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Where to buy South Bay Onda Bodyboard:
Southbayboardco.com
From a family-owned, small business – South Bay Board Co. – we introduce our #1 beginner boogie board pick, the Onda Beginner Bodyboard. Their boogie boards are custom-designed and crafted by experienced shapers.
South Bay guarantees quality materials, and the closed-cell EPS Onda Beginner Bodyboard reinforces this claim. Each board is designed with performance in mind, and this board is designed for beginner riders to perform.
The value of their boards is unbeatable due to them cutting out the middleman and selling directly to the buyer. The performance and value of the Onda beginner bodyboard should not be overlooked.
Things we like:
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This board is designed by expert shapers with beginner performance in mind -
The nose rocker helps prevent nose dives
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Comes with a quality leach
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Perfect for family beach trips over the years
Things we don't like:
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The beginner shape and EPS core make this board slower, leaving intermediate/advanced riders wanting something more
Where to buy South Bay Onda Bodyboard:
Southbayboardco.com
- Material: EPS Core and HDPE Slick
- Length: 42”
- Capacity: 200lbs
- Weight: 3lbs (including leash)
- Price: $50
Optimum Performance & Ideal Wave Size
The Onda Beginner Bodyboard was designed to perform in extra small to medium surf. When waves are 1-3ft, this board will be one of the best-performing boards in the water. This is not going to be your board of choice if waves get larger than 6ft. The EPS core will not be able to hold up, and you’ll want a faster board. But for waves under 4ft, this is a good choice.
The rocker nose helps avoid nose dives. The soft-edge rails give control. And the crescent tail provides versatility. Making a design combination of the ultimate performing beginner boogie board. This board is meant to catch a lot of waves with forgiveness in mind. While riding this bodyboard, you can feel how stable it is while it also supplies a generous amount of maneuverability.
Who Should Ride this Boogie Board
Beginner and intermediate riders will get the most out of this South Bay bodyboard. Riders will notice lots of buoyancy from the EPS core and easy maneuvering on the wave from the rails and crescent tail.
If you have never played in the surf, this bodyboard will be a great water-entry starter. It is comfortable to lay on while giving plenty of float. Families may benefit the most from this purchase. Kids will have a blast, and even grandma can take a turn. The durability of the boogie board will prove itself after each family trip year after year.
The Onda Bodyboard is made with an affordable EPS core, the chosen beginner core. If you are willing to spend a little extra, a PE core will be better for a bodyboarder looking for progression in a board.
Even though it is an entry level boogie board, you can still cut down the line and make some turns. But, compared to a more advanced boogie board, a slower speed and more float will be noticed.
Beginner-Friendly Boogie Board Materials
The Onda boogie board is made with a closed-cell expanded Polystyrene (EPS) core. This is an ideal beginner bodyboard core material. It is also the most affordable; typically, boards with this core will be $60 and under. The bonus of this core in the Onda board is it makes catching waves easier due to the buoyancy. The downside of this core is it could snap in heavier surf conditions or poor handling during transportation.
The deck is advertised as a soft top foam. It does not reveal which materials it is composed of. However, it creates a pleasant riding experience. It is soft, and wax sticks to it easily, helping you stay on the board. The deck feels nice to the touch and seems to be durable.
Slick HDPE bottom decks are the industry’s most common and reliable slicks. However, South Bay goes one step beyond by adding a diamond-weave plastic netting strength layer to its slick. This added layer increases the board’s flex and durability. While riding this board, you can tell the slick is flexible and efficient at riding waves. The HDPE slick is already resistant to damage, but the added plastic netting increases the strength without increasing the slick’s price. With a significant price jump, a boogie board with a Surlyn slick will be the next step up.
This combination of boogie board materials creates a perfect beginner experience. And South Bay guarantees the quality of the materials. Each board is given a cleanup sand by the hands of experienced board shapers. This boogie board is made with love from the people who make them to those who buy them, without anyone messing with the product in between.
Beginner-Oriented Bodyboard Shape
The South Bay Onda Beginner Bodyboard’s standard shape is designed with beginner performance in mind on small waves. The width, tail, nose, rails, and channels on the Onda create a combination that allows beginners to catch many waves and improve the quality of their riding experience. The board’s wide shape under the rider’s chest makes this board ideal for beginners. This creates a stable, confidence-building feeling.
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The Onda Beginner Bodyboard is designed with a traditional crescent moon tail. This tail shape has a lot of benefits. The Onda board is relying on the crescent tail for speed. Which works relatively well, but the wide shape of the board inhibits some speed.
A perk of this tail shape is it can handle a wide range of surf sizes. Also, the tail on the Onda promotes a comfortable body position. The crescent tail performs well riding prone straight to shore or down the line on the blue wave.
Not featured on many other boards, the rocker nose is a great addition to the Onda Beginner Board shape. The rocker nose helps prevent nose dives, which helps keep the kids happy.
