In the world of surfing, your board is the most important piece of equipment. Choosing a board can be confusing though. Short, long, somewhere in between?
There is a myriad of different board shapes and they all have a specific reason for their shape. Some are good for beginners while others are reserved for advanced surfers.
The hybrid is a unique and popular board design of the current era. But what exactly is a hybrid and why ride one?
A hybrid surfboard is a blend of shape between a high performance shortboard and a fish style board.
Hybrid surfboards combine the traditional shortboard with the fish, making it a versatile board design.
Whereas the shortboard touts a narrow, thin and highly curved shape, the hybrid has a wider nose and middle point, and greater volume like the fish style board. It also has a flatter rocker and may have a swallow tail like a fish which allows for greater speed.
The hybrid is the answer for people who like the rideability a wider and more buoyant board offers without losing the maneuverability of a shorter board. Extra width and volume means the hybrid performs in almost any surfing conditions.
It does well on average and below average days of mushy waves, and it does well on great head high days. The design allows for better stability in the waves with the maneuverability of a regular shortboard.
The goal of a hybrid is to have a board that’s easy to paddle, stable and fast, like a fish, while allowing for better turns, like a shortboard.
They range in size from around six to seven and a half feet, making a hybrid a great step down from a longboard while maintaining stability. Hybrids are growing in popularity and could prove essential to your repertoire.
Difference between a Hybrid and Other Boards
Different brands have slightly varying names for similar board designs, which can get confusing when trying to figure out what kind of board you’re looking for.
Some companies call a hybrid a funboard and some categorize a hybrid as a fish while still others label it as distinct from both. In the end, the name may matter less than understanding the shape. Board labels are to help differentiate between different board shapes.
The hybrid is distinct in its length, thickness and width compared with other designs. It is wider than a high performance shortboard and is widest up slightly higher towards the nose.
The nose is also wider and may be more rounded than the sharper point of regular shortboards. Greater width gives the board greater surface area, meaning greater contact with the water. It allows for better balance and stability, as well as easier paddling. Hybrids are also thicker than shortboards, especially under the area where your chest goes. This gives the board better buoyancy and gives more hold to the rails.
Better buoyancy helps keep you floating on top of the water and provides more stability. They also have a lower rocker, or curve to the board than a regular shortboard.
Rocker is the curve of a board when viewed from the side. High rockers, or larger curves, help when you’re dropping in on steep waves. The flatter curve of a hybrid allows for more contact with water.
This contact helps the board to be pulled more by the wave, allowing you to catch smaller or less powerful surf.
These characteristics sound similar to a longboard, and it does share many similarities with a longboard, however it has the length of a shortboard. This shorter length gives the board the maneuverability of more high performance surfboards without sacrificing rideability.
In general, the hybrid is a variation lengthwise of the shortboard that will be wider and thicker than other designs.
Who is a Hybrid Surfboard For?
Hybrids are quickly growing in popularity, said to surpass the traditional shortboard, thanks to its great versatility. It works in small surf and even does well on better than average surf conditions.
This board design works well for newer surfers and surfing veterans alike. Since the hybrid is easy to paddle and easier to catch waves with than other shorter boards, it works great in less than ideal surfing conditions.
Thanks to work and social lives, when you have time to surf and when the waves are best probably don’t always line up. If all you have is a shortboard, you’ll have a harder time catching waves one less than ideal surfing days.
Having a hybrid in your board rotation means you can spend more time actually riding waves, which is the whole point in surfing isn’t it? It’s more fun to be up in the waves than only chasing after them.
Due to the hybrid’s shorter design, it also allows for more maneuverability than you’ll find with longer boards. In this way, you can continue to progress your skills by working on turns and tricks.
On the other hand, hybrids work for newer surfers too. While the longboard is seen as the essential first board, hybrids can be another option if you’re up for the challenge of learning to balance on a shorter board.
Otherwise, a hybrid makes a perfect second board for those who have mastered paddling and standing on a longboard and are looking for their next step.
Thanks to its greater volume and width, a surfer can still enjoy the pros of having a longboard while learning to balance on a shorter craft so that you can start on the next stages of mastering the waves.
Longboards do really well going straight forward but are harder to maneuver while shortboards are much harder to balance and stay upright. The hybrid is a great opportunity to progress your skills without sacrificing rideability.
The hybrid board design is a versatile, easy going board and makes a great addition to every surfer’s collection.
Best Conditions for a Hybrid Surfboard
A hybrid can be ridden in most surf. When it comes to catching a wave, contact with the water is key.
Width, volume and rocker all play a part. A low rocker and greater width means the board has better contact with the water giving better stability no matter what the wave looks like. Volume relates to the board’s ability to float.
Higher volume means you sit higher in the water and produce less drag. This allows you to paddle faster.
The combination of greater surface area contact along with greater volume of the hybrid means you’ll catch waves earlier and gain better speed down the line.
This helps with days when the waves are smaller or less powerful and works well in more powerful better than normal days.
Due to its performance rails, tail and curve, a hybrid can handle waves as the drops become steeper and turns sharper. You can focus more on riding down the line instead of trying to find your balance while riding bigger waves.
This leaves more time for working on the other aspects of surfing. Thanks to its ease of catching waves, the hybrid is a good choice in any conditions .
Choosing the Right Dimensions For Your Surfboard
Even though there are specific characteristics to the hybrid’s shape, the right dimensions for you will vary based on your height and weight as well as your skill level.
The taller and heavier you are, the longer board you’ll need as well as greater volume. Same applies to skill. The more advanced of a surfer you are, the less volume and length you’ll require.
If you choose one that is too short or doesn’t have enough buoyancy, you’ll find it much harder to ride and end up feeling frustrated.
The right dimensions will allow you to catch more waves and enjoy your surfing sessions.
Below is the suggested length of hybrid for a surfer’s weight range.
- 100 to 140 lbs – 5ft 10in to 6ft 4in
- 140 to 160 lbs – 6ft 3in to 6ft 8in
- 160 to 180lbs – 6ft 5in tp 6ft 10in
- 160 to 200lbs – 6ft 9in to 7ft 4in
- Over 200lbs – 7ft 8in or more
Related Questions
Is a Hybrid Good for Beginner Surfers?
The longboard is generally suggested as the best board for beginners, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only option.
The hybrid will have similar pros to a longboard, namely the greater width and volume that allows for greater stability and balance. In this way they make a good beginner board.
However, the shorter length provides a greater challenge when learning to paddle and pop up. Shorter boards generally require more skill which is why they’re suggested for more intermediate to advanced surfers.
You can choose a hybrid as your first board if you’re up to the challenge, but would make a better second board in order to progress.
What is the Best Surfboard for Small Waves?
Small waves require a board with more volume and a flatter rocker to perform well. Any board meeting these specifications will do well in small waves.
The fish, hybrid, groveler and longboard are the most common small wave boards. They paddle fast, catch waves easily and provide better stability while riding.