Buying a surfboard and wetsuit for a grom

• Start on a foam board. Forgiving, safe, and it catches waves. Unlike skateboards, an inexpensive foam board is a fine way to begin.
• Step down to a shortboard when she’s catching unbroken waves on her own and riding along the face.
• Volume is the number that matters on a shortboard. It depends on her weight and ability.
• The wetsuit matters as much as the board. A cold kid goes in early.
• Find a local shaper. A board built for a 90-pound grom surfs better than an adult board, and shapers are often a surfer’s first sponsor.

Soft-top foam boards are wide, thick and floaty, so they paddle easily and catch waves early. The soft deck and fins are much kinder when a kid gets bonked by her own board. For a first board, something around 6 to 8 feet long, depending on her size, is typical.

Plenty of kids keep a foam board long after they move on, for small days and for fun. Some foam boards are built to surf surprisingly well.

Signs she’s ready

• She paddles into unbroken waves on her own, without a push.
• She pops up cleanly and rides along the face, not just straight to the beach.
• She’s starting to turn: going up and down the wave.
• She can get out through the waves on her own (duck-diving or turtle-rolling).

Volume, explained

A shortboard’s volume, in liters, is how much foam it has, which is how much it floats. A lighter, more skilled surfer needs less volume. Most shapers and brands have a volume calculator that uses weight and ability. For a first shortboard, go a little more volume than the calculator suggests: it’ll catch more waves while she learns to turn it.

Fins, leash and traction

• Fins: three fins (a “thruster”) is the standard contest setup. Get small fins sized for a light surfer.
• Leash: about the length of the board. A 6-foot board takes a 6-foot leash.
• Traction pad on the tail, and wax on the rest of the deck. Wax comes in water-temperature grades; Southern California surfers mostly use cool and warm.

Wetsuit thickness is written as two numbers in millimeters: the first is the torso, the second the arms and legs. A 3/2 is 3mm in the body and 2mm in the limbs.

• Fit: snug everywhere, with no baggy spots for water to pool, and full movement in the shoulders. It should feel tight on land.
• Kids’ and girls’ sizes go by height and weight. Try them on; sizes vary by brand.
• Rinse it in fresh water after every surf and dry it in the shade. It will last much longer.

Kids who compete regularly usually end up with a few boards: an everyday shortboard, something for small mushy days, and a backup in case a board snaps or gets dinged on contest day. They also outgrow boards as they get taller and heavier.

Local shaper or off the rack?

Southern California is full of surfboard shapers, and many make grom boards dialed to a kid’s exact weight and ability. A good shaper will watch her surf and adjust the next board. They’re also one of the most common first sponsors for young surfers, with free or discounted boards.

Off-the-rack grom models from established brands are a good option too. Brands with deep Southern California roots, like Channel Islands, Lost, Firewire and Sharp Eye, make boards for young surfers, and surf shops carry them.

A good kids’ wetsuit runs roughly $100–$250, and a teen or women’s suit $250–$450. Prices are rough 2026 ranges.

Buying used

• Look for open dings or cracks. Any break in the fiberglass lets water in.
• Press around the deck. Soft, spongy or bubbled spots mean delamination.
• Brown stains under the glass mean the foam has soaked up water. Skip it.
• Pressure dents from feet and yellowing are normal.
• Check that the fin boxes are solid and not cracked.

• Leash, wax and a wax comb
• Rash guard for summer and under springsuits
• Sunscreen. Mineral formulas are gentler on reefs and on kids’ faces
• Booties for winter, and a changing towel or poncho
• A small ding repair kit
• A board bag to protect it in the car

1. 1.What volume do you recommend for her weight and how she surfs now?
2. 2.Do you have grom models, or a shaper who builds boards for kids?
3. 3.Which wetsuit thickness for the water where we surf, this time of year?
4. 4.Do you take trade-ins, or sell used boards?
5. 5.Do you sponsor any local groms, or run a shop team?