The RipSurfer X really does look like a surfboard. It’s about 6 feet long and two feet wide, with a surfboard shape. At only 35 pounds, it’s relatively lightweight and easy to move around.
The board itself sits atop what looks like three small stability balls lined up under the length of the board. Tension cords attach the board to its sturdy base, holding it in place on top of the small stability balls.
The result is controlled instability. In other words, the board you stand on is highly unstable but still safe—you don’t have to worry about the board falling off the balls and throwing you to the ground.
While I’ve never personally surfed, I have been stand-up paddleboarding, wakeboarding and water skiing, so I can attest that the instability of the board is much like what you’d experience while on the water—the board shifts and moves in every direction based on your movements and balance on top of the board.
After telling my instructor it was my first time attending a surf-inspired class, she took a few minutes to introduce me to the board and give me a run-down of what I could expect. The board’s instability takes some getting used to, so she emphasized that it was fine to do exercises on the ground to the side of the board if doing them on the board felt too challenging. She also let me know she’d be offering modifications for each exercise so I could ease my way in.