Mid-length or longboard? What the length numbers actually show

Updated 2026-09-19

A mid-length gives you most of a longboard's paddle power and glide in a board that still turns like a shorter board. A true longboard, 9 feet and up, gives you more of both at the cost of a board that is harder to duck dive, harder to turn quickly, and harder to travel with. Most surfers asking this question are better served by a mid-length.

What the current rack actually shows

Only a small handful of boards in the current rack sit at 9 feet or longer: a modern retro single fin, a step-up gun, and a log built for gliding rather than turning. Almost everything else in the current quiver sits in the mid-length range. That is not an accident. It is where most of the actual surfing gets done.

Inside the mid-length range there is still a lot of variety: a shorter, lower-volume modern mid turns and paddles very differently to a longer, higher-volume one, even though both would get called a mid-length by most people.

What a longboard actually buys you

The longer boards in the rack each earn their spot for specific reasons, not general ones. A glide-focused log is for noseriding on to the point wave. A step-up gun is for the rare days it gets genuinely big, and I do not ride it often, it is a specific tool for a specific swell. A modern retro single fin sits in between, useful when the waves are small and weak and paddle power matters more than maneuverability.

None of them get ridden as an everyday board. If your goal is one board that covers most of your sessions, a longboard at that length is usually the wrong pick unless you specifically surf point breaks or very small, soft waves most of the time.

What a mid-length actually buys you

A mid-length paddles noticeably easier than a shortboard, catches more of the average wave, and still turns well enough to be fun rather than just functional. That combination is why most of the current rack sits in the mid-length range rather than at true longboard length. A mid-length is also a lot easier to travel with and store than anything over 9 feet.

If you are trying to decide between a mid-length and a fish, which sit in a similar length range but ride very differently, that comparison is worth reading separately. This page sits inside the choosing a board section alongside the rest of these questions.

What speed and glide add to the picture

A mid-length gives up very little top-end glide or speed against a true longboard on an average wave, while gaining a board that turns, travels and stores far more easily. A true longboard's extra length and continuous rocker still edge it out on a long, glide-friendly point wave, but only by a margin a good mid-length can nearly match, while surfing a shorter, easier-to-turn board to get there.

The honest answer

If you already surf a longboard regularly at a point break and love it, keep doing that, this page is not telling you to change. But if you are choosing your next board from scratch and are not sure, start with a mid-length before jumping to anything 9 feet or over. It is the more useful board for more sessions for most people, and the current rack backs that up.

Questions people ask

What length actually counts as a longboard?

In this record, 9 feet and up. Below that, even a wide, high-volume board rides closer to a mid-length than a true longboard.

Can a mid-length replace a longboard completely?

For most everyday small to average surf, yes. A true longboard still wins for noseriding and for very small, soft point waves where nothing else paddles as well.

Is a longboard harder to learn on than a mid-length?

Not necessarily to catch waves on, since the extra length and volume make paddling easier. It gets harder once you try to turn it or duck dive it in anything with power.

Why don't you keep more boards over 9 feet if longboards paddle so well?

Because paddle power is only one factor. The ones I keep each do a specific job I cannot get from a mid-length: gliding, noseriding, or coping with genuinely big surf. For everyday sessions, a mid-length does more of what I actually need.

Do I need a longboard to catch more waves in weak surf?

Not necessarily. A higher-volume mid-length in the upper part of its range can catch nearly as many marginal waves as a true longboard while remaining far easier to turn, carry and store. Reserve a true longboard for when you specifically want the glide and noseriding it offers.

What is the best length to start with if I am moving up from a shortboard?

Somewhere around 6'10 to 7'6 with reasonable volume for your weight. See surfboard volume explained for how to work out a starting number, and what is a mid-length for the fuller definition.