Learn your A-Z of the parts of a surfboard before you buy to ensure you understand the lingo.
Visible Parts
Base
Bottom of surfboard, has a smooth surface
Deck
Top of surfboard, on a soft top this is a soft and grippy foam material
Fin Box
Used to attach removable fins and come in various formats
Fins
Increases directional stability in the water, the number and size of fins varies
Leash / Leg Rope
Attaches to your leg and the back of the deck so you don’t lose your board
Nose
Front of surfboard
Rail
Sides of surfboard
Rocker
Amount of curve in surfboard from nose to tail
Tail
Back of surfboard
Invisible Parts
Core
The material inside the surfboard
Foam
Usually refers to the core material, but may refer to the deck and rails on a soft top surfboard
Stringer
Thin wooden strip running from nose to tail, used to add stiffness. Some boards have multiple stringers
Volume
Size of total surfboard area, used to compare the buoyancy of a surfboard. See our Surfboard Volume Calculator if you want to know the volume of your surfboard