How to Choose an Inflatable Paddle Board

This article has been a long time coming! So we felt we had to cut the flak and extra marketing clearly to give you a complete guide on how to choose an inflatable paddle board that is right for YOU and your needs. 

There are a lot of articles out there that try to sell you on only buying high-quality paddle boards, and the rest are absolute garbage. This is untrue as there are plenty of solid paddle boards out there that don’t require you to pay major dollars.  

The biggest question you need to ask yourself is “How often will you be using the board?” If you are buying a SUP for a few uses at the family cabin or buying an extra for a friend there is no need to spend big bucks on a board when a cheap one will just do the job fine. 

However, the more often you plan on using the board the more you should look at a higher quality SUP. The problem with many budget/ cheap SUPs you find at big box stores or Amazon is the fact that they are mass-produced and there is less quality work and craftsmanship that goes into them compared to the more expensive boards. 

The more expensive boards use what I like to call the “A Team” of the factory which spends more time on each board while putting better quality materials into the SUP to ensure it lasts. 

For a General list check out our Best inflatable Paddle Boards round up here. 

So what Should You Look for When Choosing an Inflatable Paddle Board That’s Right for You? 

Below are things that you should look at when it comes to choosing an inflatable SUP that is right for you. First, let’s just give you a little taste of what’s to come and what it all means. You can click on the links below to jump to each section of the page. 

Detailed Factors on How to Choose an Inflatable Paddle Board

The below factors will help you choose how to choose an inflatable paddleboard.

Your Experience Level

This will be the biggest factor in determining exactly what type of board you will be getting. If you are newer to the sport you will be looking for a board that will be wider and have a rounded shape that ensures the board’s stability. 

Typically as a beginner, you want to start off with an all-around board or a stability-focused SUP  shape that is rounded. Boards such as a yoga or fishing board typically have a shape like this. The combination of a wide width from the center of the board and a longer length will give you more stability.

Quick Note: For Beginners, you typically want to look for a board with a length of 10’6” – 11’6” and a width of 32 -36”. We will explain more about this in the Length and Width section of the article. 

The thinner the width of the board the less stable the board will feel. As a result, you will need some experience or deal with a sharper learning curve trying out these SUPs. This typically goes for Touring Paddle Boards whose purpose is speed and long-distance travelling. They may have a longer length, but their width will be less than your typical all-around boards which makes them harder to stand on, especially when they are at a standstill. 

Where Are You Paddling and What Do You Need? 

This is another important thing to consider. Not all paddling environments are created equal and thus be treated the same way. Some environments such as Offshore paddle boarding or white water paddle boarding require lots of hours of training before you can even attempt to tackle these conditions. 

Below are the most common conditions you will face as well as examine exactly what you need to tackle them.

Calm FlatWater Paddling Conditions

Where: Lakes, Ponds Coastal Waters and slow-moving rivers, beaches with still water

Characteristics: little wind and little waves and if in coastal waters no tidal movements. 

What Kind of Board: All Around Paddle Boards, Fishing, Yoga, Touring

Skill Level: Beginner – Intermediate/ Advanced

These will be the conditions that most paddlers including beginners will shoot for. But how do you find them? Take a look at your weather app or website and make sure it’s a clear day and look for wind that is 15 km/h and below. Anything above that you will start combating wind. Which is less than ideal when you are starting out. For those living by the ocean check out the tide tables and make sure you aim for the peak of high or low tide and not in between. 

FlatWater Paddling Conditions with Wind/ Waves

Where: Lakes, Ponds Coastal Waters and slow-moving rivers, beaches with breaks

Characteristics: wind and waves are prevalent 

What Kind of Board: All Around Paddle Boards, Fishing, Touring

Skill Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Wind and waves tend to bully inflatable paddle boards more so than their hardshell cousins. As a result, you have to be more wary of not just the conditions but also be honest with yourself in terms of your skill level. 

“Time after time I see beginners try paddle boards and they go at a time when the tide is aggressively pushing one way and I see them float off only to massively struggle to get back to shore. As a beginner, you should sit these ones out no matter how nice the weather is.”

