Paddleboards

Best Paddleboards Featured in This Roundup:

List of the Best Paddleboards

1. iROCKER Cruiser Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board

Pros
  • Carries up to 400lbs of weight  
  • Floating fiberglass paddle, so you don't have to worry about losing it 
  • Comes with a dual-chamber, triple action hand pump
Cons
  • May have limited quality control as it gets holes easily   
  • After-sales service may not be much help
Bottom Line

Overall, the iROCKER Cruiser Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board provides us with an excellent paddleboard that comes with many new features and improvements that we can all enjoy. Its fiberglass paddle is a great highlight, which is both lightweight and versatile, and with its full-frame, you can expect a stable ride through the water. Even with its apparent quality issues, this product's value far exceeds its flaws and can be forgiven. 

 

Providing us with a high-quality paddleboard, iRocker has achieved in delivering a product that gives us value for money. From its lighter weight and broader frame, along with its great new features and updated pump, this inflatable paddle board is the best choice for adventurers. The iROCKER Cruiser Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board is a brilliant new addition to your adventure list and is something you'll be able to enjoy with your family and friends for a long time. 

Read our in-depth iROCKER Cruiser Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board Review here.

2. Peak Expedition Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board

Pros
  • 3-piece aluminum adjustable travel paddle
  • Uses a high-pressure dual-action pump  
  • Comes with a removable travel fin
Cons
  • May have problems with a weak paddle  
  • May develop a reverse camber, making the rocker completely go away
Bottom Line

The Peak Expedition Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board is an excellent addition to any explorer's arsenal, to get back out to nature and to get the most out of your travels. Its sturdy and robust construction allows you to go where none have gone before, and its high-pressure pump will enable you to get to the action quickly. Even with its minor setbacks, this paddleboard is still one of the closest products to boarding perfection that is out in the markets now. 

 

In the end, the Peak Expedition Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board is a brilliant product to use for all your adventures, whether it's fishing or touring or snorkeling. It's excellent features offer durability, portability, and value to anyone who loves the water and exploring its vastness. And with its free bundle and 1-year warranty, no other competitors have a better offer than this paddleboard. So what are you waiting for?

Read our in-depth Peak Expedition Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board Review here.

3. FunWater Inflatable 10’6×33″×6″ Ultra-Light Paddle Board

Pros
  • Made from PVC to strengthen the board without the added weight 
  • Portable and easy to carry 
  • Includes many extras in its package
Cons
  • May have stabilization issues  
  • The pump may be weaker and might break prematurely
Bottom Line

The FunWater Inflatable Ultra-Light Paddle Board delivers excellent performance with an almost perfect product. But because of their neglect towards customer feedback as well as making sure of the quality of their pump, they miss out on delivering a paddleboard that could've been perfect. But for the price of $250, this is still one of the best paddleboards within its price tag and even ones that are supposed to give better value because it comes at a higher cost. 

 

All in all, the FunWater Inflatable Ultra-Light Paddle Board still provides us with many features and capabilities for its lower price tag. It is both durable for all your adventures and versatile enough to be taken anywhere from your pool, to the lake or the ocean. It even comes with a lot of useful freebies from the package that comes with it, making sure that you get everything you need at no extra price. For all your paddleboarding needs, the FunWater Inflatable Ultra-Light Paddle Board is the right choice. 

Read our in-depth FunWater Inflatable 10’6×33″×6″ Ultra-Light Paddle Board Review here.

4. SereneLife Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board

Pros
  • Comes with a wide SUP design 
  • Made with a non-slip, soft top deck  
  • Durable and portable, perfect for adventures  
Cons
  • Paint could start peeling after only a few weeks   
  • May have problems with stability
Bottom Line

In the end, the SereneLife Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board has many things to offer for those who love to explore and go out for adventures on the water. With its excellent design and maneuverability, it is well suited for kids and adults alike who want to learn and those who are already pros at paddleboarding. Its portability lets you take it wherever you want to go; from rivers, lakes, and oceans. 

 

The SereneLife Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board gives you all the essentials you need for all your travels which provides you with great value for your money. All in all, this paddleboard is still worth the price despite the few mistakes in its manufacturing and we hope that the company will be open to customer feedback so that they can take suggestions on board and finally perfect this product that already comes close to it. 

