SOFT SURFBOARDS - DO THEY WORK OR WHAT? Soft surfboards have been around since the late 70s. They have proven to be a great way to get started without some of the drawbacks of the traditional fiberglass surfboards. Traditional surfboards have a foam core with fiberglass wrapping on the outside to provide strength. Foam or soft surboards are "soft" like a boogie board. This makes them safer to learn on and great for kids and beginners . Soft surfboards are less expensive