Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) is a favorite activity suitable for everyone. You can choose to head out to enjoy a relaxing paddle on calm waters such as a lake, or you can catch some waves in the ocean. Some people even participate in SUP yoga or fast-paced paddling to get a good workout. No matter what your objectives, having the appropriate board is vital for your enjoyment.

When you’re choosing the right board for you, you must think about how you’ll be using it, how you, want it to handle in the water and if it will fit your body. You also need to look at these points:

• Solid or inflatable – factors such as portability, board performance, and storage options will dictate whether you require an inflatable or a solid one.
• Hull type – you have a choice between a displacement hull or a planning hull which is dependent on the type of paddling you’ll be engaging in.
• Volume and weight capacity – you need to select a board with a volume and weight capacity, which is right for you according to your weight to ensure good paddling performance and stability.
• Length, thickness, and width – the dimensions of your SUP play a predominant role in establishing how it will handle in the water.

Solid SUP

Performance is a priority – solid boards offer great performance on the water, and a solid stand up board can travel faster, with less effort and faster on the water. Solid boards are your best option for far and fast paddling.

The perfect fit – If you think what size paddle board should I get, then you’ll have a large choice of sizes and shapes to choose from as opposed to inflatables.

Stability – the solid board is slightly more rigid which can give you a stable feel particularly when riding waves. They are lower in the water which makes you feel more stable.

Storing space – Solid boards can take up a lot of space, so you need to consider this when purchasing a board.

Inflatable SUP

Storage space – inflatable SUPs take up limited space, making them perfect for a people living in a small house or condo apartment. They can be deflated and stored in small spaces.

Perfect for traveling – if you’re traveling by plane or taking a road trip, an inflatable is easy to take along to do some paddling when you’ve reached your destination. 

Hiking to a lake – If you are heading to a beautiful alpine lake and want to enjoy the natural scenery while paddling, a solid board is not going to work. An inflatable can easily be stowed away in a storage bag and is a much lighter option to carry.

Paddling Whitewater – an inflatable, like a raft or inflatable kayak, is better suited for handling bumps up against the logs and rocks than your solid SUP.

SUP yoga – it’s not necessary to get an inflatable to do SUP yoga, but they are much softer than your solid boards. That’s why they are a more preferred choice for doing yoga poses.