– Derek’s Notes

Intermediate and Advanced paddlers have experience with these sorts of conditions and know the right plan on how to tackle them. Going against the wind and waves on the way out and with it on the way back in. 

Surfing Conditions

Where: beaches and white water rivers

Characteristics: constant waves and white water

What Kind of Board: Surfing paddle boards/ White Water Paddle Boards

Skill Level: Intermediate – Advanced

These conditions should only be tackled with training from a certified instructor or some prior experience. With these conditions, you want a smaller board that can cut waves. Admittedly Inflatable paddle boards are not the greatest for this but there are strides being made that make these boards better and better. 

The Price You Pay

Why are some inflatable paddle boards more expensive than others? Isn’t an inflatable paddle board just an inflatable paddle board?

Well no. The price you pay is determined by how many labor hours are put into each board what construction materials are used as well as the craftsmanship. Mass-produced boards will be cheaper because there are fewer materials put into the board which in turn do not last as long as boards that have more quality craftsmanship put into them.

Inflatable Paddle Boards can be put into 3 different tiers:

• Cheap Boards ($200 – $400): Usually made of cheaper materials and mass produced in in china. These boards do not have the level of quality control as the more expensive boards and as a result, fail more. But they are fine for a paddle board you can just use to paddle around the lake a few times per year.  We made our picks of the Best Cheap Paddle Boards that we found to be reliable here. 
• Mid-Tier boards ($450 – $800): These boards put a great emphasis on quality and are often branded/ have their own e-commerce store with a viable warranty (usually around 2 years warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee). Often times boards will have more advanced materials including carbon side rails, welded seams, fusion construction that uses heat bonding
• High-Quality Paddle Boards ($850- 1600 and up): These are often boards that are more specialized and have advanced technologies tested by the manufacturer that they put in. Things such as woven drop stitch, slide-in carbon battens, and thinner board thicknesses are typical characteristics of these boards. Often inflatable touring boards are in this realm and have features on them that improve water flow such as a lip on the tail, additional stringers, a very pointed nose, nose cover, etc. 

Paddle Board Shape

What the board does and how it handles in the water comes down to the board’s shape. All Around Paddle Boards that are rounded and wide tend to be more stable in the water compared to the narrower thinner touring SUPs. The thinner boards with pointed noses are better for speed and tracking which is often why they are most often picked to go for long distances over all-around boards. 

The volume also has its part to play in paddle board shapes as well. A board with more volume will typically be more buoyant and be able to hold more weight compared to one that features less volume if the materials and construction are the same. Volume does not always mean more stability for the paddlers. Stability is more dependent on the combination of the length and width of the board as well as the shape.

Length and Width 

One of the universal indicators of a SUP is its length and width. Almost any inflatable paddle board I have seen will have these dimensions so you can use this as a guide to understand what kind of SUP you are getting. 

Length plays a part in how well the board tracks as well as how manueverable the board is and its stability/ speed. 

• 7’9 – 9’8″ Long Boards – These are good for youth paddlers or for advanced surfers. If you are an adult you should have a good amount of SUP training underneath you as these are very unstable and highly manueverable boards which makes them good for surfing
• 10′ – 10’6″ Long Boards – For All Around SUPs. Smaller paddlers will prefer the 10 boards while the 10’6″ size will be good for 80 % of paddlers. These boards have a good blend of tracking and maneuverability and are good in many calm water conditions
• 11′-11’6″ Long boards – All-around boards for larger paddlers or even be used as a tandem. These boards are good for larger/ taller paddlers who find 10’6″ boards challenging to stand on. They have a greater level of stability and also blend tracking well. These boards are often heavier and take more effort to maneuver which makes them ideal for those larger paddlers who have extra strength in them. 
• 12’6″ – 14″ Long Boards – These are typically Touring / Race boards that are made for more advanced paddlers who want to travel distances faster and more efficiently. race boards are often used in competitions and require advanced manuevers to pass by obstacles quickly

Width plays a big role in how stable a paddle board will be:

• 24″ – 28″ Wide Board – Unstable for many beginner adults these sizes are typically for advanced racing/ touring sups or kids/ youth boards meant for smaller paddlers
• 28″ – 31″ Wide Board – Will be for smaller All Around boards or Touring SUPs
• 32 – 34″ Wide Boards – Usually the width for all-around boards. This is a good width range for beginners to look at if stability is their main priority. These size boards are also great for SUP yoga, SUP fishing, and tandem boards
• 35- 52″ Wide Board – Often for Multi-person SUPs. These will carry 4- 10 people but require coordination to paddle 

So next time you are looking at a SUP keep the above dimensions in mind so that you understand what kind of board you are looking at. 

