Sup? If you’re in the market for a stand-up paddleboard, or SUP, but don’t know where to start, you’re in luck. How to Choose a Stand-Up Paddleboard article will teach you how to buy a SUP and provide all the information you need to select the perfect board for your needs. Let’s get started!
If you are in the market for a new paddleboard, there are a lot of things to consider. What type of board do you need? What are some of the best brands? How much should you pay? Follow how to stand up paddleboard tips to the best choice possible.
Choosing According To The Riders Weight And Height
One should always focus on the height of the rider while buying aboard. But it is not the most important factor.
The width and the volume of the board are what need special attention. This is also affected by the skill and experience level of the rider. For a beginner, it is advised to choose a 30–32 inch wide board.
A beginner should choose a board that has twice the volume of his weight. An easy way to do this is to consider one’s weight in pounds and the volume in liters. So, for a 200-pound guy, you would want a board that has 170–200 liter volume.
If you are buying a board for the use of multiple people such as for the family then you should consider the height and weight of the largest person to ride the board.
Stability
The stability of the board is all about the width. The more width a board has, the more stable it will be. On the other hand, a narrow board will provide less stability thus being tippy.
The length varies as well, that is because of how much space that the rider is getting in front of him and behind him on the board. But the length alone can hardly provide side-to-side balance if the width is not up to mark.
Speed
The speed of a paddleboard depends on three things. Firstly, a narrower board will travel faster because it has less drag.
The length of the board is responsible for the tracking and speed. A longer board will travel faster and also in a straight line.
Design Of The Board
When choosing a board it is important to look at the rocker and the outline design of the board.
A curved rocker will give you less speed but a flat rocker will be faster. But if the rocker is too flat then it will also be slower. Some cheap boards also have misplaced rockers which means the rocker can be a bit off-center or with other issues. This alone can make the whole board not work right.
The outline defines how maneuverable the board will be. A curvy outline is generally easier to maneuver. Boards with curvy outlines are best suited for waves and white waters. This curve allows the board to go through the waves more efficiently.
On the other hand, a board with a rounder outline will provide straighter tracking. Rounded outlined boards are also more stable for the same width. But these might pose a higher difficulty on the white waters as they cannot chop through the waves.
Stand-up paddleboards are mostly 4–6 inches thick. The rail size of the boards especially on the tail side of the board makes a lot of differences.
A board with a thin rail at the tails helps to curve more. Also, they are less affected by the wind coming from the sides. Boards with thicker rails do not curve as much. This can be a good thing because it provides the softer movement with more stability.
In this short article, I will provide you with a guide on how to choose a stand-up paddleboard. If you want more knowledge about paddleboards, feel free to visit here
