Surf board advise

One of the hottest trends for boards right now is the mid length twin fin pin. See any video with Torren Martyn.
If you only see your self as a weekend warrior than I would still plan on the longboard. You will catch more waves and have more fun. Plenty of long board style waves here even when bigger and there are plenty of short board only style waves as well where even a mid length would be ill advised, and everything in between.

You can always sell the longboard very easily once you are ready to move on.
If you are committed to surfing a lot, then starting with a mid length is fine.

I learned to surf at 20 on a 7'6 mid length surfing every day for a summer on the Big Island in Hawaii. I felt pretty damn confident by the end of that summer. Back to Vancouver where I was only surfing maybe one weekend every month. Lost all my strength and would always take me a day to find my balance again. Bought a long board. Instantly felt way better as an infrequent surfer. More fun. More time riding waves. Once I started spending more time on the island due to my wife's work in my mid to late twenties I started surfing way more and progressed to wider shortboards. Now mid thirties surfing as much as work and family allows with a quiver of short boards for everything from thigh high mush to slabby, proper, scary, barreling waves. Everyone's progression is different and it really depends how much you can surf.

My wife for instance surfs nothing but 2 long boards here on the island. She has a high performance one for slightly bigger, steeper, but still long boardable surf and she has a nose rider for the small days, but there are obviously waves that she can't surf, but she has no interest in those types of waves.

We should make a fin thread. Insane how much fins change a board.

^^^all good info and from a local.

Fins are insane.

You could even breakdown the differences in longboards.

There are almost too many options these days.

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Originally Posted by Ottime

^^^all good info and from a local.

Fins are insane.

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The good thing as a kook is that I don't have to worry about fins.[emoji4]

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Originally Posted by El Kanone

As much as I want to get the shorter fun shapes I think I will go with the 9 foot. Just more practical in the end for learning and actually having fun while learning instead of just suffering.
Seems like if I stick with it a quiver is inevitable in this sport.

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Good luck with the interview.
I honestly feel the 9.0' choice is the best. These guys can use the shorter fun shapes as they have developed the upper body strength to paddle into a wave on one. For a person newer to the sport, the glide of the long board is really helpful.
I was never a short board guy as I started surfing in my mid 30's. I have had dozens of 9.0+ boards and all were used to surf the biggest waves I could handle. I use my short board (7'6") in fun punchy beach break sort of waves, not in anything serious. I have an 8'6" board my friends call the Instigator that I use in solid surf. That board absolutely kills it.

^^^ I don’t completely disagree.

I just think a 8’ with a lot of volume will be better than a 9’ with less volume.

Flat bottom, loads of volume, wide = great for small weak waves.

For instance, my 5’9” fish like board is generally easier to catch waves with than my 7’6” fun shape. The fun shape has a ton more rocker, and heavier glass and bogs down more until it gets up to speed. Once moving, it planes well enough but is more cumbersome to fit into small surf. I’m not suggesting my 5’9” to him, but there is a lot more than length. And I think volume and rocker are more important

But yeah, I am super buff like you said. 🤞