Boards & Leashes: Sizing, Safety & Soft-Top Setups
The backbone of most Lombok surf lessons gear included is a soft-top (foam) board paired with a sturdy leash—simple, safe, and forgiving for first rides in Senggigi’s gentle white-water. In practice, your coach sizes the board to your height, weight, and confidence so you get enough volume (liters) to float easily and paddle without wobble. Adult beginners usually start on 8’0–9’0 soft-tops with wide noses and stable outlines; smaller adults or teens may drop to 7’0–7’6 funboard shapes once the pop-up feels smooth; true improvers sometimes try 6’6–7’0 hybrids on mellower days. The idea isn’t to impress the beach—it’s to stack clean attempts. More volume equals more glide, which means you stand earlier and repeat the right movement faster. That’s why a correctly sized beginner surf board in Senggigi often accelerates progress more than any other single choice you make.
Safety is baked into the construction. Soft-tops use foam decks and softer rails that are kinder during tumbles, and schools commonly fit soft or flexible fins to reduce knocks in shallow sections. The leash—usually 7’–9’ depending on board length—attaches to your back ankle so the board drifts down-current behind you rather than toward your shins. Coaches teach quick leash etiquette from minute one: keep it clear of other learners, never wrap it around your hand, check the rail saver and Velcro, and use the board nose-first through white-water so it doesn’t swing sideways. A light coat of wax on the deck gives traction where a tail pad might not be present on soft-tops; kids’ setups are even grippier and scaled down so shorter legs can pop up without overreaching.
Conditions influence sizing too. On small, tidy mornings a slightly shorter foamie can feel lively; when the breeze is up, a bigger board smooths bumps and keeps the pop-up unrushed. In very shallow entries, some learners wear booties to protect toes and add confidence. Whatever the day serves, the combo of a high-volume soft-top and the right leash & fins turns Senggigi into a classroom rather than a wrestling match—exactly what you want from surf boards included in Lombok lessons: stability, predictability, and the safest path to those first smile-filled rides.
Rashguards & Comfort Kit: Sun, Skin, and Fit
Most schools list rashguards included in Lombok lessons (when stock allows), and they’re worth wearing even in warm water. A snug—not loose—fit prevents rub on the ribs and underarms during paddling and keeps the shirt from ballooning when you pop up. Long-sleeve tops offer better UV coverage for the shoulders and neck; short-sleeves feel cooler but expose more skin. For kids, bright-color rashguards help coaches spot them quickly in white-water, and many providers keep kids’ rashguard Senggigi sizes on hand. If you’re prone to chafing, a swipe of anti-chafe balm where the deck meets your ribs works wonders. Skip cotton; choose quick-dry swimwear or boardshorts with a soft inner lining to avoid seam rub.
Booties are optional and usually reserved for very shallow entries or extra confidence on the walk-in. If available, schools can supply a few pairs; otherwise bring your own lightweight reef booties. Sunscreen is bring-your-own: apply a reef-safe SPF 30–50 at your hotel 20–30 minutes before the lesson so it bonds to skin (a dab of zinc on the nose and cheeks helps). Reapply after the session; for a ~90-minute class you generally won’t need a mid-lesson top-up. Tie long hair, remove dangly jewelry, and keep nails trimmed—small comfort tweaks that reduce snags and scratches.
Round out your surf comfort gear with a 1L water bottle, small towel, and a dry change of clothes in a simple beach bag. If you chill easily, a thin spring top or thicker rashguard adds warmth without the faff of a full wetsuit. Tell your coach about any skin sensitivities or previous rub points; we can adjust stance cues or board sizing so you leave the water smiling—not rubbing sore spots.
Photos & Video: What’s Standard vs Add-On (Delivery & Value)
Media is handled a few different ways in Lombok surf lessons. Some Senggigi operators bundle photos & short video clips in the base rate (especially for kids or semi-private formats), while others treat media as a paid add-on. When it’s an add-on, expect simple, no-fuss delivery—usually via WhatsApp for quick highlights the same day and a Drive/Link for the full set. What you actually receive varies by school: beach-shot phone clips and stills are the norm; a few providers bring a GoPro/water housing into the lineup; and occasionally you’ll see a drone option as a premium extra. Whatever the setup, safety and coaching come first; cameras never trump close supervision in the teaching lane.
