Which surfboard for Peniche and Supertubos

People search for "the Supertubos board" and picture a narrow pin-tail step-up. That is the wrong starting point for most trips, because you will spend more days on the peninsula's softer beach breaks than on Supertubos itself.

If you are learning or improving

A soft-top or a big foam-and-fibreglass funboard from 7 to 8 feet, or a mid-length around 7 feet if you have a few months in the water. Baleal, Prainha and the inside at Molhe Leste are gentle enough that volume and stability matter far more than performance. Every school provides this, so you may not need to bring one at all.

If you are an intermediate

One all-round shortboard with a bit of extra volume, something you would ride at home in waist-to-head-high beach break, covers most of what Peniche throws at you: Molhe Leste, Baleal beach break, Lagide on a small day. Add a couple of litres over your usual because the water is cold and the wetsuit is thick.

If you want to surf Supertubos on size

Then, and only then, a step-up: a little narrower, a touch more length, more rocker, a tail that holds in a steep drop. But be honest about whether you are actually going to surf it. Supertubos is fast, shallow and unforgiving, and it is often better watched.

Bringing boards vs renting

If you ride a standard shortboard, renting in Peniche or Baleal is easy and saves the airline fee. Bring your own if you have a shape you trust for heavier waves, or a mid-length you would miss.