How to ship · recreation
How to ship a surfboard
Surfboards are long, light, and easily dinged. A 6 ft shortboard fits UPS Ground with surcharges; a 9 ft longboard often exceeds parcel limits. Specialty surf shippers charge more per shipment but include insurance and board-shaped boxes.
- Typical weight
- Shortboard: 8-12 lb, Longboard: 15-25 lb
- Rate band tracked
- 20 lb
- Cheapest option
- UPS Ground or specialty surf shipper (Sendsurfing, BoardRoom)
Live rates
What it costs to ship a surfboard, right now
A 20 lb parcel from New York, NY to Los Angeles, CA. Actual cost for your surfboard varies by ±10-30% with its specific weight and destination zone.
- 01
Ground FedEx 4d $46.79 +$37.48 - 02
Ground Saver UPS 5d $9.31 cheapest - 03
Ground Advantage USPS 5d $9.65 +$0.34
Close call Only $0.34 (4%) separates the cheapest from the runner-up. Free USPS home pickup or a closer drop-off can erase this gap. Pick by convenience, not price, at this margin.
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Before you pack
The box and materials
Box
Surfboard shipping box (corrugated, sized to board length)
Shortboard: 78 x 24 x 8 in, Longboard: 108 x 24 x 8 in
Local surf shops sell these for $20-30 used or will give them away. Amazon carries them but pricier.
Checklist
- Surfboard-shaped corrugated box
- Bubble wrap (20+ ft roll)
- Foam pipe insulation for the nose and tail
- Cardboard fin protectors (or tape-on plastic fin covers)
- Packing tape
- Fragile labels
The process
Pack a surfboard in 6 steps
01 of 06
Remove and bag the fins
Unscrew all fins with the fin key. Wrap fins in bubble and place in a small box taped to the inside of the surfboard box. Loose fins damage the board during transit.
02 of 06
Wrap the nose and tail
Wrap both tips with 3-4 layers of pool-noodle foam or pipe insulation. Tape thoroughly. The nose and tail are the most fragile parts of the board.
03 of 06
Wrap the entire board in bubble
At least two full wraps. Pay extra attention to the rails (edges) and the center of the deck where pressure dents form.
04 of 06
Slide into the surfboard box
The board should have 1-2 in of space on each end. Fill that space with crumpled cardboard or more bubble, do not leave it empty.
05 of 06
Seal the box
Tape along every seam with 2-in packing tape. Double-tape the ends where the board tips rest.
06 of 06
Label with carrier slip and fragile markers
Shipping label on the top face. Fragile stickers on all six faces, surfboards are long and get stood on end often during handling.
Carrier notes
Which carrier to use
USPS
Ground Advantage caps at 108 in. A 6 ft shortboard (78 in box) fits; longboards do not.
UPS
Ground accepts up to 165 in L+G. Most longboards fit with Oversize 2 or 3 surcharges ($25-120).
FedEx
Same as UPS. FedEx Ground surcharges are slightly lower on lanes over 1,000 miles.
Insurance + declared value
Protecting the package
Declare at current replacement cost. A new shortboard is $400-800; used ones typically declare at $200-400. Specialty surf shippers like Sendsurfing include insurance for up to $2,000 in the shipping price.
Specialty shippers are worth it here.
Specialty surf shippers (Sendsurfing, BoardRoom) charge $60-150 including the board-shaped box, pickup, and up to $2,000 insurance. For boards over $500, they usually beat UPS on total cost after surcharges.
Get quotes on uShipFAQ
Common questions
Q01 Can I ship multiple boards in one box?
Two shortboards yes, with bubble between them. Three is asking for trouble. Always ship each longboard separately.
Q02 What about SUPs (stand-up paddleboards)?
SUPs are 10-12 ft and heavier. Inflatable SUPs ship easily in a standard box. Hard SUPs are specialty-shipper only in practice.
Q03 Should I ship with the wax on?
No. Remove the wax before shipping. Wax melts in hot cargo holds, making a mess and degrading the board finish.