Is it a shortboard? Is it a hybrid? Is it a Muppet? A Pokemon? Should you have a groveler in your quiver?
What is a Groveler Surfboard?
The Groveler is a small wave surfboard that’s designed to be fast and rippable in the most lack-luster conditions.
Technically, you could consider this some sort of hybrid surfboard, but it gets a class of its own.
The Groveler packs as much volume as possible into the smallest board possible.
Like a fish or hybrid – these surfboards are fat, thick, and flat and make for a lot of fun packed into a small space. It allows you to get the most out of a small wave if you don’t want to ride a log.
Grovelers are ridden a fair amount shorter than your typical shortboard and are often surfed as a quad.
Perfect for small waves, probably not the best option when the waves get bigger and steeper.
History of the Groveler
Just like many surfboard designs, some iteration or experiment of the groveler probably already existed.
The Mini Simmons, a micro planing hull conceived in the 40s-50s, could probably considered one of the first Grovelers, and many of its design elements can be found in a modern small wave board.
However, the groveler’s popularity today can be attributed to Firewire and Dan Mann’s Sweet Potato around 2010. You can now find some sort of micro-wave groveler option from many of the big name surfboard brands.