Best Egg Surfboard
Everyone’s talking about eggs, they seem to be popping up all over! But, this is a pretty broad category, with lengths from <6’ to 8’, so trying to choose the right egg might leave your brain feeling scrambled.
The egg surfboard is a relatively recent addition to the surfing scene. Designed with enough width to provide stability for learners (or in choppy conditions) and short enough to turn well, so intermediate and advanced surfers can get creative, they may look like a squashed longboard but sit in the shortboard/funboard category performance-wise. Deciding what you want to get out of your egg surfboard is key to making a wise selection.
Before the decision-making process leaves you fried, poach a little knowledge from my handy guide and I'll help you find the best egg to put in your basket!
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Quick Glance:
#1 Overall best egg surfboard - SBBC Casper 6'8" →
#2 Best egg for value fun - Wavestorm 7' →
#3 Best egg for beginners - Wavestorm 8' →
#4 Best egg for kids - SBBC Guppy 6' →
#5 Best egg for performance - SBBC Huevo 4'10" →
The 5 Best Egg Surfboards
#1 Overall best egg surfboard - SBBC Casper 6'8"
I really like the construction and quality of these South Bay Board Co surfboards, especially the fiberglassed wooden bottom complete with Futures fin boxes.
Combined with a lightweight EPS foam core and patented I-beam wooden stringer, and topped off with a textured deck, which doesn't require waxing, their boards always combine durability, performance and style.
At 6'8" x 21" x 2.75" the Casper has the full nose and wide outline of a classic egg design.
This means it paddles and catches waves easily, allowing beginner surfers to make the most of their session.
The fish-style swallowtail, whilst not typical for an egg, keeps the board loose through turns and makes it equally well suited for more advanced riders wanting to make the most of small or messy surf conditions.
The Futures fins can easily be switched out to change size or convert from a thruster fin set up to a twin fin, which will give a ride that feels more like a fish surfboard. You could even switch to a single; I personally don't really enjoy the combination of a single fin with a swallow tail but don't let that stop you from trying it out.
A volume of 58L makes this board suitable for riders up to 220lbs, although an absolute beginner that size might want to opt for something slightly larger, such as one of the Wavestorm boards I've included later in the article.
My overall pick for best egg surfboard, the Casper will show pretty much any surfer how an egg can put a smile on their face.
Pros & Cons
#2 Best egg for value fun - Wavestorm 7'
Wavestorm has been one of the most popular manufacturers of foam surfboards on the market for years.
The balance between price point and design has seen beginners especially flocking to the brand.
The 7' x 22" x 3", 70L Classic is one of their bestsellers, with a retro egg shape and enough buoyancy to work for most riders.
The wide nose and chest area will get you paddling into any wave and once you're up there's plenty of speed to play with.
Construction-wise, these egg surfboards use an EPS foam core, three marine-ply stringers, a slick HDPE base and water barrier deck skin.
This makes their boards relatively tough, although they lack the finesse and absolute durability of a premium design like the SBBC Casper.
For grab-and-go-surf convenience, these funboard eggs come complete with a built-in tail pad, bolt through three fin setup, and leash. Everything you need apart from a block of wax (don't surf without, the deck is rather slippery) comes right out of the box.
Convenience and economy does come at the expense of versatility. Bolt through fins don't allow the same variation and experimentation as a branded system like Futures, for example. However, these boards are designed for surf fun more than technical finesse, so if you're looking for high end egg surfboard performance, you might want to skip ahead to my review of the SBBC Huevo.
This board is perfect for piling into the surf and not taking yourself too seriously, go play!
Pros & Cons
#3 Best egg for beginners - Wavestorm 8'
The 8' x 22.5" x 3.25" Wavestorm is by far the largest board covered in these egg surfboard reviews.
Sitting right at the upper end between an egg and a longboard, it is very much designed for the beginner market.
A whopping 86L of volume make this board a paddling machine and a real easy rider for those new to surfing.
The construction and features are identical to the 7' version: same EPS foam core, stringer system, fin setup etc., so the relative merits of the two are simply a case of how you want to surf the wave.
For absolute beginners, bigger is better. The extra length and width translate into maximum stability; most people could even stand up on this board without the benefit of a wave so conditions really aren't an issue.
The dimensions also mean a more experienced surfer can use the 8'er as a true longboard. However, if your aspirations are towards eventually riding a shortboard, the 7' option is considerably more maneuverable and a better stepping stone in that direction.
