So you see all these fancy paddleboarding pictures on social media and decide, this is the summer I want to give that a go, so you give Google a whirl and type in 'Buy a paddleboard' and a million Ads come up and you head into a downward spiral of an internet black hole of SUPs of varying price, style and design...........
Yes there's an over whelming number of choices out there, its ok for a seasoned paddler who usually knows where they want to put their money, but for a newbie wanting to head on the water where do you even begin, who do you trust? We can give you all the spiel on our favourite boards and why we choose to paddle on them, but you need to decide which board is right for you, so no big selling pitch here, just our top points to consider when buying a paddle board:
-Size? Yes its everything!!! Consider the length, somewhere around a 10’6 to 10’8 is our go to length on a standard all round board. The width generally something around 32”. The thickness of the board 4-6” but always keep in mind the height and weight of the person using the board the most.
-Type of board? What are you using it for: All rounder, Touring, yoga, surf performance. SUPs can really vary in each category so you need think about what you want to get out of your SUP sessions.
-The board as a package: what comes with it? The Board, paddle, pump, leash and bag. This is where you can clearly see the differences in brands and quality. Look closely at the board, is it single skin or double skin? What’s the fin configuration? Does it have cargo d-rings? Are the carry handles comfy? What’s the paddle made of? carbon, aluminium or nylon? What’s the blade design and weight of the paddle? Is the pump single or double chamber? Is the bag durable enough and is it a roller bag, rucksack or a hybrid? All boards should come with a leash! (and should always be worn)
-Durability and warranty? Research the board construction, can you afford a good quality board with drop stitch technology that makes the board more rigid in the water, stopping the unfortunate ‘banana’ affect you often see in some brands. Look at the warranty, some paddle boards can be covered for up to 5years, yes you read that right 5years, not just the standard 12 months!
-Environmental credentials? Look at the SUP brands ethos, how they treat the planet with the least impact, it’s important to us, is it to you?
So all of these things can really make a huge impact on price and quality, so read the reviews, do your research and ask us all the questions and use demos if you can. We stock a range of paddle board packages to cover all sizes, style and budgets, available instore and online, so ask away……….