Stand up paddle boarding is a simple and an effective way to exercise without drowning yourself in boredom. It is light on your wallet as well. All you need is a paddleboard and a water body. It could be a serene lake in the backcountry, the wide expanse of the ocean or even a pool in your back yard.

Choosing the right SUP board can be a tormenting task. It is essential to take some time to figure out what kind of board is ideal for you and the money you are willing to spend. Some professional boards can cost as much as a car. If you are just starting out with SUP, it is wise to invest in a used one as they can be snapped up at a price that won’t break the bank.

Stand Up Paddle Boards

The first thing to contemplate while choosing a board is, what is it that you are going to be using it for. There are many disciplines of paddle boarding out there like racing, touring and surfing. For those who want multiple uses out of their investment there are hybrids that perform well in multiple disciplines.

Wave Boards for SUP-Surfing

The SUP Yoga boards that are used for surfing waves are different from racing and touring SUP boards in three primary ways. Firstly, they have a much bigger rocker under them, which is key for effective cutting, top turns, and to stop your nose from diving when you drop into a wave. Secondly, they are generally shorter than racing and touring boards with the longest ones measuring upto 10ft. These sorts of boards are, for the most part, built for high performance; so it can measure much lower than 10ft. Thirdly, the tail and blades of the board will also be different. You have the options to choose form shapes like a swallow, a pin, or even a squash tail, depending upon the choice of boards available to you. Likewise, the fin setup of your board is also critical, as these give you stability and drive through high-speed maneuvers. The three-fin thruster is the most popular setup, however there are different combinations available.

Touring/Explore

This is the board for the easy-going paddle boarders. These have much higher volume than racing boards making them ideal for cruising. Once high speed is reached on these boards, they require relatively less effort to maintain that speed than other boards. These even come with optional storage units making them practical for exploration.

SUP Race boards

SUP board racing is growing in popularity. New racing boards are constantly being designed and built to give competitors an edge while contending. These boards are generally long and narrow with small rockers to reduce drag and enhance speed. With this design, these boards fall short on stability which they make up with sheer speed and acceleration.

White Water SUPs

To paddle board on rocky and shallow running water, you need special boards. Epoxy boards are generally considered unsafe on such water bodies. To take on such harsh water bodies, boards are made of PE and are made hollow. They have a higher volume as compare to most boards, which enhances their stability. They can be without or with small fins. The hollow part can be used as storage.

Yoga&Fitness SUPs

A new trend in the US is to perform yoga or Pilates on a SUP. You have to constantly balance yourself while performing the exercise. Yoga Paddleboards are mainly designed with yoga in mind, so they are comparatively more stable and comfortable than most boards as they are wide and have higher volume.Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga Classes

Inflatable SUPs

Everyone who has been traveling with a SUP board knows how torment this task is. If you are encountering such a predicament, you may consider substituting it with an inflatable one. This will save you valuable space to will help you travel light.

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