Surfing is a spectacular sport and recreation for athletic individuals. This seemingly effortless activity of catching a wave with a surfboard is tempting for obvious reasons – there simply isn’t anything like it.
Down below we’ll explore an estimated cost of surfing:
- How much does it cost to surf?
- What are the long-run expenses?
- How much is a surfboard cost in total?
First of all, what does a complete surfing gear include?
- Surfboard.
- Fin(s) & fin key.
- Leash.
- Wax & wax comb.
- Wetsuit.
- Sunscreen for the body, lip balm, face zinc.
- UV-curing ding repair kit.
- OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
- Wetsuit boots, hood, gloves.
- Traction pad.
- Board cover bag.
- Earplugs.
- Surf tide watch.
- Crossbars & surfboard carrier.
- Surf lock.
- Changing towel poncho.
- Wetsuit bag.
- Beach cruiser bike + surfboard rack.
Plus transportation fees which depend whether you walk or drive a car to the beach.
How much is a surfboard?
On average, performance shortboards tend to cost around $600 to $800 new, and for the board only.
You’ll also be needing a set of fins, a leash and a wax as minimum to get you catch some waves which. This will add up to another $200 – $300. Add a $50 traction pad and your budget is set to closely a $1,000 in total.
*Factors such as how much does a surfboard cost depends on the brand, size, material and type. Although the cheapest surfboards start from $200 for a beater boards made of foam, a good-quality fiberglass longboards can cost up to $1,500.
How much does a full surfing gear cost?
- Surfboard $600
- Board cover bag $50
- Leash $30
- Traction pad $50
- Fins $170
- Waxes + Fin Key $10
- Wetsuit $300
- Wetsuit boot, hoods and gloves $150
- TOTAL: $1,360 for an average, new set-up.
- You can get lucky and find -50% off that when buying anything used besides a wetsuit.
What determines the price of a surfboard?
The cost of surfboard comes down to:
Material use >> Make >> Size & Type
- Fiberglass surfboards (PU = Polyetheramine) tend to cost slightly more as there’s more work put into making one. There’s a foam blank, wooden stringer for added strength, and fiberglass glassing around.
- Epoxy (EPS = Expanded Polystyrene Foam) is the #1 alternative to fiberglass surfboard that costs about the same but vary greatly in characteristics. It is also more difficult, time-consuming, and therefore more expensive to shape a hand-made epoxy board.
- Surfboards made out of foam are generally cheaper as there’s not too much technology built into them.
How much for second-hand surf gear?
Depending on where you live (expectedly by a surf area) you are most likely going to find used surfboards for sale. Facebook marketplace, craigslist, gumtree or you name it – you’ll find people selling surfboards everywhere.
- Second-hand surfboard ranges from $200 to $700
- Second-hand wetsuits usually sell around 50% of their MSRP.
In case you aren’t completely sure which size surfboard is best for you – check out our Surfboard Volume Calculator.
Is buying a used wetsuit a thing?
Yes! Good-quality wetsuits last a long time if taken proper care of. They can be repaired as well to some degree. For example, I bought a second-hand 7th Wave wetsuit in New Zealand that was over 10 years old! To top things up, it only cost around 20$ and the guy had a belly twice as large as mine but after a few sessions, it fit like a glove.
Plot twist: It broke three months later, right between the buttocks on a relatively cold day out there
How much is a custom surfboard?
The price of a custom-shaped surfboard can vary anything from $500 for a shortboard in Bali or $1,500 for a nicely glassed longboard in California.
You obviously see more expensive choices depending on the material, technologies used, shaper, and many more factors. That’s the most interesting part about surfing as you can have your very own surfboard-shaped exactly for your bodily measures and types of waves.
- Custom-shaped surfboard prices are around $500 to $1,500.
*I am about the same height & weight as Andy Irons and happened to buy a used, 6’6″ fixed fin, fiberglass, fishtail hybrid on the Gold Coast for $400. The board was on its ‘last legs’ so to say, probably ideal for Sunday sessions or some fun events. It was my second board ever and had a ton of fun with it, ended up selling the board for $250 8 months later.
How much is a longboard?
Longboard surfboards are on the more expensive side, ranging from $800 to $1,500 new. Although you can find a sweet deal for used longboards they rarely drop below $500. Expect to pay 30-50% off the MSRP of a new board.
- New longboard surfboards cost around $800 to $1,300
- Used surfboards get sold around $500 to $800
Where to buy new surfboards online?
You can find your favorite brand and go from there, or buy through one of the online retailers such as evo.com or JacksSurfboards.com. By buying through those links you help me get a small commission which helps me help run this site!
Did we miss anything important?
Let us know in the comments section!
Read next
Guide to Buying / Selling a second-hand surfboard
16 Different Types of Surfboards
19 Mental & Physical benefits to surfing
Published by:
I created Nulltuul to share my experience, research and analysis with other surf enthusiasts out there. If I'm not surfing on my travels - I like to photograph waves, surfers, and the surf lifestyle in general.