Board Thickness

Most inflatable paddle boards nowadays are 6” thick. This is because this is the sweet spot for board rigidity, even if the board’s materials are not up to the standards they shoud be. Typically when choosing a budget or mid-priced board you should stay around that 6” thick sweet spot as the board will maintain rigidity throughout compared to a 5” or 4” thick board. 

Now there are exceptions to the rule. If the board is well made and has quality materials and craftsmanship put into the board then you can go with a 5” or 4” SUP. Boards such as Honu, Red Paddle, and Starboard like to make SUPs with this thickness because it more closely resembles hardboards which have more glide in the water. These boards are typically more expensive due to patented technologies being placed in the boards as well as the craftsmanship.

Maximum Capacity

Maximum capacity is a rough estimated guide by the manufacturer that tells you how much weight a board can take before its on-water performance suffers. This is also a stat that you will regularly see listed on the product page. 

Here is a rough guide as to how much a SUP can take onboard and what that looks like. 

• All Around boards will typically have a 250- 350 maximum capacity which is good for a paddler and a smaller passenger like a child or dog
• Bigger All Around boards will have a 350 – 500 lbs maximum capacity that allows for two adults to paddle. Add the weight of both adults give or take 20-30 lbs and see if it’s within the manufacturer’s maximum capacity. 
• Multi Passenger boards will have a 550 – 1000 lbs maximum capacity have the capability to take many passengers onboard

Maximum capacity won’t matter as much with a lighter paddler going out for a day paddle. However, if you are doing an activity such as paddle board camping you will want a board that has a minimum of a 350 lb maximum capacity. 

3rd Party Reviews

How do you know if a SUP is actually good and customers like it? You can look at the brand’s E-commerce page but one thing you should know is that brands have the option not to post negative reviews on their website. This can skew the accuracy of those reviews. 

So where do you look? Having spent the last 3 years doing research for articles on this website I’ve compiled a list of good places to look for SUPs.

Review Sites that ACTUALLY test Boards: Shameless self-plug here but 3rd party review sites that test more than a handful of boards will have a good handle and a good baseline of what boards do what. Ignore sites that don’t have any pictures of their own to show. They mostly look at reviews on e-commerce sites and Amazon.

Amazon Reviews: While Amazon is technically an e-commerce site it is required to post all reviews. Both ood and bad. You can organise them by clicking on the star category makes them a good source if the brand does sell on Amazon. 

Reddit: As much as I am not a fan of this website, the r/sup community on Reddit is pretty solid and will have a lot of helpful advice on there and there are a good amount of folks who are knowledgeable and are more than happy to help folks out here. I sometimes answer questions on there as well. 

Facebook Pages/ Groups: All reviews that are on Facebook have to show all the ratings. Unless the brand imports their own reviews onto there which I have seen a few companies do. Some of the bigger brands like iRocker have groups specifically about their boards. You can also join various different paddle board groups and ask questions about boards there. 

The Brand

What’s the reputation of the brand when you look at the above 3rd party customer reviews? You can also go right into the brand’s website and do a deep dive to give you some clues as to how well the board is constructed as well as what their warranty and return periods are like. 

In my mind, a respectable warranty and return period are around 2 years for the warranty and 30 days for the return period. In terms of warranties, it should be noted that almost all of them will only cover manufacturing defects and will not cover damage done by external damage such as:

• Over Inflation
• Punctures by rocks or logs
• Scratches
• Cosmetic damages and imperfections

Some SUP manufacturers also have a restocking fee that they add to the return so take a look at the brand’s terms and conditions before ordering. These can vary from around 10 -20% of the purchase price so read the details first!

It’s also important to note the wording on the construction of the board. Unfortunately, there can be many different meanings for the same phrase. An example of that would be “fusion construction”. 

