WOW 13" POD Handboard | Lightweight Bodysurfing Handplane

The Signature POD Shape in Lightweight Urethane

The WOW 13" POD® handboard came out of the WOO. The WOO 12" outsold the EGO and FLO, and riders kept asking for the same shape with a little more surface and a little less weight. The WOW is that board. It's 30 mm longer than the WOO and lighter, made from a polyurethane formulation we developed for a handboard, so there's no timber to seal or dry.

Under your hand, that means more planing surface than the WOO gives you, on a lighter board. You still ride the wave. The WOW gives your leading hand more lift and drive to ride it with.

No Flat Surface Anywhere

Pick up any POD board, and you'll see it straight away. There are no flat surfaces anywhere. The shape keeps changing from nose to tail and rail to rail, and the thickness changes with it. The deepest measurement depends on the board's size and sits at a single point, from the top of the palm support to the tip of the keel fin. From there, it falls away in every direction. This is not a flat board with barely any shape and a strap on top. It is the POD signature shape, proudly ours since the beginning.

Why the WOW Exists

For years we shaped POD handboards in timber and polypropylene. Both work, and both have their limits. Timber needs looking after, and solid polypropylene gets heavy as a board gets bigger. A polyurethane formulation built for this job finally let us keep the signature shape and the feel in the water while dealing with both. The aim was never to replace the timber boards. We wanted a board that:

• Stays light without becoming fragile
• Flexes under load and springs back
• Needs no sealing, oiling or drying out
• Keeps the lift and control of the POD signature shape

From the Designer

In this short video, Shane introduces the WOW and explains why he chose polyurethane over recycled ocean plastics for a bodysurfing board.

Material Choice - Custom PU Formulation

The WOW is made from a polyurethane formulation developed specifically for bodysurfing handboards. We tested a range of options and chose this one because it gets weight, density and rigidity into the right balance, which is hard to do in a board this size. It flexes the same way every time, it won't crack or soak up water, and it floats the same from one board to the next.

It also takes a knock. Drop a timber board on a rock or a car park and it can ding. Drop the WOW and you'll struggle to find a mark.

Weight, Buoyancy, and Control

At about 330 to 350 grams, the WOW is 18% to 28% lighter than a POD cedar and walnut board of the same volume. A board this size in solid polypropylene would weigh around 710 grams, nearly twice as much, and you'd feel every gram of it on the swim out.

The WOW floats higher than the timber boards, with about 0.46 to 0.48 kg of net buoyancy in seawater. That lifts it onto the face quickly, and it suits larger riders and children well. If you want a board closer to neutral, one of the timber boards or the Classic is the better match.

Floating and planing are two different forces. Sitting still, the WOW floats with that 0.46 to 0.48 kg of net buoyancy. Once it's moving across the face, the concave turns speed into lift, and that lift grows as the board goes faster, enough to help carry your upper body up and out of the water. The 30 kilograms of upward lift mentioned in the video is this planing lift, not how the board floats.

Hydrodynamics - Signature POD Shape

Shape for shape, the WOW is identical to the EGO, WOO and FLO. Only the material differs. Like every board in the signature shape, it has no flat surface anywhere. The organic curves were inspired by the way a dolphin moves through water. The 18 mm concave holds a cushion of air and water beneath it, so the board rides up onto the face with almost zero splashback and the keel fin stops it skating sideways. With the strap fitted back towards the tail, your palm rides right above the fin and the board's pivot point, which keeps the nose from diving.

Ergonomics - Palm Support and Natural Hand Position

The convex deck has POD's ergonomic palm support, shaped to the curve of your hand. It keeps your wrist neutral and prevents palm cramping during long sessions. You can hold the board without a death grip, so your hand and forearm stay relaxed through the ride.

Flex Rebound - Load Reduction

The WOW flexes under load and springs back. When a wave loads up the board, some of that force goes into the flex instead of straight through your wrist, arm and shoulder, and the rebound gives it back. A rigid board can't do that. Some riders prefer a board with no give, and if that's you, the Classic is the stiffer option.

