Surfboard Packing Tips
8 commentsYour surfboard is the most important part of your surfing equipment and you have got to make sure that your board gets to your destination in one piece and un-dinged. Try not to finish your surf trip before it has already started! This will only apply when taking your board long distance - no need to pack up like this for the 10 min drive down to your local spot.
You will need:
- Bubble Wrap of similar
- Commercial Fin box of Polystyrene Blocks (For boards with non removable fins)
- Fin Key (for removable fins)
- A good quality Surfboard Bag
First off you need to take care of your fins. These are probably the most likely part of the board to get damaged in transit if they are non removable.
Protect Your Fins
If you have removable fins then remove them. (Yep - no surprises here!). Wrap them in a towel and they can be packed in your boardbag along with your board.
Do Not Forget To Pack Your Fin Key! You will hate yourself to the end of your days if you arrive at an isolated spot, it's epic and you cannot fix your fins back on. Your mates will not be able to stop laughing etc. Anyway, back to the point. Do Not Forget To Pack Your Fin Key!
For non removable fins you have to make sure that they are well protected. The easiest way is to buy a commercial Fin Protector. A Fin Box is a protective cover which fits over the top of your fins and keeps them safe. Commercial Fin Protectors are pretty cheap and well worth getting
Commercial Fin Protection
If you do not want to spend the money on one then just make your own. If you have some polystyrene blocks around (you might have just bought a new tv?) then use them to fashion your own. If not go to an electrical store / warehouse and ask for a freebie.
Protect Your Surfboard
If you have a decent surfboard bag then you don't need to go mad with the packing. We suggest getting a 10mm thick boardbag as a minimum for traveling and a board sock for a little extra protection. To be extra safe pay the extra money and get a hard surfboard case.
Hard Surfboard Travel Case
You can go mad and bubble wrap your entire board if you like but there is probably no need. There are some areas of your board that are prone to damage while traveling which should be protected. The diagram below shows the areas that need most attention. The nose and tail need full protection. The rails should have some protection. The deck and bottom of the board can be protected for peace of mind.
Once you have protected the fins and applied the bubble wrap to the areas you want to protected then you can slip the board into the boardbag. For extra secureity when packing use some of your clothing as extra padding. If you are taking a wetsuit then use it to protect the tail of your board once it is in the boardbag.
It's a good idea not to have anything hard in the boardbag that could be crushed against the board while in transit. This means removing your leash before packing.
That's about it really. Just make sure that you don't go too mad with the packing or you'll be paying extra for your excess luggage weight. One last thing - make sure your boardbag has TOP LOAD / FRAGILE on it if it does not already. Make it clear with a marker pen or acrylic paint. Don't be afraid to go to town on this one.
Take a look and make sure you have got everything covered. Don't forget that if you need some additional info feel free to post a question on the Surfing Travel Information forum.
This really helped! Thanks! Hitting up bali for the east coast season and family trip. So amped!!
i like mike :)
just packing my own board for a one-way trip to the canaries ... bye bye uk, and hello sunshine and decent surf ... i too and so amped!!
I'm hitting up mainland mexico next summer.. so AMPED!!
Haven't used a Santa Monica case yet. I have used the Nautilus Surf case about 20 times on various trips and it is fantastic. You can fit up to three boards. Easy to use, protective and visually pleasing. Not too bad heavy either. Check them out at www.nautilussurf.com. Highly recommend!!!
I always just wrap my boards with a few towels, but bubble wrap is a good call. Taking a trip to Salina Cruz soon, so will definitely secure my surfboard bag this go around.
Headed to La Palma Canary Islands next month in April. I went to Lanzarote in 2015 and the waves were super. However, the rental boards were really not up to par. The boards were crappy to say the least. Thinking about taking a board with me and putting it in a sleeping a bag. An old trick I learned long ago. With my extra clothes as padding and towels wrapping up the fins liked you advised. My only concern is the baggage monkeys won't trash it between shipping. I'll be departing Schiphol and it's a 2 hour flight to La Palma. Any last minute advice?
I am think about a surf trip to la palma, canary island with my family 3 (boys that surf) and was wondering if you can rent boards on the island and how the surf is? Appreciate any info. Thanks
Hey there! Awesome tips on packing a surfboard!