Read our in-depth SereneLife Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board Review here.

5. Roc Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Boards

Pros
  • Durable and lightweight, making it ideal for all your adventures 
  • Comes with complete with all the essentials you need  
  • An excellent, all-around board for all skill levels
Cons
  • May quickly get holes after a few uses    
  • The paddle may be weaker than expected and may break
Bottom Line

While the Roc Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board comes up short with a few things such as it's paddle and overall quality of the board, it's not a huge disappointment overall. It gives customers a high-quality and lightweight product, a functional design, and a whole essentials package that contains everything you could need to get you started on your adventures. 

 

To sum it up, the Roc Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board is an excellent paddleboard to add to your collection or to give as a gift to your children. It will not only pave the way to a lifetime of paddling and fun, but it will also help them take the first steps towards loving adventure and exploration. This paddleboard takes its rightful place in this list of the top paddleboards for 2019 and can be yours soon. 

Read our in-depth Roc Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Boards Review here.

Paddleboarding Buyers Guide

Paddleboarding is a fun and relaxing water sport with an added advantage of being accessible to everyone of all ages and abilities. A lot of sports and hobbies require special equipment and accessories. But in paddleboarding, a minimum of gear would let you explore the open ocean, race on lakes and large rivers, or take a journey from one coastal area to another.

Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), the unofficial hybrid of kayaking and surfing, has seen rapid growth in the last few years. It’s fairly simple and easy to learn. The activity involves standing on a single-bladed board and using a paddle to propel oneself along the water. Stand-up board riders call themselves SUPers.

The key to an awesome paddleboarding adventure is finding the right board. This guide will compare the different types of paddle boards and discuss the main points you should consider in choosing the perfect stand-up board for your needs.

What is a stand-up paddleboard?

One of the most amazing things about SUP is that you don’t need a lot of equipment to get you afloat. All you need is a board, a pump (for inflatable boards), and a leash to get on the water.

The paddleboard is the core element of SUP. If you have the cash and would like to indulge yourself, this is the splurge-worthy item in your arsenal. Don’t be afraid to invest in a reliable stand-up paddleboard. But be sure to spend wisely, as no one wants to waste their money on the wrong board.

Compare prices, read reviews, and take your preferences in mind when buying your first paddleboard.

Paddle Boarding vs. Surfing

It’s not just you. Many people often have a hard time differentiating paddleboarding from surfing. The main key difference between the two is the paddle. SUP riders use a paddle to move their boards into different angles, while surfers rely on their bodies and weight changes to move the board while riding the wave.

The SUP board is generally longer, thicker, and heavier than a surfboard because it is optimized for stable waters. Surfing requires mobility so surfboards are essentially shorter (about 5 to 9 feet) and lighter.

Unlike traditional surfing where a rider waits for a breaking wave, SUPs can be performed in a wide range of conditions. However, riding waves or paddle surfing requires advanced skills as SUP boards are big and hard to maneuver.

How to choose a stand-up paddleboard?

The popularity of SUP spiked in the late 2000’s. What started as a way to take photos of tourists learning how to surf, is now one of the fastest-growing outdoor activities. Participants commonly used SUP for recreation, fitness, and some with competitive involvement.

When choosing a SUP board, you must take into account your skill level, your budget, and how you are going to use it. Whether you want to take SUP as a professional sport or something you can use for yoga or touring, your next step is to narrow down your choices based on the following parameters.

Check the board construction

Paddleboards can be broadly categorized into two groups, inflatable or solid, based on the material used to make the boards.

Solid

Solid boards are similar to surfboards and they are the most common type of boards in the market. Most solid paddle boards have an EPS (expanded polystyrene) core covered with fiberglass and epoxy, carbon, or wood. They are ideal for racing and traveling long distances. Unlike inflatable boards, solid boards do not require assembly so you can use it on the go. However, transporting it can be challenging and you need some space to store it offseason.

