Beginner Surf Gear

Softech Surfboards: Everything you need to know

Softech surfboards were founded by Australian surfer Tom Carroll. The beautiful thing about Softech is that their range of surfboards cater to all ability levels.

Where many other soft top surfboard companies focus on the beginner surfing market, Softech have ensured that they make a board for everyone.

To prove it, they’ve even got a surf team including surfing heavy weights such as Mason Ho and Eric Geiselman. Softech surfboards are a little different to other foam surfboard brands like Catch Surf and Wave Bandit.

Some of their shorter surfboards are capped with a smooth, shiny coating to simulate the look of a traditional surfboard.

Moreover, unlike most soft top surfboards, Softech mandate that all their boards should be waxed before riding. Softech boards can classified into two categories, namely, their Original Series and their Performance Series.

The Original Series is geared toward those learning to surf and the Performance Series is for the more advanced surfer.

As this site is focussed on serving the beginner and intermediate surfer we’ll start by looking at their Original Series.

Softech Original Series

The Original Learner Series was founded to help get beginner surfers catching their first waves. Getting stoked on that first ride without falling is feeling that few surfers ever forget

The Softech Original Learner Series offer boards with enough buoyancy and stability for surfers of all ages and ability levels to easily catch broken waves all the way to the shore.

As the boards in this series are high volume, they paddle really easily and come with soft fins to help make the experience in the water a safe as possible.

Softech Surfboards Zepplin

At 115L liters the Zepplin is one of the most buoyant and stable boards on the market making it ideal board for learners.

The board has a double stringer (read our surfboards page if you don’t know what a stringer is) for added rigidity and comes with three soft fins and a leash plug (not a leash).

It comes in an 8’0″ with a volume of 115L. It comes with a tri-fin setup with Softflex fins included which is perfect for beginners.

Handshaped

The Handshaped has been designed specifically for beginners. It comes in sizes ranging from 6 foot all the way to 9 foot and has loads of volume. It’s also got added rocker on the nose to help prevent the dreaded nose dive that so many beginner surfers fall victim to.

The 6 foot board is 54 L and the 9 foot board is over 100L. It comes in five different colorways and comes with a VFS tri fin setup which is compatible will FCS fins.

softech surfboards

Rocket launch

The Rocket Launch is their fun board. Very similar type of board to the Beater by Catch Surf. The main difference is that the Rocket Launch has a tri fin setup where as the Beater has only two fins.

At only 4’2″ this board can be ridden without fins and even skimmed. There is also a 4’6″ version of this board. The volumes of both of 29L and 32L respectively.

With these relatively low volumes, surfers should be aware that these board are tricky to ride. Paddling into waves is difficult and popping is also challenging. We’re quite surprised the Rocket Launch falls within the Original Series.

softech

Handshaped Shortboard

This is a great transition board and well suited to those surfers looking to step it up a notch and start turning and carving on a wave.

It’s also perfectly suited to grommets as the board only comes in a 5’4″ and has 33L of volume.

It’s a single stringer with a quad fin setup and FCS compatible fin boxes. It comes standard with a leash (like all the other board) as well as with Softflex fins.

softtop surfboards

Sally Fitzgibbons Signature

This board is designed specifically for girls and women who want to learn to surf.

Sally’s signature model is wide, stable and easy to paddle on, making it perfect for those learning to surf. The board also comes with a handle making it easy to carry.

It comes in 6’0″, 6’6″ and 7’0″ at 54L, 61L, 66L respectively. It’s a single stringer with a VFS fin setup. Softflex fins are included.

sally fitzgibbons board

Sabre

A similar design to the Handshaped Shortboard, in the fact that it’s a fish. The Sabre has a wider tail section than the Handshaped Shortboard.

The refined shape will suit mini grommets, surfers progressing from the beginner to intermediate skill level, right through to advanced surfers who are after a groveller.

It comes in a 5’4″, 6’0″, 6’6″ with volumes of 33L, 39L and 45L respectively. It’s a single stringer with a quad fin FCS 2 setup.

softech sabre

Softech Performance Series

The Performance Series draws inspiration from the latest trends in fiberglass surfboard design. It blurs the lines between serious shredding and having fun.

Loaded with cool features encased in a soft shell. The Performance Series comes standard the FCS II Fin System so you can easily upgrade your fins.

Bomber

The Bomber has a tapered tail shape with a longboard outline in the front. It’s a perfect board for cruising whilst maintaining speed down the line.

It comes in a 5’10” and a 6’4″ with the volumes of 44L and 56L respectively. It’s a double stringer and it comes with FCS II Softflex Fins.

softech bomber

Flash

The Flash is somewhat of an iconic soft top surfboard. It has similar dimensions to a modern type shortboard where there is more volume in the nose.

Having more volume under the chest makes for easy paddling and narrower tail makes for snappy turns.

It comes in 5’0″ and 5’&’ lengths with volumes of 34L and 37L respectively. FCS 2 Softflex fins are included.

softech surfboards

Mason Twin

The eponymous board of super energetic surfer, Mason Ho. The Mason Twin will open your imagination to a new style of surfing and keep the stoke high on every session.

In Mason’s word’s – “This board is opening up new boundaries and opportunities with my surfing. Like before, it was fun surfing close to rocks, now it’s way more fun, I can pretty much glide right over them!”

The board comes in a 5’2″ an 5’6″ with volumes of 31L and 35L. It comes with FCS 2 Softflex fins.

mason twin

Kyuss King Fish

A collaboration with Kyuss King this retro fish absolutely rips. With minimal rocker, its flat base makes it fast and snappy. It’s best suited to smaller waves and it’ll turn on a dime. The perfect groveller.

It only comes in one length – a 4’8″ at 29L. It’s a single stringer and comes with FCS 2 Softflex fins.

softech surfboards

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