?

Build the board for the waves you actually surf, not the wave you surfed once on a trip.

What are you riding now?

Tell me what you like about it.

More importantly, tell me what you don't like about it.

Maybe you can't get into waves early enough. Maybe the board feels dead. Maybe you're riding something with too much volume in the wrong places.

That information tells me where to start.

How big are you and how often do you surf?

Height and weight matter, but so does how much you're surfing.

Someone surfing four days a week is going to have different paddle fitness than someone surfing twice a month.

I'm shaping for the surfer, not a volume calculator.

What do you want the board to feel like?

This is probably the biggest question.

Do you want speed?

Do you want control?

Do you want something loose?

Do you want to trim?

Do you want to put the board on rail and push through turns?

Tell me what you're trying to feel and I can work backward from there.

Surf Prescriptions Mid-Lengths

Here's the simple breakdown.

Slot Machine
Performance twin or twinzer. Fast, loose, and built for surfers coming from shorter boards.

Twin Royale
A wide-template twin made for speed, glide, and long turns.

No Bad Days
Easy to paddle, easy to surf, but still wants to turn. A great everyday mid-length.

Hip Jell Thang
More performance-oriented. Built for surfers who want the glide of a mid-length but still want to push hard through turns.

Don't Buy a Mid-Length Based on Length Alone

This is probably the biggest thing I'd tell someone shopping for a mid-length.

Don't come in saying, "I need a 7'6"."

Tell me where you surf. Tell me what you're riding. Tell me what's not working. Tell me what you want to feel.

Then we can figure out whether you need a 7'0", 7'6", 8'0", or something completely different.

I've been doing this since 1982. The whole idea behind Surf Prescriptions has always been the same.

Build the board for the surfer.

If you're looking for a custom mid-length, get in touch and tell me what you're riding.

We'll figure it out from there.