Are you ready to leave the foamie?
Ready usually means three things. You catch unbroken waves on your own, without the whitewater shoving you along. You pop up in one move without grabbing the rails. And you angle down the line instead of riding straight to the sand.
If you are still mostly in whitewater, a smaller board costs you waves, not time. A rule a lot of surfers use: if you miss more than a third of the waves you paddle for, you need more foam, not less.
Why a mid-length, not a shortboard
Length and foam are what catch waves. Drop both at once and your wave count falls off a cliff. A 7'0"–8'0" board with a round nose keeps most of the paddle of the foamie and lets you start turning on the face.
Jumping from a foamie straight to a 6'0" shortboard is the most common way people stall. Fewer waves means fewer turns practiced. The shortboard can be the board after this one. When you get there, read your first shortboard after foam.
How much smaller to go
Drop length and volume in steps. A common rule is to cut no more than 10 to 15 percent of your volume per board.
Use the table below for a starting volume, then find the stock size of the actual board you want. The size-by-weight charts do that for the boards people open most in Quivr.
Boards come from the Quivr catalog and rank higher when their full wave-size range covers more of the post-foamie waves band and their power midpoint sits closer to it. Ratings only break close ties. Max two per brand. A size cell names a stock size only when its liters land within about 10% of the starting volume; otherwise it says how far the chart is from it.
Starting volume by weight
Same starting point as the Quivr app: weight in kilos × 0.60 if you are newer to hardboards, × 0.46 for an everyday surfer, × 0.40 if advanced. It is a starting volume, not a length.
| If you weigh | Newer to hardboards | Everyday |
|---|---|---|
| 130 lb | 35.4L | 27.1L |
| 150 lb | 40.8L | 31.3L |
| 170 lb | 46.3L | 35.5L |
| 190 lb | 51.7L | 39.6L |
| 210 lb | 57.2L | 43.8L |
| 230 lb | 62.6L | 48.0L |
Mid-lengths that fit the step off a foamie
| Board | Wave size | Power | Skill | At 170 lb (newer to hardboards) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stewart Surfboards 2FUN | Knee-high → chest-high | Soft | Beginner-friendly to intermediate | 7'0" · 45.8L |
| Yater Fun Shape | Knee-high → chest-high | Soft | Beginner-friendly to intermediate | 7'4" · 48.9L |
| Rusty Egg | Knee-high → head-high | Soft | Beginner-friendly to intermediate | 7'1" · 46.7L |
| Chemistry Surfboards Solution | Knee-high → head-high | Soft | Beginner-friendly to intermediate | 6'5" · 42.4L |
| DHD Interceptor | Knee-high → head-high | Soft | Beginner-friendly to intermediate | 6'10" · 45L |
| NSP Funboard | Knee-high → chest-high | Soft | Beginner-friendly to intermediate | 7'2" · 49L |
| Rusty Big Cat | Knee-high → chest-high | Soft | Beginner-friendly to intermediate | 7'2" · 46.1L |
The boards
1. Stewart Surfboards 2FUN
Stewart Surfboards 2FUN runs knee-high to chest-high, overlapping the post-foamie waves band from knee-high to chest-high. Its soft power midpoint sits almost exactly on the typical power band for post-foamie waves; overall the power window reads soft to moderate. The beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window fully covers this level.
At 170 lb (newer to hardboards), the closest Stewart Surfboards 2FUN stock size is 7'0" at 45.8 liters.
Quivr catalog read: The Stewart 2FUN is designed for maximum enjoyment, making it suitable for a wide range of surfers from beginners to advanced.
Category: Midlength · Vee tail · Catalog ability: beginner
2. Yater Fun Shape
Yater Fun Shape runs knee-high to chest-high, overlapping the post-foamie waves band from knee-high to chest-high. Its soft power midpoint sits almost exactly on the typical power band for post-foamie waves; overall the power window reads soft to moderate. The beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window fully covers this level.
At 170 lb (newer to hardboards), the closest Yater Fun Shape stock size is 7'4" at 48.9 liters.
Quivr catalog read: The Yater Fun Shape is an easy-going mid-length board that offers great stability and paddle power, making it perfect for cruising on point waves.
