Got super stoked pushing my seven year old daughter into a few waves on my longboard last summer and want to teacher her to surf this year. I'm looking for the right soft top and want some recommendations from the Dads out there. Hoping to find something that she can ride for a few summers before transitioning to a "real" board.
Not a dad yet, but I think a Catch Surf Black Ball or something like that would be good. You can ride it too when she's not out.
Get a Black Ball or a knock-off like that. They come as thrusters and are stiffer than a Beater. One of my friends just got a knock-off for his 4 year old daughter for around $150. I'll ask him where he found it and post up the link.
I bought my daughter a 6' soft top. It's a shop brand, but Cabo makes one similar. It's a longboard to her. I push her into waves, but this year so far she's been taking it out on her own and catching shore break surf. Don't leave the top facing the sun on the beach or leave it in a car too long. I've seen them form bubbles. I chose yellow instead of red or blue because of possible heat buildup that forms bubbles. I paid 250$ for mine.
My local Costco has these for $59 (might be $69?): http://livewellsports.com/california-board-company-5-8-fish-soft-surfboard Along with the infamous 8 foot Wavestorms for $99...
Awesome! Valhalla has it right the 8 foot wavestorm my 13 year old daughter loves it. I'm stoked for you.
No Costco in these parts unfortunately. I'll be checking out the local shops here in RI and don't mind paying around $250 if it means we will surf together. I guess a 6' board will be like a longboard to her
Started my son at 4 with a 5'8" Pride. It was pretty wide for length, a swallow tail (not that it really matters) thruster. Installed the protec soft fins and nose protector. Got it for 100.00 and he used it for 1.5 years. Craigslist is an obvious place to look for something cheap. The INT real black ball is a good option but new is a bit pricey. The main thing is her weight to the board weight ratio. Once she starts to venture away from the shore break into deeper water, the dragging effect, after falling, for smaller kids can be somewhat unnerving. Remember to ease her into waves getting her use to paddling for her own and not PUSHING her. Let her feel the wave energy begin to push her and the transition to doing it on her own will come quicker. If she really gets into it don't go out and buy her something to small as her first "real" board. I did that (4'9" NSP) and my son had to basically start all over to paddle into his own waves and it was very frustrating for him. Something like the NSP 5'6" fish might also be a good all round first board that would last a longtime and all the problems associated with soft top boards would be gone. They are light and very durable. Costco sushi 5'8" < 100.00 another option and you can ride it to.
i learned on a 7' foam Surface board very easy to ride and and kept riding it once i got better also their quality is really good rode that thing for 8 years before it fell apart
