Surfboard cover
A surfboard cover does pretty much what it sounds like, it covers your surfboard! Surfboard covers are available in a wide variety of models and prices, reflective of how much protection you want or need for your surfboard.
Surfboard socks are the least expensive, providing little more than surfboard coverage. Day bags and travel bags are designed to protect and insulate your surfboard from day to day activities all the way through to the rigours of an airline experience
Surfboard Socks
Surfboard socks are the least protective and cheapest surfboard cover you can purchase.
Though they provide your surfboard with little protection they will prevent your board from getting scratched up and protect your stuff from getting tons of wax all over them.
Sometimes this is all the protection a surfer needs especially if your surfboard sleeps on your bedroom floor.
If you are looking for more protection for your surfboard, these other options will fit your requirements.
For more info, see the full article on surfboard socks
Surfboard bags
You need something to hold your surfboards in and that is exactly what a surfboard bag is designed to do.
It can be used for wheeling them around, protection while travelling, and even for storage. Surfboard bags can also be used to protect your surfboards from the damaging effects of the sun.
Surfboard bags come in a huge variety of styles depending upon your needs, the number and size of your surfboards (a very important point), and the amount of impact you are expecting your surfboard will experience during your travels.
Read on to see which surfboard bag will best fit your needs.
Surfboard Day Bags
Much as the name suggests, a day bag is more suited for a day’s surfing. Day bags are generally used for carrying 1 surfboard at a time, but you can find a day bag that will carry more for those of you who own multiple surfboards.
These are more substantial than socks and are perfect for protecting your surfboard from the pressure of car racks, and are also suited for garage storage.
Day bags are made with foam padding, normally about 5mm thick. Day bags should be made from nylons, or polyesters rated as 600D or 600DD for better longevity of the cover.
A sturdy corrosion resistant zipper is also a must, because once the zip falls out or rusts, the bag will be pretty much useless.
Other features to look for are waterproofing, shock proofing, heat resistance, UV resistance, and semi-reflective. All these extra features do add on to the price, but will provide much better protection from pressure, impact, heat, water, and the sun, all potentially very damaging to your surfboard.
One other important point to consider when selecting a day surfboard cover is to ensure you get the correct dimensions, both length and width. Not all surfboards fit in all bags.
Don’t forget to also check out the front of the bag for the type of nose you will be needing just like you would when buying a surfboard sock or cover. If you have a shortboard go with the pointed nose board bag. If you have a longboard, mini-mal , or fun board then you will need the rounded nose one.
Also, if you have a fun board or fish, you will need to check that the surfboard bag will be wide enough for your surfboard to fit in it.
Day covers with compartments and pockets can also come in very handy for carrying all the other surfing paraphernalia that you own, like rashie, wet suits, wax, wax comb, and emergency repair kits.
Surfboard Travel Bag
As the name suggests, this is the sort of protection you would be looking for when traveling on an airplane.
A surfboard bag for travelling will need to have a lot more protection to ensure your surfboard does not get destroyed by the guys at the airport….and trust me they don’t care about the “Fragile Sign” you stuck on there. A surfboard bag with a minimum of 10 mm protective high density insulation material is going to be required to keep your stick in one piece.
The same rules also apply regarding appropriate surfboard length, width, and nose requirements. Travel bags are available for holding from just 1 surfboard up to about 5. Travel bags can also be extremely handy for long term storage of your surfboard, especially if someone else is going to be looking after it who isn’t a surfer and therefore isn’t adept in surfboard care.
Wheeled Surfboard Travel Bags
Surfboard travel bags can come with wheels, which is extremely handy when you are thinking about travelling with or shipping multiple surfboards. Also if your shoulders aren’t what they used to be, this can be a great option even though you will need a spare hand to drag it along.
Non-Wheeled Surfboard Travel Bags
These surfboard bags will be less expensive than their cousins with wheels, and come with a very sturdy shoulder strap, freeing up both of your hands. This will come down to personal preference, budget, how many surfboards you are carrying, how much weight you can carry and how much other stuff you are travelling with.
If you go with a non-wheeled travel bag it is very important to check that the shoulder strap is padded nicely, otherwise the strap will slice into you pretty quickly!