How to choose a cover for your surfboard
Surfboards are usually very fragile, and protecting them with a a good surfboard cover is essential. But there are several types of surfboard covers on the market, and each one is declined in models and sizes, which can complicate your choice. In this article we will explain the different aspect that you must take into account in order to be able to choose the right for your surfboard and your needs.
1. Think about the use that you have of your surfboard
If you are going to transport your surfboard on short trips, by car, by walk or by bike, you only need protection from the sun, then a surfboard strech cover is probably enough. Surfboards stretch cover only protect from the sun, they do not protect from blows, since they are thin and only the nose is padded.
If you are going to give your surfboard a more intensive use, or you just want a diary cover but which protect your surfboard from shock, then you need a surfboard padded cover with 5mm foam. It is the most common type of surf cover, as it protects your board from both sun and shock. They are comfortable, with carry handles, and usually have a pocket to keep wax or fins.
If you are going to travel, by bus or plane, where our surfboards suffer a lot, you need a reinforced surfboard cover, padded with 10mm of foam. These travel surf covers are available in single, double or triple version, to transport one or more surfboards. Some of them come also with wheels, to move easily at the airport or on the street. They are super robust covers, and usually come with several pockets to store all your accessories, definitely the best to travel.
2. Choose the right size
For stretch socks, we recommend to choose your cover the same length as your surfboard, or even one inch shorter. The fabric of these covers is elastic, so it will fit well your surfboard, fins included, even if the cover have the same length as the board.
For standard 5mm covers, you must choose the cover the same length and up to 3 inch longer than the length of your surfboard.
For travel cases, we recommend to choose the cover between 2 and 6 inches longer than the length of the longer surfboard that you will carry. Like this, you can protect the nose and the tail of your surfboards with clothes, wetsuit, or any other object that will give extra protection to the extremities of your surfboard.
3. Choose the appropriate outline.
The outline of surfboards varies a lot between shortboard, fish or funboard. The same goes for the covers. You must choose a cover with an outline as similar as possible to your surfboard.
For padded covers, It is very important that you consider the width of your surfboard. Modern shapes of Fish and hybrids are increasingly wider, and sometimes they do not fit into certain covers. Check the description and the technical data sheet of the cover for the maximum width of the cover. Check that it is at least 1 ” (2.54cm) higher than the width of your surfboard.
4. Small details that make the difference
Internal pockets, fabric, shoulder strap, carry handle, wheels, brand and colors, can make the difference if you doubt between two models.
We have a large number of surfboard covers in the store. To easily find a model that suits your surfboard and needs, we recommend to use the filters. You can filter all the covers by size, outline, capacity, brand, etc …