Wavegarden Cove leads on wave count and variety, Kelly Slater Wave Co. leads on wave length and quality, and the pneumatic platforms (PerfectSwell, Endless Surf, Surf Loch) lead on programmability and steep performance sections. Surf Lakes serves several skill levels at once from one central plunger, and standing-wave systems trade a travelling wave for continuous ride time.
Last reviewed 24 August 2026 · 13 technologies · 23 pools open
| Technology | Method | Waves / hour | Max face | Founded | Open | Tracked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wavegarden Cove | Electro-mechanical | 1000 | 7.2ft / 2.2m | 2005 | 10 | 19 |
| Kelly Slater Wave Co. | Hydrofoil | 15 | 11.2ft / 3.4m | 2006 | 2 | 3 |
| PerfectSwell | Pneumatic | 120 | 5.9ft / 1.8m | 2005 | 5 | 5 |
| Endless Surf | Pneumatic | 120 | 7.9ft / 2.4m | 2019 | 1 | 8 |
| Surf Loch | Pneumatic | 70 | 7.9ft / 2.4m | 2015 | 2 | 2 |
| Surf Lakes | Central plunger | 5 breaks × ~10/hr each | 8.2ft / 2.5m | 2016 | 0 | 0 |
| Swell MFG | Pneumatic | 90 | 6.6ft / 2m | 2019 | 1 | 1 |
| UNIT Surf Pool | Pneumatic | 90 | 6.6ft / 2m | 2015 | 0 | 1 |
| Premier Surf Systems | Pneumatic | 120 | 6.6ft / 2m | 2020 | 0 | 1 |
| EpicSurf | Pneumatic | Continuous | 5.9ft / 1.8m | 2018 | 0 | 1 |
| Ka'ana Wave Co. | Pneumatic | Continuous | 5.9ft / 1.8m | 2018 | 0 | 1 |
| Citywave | Standing wave | Continuous | 5.9ft / 1.8m | 2016 | 1 | 1 |
| SurfKing | Pneumatic | 60 | 10.8ft / 3.3m | 1994 | 1 | 1 |
Waves per hour is platform capacity pool-wide, not per surfer. Max face is the highest published setting, not the everyday wave.
The comparisons surfers actually search for, each one answered directly.
New to this? Read how each system physically makes a wave, or look up any term.