Whats the best type of tail given the type of wave you're surfing? Does a swallow work better at a point break? Thumbtail at a reef break? Does the tail really make a huge noticeable difference?

Tail shape allows you to vary the volume and width of the rear of the board as well as vary the effective rail length. You will see pulled in pintail tails when you need more rail length such as surfing long barreling waves. Fish tails allow you to have width without necessarily adding volume. There is a reason behind every shape. You just gotta figure out which shape is appropriate for where you surf.

squash, thumb & swallow

l have one of each, because it depends on the wave & ur style of surfing. Do u turn more on the rail or the tail? If rail, then thumbtail. If tail, swallow or squash. Next thing to consider is the size of wave. l use the swallow tail in small surf because l know l wont be going for speed carves but sliding the board around on the lip. From 4 to 6 foot waves, l like a squash tail for throwing out fins. But if the wave looks powerful, l will take a thumb tail board with a bit more volume for stability.

Thumb tails seem more stable, better for rail to rail surfing, while swallows r looser & turn from the tail more than the rail.

kim_dude gave you a very good answer. l would like to add that the best bet is to talk to the folks in good local surf shops in the places where you surf. They can probably give the best advice about what is right for that local break. The wave characteristics vary at almost every break, and sometimes from tide to tide, day to day, so it is not accurate to generalize. If you can afford it, it is nice to have enough boards in your quiver for varying conditions.

Good question, but after surfing for over 30 years & being a big wave rider, l like to go back to a middle width pin tail. l have surfed every shape & l have had over 50 boards in my life & l have personally shaped over 200 boards for others, but l always go back to a gentle pin tail whether l am riding 20+ surf at Lunada Bay, California (my home surf spot) or when l ride at the Pipeline. l always go back to the pin tail if l have any questions of how the waves r going to react from the direction of the well. l use a pin tail on my single fin boards, twin fin boards, tri-fin boards & on my quad-fin boards.

You will find once u get to be a really good surfer that the shape of the upper third of ur board, including the thickness of the upper third is more of the great hidden secret of how a surf board performs over & above the shape of the tail & l made allot of money in the game of surf competition by simply staying with a pin tail because l never wanted any surprises in heated competition when money was on the line.

kim is answer is good--i would also go find a shaper and pick his brain too--they have TONS of knowledge..

Its all personal preference. Ive ridden squash, round, and rocket fish tails all my life and just picked up a bat tail quad last season, love it.

l can feel the difference in speed and manueverability when l switch between a tri-fin squash and a bat-tail quad; granted some of that is the fin set up and concave of the board, but I've always felt tail type is a personal preference.