THE REALLY USEFUL GUIDE TO BUYING A PADDLE BOARD
So, you have sat on the beach and watched the paddle boarders gracefully gliding across the open sea. You have walked down the rivers and canals and watched in wonder as a SUP tour heads up stream. You decide to take the plunge!
Having decided paddle boarding is for you, there are some big decisions for you to make! Where to begin? Hard board or ISUP? How long? So many brands? Budget? Whats your aspiration?
No need to panic! The Mallorca SUP Company is on hand to help you decide. We have created our very own "Buyers Guide To Stand Up Paddle Boarding". Our assumption is, if you are reading this, you are a beginner. You are looking for some genuine well balanced, unbiased advice.
If you own a board and have been paddling for a while now then you will more than likely know what we are talking about! Either way, we hope that you will find this an interesting and useful read.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
When starting a new hobby, research is key! Having a keen interest and wanting to try something new is only the beginning of the journey. There are many considerations to take in to account when looking to purchase your first paddle board and there is no real fixed rule. So let's break it down in to bite sized chunks and look at every aspect of the purchasing decision.
THE PADDLER PROFILE
USAGE
Paddle boards have many uses! Here are a few:
• Occasional weekend paddler (rivers, lakes, seas if weather conditions permit)
• Regular paddler on rivers, lakes, seas, taking your SUP abroad
• Touring long distances / SUP safaris
• Racing (short and long distance)
• SUP Surfing
• SUP Yoga and pilates
• White water supping
INFLATABLE OR HARD BOARD
This is the first big decision you will have to make, factoring in your "Paddler Profile", will make this an easier decision.
WHAT SIZE SHOULD I GET?
You have worked out what kind of paddle board you want, you are, why you want to use your board and established if you want an inflatable or a hard board. The next decision is the size and type of board. With such a variety of boards, in different lengths, shapes and sizes this can be the most confusing part of the process.
Firstly, weight plays a very big part in the decision. Whether it is just your weight or the combined weight (you plus paddling partner, child or dog) it will affect the overall performance. Here's the science. The more weight on the board, the lower it will sit in the water. The lower it sits in the water - the more drag, meaning it will go slower and be less efficient on the tracking (the direction your board goes).
Simply put, the bigger the board (length) and the greater thickness of board - the more volume .... the more volume, the greater the weight a board can hold. Board retailers will all have their own guide to weight capacity, so it is important for you to compare like for like and see what the different companies advise.
LETS LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT SHAPES AND STYLES
SUP surfing boards - these will be shorter, with a narrower tail section to enable the paddler to manoeuvre better in the water when catching the waves . These boards are for the more experienced paddler and usually range in size starting from 8'10" going up to a maximum of 10'.
All-round performance / beginner boards - These are the most versatile of the boards, making them great boards to learn on and progress on. Starting at around 10'6" these can go up in size to as much as 14', but the most popular choice in our experience is in the size range 10'6 to 11'8'. With a rounded nose and tail section and a middle section measuring between 30" and 34" they offer great stability for those who are starting out.
Touring Boards - Starting at around 12'6" these boards are traditionally longer and more narrow. This means that there is reduced drag and they maintain their course better, making them ideal for long distance paddles. Their shape is designed to displace the water rather than sitting on top of the surface. You could normally expect the width of the board to be around between 28" and 32".
SUP Yoga - These boards are designed with the purpose in mind. They are wider and thicker giving much greater stability for practising your yoga and pilates moves. The EVA deck pad will usually cover most of the board to enable the use to move around the board in safety, with maximum grip.
WHAT IS PSI
If you are starting out on you SUP adventure, one of the aspects you may have come across when looking at the wide variety of boards, is the "PSI" number. Firstly, it's good to know what PSI stands for. This indicates the "POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH" - in laymen's terms, how much air you can put in to your board for it to perform at its its best.
This will vary from board to board. But the rule of thumb is, the higher the PSI - the harder the board will be. This is essential down to a clever design feature called the drop stitch, which is the process used to not only hold the top and bottom of the board together - bit also gives it rigidity. Put simply - the higher the drop stitch density the greater the air pressure.
The PSI for inflatable SUP’s can vary from 10 – 25 PSI. Every brand and board will advise on what their maximum is. It is also a good indicator of the the quality of the board. Basically the higher the PSI number, the harder the board is going to be.
Making sure your paddle board is inflated to the proper air pressure will ensure:
- that it performs well
- that it is as stable
- that it will not flex in the middle
- that it can hold the proper amount of weight for its size
In order to get the best performance possible out of your board, it is very important that it is inflated to its proper PSI. Under inflation will cause issues for you, as the board will flex in the middle, creating drag and causing instability.
PLEASE NOTE! In warmer climates such as Mallorca, air pressure will increase with heat. NEVER over inflate, because this will cause significant damage! Over inflation will potentially lead to your board popping, if left out in the heat of the day. When inflated, they should never be left in direct sunlight, as this can increase the air pressure. As a precaution, and if you are ever in doubt, re-connect the pump and it will immediately tell you the PSI on the pressure gauge.