BEGINNER’S BOARD
The INT’s top may be made of closed-cell foam, but that doesn’t mean it’s a poorly performing slug like most soft-tops. Because the business side of the board is all resin (like conventional glassed surfboards), with a set of two Future Fins and a Bahn Fin in the middle, it performs much like a traditional surfboard. Call it a hybrid: a classically shaped longboard that’s perfect for beginners, but with just enough mojo that you won’t grow out of it as soon as you learn how to walk the nose. 8′; intsoftboards.com
Bonus: Beginner boards inevitably suffer dings (oops, didn’t see that reef?), but this super-durable board can take the abuse.
Bummer: The top may be soft, but beware: Those hard fins underneath are not, and will still leave a mark.