So how do you know if the construction is any good? The more detail you get from the brand on how they manufacture their paddle boards the better. Typically more expensive brands will have more information on their construction because the materials and craftsmanship are the board’s selling point. 

Here is my little guide to SUP construction. We go further into this in our What Are Inflatable Paddle Boards Made of And Why Does it Matter article. 

• Single Layer Construction: A single layer of PVC coating a drop stitch core. These are mass-produced for Amazon/ Big Box stores and will last the shortest amount of time.
• Double Layer Construction: A board that has 2 layers of PVC coatings. These boards are heavier but are much more durable than the Single-layer construction. 
• Triple/ Quadruple Layered Construction: Paddle Boards that feature 3-4 layers of PVC over the drop stitch core. These are even heavier than the double-layered construction boards and can be more difficult to fold. iRocker and Blackin’s classic boards use this type of construction.
• Fusion Layered Construction: This is fast becoming the standard for inflatable paddle boards as it uses 2 layers of PVC machine pressed together to make it into one layer. These boards are lighter, easier to fold, and just as durable as dual or triple-layered boards. SUPs such as Nixy, Bote, and Atoll use this sort of process.

You can see our reccomendations of brands in the FAQs section of this article.

SUP Features and Accessories

Last on the list is to take a look at what kind of onboard features and accessories are included in the package. While many people may think of this as an afterthought, the items on this list do become important depending on what you want to do with your SUP. We’ll go through the most important items to look at below. 

It’s All About the Paddle 

The level of importance of this item will depend on your skill level. Beginners starting won’t care so much about the paddle as long as well… The SUP actually comes with one! On that subject I should forewarn that some paddle board packages do not come with a paddle so keep a close eye on what the package does actually come with. 

As you gain more experience in paddle boarding and start to paddle further and further out. Getting a strong lightweight paddle that feels good becomes a priority. 

At this point, you want to stray away from the heavy aluminum paddles and start looking at fiberglass or carbon hybrid paddles that come with the board. These can be 1 to 1.5 lbs lighter than an aluminum paddle. This doesn’t sound like a lot but after an hour and about 1000 stokes being put in you start to feel the difference. 

The Deck Pad

Why might the deckpad be of some importance you may ask? Ultimately you want a deckpad that is thick enough to feel comfortable when you are paddling (so your feet don’t start to numb). Most deckpads these days are made of EVA foam (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate). There are a few different types that you will see on boards:

• Diamond Grooved: Little diamond cuts in the deckpad, The sharper the edge is on the diamond part the more grippy the board’s deck pad will be. Sometimes they are found on the back of the boards for doing more advanced manuevers like pivot turns.  
• Striped: This is often the most common type of deckpad you will see. These deck pads have stripes that act as grooves to give your feet extra grip
• Embossed: You will often find SUP logos in these. They are made to give the deckpad more grip. Often these are paired with striped deck padding. 
• Flat: These have no grooves and are best for those who want a flat surface. Folks such as SUP Yogis will find these most helpful as they have a similar texture to a yoga mat. 

The length of the deckpad is also something to consider. If you are doing SUP Yoga, SUP fishing, or have a passenger onboard you should look for a deckpad that is full length so that you or your passenger have a grip on the entire span of the board. But for casual paddling purposes, a smaller deck pad is fine. 

All About Fins

Fins play their part in the board’s tracking, maneuverability, speed, and to a lesser extent tracking. Fin systems won’t be as important to you starting out. But as you get more advanced they may be a feature you look for in future SUPs. For a super in-depth understanding of SUP Fin Set-ups see this article here

SUP Fins come in 4 different styles:

Slide-In Fins Sytems: Often found on most cheap paddle board brands. They slide into a track and use a pin that clips into them. These are the cheapest to make but they are the most likely to break. They also can get jammed up easily if the sun expands the plastic of the slide track. 

Permanent Fins Systems: These fins are not removable which means they stay on the SUP at all times. The pro of this is that you can’t lose them but the con is the fact that these fins take up folding room with the board

Proprietary Fin Systems: These are fins that are made by the manufacturer and often involve a latch. These fins are the easiest to install and are fairly durable. The main con is that sometimes it’s easier to lose these fins, especially the smaller side fins. 

