Buying a Surfboard in Portugal
So you want to buy a surfboard in Portugal…. Well, you’ve come to the right place, as Rowan and I each just bought surfboards in Portugal.
Perhaps you weighed the costs/benefits of renting vs buying and decided it would be cheaper if you bought a board in Portugal (it usually is). I hope this is the reason you’re buying a surfboard in Portugal!
Or… you’re all packed and set to go for your Portugal surf trip. You’ve carefully padded and wrapped up your favorite surfboard, and handed it over to the airport attendants to check it.
You finally arrive in Portugal, excited to be off the plane and head to the surf. You breeze through customs, and head over to the oversize luggage belt at the Lisbon airport, only to find… a sea of abandoned, oversized luggage surrounding the belt. It’s not a good sign, but you hold out hope that your surfboard will come rolling out on the conveyor belt at any moment. Except…. It never does. After waiting and waiting, it’s finally time to call it: your board is not coming. You go and file a claim with lost and found, and head on to your airbnb, really feeling the lack of your surfboard. It’s now time to begin the process of buying a surfboard in Portugal.
Having just gone through this, (well, technically Rowan went through it!) I feel your pain- not having your surfboard show up on your surf trip, or having it show up damaged, really really blows. But all is not lost- Portugal has some really amazing shapers and surf shops, and if you know where to look, you can and will find an incredible replacement board.
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Where to buy a surfboard in Portugal
The best place to buy a surfboard in Portugal depends on a variety of factors, including:
Where are you in Portugal?
If you’re in Lisbon, the best place by far to buy a surfboard is Costa da Caparica. In Costa da Caparica there is a line of surf shops right next to each other where you have several options. It’s also very close to Lisbon, so if you’re planning on surfing the breaks around Lisbon, this is the best option by far. It’s also a good option if you are spending a night or two and then heading out of the city, and want to have a board with you ready to go as soon as you get to the surf.
What is your budget?
If you have a small budget, and are flying into Lisbon, you should probably buy a board in Costa Caparica. Boards are much cheaper around the capital, and there are a lot of good options both new and used. For example, I bought a brand new board, fins, leash, and stomp pad for 465 euros. I’m well aware that’s no small chunk of change. However, I’m coming from a place where I can’t get a new board for much less than $600, let alone all the gear for it too.
If you have a bigger budget, you can probably get and afford a surfboard anywhere you go in Portugal.
What type of surfboard are you looking for?
The surf towns in Portugal carry boards that are best suited for the surrounding beach breaks. For example, we found a lot of high volume shortboards and fun shapes in Carcavelos, but in Aljezur we found more low volume, performance shortboards.
The best places to buy a surfboard in Portugal
Costa da Caparica
Costa da Caparica has the most options in a close area for buying a surfboard in Portugal. All within walking distance, you have:
Underground Surf Spot: Has a great selection of high-quality used surfboards along with some affordable brand new surfboards. This is where I bought my new surfboard and setup!
Surfer’s Store: Has some beautiful longboards and fish shapes, and some high-performance boards. The boards here are high-quality, but very expensive.
World Surf Store: They have a ton of new surfboards here for sale.
Aljezur
Aljezur Surf Spot: In my opinion, Aljezur Surf Spot has one of the nicest collections of new surfboards south of Lisbon. They have pretty fair prices as well, and a cool merch line. This is where Rowan bought his new surfboard and setup! It’s still way more expensive than Costa Caparica- his board and setup cost twice as much as mine.
SW Surf Shop: SW surf shop has a good collection of used boards. They have a lot of new longboards and funboards, but very few high-performance shortboards. It’s a good spot to go for a funboard shape or a longboard.
Sagres
Sagres is another great place to buy a surfboard in Portugal- but it’s probably the most expensive. The surf shops in Sagres primarily have big-name surfboards for sale like Firewire, Al Merick, and Pyzel boards available, and they’re all mostly in the 700+ range.
Ericeira
58 Surf Ericeira: This is probably the biggest, and most unique surf shop in all of Portugal. It’s also a really great place to buy a surfboard! They have HUNDREDS of boards here, and a huge variety. Whether you’re looking for a fish, performance board, foamie, longboard, or funboard, you’ll be able to find it here.
The prices are also pretty great here- you could get a brand new board for about 400 euros. And, they have a solid selection of used boards if you’re looking for something even cheaper.
Other good places to buy a surfboard in Portugal
Boardculture Store Carcavelos: While they’re not cheap, Boardculture has a pretty good selection of new surfboards of all shapes.
Lisbon Crooks & Surfers: This is a great place to go if you’re looking for a unique board and refreshing surf vibe. These guys are basically all about sharing stoke and not being a**holes in and out of the water. Not to mention, they shape awesome boards.
Buying a surfboard in Portugal- Final thoughts
If you’re planning on buying a surfboard in Portugal, I hope this guide has helped you! There are tons of awesome boards available, and it feels good to support the local surf economies as well by buying a board here in Portugal rather than flying in with one from your home country.
