What To Look for When Buying a SUP

What to look for When Buying a New SUP

Disclaimer - this post contains affiliate links that help support this blog also this entire article is based on your understanding that you have basic Stand Paddling safety; always wear your PFD and leash, and paddle with a friend and within your limits.

As I have previously posted here, on Insta and Facebook, I am a huge fan of Stand Up Paddle Boarding or SUP.  I even have a post on Why SUP is the greatest bite-sized adventure of all time.

My new love of SUP was sparked in 2017 when I rented a board at the beach and became super stoked on it.  The wife and I quickly purchased two boards from Amazon, two of the least expensive boards they offered.  They served us well for a few years but then we started looking for boards that are more stable and more responsive.  The SUP market has exploded in the last five years, there are dozens of introductory brands available and dozens more for middle to high-level boards to choose from.  It can be overwhelming.   

I have tried to streamline this thought process to a few major considerations when purchasing a new stand-up paddleboard.  But please understand that there are many other considerations when shopping for a new board.  I also recommend that you support your local board shop to ask questions and support them by buying a board there.  If you are not near a local shop I have included affiliate links in this post to purchase a board online.  

Here are some considerations for your first stand-up paddleboard.

Inflatable vs Hard Board - 

There are 2 major types of boards on the market, an inflatable board (iSUP) or hardboard.  There are plenty of differences between these two but the short story is related to portability, durability, speed, and performance on the water.  A hardboard can offer better performance in the surf and better for speed but can be cumbersome to store and transport.  While an inflatable board is easy to store, very durable, and travels in the trunk of your car with ease.  I believe an iSUP is a great board for beginners.  It is easy to store, light to carry, and more forgiving when you drop it.  The biggest downside is waiting to get it inflated in the parking lot.   If you are an impatient person (like me) I suggest investing in an electric pump, this will be a huge time and energy saver.  I have had good luck with this one on Amazon, the Saylor Electric Pump.  But many others have had really good experiences with the Shark from OutdoorMaster.  You will find that an eclectic pump will make inflating it much easier than a hand pump.  

Cost - 

This is a big one for most people.  Buying a SUP can be a big investment.  SUP’s can range from $250 to $3000+ for a high-quality racing board.  You need to take into consideration your budget of what you are willing to spend on a paddleboard.  You will find that the phrase “you will get what you pay for” is a very real issue within the world of SUP.  

Let’s break down the 3 basic levels of costs.  

    <$500 - Many of the Amazon boards are great starter boards to get you on the water.  Check out this one, it will be a great starter board to teach you the basics.  At the upper of this range is the Drift iSUP, again ideal as a beginner board.  But after a few seasons, you may begin to want something that is faster and has more performance.  Drift is a more inexpensive line from the people over at BOTE, check them out for high-quality iSUP's and fishing-specific boards.

    <$800 - Then you will look into something more like the ISLE Explorer SUP.  This is a huge step up, it will be more stable, more comfortable to paddle, it can hold more weight like kids or dogs, and since it is longer will provide better tracking while moving forward over longer distances.  ISLE also makes a great introductory hardboard for a little more money, the ISLE Cruiser Board. Another company that fits in this budget range is iRocker.  iRocker makes 3 levels of boards, the introductory price range is the Nautical line, the mid-range is the iRocker, and the Cadillac line is the Blackfin. iRocker has had really good feedback for over a decade but recently people are having issues with the quality; warped edges, ripped seams, things like that.

    $800+ - There are a number of companies that make higher-end boards like Blue Planet, 404, and SIC, but I have found really good luck with my Earth River SUP.  They have a great selection of iSUPs to fit most people’s paddling needs.  They make great all-around boards, touring paddling boards, as well as surfing boards.  I highly recommend ERS for any iSUP you are looking for.  (Truth be told, I am an ambassador for Earth River SUP but I do not get any kickbacks from them, I just believe they make one of the most stellar iSUP boards on the market).  

Dimensions/Shape/Length/Width 

There are so many shapes and measurements on the market it can seem overwhelming; do you get a board that is 10’9” or 10’7” long, what is the difference of 2 inches. Do you get a 30” wide board or a 34” wide board?  Why is that board nose so pointy, and why does that one look like is curved like a banana?  Wait, this one has 3 fins and this only has 1.  There is a ton of information and science behind why these boards are shaped this way, but the short story for most beginners is to look at an “all-around” shape. This type of board will be between 10’7” and 11’ long, with a fairly standard width of 32”.  But again, if you're looking for lots of details on this, do your research and support your local board shop.  

Volume

The volume of your SUP  is basically making sure the board will support you and whatever you are planning on bringing along (kids, dogs, cooler of drinks, etc..).  Finding the volume is a bit of math, so check here for how much volume your new board should have.

Paddle  

Most new boards for introductory people come with a paddle.  It is normally a fiberglass paddle that will work but you will quickly realize that paddling for an hour you will do a paddle stroke over 3000 times, and you start to think about a lighter more responsive paddle.  I have heard from experienced paddlers that a better paddle is better than a better board.  In other words, you will want to consider investing in a high-quality carbon fiber paddle that has the features you are looking for in a paddle.  When you start looking at high-quality paddles you will start looking at non-adjustable paddles, so keep in mind what your perfect size might be for a paddle.  I have had 3 different boards but I have had 6 different paddles.  Your paddle is your connection to the water so you want to make sure it suits the kind of paddler you are.  I recommend looking at Earth River SUP, Black Project SUP, or HippoStick.  They all make superior paddles for your SUP, you will notice a difference.  

This is only the tip of the SUP iceberg, there are still a ton of other minor considerations to make, like do you want a GoPro mount, or bungee tie-downs in the front and/or back, or what kind of carry handle, or do you want removable fins.  But the basic question you will want to ask yourself are above.  As you get more questions, support your local board shop, and look online, there is a ton of information and details out there.  If you want to read about the technical and super specific issues around SUP’s check out this blog post from SUPBoardguide.com.  I also suggest you check out this 2021 SUP Buying Guide from my friends at PumpedUpSUP.com for a detailed but easily understandable overview of inflatable board options.  

But the big take-home for you is you get what you pay for, and this can be a big purchase for many people, so if an introductory board is what you need to start with to save money, do it.  Maybe you will love it and want to upgrade later in a few years.  

No matter what you decide, as long as you are up for SUP I will see you on the water.  (Okay, that was really cheesy).