Inflatable

Inflatable SUPs are versatile and easy to carry and store. They are made of layers of PVC plastic with woven fibers hugging the top and bottom areas of the board. Entry-level inflatable boards are generally cheaper than epoxy boards. If you need high performance in terms of speed and maneuverability, solid board is your best bet. But for beginners and those who will be exploring rocky rivers and rough shores, an inflatable would be a good option as solid boards can be easily damaged when knocked off rocks.

Check the different styles of SUP boards

Paddleboards can be further grouped into four categories based on activity. It is important to determine what the board’s primary use will be and who will be using it.

All-Around

It’s safe to say that this board is a blend of all the different types of paddle boards. They are longer than boards used for SUP surfing for easy gliding and tracking and is wide enough to provide stability. An all-rounder is a balanced gear because it can do a bit of everything, perfect for beginners and first-time riders.

Surfing

Surfing SUPs are shaped like a traditional surfboard, which means they are shorter, but also thicker and wider to provide extra buoyancy. Compared with other styles, these are less stable, difficult to paddle and keep in a straight direction but very maneuverable on waves.

Flatwater (Racing)

Racing boards are designed for speed and tracking over an open ocean or flat water. They are narrower but also the longest among other styles. These are geared towards more experienced riders or recreational racers. The extra length generates fast sprints and more efficient gliding.

Touring

The wide design of touring boards is safe enough for beginners. They are constructed for long-distance paddling in open ocean, bays, and lakes. This particular style allows you to move faster and stay straighter on a long journey.

Yoga (Fitness)

Fitness boards are designed for flatwater paddling and any fitness-related activity in calm waters. When using a paddleboard to practice yoga, you need the extra width for stability and an extended deck pad to give plenty of room to stretch

Consider the design of the board hull

The shape or body of the paddleboard plays a major role in determining the board’s performance in the water. The hull comes in two basic designs: planing and displacement hull.

Displacement Hull – has a pointed nose similar to the V-shape bottom of a kayak or canoe meant to slice through the water. It is more efficient and requires less effort to paddle but sacrifices stability. Common applications: racing, touring, fitness paddling.

Planing Hull – is flat and wide like a surfboard, riding on top of the water with good stability. The performance tends to increase as it gets to high speed. Common applications: surfing, yoga, leisure paddling

Consider the length, volume, and weight capacity

The size of your paddleboard does matter. Pay attention to the recommended rider weight for each board.because an undersized board will make paddling even harder.

The rule of thumb for beginners in terms of volume is twice the rider’s weight. A board’s volume is expressed in liters. So let’s do some calculations: if you weigh 130 pounds (or 59 kilos), 59 multiplied by 2 equals 118. You would need a board with a volume of at least 118 liters.

Standard board size

Compare fin systems

Entry-level boards often come with a standard 9” or 10” plastic fin. Larger fins add better tracking and stability to a paddleboard, but smaller fins offer better maneuverability. To enhance the tracking performance of your board, you may attach additional fins. For riding waves, thrusters with 3 fin configurations are ideal. On the other hand. Long single fins are recommended for touring and racing.

Paddleboard FAQs

Q: Can SUP ride waves?
A: Not all boards are designed for surfing. You can buy specialized boards if surfing is the main purpose of the board; otherwise, you would need a second board for other paddling types.
Q: Where should I store my paddleboard?
A: You should keep your board indoors when not in use. If you have both epoxy and inflatable boards, you should keep them out of direct sunlight, as delaminated epoxy can burst the seams of your inflatable SUP. Inflatables are recommended for people with limited storage space.

Q: Is paddleboarding a great workout?

A: SUP is a full-body workout. It works your arms, back, legs, particularly the core. Paddling across the coast will give you a serious workout. Riding a constantly unstable board engages all the smaller muscle groups in the body.

Q: What is the best inflatable SUP for dogs?

A: If you love bringing your pet while paddling, inflatable paddle boards are ideal. Dogs prefer soft boards than epoxy because they are less slippery. Touring boards are also great for taking a passenger because of the added width.

Q: What is the best SUP paddle?

A: The material used to construct a paddle determines its weight and stiffness. Fiberglass paddles provide the necessary balance between value and performance. They are light and stiff but less efficient than those made of carbon. For performance paddling, a carbon paddle is your best bet. While it is the most lightweight material used in paddles, it is also more expensive.

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