Category: Midlength · Catalog ability: beginner
3. Rusty Egg
Rusty Egg runs knee-high to head-high, covering the whole post-foamie waves band and running past it to head-high, so there is headroom when a set stands up. Its soft power midpoint sits almost exactly on the typical power band for post-foamie waves; overall the power window reads soft to moderate. The beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window fully covers this level.
At 170 lb (newer to hardboards), the closest Rusty Egg stock size is 7'1" at 46.7 liters.
Quivr catalog read: The eGG is designed for catching more waves and having fun, suitable for both beginners and advanced surfers.
Category: Midlength · Catalog ability: beginner
4. Chemistry Surfboards Solution
Chemistry Surfboards Solution runs knee-high to head-high, picking up from knee-high and holding through the top of the post-foamie waves band (head-high). Its soft power midpoint sits almost exactly on the typical power band for post-foamie waves; overall the power window reads soft to moderate. The beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window fully covers this level.
At 170 lb (newer to hardboards), the closest Chemistry Surfboards Solution stock size is 6'5" at 42.4 liters.
Quivr catalog read: The Solution model is versatile, catering to both beginners and experienced surfers.
Category: Midlength · Catalog ability: beginner
5. DHD Interceptor
DHD Interceptor runs knee-high to head-high, picking up from knee-high and holding through the top of the post-foamie waves band (head-high). Its soft power midpoint sits almost exactly on the typical power band for post-foamie waves; overall the power window reads soft to moderate. The beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window fully covers this level.
At 170 lb (newer to hardboards), the closest DHD Interceptor stock size is 6'10" at 45 liters.
Quivr catalog read: The DHD Interceptor is a versatile mid-length board that excels in a range of conditions, from small to double overhead waves.
Category: Midlength · Catalog ability: beginner to advanced
6. NSP Funboard
NSP Funboard runs knee-high to chest-high, covering the whole post-foamie waves band and not much beyond it — a specialist for exactly these days. Its soft power midpoint sits almost exactly on the typical power band for post-foamie waves; overall the power window reads soft to moderate. Its skill window reads beginner-friendly to intermediate.
At 170 lb (newer to hardboards), the closest NSP Funboard stock size is 7'2" at 49 liters.
Quivr catalog read: The NSP Funboard is a versatile choice suitable for surfers from beginners to experts.
Category: Midlength · Rounded pintail · Catalog ability: beginner
7. Rusty Big Cat
Rusty Big Cat runs knee-high to chest-high, overlapping the post-foamie waves band from knee-high to chest-high. Its soft power midpoint sits almost exactly on the typical power band for post-foamie waves; overall the power window reads soft to moderate. The beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window fully covers this level.
At 170 lb (newer to hardboards), the closest Rusty Big Cat stock size is 7'2" at 46.1 liters.
Quivr catalog read: The Big Cat is a versatile midlength board that offers agility and power, making it suitable for a range of wave conditions.
Category: Midlength · Double-wing swallow tail · Catalog ability: intermediate · 4.5★ from 6 Quivr ratings
Compare these picks head to head
Live Quivr comparison pages for pairs in this list — same spectra, side by side:
FAQ
Is a 9ft foamie too big?
Not for learning. A 9'0 foamie is the standard learner board because it is stable and catches waves early. It only becomes too big once you catch unbroken waves easily and want to turn more than it lets you.
Should I get a hard longboard or a mid-length after my foamie?
If you love trimming in small, slow waves, a longboard of 9'0" and up keeps the most waves. If you want to start turning, a 7'0"–8'0" mid-length or mini-mal is the more common next step. Both beat a shortboard at this stage.
How much volume should my board after a foamie have?
Quivr starts surfers who are newer to hardboards at 0.6 liters per kilo: about 41 liters at 150 lb, 49 at 180 lb and 57 at 210 lb. Then pick the stock size of the board closest to that number.
When can I move to a shortboard?
When you catch most of the waves you paddle for on the mid-length, turn on the face both ways, and want a board that fits steeper waves. Drop length and volume in steps, not all at once.