South Bay calls them Soft-Edge rails, designed to improve the wave riding experience. They are angled and give the board maneuverability and stability. The rails are padded to provide increased board life. Plus, they are easy for small hands to hold onto well. While riding this board, the rails allow for controlled steering and riding comfort.
On the bottom of the board, South Bay has added a concave shape leading to dual channels near the tail. This addition to the board shape creates an optimal riding experience. Guaranteeing stability with the chance to maneuver this is a theme the Onda promotes. One can really feel the channels redirect the water for turning capability while the concave shape creates a stable feeling.
Additional Features
The South Bay Onda Beginner Bodyboard has a pre-installed leash plug and a good leash. Leashes are meant to be attached to your wrists when out in the water with the boogie board. The leash is coiled, stays out of your way while idling, and stretches nicely when paddling. The cuff is soft, snug, and made with reliable Velcro. You can trust Onda’s leash in gnarly wipeouts in reasonable-sized swell.
This boogie board does not come with additional stringers. Stringers add increased stiffness, durability, and price. Most beginner boards, like this one, do not come with stringers. Stringers are only necessary once surfing large surf at a high-performing level. There are also no deck contours to increase the board’s user-friendly score.
Quality Check
South Bay Board Co. is a family-owned business led by Sophia Cecola. They dedicate their time to providing revolutionary designs, high-performing bodyboards, and other beach-related products. Upon opening this product, the buyer is reassured they made a good investment.
The Onda Beginner Bodyboard was made with a beginner in mind. Whether that be the kids or the adults who want to test out the fun sport of boogie boarding, the Onda Beginner Bodyboard will bring a smile to its rider. We assure you that the foam deck, HDPE slick with added strength, and coiled leash are high-quality.
Great Value
Overall, the value of the Onda Beginner Bodyboard is high. Experts with performance in mind shape each board design. South Bay chooses the materials, and each board receives a hand-finished sanding. Upon opening this product, you can tell this is a quality board, especially for the MSRP of $49. It is currently on sale for $34. South Bay ensures the lowest price; if you find a South Bay item listed for less than its MSRP, South Bay will match the price. There is also free shipping.
If you’re unhappy, South Bay Board Co. has a 30-day Guarantee for their bodyboards. If the board is unused, you can send the board back within the 30-day guarantee for a “100%” refund with shipping costs but there is a a 10% restocking fee. If the board is used, it will be a 50% refund with shipping and a 10% restocking fee.
We Recommend It!
We highly recommend the South Bay Onda Bodyboard for beginners, kids, and families. This board has a great price point, especially for the quality and longevity of the product. The beginner-oriented shape allows for maximum newbie performance. The crescent tail shape, dual channels, and Soft-Edge rails create a platform to launch your skills to the intermediate/advanced category.
Catch waves over and over with this EPS core board to ensure plenty of practice to enhance your boogie board skills. The family will love this product for years and can trust the leash won’t snap off when little Tayler is out in the swell. And remember, rinse off your equipment with fresh water after salt exposure due to salt’s corrosive properties.
Things we like:
-
This board is designed by expert shapers with beginner performance in mind
-
The nose rocker helps prevent nose dives
-
Comes with a quality leach
-
Perfect for family beach trips over the years
Things we don't like:
-
The beginner shape and EPS core make this board slower, leaving intermediate/advanced riders wanting something more
Frequently asked questions
First, you should consider what your budget is. The cheapest core material is expanded polystyrene core (EPS), then polyethylene (PE), and then expensive polypropylene (PP).
Next, consider your ability. Beginners prefer EPS because it is the most buoyant but least durable. Intermediate to Expert riders prefer PE or PP depending on budget and water temperature. PP is the most durable. PE will thrive in colder temperatures.
After deciding which core you want, look to the rails, tail shape, and channels. Each offers a unique riding experience. Once you have settled on a board with the desired features, choosing the right height board depends on a few things.
A board around your belly button will do just fine most of the time. Choose a board’s height proportional to your weight (varying an inch or two). The better you get, the more personal preference goes into it. Expert riders might size down for more control.
There are several ways to ride a boogie board, but anything goes. This sport is fun and playful! Beginner riders mostly ride in “prone,” which is laying on the board on your belly. You can paddle into a wave or push off from the ground. Relax and enjoy the ride. Choose to catch unbroken or broken waves in prone.
Other ways to ride include “drop-knee” or “stand-up.” These are advanced styles of riding a bodyboard. It is necessary to paddle for an un-broken wave to ride this way. Once you’re paddling for the wave, you must time your ride position by catching the wave. When standing up, shoot down the line while making sick turns and aerials.
Expanded PolyStyrene (EPS) is used as a core material in boogie boards. It is the cheapest core material of the three common core materials. EPS is the best boogie board core material for beginners. It is the most buoyant bodyboard material. Boards made of EPS will not be as agile in the water. This material is also more likely to snap under heavier surf conditions, as it lacks in recoil and resiliency.
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