How to Find the Best Paddleboard: 3 Factors to Look for in a SUP

Looking for the best stand up paddle board?

Finding the right paddle board can play a heavy role in your experience with paddle boarding. With so many options on the market ranging from inflatable to foam core, it’s hard to find which is best for you. The good new is, we will be breaking down how to find the best stand up paddle board for you!

What Makes for the Best Stand Up Paddle Board?

Finding the best paddle board starts with determining which factors are most important to you. There are so many paths you can go down to answer this question. Let’s break down what questions you should be asking yourself.

1. What kind of riding are you planning on doing? Do you prefer a racing style board, or a board that is built more for touring? How important is the performance?
2. Where is the board going to live? What’s the typical usage of the board? How convenient would you like it to be to travel with your board?
3. Last but not least, does the company have good reviews?
   

These are all great questions you should ask yourself when you’re in the market for your next Stand Up Paddleboard. Now here is what you need to know, based on your answers to these questions.

What Kind of Rider are You?

Do you compete in the SUP racing circuit? Or, are you a weekend warrior who gets out for a morning paddle session at the crack of dawn once a week?

These are 2 TOTALLY different consumers. The SUP racer is going to get much more speed on a displacement hull designed board than that of a surf style. The stability on a displacement board is going to be typically very low. You’re going to need decent balance & coordination to utilize that style to its fullest.

One the other hand, the touring/surf style boards will lack the speed of a racing/displacement board, but they’ll be much more forgiving to the new/intermediate riders when it comes to balance. The stability on the touring/surf style board is noticeably better due them being wider. Most touring boards are 30” wide, and can be as wide as 36” (which are typically used in yoga applications). Whereas SUP racing boards can be mid 20’s on width.

How Often do You Plan to Travel?

Is the Paddleboard you purchase going to live with you & venture out on weekly excursions to multiple different watering holes? Or is it going to live at the lake home?

Transporting a stand up paddle board is a huge factor when determining the right fit for you & your lifestyle. It’s true that most damage does occur during transport, not in the water. So, if you’re looking at a hardboard, do you have the necessary equipment to haul a board that’s anywhere from 10-14’ feet long? If not, you may be limited in your search to only the inflatable boards that are on the market today.

If it’s a 1 time haul up to the family cabin then we would recommend a hardboard as they are better for maneuvering and will not flex in the middle during your ride.

How are the Reviews?

Check their reviews! How many times have you made an impulse buy to later find out the reviews of that brand aren’t the greatest? Even worse if those negative reviews you read actually come to fruition!

When you are buying something like a new stand up paddle board, make sure to do your research. These boards are not necessarily cheap, and with so many companies out there it can be hard to find a quality board and company you can trust. Overall, make sure you’re 100% on board with the company before you throw down cold hard cash for your next stand up paddle board.

Finding the Best Board for You

It might take some time to research companies and comb through reviews, but it will be worth it when you are out on the water with a paddle board you love!

If you are trying to find a premium wood stand up paddle board, we would strongly encourage you to check out our wood stand up paddle boards! All of our boards are handcrafted at our shop in Anoka, Minnesota where we take premium woods like Western Red Cedar and Paulownia to create a true work of art. Our dedication to our craft ensures exceptional quality and uniqueness to every board that leaves our doors.

Have questions or want to learn more about our wooden stand up paddle boards? Contact us today! We would be happy to help in any way we can.