Strap System and Retainers

Recessed POD® retainers are built into the board and hold a 50 mm webbing strap over a 65 mm double-padded neoprene hand strap. The wide, padded strap spreads pressure across your hand and holds the board firmly without cinching tight. At 65 mm, the neoprene overhangs the 50 mm webbing on both sides, so the webbing edge can't press into the top of your hand. Narrow 25 mm straps are common on handboards, and that's exactly where riders say they chafe the skin.

Most hands fit between the retainers with the thumb left outside, and you can tighten the strap from either end. The strap fits your hand, but the board still needs to suit your size. How to Choose a Bodysurfing Handboard shows how to match it to your height and weight. The adjustable wrist leash fits either hand.

Is This Handboard for You?

The WOW 13" suits you if you:

• Want the most surface in the range at the lightest weight for its size
• Are starting out. The WOW is an excellent first board, and more than likely all the board you'll need, unless you want one of the timber models, which require more maintenance than the WOW ever will.
• Ride a wide range of conditions and travel with your board
• Would rather rinse a board than seal one

Hand Body Soul® appears on the WOW, the DIY and every cedar and walnut board. If you'd like the same signature shape in timber, the WOO 12" is the board the WOW grew out of.

Questions About the WOW

Is the WOW made of plastic?
Yes. The WOW is polyurethane, and polyurethane is a plastic. POD chose it because this formulation, developed specifically for a bodysurfing handboard, balances weight, density and rigidity in a way that timber, polypropylene and recycled ocean plastic couldn't. Recycled ocean plastic is a mixed, UV-degraded material that tends to be heavy and brittle, with low impact strength, and cleaning and reprocessing it costs a lot of energy. The same shape in polypropylene would weigh about 710 g. The WOW weighs 330 to 350 g and needs no sealing or drying. Surf leash cords are also made from polyurethane, and the leash string and wrist cord are nylon. Both are plastics, used because nothing else does those jobs as well, and like the WOW, they're made for years of use, not one.

For the full material comparison, read Which Is More Eco-Friendly: Polyurethane or Other Plastics?.

What are the trade-offs with the WOW?
The WOW costs a little more than the Original Classic. It needs far less looking after than timber, with nothing to seal or dry, but it still needs a little care. Don't leave it in the sun for long, and never use chemicals or solvents on its surface, because both can damage it. The board flexes under load. The formulation gives that flex rebound and damping a rigid board can't, but some riders prefer no give. At 330 to 350 g for the board alone, it may also be lighter than some riders expect. It has almost the same footprint as the Classic, 330 x 210 mm against 365 x 190 mm, with about 70% more volume, so it floats higher, which suits larger riders and children. The raised palm support keeps your hand settled for longer. Like every POD board, it has fully rounded edges, with no sharp rail, nose or tail anywhere on it. For a rigid board with a lower float, see the Original Classic.

WOW 13" Handboard Specifications

• Volume: 788 cm³ (788 ml / 0.206 US gallons)
• Planing Lift: Builds with wave speed across the WOW's planing surface and 18 mm concave, held on line by the keel fin
• Net Buoyancy: About 0.46 to 0.48 kg / 1.0 lb in seawater
• Size: 330 mm (13") × 210 mm (8.25") × 43 mm (1.69") full cross-section, palm support to keel fin
• Weight: 330 to 350 g (0.73 to 0.77 lb)
• Deck: Convex with ergonomic palm support
• Bottom: 18 mm deep concave with integrated keel fin
• Finish: Matt
• Strap System:
  • 50 mm adjustable webbing hand strap
  • 65 mm double-padded neoprene
  • Adjustable wrist leash

Note: Due to formulation variation, final weight may vary by ±5% without affecting performance or durability.

Care and Longevity

Rinse the handboard with fresh water after use, then let it dry in the shade. Keep it out of direct sun and hot cars, because too much heat breaks down the material over time.

Set the hand strap snugly once, then work your hand in under it each session instead of undoing it. Opening and closing the Velcro every time wears it out faster. When the strap does wear, the POD Handboard Replacement Strap Set fits the WOW.