Handboards

The POD Handboard Range

POD has shaped handboards since the late 1980s. A surfer chooses a board by height, weight and the size of the day, and a bodyboarder knows exactly what length, width and thickness suit them. A handboard is no different. The eight models in the range differ in size, weight, buoyancy and how much care they need, so the right one depends on you and the waves you ride.

Which material suits you?

• Polyurethane - WOW 13" - around 330 to 350 grams, lighter than the 12-inch WOO even though it's an inch longer. Raised palm support, takes a knock without marking, and has nothing to seal or dry.
• Polypropylene - Original Classic - moulded, close to neutral buoyancy and hard-wearing, with an EVA pad under the palm. In continuous production since 1995.
• Cedar and walnut - EGO 9", WOO 12", FLO 15" and the Duo - CNC-shaped timber with the feel of wood under your hand. Raised palm support, recessed retainer plugs and marine-grade stainless hardware.
• Australian cedar - Original Handcrafted - the original POD signature shape, hand-coated up to eight times and made in limited numbers.
• Cottonwood - DIY kit - a 15-inch board you finish and assemble yourself. It floats just above neutral and rides in either direction.

Raised palm support or the original deck?

Every POD handboard has a concave bottom, and every model except the DIY board has an integrated keel fin. The difference is on the deck. The WOW 13" and the cedar and walnut range have a raised palm support shaped into the deck. It fills the hollow of your palm, and together with the double-padded neoprene strap over the back of your hand, it holds your hand in place on the board. It also stops your palm cramping on a long session, the way it did when riders had to slip their hand out between waves. The Original Classic, Original Handcrafted and DIY board keep the original convex deck, with a flat EVA pad under the palm on the Classic and the DIY. The pad adds comfort, but it can't hold the hand in position the way the raised shape does. The raised palm support came from Classic riders asking for exactly that.

Which size do I need?

Size comes down to you and the day. A smaller board suits steep, hollow waves and smaller hands. A bigger board carries more surface for fuller waves, bigger riders and bigger days, but it's harder to swim with. The EGO 9" turns quickest. The WOO 12" is the timber all-rounder and the most popular of the three. The WOW 13" is an excellent first board, and often all the board a beginner will need. The FLO 15" is the one to take out when the surf is heavy.

One board or two?

Most riders use one board on their preferred hand. Riding a board on each hand has become a trend, and it works best with small boards, because bigger boards tend to hit each other. That's why the Duo pairs two EGO 9" boards.

For sizing, technique and how to choose, read How to Choose a Bodysurfing Handboard.

No. You can ride a handboard without fins in shallow water where you can stand and push into the wave. In deeper water, fins put a larger surface on each foot, so every kick gives you more drive. You reach the wave earlier and keep pace with it once you're on.

A good size handboard for a beginner is between 9" and 13"; we would highly recommend the 13" WOW for ease of swimming, and if you hit yourself, it isn't a hard surface like a timber board or a fibreglass surfboard. The urethane has some give.

Every POD board except the DIY kit has a concave bottom with an integrated keel fin. The DIY has the concave bottom without the fin. The concave gives lift, speed, and directional control; it also channels water flow outwards from the tail, directing spray downwards rather than upwards and preventing splashback towards the face. Flat boards have very little control and rely on planing on the surface, and water can be dispersed from any section of the board depending on how it's tilted.

It depends on the material. Polypropylene boards are close to neutral, timber boards float naturally, and the WOW 13" floats at about 0.46 to 0.48 kg net in seawater. Size and thickness matter more than float. A board at neutral or just above swims easily when it's thin enough to cut the water. It's oversized, thick boards that fight your stroke and load up your wrist and shoulder.

Your fingers point forward, your thumb stays outside the strap, and your hand sits towards the tail, above the keel fin. Every POD board uses a 50 mm adjustable webbing strap with 65 mm double-padded neoprene under it. Set it snug once, then slide your hand in and out each session. The wide padding spreads the pressure across the back of your hand, where a narrow strap would dig in.

In bigger surf, a leash keeps the board with you after a wipeout. Regardless, a wrist leash is supplied with all POD handboards. The WOW wrist leash fits either hand, like all our boards. The cord attaches to the stainless steel rod of the hand strap retainer plug, the same principle as a surfboard leash's cord.

Only if the board turns slippery when wet and has no EVA pad or raised palm support. The raised palm support on the WOW and the cedar and walnut boards holds your hand in place, and the EVA pad does the job on the Classic and DIY.

Start with your preferred hand. Our founder rides his on his right hand, whichever way the wave breaks. One board is enough for most riders. If you want one on each hand, keep the boards small. That's why the Duo uses two EGO 9" boards.

Keep the board hand stretched out ahead of you and let it slice through the water sideways. Swim with your other arm and your legs. A thin board keeps your stroke natural. Underwater, pull the board towards your body for balance, and stroke outwards from the board to reduce body twist. Large boards get hard to swim with as a pair.

It can be, and thickness matters more than most people expect. When you swim, you either cut the water with the side of your hand, or you lead with your fingertips and pull with a cupped hand. A handboard has to work with either method. A thick board is hard to turn on its edge to slice through the water. If you nose dive it instead, a thick board can throw a lot of water into your face unless your timing is right. Weight depends on size. A 9" board at 450 grams is very heavy, but a 15" board at the same weight is not. Oversized, hollow boards are usually the hardest to swim with because they are thick. Every POD board stays under 20 mm thick across the wings, and thinner again at the rail. The 41 to 45 mm in the specs is the full cross-section, from the top of the raised palm support down to the bottom of the keel fin at the pivot point.

Waist to chest high waves, between the flags at your local beach. Many beaches don't allow hard boards between the flags. The WOW has more give than timber, but check the signage or ask the lifeguards before you take any handboard in. Small waves give you time to learn how the board becomes an extension of you, and where it sits on the face before the wave gets steep.

It depends on the material. Wood can split if someone falls on the board or it hits the ocean floor or reef. It also needs consistent care, so waterproof it with marine-grade satin, not just oils like tung oil, which can soften or weaken the grain. To our knowledge, quality plastic boards would not split or crack. Our classic solid polypropylene board will outlast a person’s lifetime, and our polyurethane board will last just as long if you look after it and keep it out of the sun when in use.