From a learning perspective, media is more than a souvenir. Clips let you freeze the pop-up and see exactly where your hands land, how high your chest lifts, and whether your eyes are looking forward or down. Over a 3-day progression, comparing day-one stills to day-three rides makes improvements obvious—stance width, shoulder line, and trim become visible, which helps you lock better habits. If you’re booking the add-on, ask for a few technique angles (front-on for stance, side-on for timing) instead of only “hero” shots. For visibility in white-water, a bright rashguard helps the camera track you; morning light is usually kinder and less harsh than midday.
Logistics are simple: schools either include a set number of photos/clips or price media as a small top-up (often a few hundred thousand rupiah). Delivery is typically same-day highlights by WhatsApp plus a folder link within 24 hours; keep your phone storage clear so downloads don’t fail. For kids, schools will only film with parent/guardian consent, and you can request a no-socials note if you prefer privacy. If any clip features other surfers, editors can trim shots to keep the focus on your group. When you compare offers, look beyond the headline: a tide-timed lesson with useful coaching angles usually beats dozens of random snaps from the wrong window—media should support progress, not distract from it.
Extras & Policies: Transport, Towels, Insurance, Reschedules
Across Senggigi, “extras” usually refer to things not bundled in the base lesson. The most common is transport: many schools only include pick-up within the Senggigi strip, and charge a small fee (or ask you to self-arrange) if you’re staying farther out. Because Born to Surf Academy runs a meeting-point only setup at Senggigi Beach (Batu Layar), the smoothest plan is to walk from nearby stays or take a quick 5–10 minute ride; we’ll share a WhatsApp pin so you land at the exact spot on time.
Towels are typically bring-your-own; most providers don’t supply them, and you’ll be happier with something quick-dry you can hang back at your stay. Water and sunscreen are also BYO—apply reef-safe sunscreen 20–30 minutes before the lesson and bring a bottle you can sip between sets. Rashguards are often included when available; if you have your own that fits perfectly, bring it.
Regarding insurance, lesson fees generally do not include travel or medical cover. We recommend you carry your own travel insurance that covers water sports; tell your coach about any conditions or recent injuries before the session so we can tailor the pace.
For changes in conditions, reputable schools (including us) operate a reschedule-first policy. If wind or swell shifts, we’ll move your start into a calmer pocket—often just 30–60 minutes earlier or later—so you meet the friendliest tide/wind window instead of forcing a tough hour. If you need to change plans, please message as early as possible; 24 hours’ notice is ideal so we can reopen the slot. Late arrivals may shorten water time to protect the next booking; no-shows can be charged.
For media and privacy, photos/video are either bundled or offered as an add-on; kids are filmed only with guardian consent, and you can request no-socials usage. Leave valuables at your accommodation or bring a small pouch you can keep with someone on shore. In short: plan transport to the Senggigi meeting point, bring towel/water/sunscreen, and lean on our reschedule-first approach—those small moves keep your first surf simple, safe, and genuinely fun.
How to Book with Born to Surf
If you scan current SERPs for Senggigi surf lessons, you’ll notice a consistent inclusions pattern: soft-top board + leash, safety briefing, and in-water coaching, with some operators bundling extras like pick-up (Senggigi area), booties, and even photos/video. For example, Green Rinjani lists 1.5-hour lessons that include the instructor, board rental, transfer in the Senggigi area, booties/wetsuit, water—and for private class pages, media is sometimes included; on their semi-private page, photos/video appear as an add-on fee. Feel-Lombok shows beginner lessons priced with and without transport and states board + rash vest as standard, with 2+ hour water time. Nayaka’s semi-private page explicitly lists pick-up (Senggigi), board, instructor, rash/wet shirt, booties, water, tax—plus photos & video—all included in the rate. You’ll also find aggregator listings for multi-lesson packages attributed to Senggigi/Nayaka that reiterate board rental and basic inclusions, though you should always verify with the school directly as details can shift by season.
Against that landscape, Born to Surf Academy keeps things simple and beginner-friendly: ~90-minute sessions, board and leash sized to you, beach warm-up, clear ocean-safety briefing, and full in-water coaching—all timed to the friendliest tide/wind window rather than a rigid clock. Optional photo & video packages are available if you want souvenirs or technique review. Booking is quick: message WhatsApp +62 877-1247-4404, we’ll confirm the best window for the day and share the Senggigi Beach (Batu Layar) meeting pin (meeting-point only). If conditions change, we reschedule into a calmer pocket so your first experience stays safe and productive. Ready to lock it in? Check Lessons for packages or Book via WhatsApp to secure your spot.