Body board vs boogie board: there is no difference. A boogie board is a bodyboard, and “Boogie” is the Morey brand name, in use since 1971. The name stuck, so people use the two words for the same short foam board you ride lying down.
Where the name boogie board comes from
Morey still sells boards under the Boogie name. Its Amazon listings call them “the original Morey Boogie bodyboard since 1971” and call Morey “the first bodyboard brand”. Other brands make the same kind of board and call it a bodyboard.
Do you shop for a bodyboard and a boogie board differently?
No. Whatever the label says, compare the same five things:
- Length: pick by height and weight (table below).
- Core: the foam inside sets the board’s weight, flex and the water temperature it suits.
- Slick: the bottom skin. All three Morey boards cited on this page list an HDPE slick.
- Tail: the shape at the back of the board. Morey says its crescent tail offers stability and quick turning in all wave conditions.
- Stringer: a rod inside the core. Morey says its stringer adds durability and flex control.
Skimboard vs bodyboard: how do they differ?
A skimboard is ridden standing and starts on the sand; a bodyboard is ridden mostly lying down, in the waves. Boogie board is the Morey name for a bodyboard, so “boogie board vs skimboard” is the same question as “bodyboard vs skimboard”.
Wikipedia describes a skimboard as “much like a surfboard but smaller and without fins”, and says “unlike surfing, skimboarding begins on the beach by dropping the board onto the thin wash of previous waves.” It describes bodyboarding as riding “on the crest, face, and curl of a wave”, where “riding prone refers to when one rides the wave on their stomach”. It adds that a bodyboard has “a foam ‘core’ encapsulated by a plastic bottom” and is “much shorter” than a surfboard. Wikipedia’s articles were read on 2026-10-22.
Editors’ rule of thumb: pick a bodyboard if you want to ride breaking waves with fins and a leash. Pick a skimboard if you want to run along the shore wash and drop the board. For a first skimboard, read skimboards for beginners and the skimboard size chart.
Bodyboard core types
| Core | What the maker says | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| EPS (expanded polystyrene) | Light and buoyant (Morey Big Kahuna listing) | Beginners, casual beach use |
| PE (polyethylene) | Durable with recoil, best in cool to moderate water (Morey Mach 7 listing) | Intermediate riders, cool water |
| PP (polypropylene) | Dense enough to need no stringer or mesh (Morey Mach 12 MDS ECO-TECH listing) | Riders who want a board with no stringer |
What size bodyboard to get
Pick the length by your height and weight on the maker’s chart. Our bodyboard sizes guide compares the Morey and eBodyboarding charts and shows where makers’ figures disagree.
Two current Morey boards, compared on their specs
- Morey Big Kahuna 44 inch: EPS core, IXLPE deck, HDPE slick, one stringer, crescent tail, coil leash included, per the Morey listing. Morey sells it for “bigger riders or those seeking extra float”. Morey’s size guide puts a 44 inch board at 6 ft 2 to 6 ft 4 and 180 to 250 pounds. The listing gives two rider limits: a 185 pound maximum in its weight row, and 160 to 250 pounds, 6 ft and over, on its size chart.
- Morey Mach 7: PE core, NXLPE deck, one stringer, crescent tail, sold in 41, 42 and 43 inch sizes; the 42 inch lists a 180 pound maximum. Morey aims it at intermediate and progressing riders and says the PE core does best in cool to moderate water. It is also heavier: the 42 inch lists 3.5 kg, against 1.29 kg for the 44 inch Big Kahuna.
See the Morey Big Kahuna 44 inch on Amazon or see the Morey Mach 7 on Amazon.
Is bodyboarding easier than surfing?
For most people, yes, at the start. You ride lying down, so there is no pop-up to learn and no standing balance. Once that feels easy, the drop knee stance puts one knee down and one foot forward, a step toward surfing.
Accessories worth adding
- Leash: keeps the board near you after a wipeout. See do you need a leash for a bodyboard.
- Swim fins: editors’ rule of thumb: short bodyboard fins help you kick into waves. See bodyboard fins.
- Rash guard: stops the deck rubbing your chest and stomach on long sessions.
How to look after a bodyboard
These care steps are a WaterSportHQ editors’ rule of thumb, not a maker’s instructions:
- Rinse it in fresh water after each session in salt water.
- Keep it out of hot cars and direct sun. Heat can make the skins bubble and lift off the core.
- Store it flat with nothing stacked on top, so the deck does not dent.
- Do not drag or ride it on sand; it scratches the slick.
For more on picking a board, read how to choose a bodyboard.