Having talked a lot about the beginner credentials of these, there is another side to the coin. The extra length puts this board well into "speed egg" territory, and plenty of surfers have been known to take one out in big or dumping waves when they want the extra safety of a soft top surfboard. Check out some footage from the infamous Newport Wedge and you'll see what I mean.
Pros & Cons
#4 Best egg for kids - SBBC Guppy 6'
The Guppy from South Bay Board Co is manufactured using the same EPS foam core as the Casper I reviewed earlier in the article.
However, this is a budget retro egg surfboard aimed primarily at kids and beginner surfers so some of the other premium features have been replaced with cheaper substitutes: Bolt through three fin setup, an HDPE slick base, and two wooden stringers being the biggest points of difference.
I really like the shape of this beginner egg. The 3" thickness is carried all the way across the 21" width to the rounded rails, which gives plenty of stability.
The tail is pulled in to aid turning on the wave face but still wide enough to maintain control; the round nose adds speed when paddling and helps prevent a beginner surfer from "pearling" (digging the nose in) on takeoff.
Given the volume of 40L, combined with the length, this particular egg is not one of the larger foam surfboards around and not really suited to adult beginners. It's ideal for older kids though and an experienced shortboard rider might still want to add one to their quiver and surf it on those fun but not epic beach break days.
Pros & Cons
#5 Best egg for performance - SBBC Huevo 4'10"
If you thought an egg surfboard under 5' was only for little kids, think again.
These little quad eggs from SBBC aren't beginner boards, the design is all about giving experienced surfers maximum enjoyment in even the smallest waves or shore break.
Made in the same premium construction as the Casper, the 4'10" x 21" x 2.85" Huevo has 37L of volume, which puts it into the same sort of territory as the smaller fish boards.
That said, the round nose reminds me even more of a mini-Simmons. An extra wide tail and Futures quad fin setup make this even more pronounced.
This is a super-fast, loose little egg board for skateboard-like performance surfing.
If you want it to feel more like a retro fish sometimes, I'd recommend ditching the quad for a nice twin keel fin setup and getting even more loose. You'll be sliding through full reverses in no time!
I was a bit skeptical about quite how small this board is at first, but it's so wide and flat you can keep the volume under your chest and even I could scrape into waves on one. True, especially tall riders or those well over 200lbs will still want to opt for something with more length to help them catch a wave, but most surfers with a decent skill level will manage just fine.
You'll quickly find egg surfboard performance doesn't get any better than the Huevo. Add one to your quiver and go nuts in those small summer wave conditions.
Pros & Cons
FAQ
What is an egg surfboard?
An egg is a wide, round nosed surfboard in the shortboard to funboard size range (up to around 8'). These are designed to match easy paddling and speed with the ability to turn quickly and produce creative lines on the wave. At the larger end, they're an "easy rider" and a great starting point for beginner surfers. The smaller eggs surf loose enough to be more reminiscent of a classic fish surfboard.
Are egg surfboards good for beginners?
The design of egg surfboards, balancing ease and stability with maneuverability, makes them very popular with beginners. They're not quite as simple to get started on as a longboard but you'll be able to start working on turns more easily; riding an egg is a great way to speed up the transition from true beginner to intermediate surfer.
What size egg surfboard should I get?
This depends on your level and how you want to surf the egg. For beginners looking for an egg design as their first surfboard, I recommend choosing one about a foot (or more) longer than their height. However, if you're experienced on a shortboard and fancy a fun addition to your quiver, you can pretty much go as short as possible in a fish-inspired or retro egg as long as there's still enough volume to keep you afloat.
What is a speed egg surfboard?
A speed egg is a slightly longer, slimmer version of the egg template, with a more pulled in nose and tail. These are usually purchased either as a step up board for larger wave conditions (due to their speed and stability) or as a transitional board for shortboard surfers who want to learn how to ride a longboard. They are very linear, however, and not ideal for surfers who want to focus on turns.
Final Thoughts
Now you've read my egg surfboard reviews, it's time to go pick the design best suited to your surfing. Whichever you choose you'll get bags of speed, so it comes down to how you want to use it. If you're after a longboard or easy rider, a 7' or 8' board will suit you just fine.
If your like me, you want something you can really throw around, the Huevo is a brilliant design. SBBC boards have the highest quality, while Wavestorm definitely give great value.
All of these boards are great though, so don't worry. Go buy, go surf, in the end, the best egg surfboard is the one that gets you into your next wave!
