Five Tips To Picking A Surfboard Bag

#1) Does your surfboard fit into the boardbag?

Make sure the bag fits your board. Length should be obvious, and size does matter bro. Check both the length and width.

It's cool to get a board bag a few inches bigger than your board, but not too much bigger—you don't want it moving around too much. But from 4-6 inches bigger is ok, that way you can use it if you ever get a slightly bigger board or if you want to stuff it with wetsuit, fins and other travel goodies.

The best way to buy a bag is when you buy your board. Try and fit your board into the bag and pick the one that feels right. If you can't 'be there' then get the measurements and match them to the bag. '

#2) Match Your Style Board To Style Surfboard Case

If you buy a Fish, Mini Simmons, or Retro Surfboard you should look for a board bag with the same qualities and dimensions. Finally, check the nose shape of the boardbag case. Surfboard bags come in three main nose shapes:

pointed (mainly for short board bags)

semi-round (or hybrid)

full round (for Malibu and long board bags)

You also want to make sure that if you use your surf bag for surfboard travel that you buy a special travel surfboard travel bag which has different characteristics than a day boardbag. There is nothing like opening your surfboard bag in Costa Rica when it's firing outside and you got three dings to fix before you can paddle out.

#3) Do your fins fit into the board bag?

You will want to make sure your surfboard case works with your fins in and out.

Quads have wide fin setups and will require more room in the back and sides.

Glass-on fins are making a comeback and if you are going to be traveling with your fins glassed-in make sure those fins are well protected (see the video below for some tips on protecting your fins).

So bags come with a fin slot, make sure you check this feature if you like to keep your fins in place.

#4) Does the surfboard bag zipper suck?

Make sure your bag has a good zipper that will last. The zipper should be waterproof and rugged. Metal zippers will rust—so stay away from metal: the salt water will eat them for lunch.

Most board bags that are trashed are because of a dead zipper. Your bag is of no use if it won't open or close.

The zipper is SUPER important and you should look for the trademark YKK. Your board bag zipper should be a #8 or #10 (#10s are the best and YKK are the Mercedes of zippers).

#5) Is the boardbag padded like a push-up bra?A cheap bag will skimp on padding and you are better off wrapping the board in a towel and a dipper. Don't be a cheap bastard, when that zipper breaks and your board gets dinged from the thin padding you'll be cursing at yourself and wish you would have listened to uncle D.

Check out your new board bag and give it a good squeeze—like grabbing your partner’s arse—before you buy any surfboard bag. If you can feel your fingertips through the bag don't buy it.

Derek Dodds is the author of this article on boardbag. Find more information, about surfboard travel bag here