Beginners Guide : How to Transition from a longboard to a shortboard

[@ablamill8357]

Great advice! I have spent 1 year on a foamie. Then nearly 1.5year on a midlength. Then only then now trying shortboarding and it's been really nice transition to take my time and be able to learn to surf without the frustration that comes with jumping into shortboarding too fast.

[@doug5372]

Great practical info for surfers thanks for sharing the stoke !

[@WayneNicholson-t8b]

Good vid

[@doug5372]

So glad you mentioned the difficult egg boards beginners step down onto, I’ve always suspected this and glad you had the same idea 💡

[@barrydworak]

Good point about mid length eggs! I see them as a board for a certain kind of wave. Some reefs in the San Diego area come to mind. They break pretty far out, and they give you a steady push all the way, but they don't have a vertical face. On a shortboard you just end up doing a series of gutless cutbacks and trying not to bog. On a longboard, you just stand there in the middle twiddling your thumbs. The egg doesn't bog like the shortboard, and it lets you move around on the face more than a longboard. But getting a specialized board for a certain break is not what beginners ought to be doing. It'll just lead to frustration, as you say. 👍

[@aaron.monson_surf]

so like you would prefer to ride an egg than a shortboard at a wave like swamis?

[@barrydworak]

@@aaron.monson_surf Swamis can be top to bottom. I'm thinking some places in Solana Beach and Sunset Cliffs.

[@aaron.monson_surf]

@@barrydworak oh I see

[@DavidS1er]

Some one sponsor Kolton and get more stickers on his board. You’re the man dude

[@SMC4117]

I see progression as being able to ride all types of surfboards smoothly, effectively, and how they are designed to be ridden. There’s a time and a place for all surfboards, knowing how and when to ride a specific board to match the conditions is key. At my peak in surfing, I had a twin fin, a custom bonzer, a mid-length, a high performance longboard, and a traditional heavy log… each board rode completely different from the other. Nowadays, at 54 years old, it’s all about high performance longboards, mega fishes, and traditional logs🏄🏼‍♂️🤙🏻

[@Singlefinsurfingforlife]

I’m 37 and in the same boat rad man

[@SMC4117]

@@Singlefinsurfingforlife Ha! Ya, the older you get the longer your surfboards seem to get… shit, in 15 years I’ll be ordering a custom kneeboarding… after that, boogie board and bodysurfing… once a man, twice a child…..

[@ShralpStories]

I couldn’t agree with you more that there is a time and place for any surfboard. I also agree that riding all types of boards will progress your style and grace in which you ride a wave. Although for a beginner I think there are some steps people need to take in order to start working out their style. Sounds like I might need to drop a new tech tip on style? Thanks for the feedback mate! Love to hear it

[@Singlefinsurfingforlife]

I’m all ready body surfing probably more than i actually surf now a day

[@SMC4117]

@@Singlefinsurfingforlife Ha! I’m right there with ya!

[@sicknabio]

Been long boarding for years. Really want to get into short boarding in 2025. What's a good break here in South Orange County to get comfortable short boarding? And what shape do you recommend as a first shortboard? Thanks!

[@aaron.monson_surf]

Awesome video and super helpful! Could you do a video on how to go pro (mostly how the wsl works and if there are any other ways to surf competitively)? Thanks!

[@ShralpStories]

Yeah that’s a good one mate! We got you!

[@aaron.monson_surf]

@@ShralpStories Awesome! thanks

[@jafarhabib2525]

Where are you surfing? Im in the bay area, weather looks similar but the vegitation looks like socal or hawaii

[@ShralpStories]

We live in socal👍

[@riccon88]

Hi from Italy, great content. When and for what board would you transition from a 7 foamy softboard to a shortboard? Would you keep surf with a softboard until what?

[@ShralpStories]

I would recommend riding your foam board until you feel very comfortable catching waves, standing up, and going down the line. Once you have that figured out then I would step down to a 6’6” short board and from there progressively get smaller boards

[@ablamill8357]

Being able to ride frontside and backside and some turning with control, ideally being able to do a good bottom.

[@BuzzLiteBeer]

What is considered mid-length? I've been learning on a 7'6" 55L mini-mal after ditching the 8' Costco special and it seems to do fine.

[@ShralpStories]

That size of board is technically a middle length board. The type of board we are referring to in the video is a single fin hull where the bottom is rounded summer to the hull of a boat.

[@ryze9381]

💪

[@erdemulubas]

As a surfer who is trying to switch to bigger shortboard from a midlenght, I found it hard to catch a wave with a 6”6 because of the crowd and gave up. As shorther the board is, you have to sit closer to the peak where it is extremely crowded. I think these days crowd is the biggest factor everyone should consider

[@ShralpStories]

The crowds are hectic everywhere these days. Best bet for learning is finding a time when there aren’t many people

[@WillStinton]

You should get a Timmy Blue Fin or Chili Pepper and make a video about how egg-shaped mid lengths are actually fun sometimes!

[@ShralpStories]

Oh snap that’s not a bad call. Going to have to have a chat with Timmy about that one!

[@charleshawk6668]

I picked up a Channel Islands M-23, thing is sick

[@coldseamonster]

Besides going straight it has no benefit for progressive surfing. But great for someone coming back from injury.

[@aaron.monson_surf]

what does?

[@coldseamonster]

@@aaron.monson_surf The title is “Are midlengths hurting your progression?” So I feel it’s a board that has it own criteria for progression within its category, but not going to help do airs or going vertical like a short board can obviously.

[@aaron.monson_surf]

@@coldseamonster ohh ok

[@charleshawk6668]

Nope

[@hydrotricine]

Who would want to transition to a shortboard? To be another frustrate Medina wannabe? Shortboards ruined the essence of surfing and i was almost losing myself to it also, after 15 years of competitive surfing i finally saw the light, keep it single fin, keep it fun🥳

[@benjaminking3348]

Your opinion must stay with u

[@charleshawk6668]

Nope