Surfboard volume: how many liters do you need?
Volume helps you catch waves but works against you once you are surfing. How much you need depends on you, the waves you surf, the board type and how you want to surf. The number is an indicator, not an absolute truth.
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The volume dilemma
Surfboard volume is the amount of space a board takes up, measured in liters.
When you paddle, your board works like a displacement hull: it sits in the water and has to push water aside in order to move forward. How much it has to push aside depends on how deep the board sits. A board with less volume sits deeper, so there is more water in the way. A board with more volume sits higher and there is less to push aside. More volume, easier paddling.
Displacement hull
Once you surf, the water hits the bottom of the board at an angle and creates lift. The board starts to skim over the water: the board is now a planing hull. At surfing speed most of the force carrying you comes from this lift. Once you are up and surfing, volume matters much less. You still need enough to keep you afloat when your speed drops. Beyond that it starts working against you, making the board harder to maneuver.
Planing hull
So choosing volume comes down to what you are willing to give up: some of your waves or some of your maneuverability.
How much volume you need while paddling
It depends on:
Weight
Your weight is the starting point. The heavier you are, the more liters you need to float well on your board.
Fitness
Fitness decides how hard and how long you can paddle. A strong paddler reaches wave speed with less help from the board.
Age
Age usually lowers fitness, but it also shifts priorities. Many surfers find that catching more waves becomes more important than the last bit of maneuverability.
Surf frequency
The more often you surf, the stronger your paddle and the better your timing. Someone who surfs twice a month needs more help from the board than someone who surfs every day.
Skill level
Experienced surfers read the waves better. They know where a wave will break and sit right in that spot, so a few strong paddles are enough to catch it.
Board construction
An EPS board (polystyrene foam with epoxy resin) is lighter than a PU board (polyurethane foam with polyester resin) of the same volume, so it floats a little more. A surfer who needs 35 liters in PU needs around 34 liters in EPS.
How much volume you need while surfing
It depends on:
The waves
In small waves you go slower, so there is less lift from the water hitting the bottom of the board and buoyancy has to do more of the work. A bit of extra volume helps you keep your speed. In big waves the challenge is getting in early, which calls for more length and more length brings more volume with it.
The board type
A fish is shorter, wider and thicker. The extra liters don’t come from your paddling needs but from the design itself and how the board surfs, so a fish usually comes out about two liters above your shortboard number. The same applies to mid-lengths, only more so: if your shortboard number is 35 liters, a mid-length for you will sit around 45. On a longboard, liters mostly stop being a useful guide.
How you want to surf
If you like to cruise and set long lines, a few liters extra will not hold you back. If you want to carve hard and surf more vertically, go to the lower end of your volume range.
Skill level
A low-volume board is more maneuverable but punishes mistakes, a higher-volume board is more forgiving.
The impact of volume on your surfing
Behind all these factors sits one basic principle that applies in every situation. With too much volume the board sits high on the water. It planes easily and feels fast, but you can’t get enough rail into the water to control your turns. With too little volume you can always sink a rail, but the rail overloads and the board loses speed coming out of the turn. With the right amount of volume, well distributed, you can load and unload the rails: you keep control and speed out of every turn.
More volume
Less volume
FROM MY SHOP AND COACHING YEARS
I have seen many beginners and intermediates choose a low-volume board just because it is easier to duck dive. That is the worst reason there is to choose your volume. Better to learn an efficient way to paddle out. There’s no point reaching the lineup if you then can’t catch a wave.
Before shaping software and CNC machines, nobody knew the volume of their board. The number only became popular once machines could calculate it. Still, it gives you a useful starting point. Walk into a shop and say your shortboard is 35 liters and someone with surfboard knowledge immediately knows where to look. Use it to compare similar boards in similar waves, not as a fixed rule.
In short
Volume is the easiest number to compare between boards, which is exactly why it gets more credit than it deserves. It tells you something about how easily you will catch waves and how maneuverable the board will be, but it says nothing about where that foam sits. Two boards with the same liters can feel completely different.
So use it, but use it for what it is: a starting point that narrows your search. The right board for you is the one that fits your profile, the waves and the way you want to surf. Volume is only one part of that answer.
That is why we don’t offer a volume calculator on its own. A number without the rest of the story leaves you guessing. Our board finder gives you your volume and the boards that go with it.
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Your volume and your three best boards
Answer a few questions about yourself, the waves and your surf preferences.