Bodyboard Materials

The materials used to create bodyboards have been responsible for the most recent advancements in bodyboard building. Manufacturers are producing bodyboards with many different materials, here are some of the more common materials used:

Cores

Polyethylene core (Dow)
The original cores used for the first bodyboards. The core gives the bodyboard flex which generates projection for the rider. The Polyethylene cores have evolved over the years and are now more durable and responsive.

Polypropylene
The latest in core technology. The Polypropylene (Polypro) is more expensive than the polyethylene cores, but considering the quality of the material its well worth the price. Polypro is stonger, lighter, more responsive and offer bodyboarders the best performance.

Arcel
Arcel foam cores are light and strong. The main plus side to Arcel cores was that they maintained stiffness in the warm waters, the downside being that they ding easily.


Slicks (Hard bottom of the bodyboard)

Surlyn
Hard, Flexible and Durable, Surlyn is the ideal material for bodyboard slick bottoms. Surlyn slicks add speed and projection to your bodyboard. The material is also used for the surface of golf balls.

HDPE
High Density Polyethylene has similar characteristics as Surlyn, although it's a softer which adds to performance, with the trade off being that it's less durable.