If you don’t yet know what SUP is perhaps it’s time to consider crawling out from under that rock you’ve been calling home. Stand Up Paddleboarding is trending hard at the moment and you need to get in on the action. But what board to get?
The type of board you buy will have a significant impact on the amount of fun you’ll have. So try not to be overeager and buying the first, shiniest board you see when entering the SUP shop. There are a few factors to consider in deciding what SUP is right for you, and we’re going to try and point them out to make your decision making easier.
Even though the sport is relatively new, there is already a multitude of different boards and different styles to choose from. It comes down to what you plan on using it for, but we’ll get back to that. First, let’s look at the four major board categories. The most common board is the ‘all-rounder’ SUP. The retailer will probably recommend this board to you if you’re a beginner as it ‘can do everything’ and is the cheapest option, but don’t get too excited, as the all-rounder may be ‘built for all styles’ but is really good for none.
Next is the surfing SUP. This is a specialised stand up paddling surfing board which is built shorter, wider and therefore easier to manoeuvre in the swell. An all-rounder board will, for instance, not come close to the manoeuvrability that a surfing SUP offers.
