GEAR: CHOOSING YOUR FIRST SURF FOIL BOARD

The essential qualities of a board for getting started

Choosing the right board is crucial for a smooth introduction to surf foiling (also known as prone foiling). It is just as important as choosing your foil. The right board helps you progress faster, reduces fatigue and avoids the frustration of your first sessions.

A beginner board should allow you to:

paddle comfortably to generate speed easily and catch waves as early as possible
be stable at take-off to make getting up easier
take off in small conditions
forgive mistakes in positioning and touchdowns

Your first sessions should ideally take place in 30 to 50 cm waves with little power. These are the easiest and most effective conditions for learning. A forgiving board with plenty of float, suited to small conditions, is therefore a major advantage.

Prioritize length and volume

For a beginner in surf foiling, length and volume are the two most important criteria.

A longer board:

paddles faster
makes catching waves easier
provides more stability

More volume:

improves flotation
makes take-off easier in small, weak conditions
forgives more mistakes

The easier your board is, the more waves you will catch. The more waves you catch, the faster you will progress. And remember that paddling 300 m on a 5’3 is already no easy task. So starting out on a 4’2 would be a bad idea.

Unlike conventional surfing, once you are flying, the board no longer touches the water. Performance in surf foiling therefore depends less on board length than on how easily you can take off. That is why a board will rarely be too long or too voluminous for learning.

The Lance remains an excellent choice thanks to its forgiveness and ease of use. Here are our recommendations according to your build:

Surf foiler: Ahiri, GONG team rider, on a Lance EPS.

You can refine your choice based on your experience

You do not need to be a surfer to get started in surf foiling. However, if you already have a good surfing level, going straight for a more performance-oriented board is an option. Simply choose a volume of around half your body weight in litres.

If you are a regular surfer, you can opt for the Matata. Its shorter, more dynamic shape remains accessible at take-off while delivering more performance once in flight, particularly when pumping and changing direction.
If you lack paddling power due to limited training, a NOTW is also an interesting option for an experienced surfer.

Previous foiling experience is also an advantage, but it will influence your choice of foil more than your choice of board. If you have never had the opportunity to paddle and position yourself in a line-up, we recommend choosing a Lance suited to your weight, with plenty of stability and easy paddling.

Surf foilers: Bastien and Malo, GONG team riders, respectively on a NOTW EPS Pro, HM mast, Curve V3 Atmo front wing and Curve V3 Atmo stab, and a Matata FSP Pro, HM mast, Fluid V3 Atmo front wing and Surf-Freestyle V3 Atmo stab.

Which construction should you choose?

The board's construction influences its weight, durability and intended use.

With an EPS construction and fiberglass lamination, you get a lightweight, lively and forgiving board. This type of construction absorbs small mistakes better and offers an excellent weight-to-strength ratio for classic surf foiling. It is a logical choice for learning and progressing confidently in the waves, which is why it is the construction offered on the Lance.

If you choose another board from the range, you can opt for an EPS Pro construction, for a more dynamic feel and improved durability, or a FSP Pro construction with a full PVC carbon sandwich. Even more resistant to mechanical stress, the latter also allows the use of footstraps. This is particularly useful when learning to foil behind a boat.

Surf foiler: Malo, GONG team rider, on a Matata FSP Pro.

Conclusion

Do not choose a board that is too technical for your first sessions. The ideal equipment is the gear that matches your current level.

For learning, prioritize a shape with plenty of length and volume, which translates into greater stability and forgiveness.

In the GONG range, the Lance is the benchmark for getting started, the NOTW can be an interesting alternative thanks to its paddling speed, while the Matata is aimed at more experienced surfers looking for a board with greater performance potential.

Choosing the right board will help you progress faster, catch more waves and turn your first sessions into a real breakthrough.

After several dozen sessions, once you have mastered take-off and flight, you can move on to a more compact or higher-performance model to push harder through your turns and improve your pumping.

Surf foiler: Ahiri, GONG team rider, on a Lance EPS.