How to Choose a Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP)

How to Choose a Stand Up Paddle Board

Buying your first paddle board can be a challenge. Stand up paddle boards (SUP) aren’t cheap, and I know from experience that a first time buyer can quickly be overwhelmed by all of the options and variations that exist in the market place. Inflatable or hard board? What size should you get? Hull shape? Length? Materials? Price? The stuff one needs to learn seems to go on forever. Well, I hope to make your decision making process a little easier, by providing answers to the basic questions faced by every first time buyer.

Inflatable or Hardboard
Should you get an inflatable SUP, or hardboard? I have been asked this question at least 100 times over the years by my students, rental customers and even my niece. Personally, I think that if you have the space, and can afford it, your first board should be a hard board. Why?

• Inflatable boards all strive to be as stiff as hardboard. The stiffer the board, the easier it flows through the water. Stiffness also permits better energy transfer from the paddler to the water which increases efficiency.
• Hardboards have better balance than inflatables. Many of my SUP students have told me that they found learning on a hardboard was much easier than when they previously took lessons on an inflatable.
• Inflatable paddle boards are prone to puncture. That’s why everyone comes with a repair kit.
  
• The advantages of inflatable SUPs are price, and storage. They are cheaper than hard boards, and they can be stored in a large duffel bag if you have limited space or live in a tower.
  

What Size Should You Get?
Forget the 8’ board that looks wicked in the surf shop. If you are a first time buyer and weigh more than 100 lbs that's way too much board for you! Remember this rule: The smaller the board, the less stable it is. My first board was 11’6”, and I still use it today.  I have smaller and longer boards now, but they are for specific purposes like paddle surfing or open ocean downwind paddling. You first board should be a good all around board. You will have it for years (like me), and it will be great for friends and family to use too.

• 10’ – 10’6” length boards are great for novice and intermediate riders up to 200 lbs. Boards this length tend to have a displacement of 170-190 Liters, and will be very stable for people in this weight class. Heavier people can ride this board, but it will be less stable.
• 11’ – 11’6” length boards are great for novice and intermediate riders up to 220-230lbs. Boards this length tend to have a displacement of 205-225 Liters, and will be very stable for people in this weight class. Heavier people can ride this board, but it will be less stable.
• If you are a novice rider, and weigh more than 250 lbs, you don’t necessarily need a longer board; you just need one with more displacement. Look for one that is wider than the standard 32” width.

A Bamboo and Fiberglass SUP

Materials
Materials and construction method is what really determine the price of a stand up paddleboard. Better materials make a SUP stronger and lighter. A light board might not matter when you are renting from the beach and they guy carries it to the waterline for you, but when you are walking a few blocks from the parking lot to the beach, it makes a difference.

• Carbon Fiber: This is currently the strongest and lightest material on the market. However, there is a hefty price to pay for this technology. Prices of $2500+ are not uncommon.
• Bamboo and Fiberglass: While bamboo is not as strong as carbon fiber, it comes pretty damn close, and boards made with real bamboo are stronger and lighter than boards made simply with fiberglass.
• Fiberglass: Most stand up paddleboards in the market are made from fiberglass. Glass layers from 1-4 layers of glass depending on the brand, and quality varies from cheap to very good.
• Polyurethane: Strong and tough, boards made from this material can take a pretty good beating. However, they tend to be very heavy compared to carbon, bamboo and fiberglass boards.
• PVC: What inflatable paddleboards are made from.

Price
Only you can determine how much you can afford to pay. If you love paddle boarding and you are dying to get your own board, but your budget is limited, get an inflatable. If you need the best of the best, get a carbon fiber SUP. Otherwise, look for the lightest and best constructed board you can afford with the best materials possible.
I hope these insights will help you with your first stand up paddle board purchase. If you have any questions about purchasing a SUP, I will be glad to help. Email me at [email protected] or call me at 844-Go-Wappa (469-2772).

Happy shopping!