Your Mini Malibu Surfboard buying Guide & advice

No problem. A Mini Malibu is a longboard in a shorter version. This makes the surfboard easier to manoeuvre, more forgiving during turns and much easier to steer. 

A Minimalibu is between 7 and 8 feet long and has a wider outline and nose. This makes the surfboard very stable in the wave and take-offs are easier to perform.

A Mini Malibu offers you a number of advantages when surfing. We have listed these for you:

• High wave yield
• Good buoyancy
• High stability in the wave
• Good planing behaviour
• forgiving surfing behaviour
• suitable for small waves
• easy take off

The wide outline of the surfboard makes it easy to take off, as the board is very tilt-resistant and therefore stable in the wave. The high volume and the length of the board let you catch and ride the waves with ease. You can easily glide around weaker sections of the wave and the board forgives you some mistakes.

With a Minimalibu you can surf the smallest waves and glide along them. A MINIMAL is a real all-round board and can be surfed in almost all surf conditions. 

The Mini Malibu is very different from surfing with a short surfboard. Here, the focus is not on radical manoeuvres, but on surfing in the flow of the wave. Clean turns to surf and learn.

Where there are advantages, a minimalibu naturally also has a few disadvantages. Here we have compiled a list of them for you.

• difficult to transport, especially when flying (not as difficult as with a longboard)
• not suitable for radical manoeuvres and turns
• not suitable for steep waves

A Mini Malibu is difficult to transport and some airlines charge extra for transport.

A Mini Malibu can be surfed in many conditions, however, if the waves are too ropey, it is almost impossible to surf on them. Radical manoeuvres cannot be surfed with this board as the outline is designed for smooth clean turns.

A Mini Malibu is the perfect surfboard for beginners. A MINIMAL guarantees a high wave yield and it is forgiving to surf. Because this shape is shorter than a longboard, it is easier to turn and perform manoeuvres. With a Minimalibu you will have the biggest learning curve and you will quickly improve your surfing skills.

The advantages at a glance:

• forgiving
• high wave yield
• perfect for beginners
• fast learning curve
• perfect for practising turns

Buying a Mini Malibu should be well considered! The workmanship of the surfboard is definitely important. You should not make any compromises here. For stability, you should go for surfboards that are equipped with at least one stringer or are made in a special construction. Here, the sandwich construction or the construction methods developed by TORQ Surfboards stand out.

Furthermore, you should be aware that a Minimalibu is not only a pure beginner's board, but also offers a lot of fun for more experienced surfers on the small days.

You won't be surfing any radical manoeuvres with a Minimalibu - a hybrid surfboard or shortboard makes more sense for that.

Your height plays an important role in choosing your board.

As a rule of thumb you can say

Body height + 30 cm

Here we would like to list the most important points for you when deciding to buy a Minimalibus:

1. How tall and how heavy are you?
2. How is the Minimalibu made?
3. Which waves do you want to surf?
4. Where do you see yourself surfing in the next 2 years?

Steve´s Tip:

If you only have one board in your quiver and want to cover a wide range of waves, a Minimalibu is the right choice.

The length of a mini malibu is very important when deciding what to buy.

When buying a mini malibu, you should definitely pay attention to the length. As a rule of thumb, you should take your height + 30 cm as a guide.

Heavy surfers should choose a board with a little more volume.

• If the Minimalibu is too short, you will surf fewer waves and the board is too wobbly.
• If the board is too long, you can't turn it very well and you won't have fun with your board.

Steve´s Tip:

To find the right Mini Malibu for you, use our professional buying guide.

There are three important fin set ups for the Mini Malibu.

• Single Fin: You will find single fins in most longboards. Thanks to their size, they have a good drive. By positioning the fin in the fin box, you can change the surfing behaviour of your Minimalibus. The further forward you place the fin, the more manoeuvrable the board. For big waves, place the fin all the way back, which gives your surfboard more smoothness and control.

• 2 + 1: The 2 + 1 setup is also very popular with surfers. A single fin is supplemented with two small side fins (sidebites) to make the boards more performance-oriented, because the two small side fins give the board more hold in the wave wall, especially for down-the-line rides.

• Thruster: A surfboard with a thruster fin setup makes your board surf more controlled. This setup is perfect for beginners because turns and surfing behaviour are very controllable and forgiving.

Steve´s Tip:

We recommend a pure single fin setup for retro surfers. For more performance a 2 + 1 system and for beginners and all other surfers a Tri-Fin system with three fins.

You can surf a Mini Malibu in the following surf conditions. You can surf a MINIMAL in the smallest and weakest waves. Due to its length and volume, the surfboard glides easily and generates speed in the weak waves and sections of a wave. 

You can really have fun with a Mini Malibu in conditions around 2 - 6 feet. Here you can surf all manoeuvres and play with the wave. 

A mini malibu is suitable for:

• small waves
• medium waves
• soft waves

A Mini Malibu for children? Does that make sense?

The answer to whether a Mini Malibu makes sense for children is a resounding YES. 

However, you should make sure that the board is suitable for the size and weight of your child. The board should definitely not be too long, because then your child will not have much fun with the board.

You can find mini malibus from a price of 400€.  These surfboards are good for taking your first steps on a surfboard. These boards are usually very robustly built, which is at the expense of performance.

In the middle price segment around 600€, you can find quite decent mini malibu boards with good workmanship and solid performance.

From 800€, you get an absolute top model that guarantees you good performance on the wave and a lot of fun. If you love this sport, you should definitely look around in this price range - it's worth it!

• from 400 Euro - well suited for the first steps.
• around 600€ - solid workmanship and performance
• rom 800€ Premium Mini Malibus for real pleasure