US Fin Box Systems: These fins have an official designation that can fit other manufacturer fins including surfboards that have that US Fin Box designation. This is the fin box you look for when you want to test a wide variety of fins. The cons to them are that manufacturer have to pay extra for this US Fin Box designation which affects the price point of the board

A Special Note About Pumps

I’m finding in the SUP community that pumps are a very personal thing to each paddler. If you like getting a “pump on” before paddling then by all means you can use the manual style pump that comes with your board. If you don’t…

I highly recommend getting an electric pump. Especially if you are planning to make paddle boarding a regular thing This will save your back as well as the time to setup the board as you can get things ready/ put things away. You can see a list of the Best Electric SUP pumps here. 

SUP Add-ons

Many boards these days have add-ons that can make your life a heck of a lot easier. Some of these onboard features include: 

Extra D rings: to clip kayak seats, coolers, or a shoulder strap onto. 

Extra Deck Bungees: These are handy if you plan on carrying more gear. Some boards offer 6 rows of deck bungees which is more than enough space for items on a day paddle. 

Action/ Action Camera/ Scotty Mounts: These allow your board to add accessories such as fishing rods, rack holders, cup holders, action cameras, and more onboard

Some boards also have patented items that are unique to them. Take a moment to think about what you may use your SUP for in the future and decide what onboard accessories the board needs. 

Paddle Board FAQs

Below are some common questions we get from folks looking to get a new paddle board. I will also be directing these FAQs to individual articles to give you more information on each subject matter. Let’s get into them!

What’s the Best Paddle Board for Women?

Much like what we have preached for much of this guide, there is no “best” but rather a best for you. However, we have a few picks here that women customers have raved about to give you at least a starting point on your SUP-finding journey. 

See the Best Paddle Boards for Women on this page. 

Can My Dog Go Paddle Boarding With Me? 

If you find the right paddle board your dog can absolutely go paddle boarding with you provided they have the right temperament.  

Some things I look for are a long deck pad for grip on your puppers paws as well as a simple deck layout where there won’t be too many action mounts or deck bungees in the way. If there are deck bungees make sure that they can be easily removable. Often they will have clips on them. 

You can get an idea of the Best Paddle Boards for Dogs here. 

What Are Good Paddle Boards for Kids?

Most adult-sized paddle boards are often too big for many kids and they may have a hard time maneuvering them. As a result, you have to get a smaller board for them. We go through some good brands that are sized for different groups of kids below. 

Right now is actually a good time to be a kid as more and more brands are offering kid-friendly options in their lineups. 

Check this article out for the Best Paddle Boards for Kids. 

How Do I Choose a Tandem SUP?

One of the first things you need to look at is a board that has a high maximum weight capacity. A longer and wider board will also be handy as this will be more stable for both of you and decrease the chances of both of you falling into the drink!

You can see our picks for the Best 2 Person Paddle Board here. 

What If I’m a Bigger/ Taller Person Looking for a Paddle Board?

Bigger / Taller beginner paddlers should look for boards that are at about the 11’ – 11’6” length range and are at least 32” wide. Although in my testing I’ve found 34” to be a good width number. What else you are looking for will depend on your needs and what you want out of the paddle board. 

We chose what we thought to be the Best Paddle Boards for Big Guys and Gals here to give you some ideas. 

What is a Good Paddle Board for Beginners?

As a beginner what you will want to look for first is stability so that you can actually stand on the thing! The next few factors will depend on your personal preferences such as how tall you are, what you want onboard etc.

We chose a list of stable paddle boards in our Best Paddle Boards for Beginners list. 

What Are Some Brands You Recommend?

Below are boards I’ve tested or have heard amazing things about. I’ll put them into 3 tiers based on quality/price point.

Budget:

• Retrospec
• Atoll
• Nautical (iRockers Budget line) 
• Aqua Marina
• Serenelife
• ROC

Mid-Tier:

• iRocker
• Nixy
• Gili
• Thursosurf
• BOTE
• Bluefin

Top of the Line:

• Sea Gods
• Isle
• Hala
• Red Paddle
• Starboard
• Honu