Gear – Suptilsunset

Paddle boarding is an ever evolving activity as it continues to grow in popularity. When people think about paddle boarding they often think of people drifting along some flat water taking in the scenery. However, today paddle boarding comes in many forms such as SUP Yoga, SUP Yoga, SUP Touring and my personal favorite SUP Surfing. You could argue that SUP surfing is actually the original variation as it actually how modern day paddle boarding became to be a thing. Back in the 1940’s Duke Kahanamoku and the Ah Choy brothers used to stand up on large surfboards and paddle themselves around using Ore’s this was to allow them oversee their students as they taught tourists how to surf. This was a common technique for them as it allowed them to not only spot incoming sets to ready the students but also allowed them to keep a birds eye view over them all. John Zapatocky, originally from Pennsylvania, moved to Hawaii in the 1940’s and instantly fell in love with the approach Duke and the Ah Choy brothers had taken to catching waves. Since that day all the way up to the late 2000’s John could be found stand up paddle board surfing the shores of Hawaii. For the full story into the history of modern day stand up paddleboarding you can head over to my article here. Now it goes without saying that if you want to SUP surf you will need a board that is designed and performs differently to the traditional large, wide and super buoyant boards. Generally speaking as the boards gets larger in length, width and thickness it becomes considerably more bulky which greatly affects the maneuverability of the board. The less maneuverable a board is, the more difficult it is to perform sharp turns and carve up and down a wave. This is why often when looking at SUP Surf boards I don’t generally like to use or recommend anything longer than about 10’6”. In fact my top pick is considerably shorter than that length. The best Paddle board for SUP surfing currently is 7’7” Starboard Pro. This board has a very short outline with nice thin rails making turns precise, responsive and tight. If you are an advanced SUP Surfer this is the board for you. Now although this board is my absolute favourite on the market currently it is by no means the only attractive option. I understand that not everyone wants an epoxy board due to the complication transporting it, storing it etc.. Which is a valid argument. I have picked an epoxy board because I want to recommend the best performance SUP surfboard I can. Now often people think that inflatable boards lack performance when compared to epoxy boards. And to be honest 5 years ago this statement would have been bang on, however, in the last few years the design and technology has come on leaps and bounds making the competition much more even. The Inflatable SUP still isn’t quite there, but when you weigh up the pro’s and con’s of both I think you really can go either way now. This means you can get a board that can be rolled up to the size of a sleeping bag, but once inflated performs like a hand shaped fiberglass masterpiece. To capture both groups I have included my favourite Inflatable SUP Surfers and epoxy rigid construction boards. You will also notice that my list doesn’t include any amazon best sellers or Amazon bargains. This is because I want you to leave this article being confident in your decision and happy with your choice. I don’t want you leaving with a no-name potentially duff board just to get an affiliate commission. So let's start with the inflatable Boards before moving onto the epoxy boards. Best Inflatable SUP Surfboards Inflatable SUP surfboards are a fantastic option and remove some of the hassle that comes along with epoxy boards. You may be wondering though, just who are the inflatable SUP surfboards geared towards? Now it is true that if you require the absolute penultimate performance then you are going to want to look for an epoxy board like my top pick noted above. However, as stated earlier technological and design advances over the last few years have certainly closed the gap between inflatable and epoxy when it comes to performance. Inflatable SUP surfboards are generally designed for sup surfers who find themselves travelling a lot as the board can be rolled up and carried round in a handy backpack. Inflatable SUP Surfboards are also a fantastic option for beginners or inexperienced SUP surfers. The inflatable boards are often more buoyant and ultimately softer than the epoxy boards which is a positive trait for both rider and other water users. So with that being said which board do I recommend in the inflatable lineup. 1.RedPaddle Co. Whip My number one pick may not come as a surprise to you if you have been doing any research at all regarding inflatable paddle boards. RedPaddle Co. is a company that has taken the inflatable sup world by storm and is widely considered one of the industry leaders. The RedPaddle Whip is no exception to this rule. This board is so good as a SUP surfer that you actually forget you are on an inflatable board until you find yourself moving slower on the wave than you would expect. It is a common trait that inflatable boards just can’t pick up the same sort of on wave speeds that epoxy boards can. So to say that the only criticism on this board is that wave speed feels slow is honestly a huge compliment. If you want a paddle board that is inflatable but performs like an epoxy rigid construction board, then this is absolutely the board for you. The Whip is 8’10” long, 29” wide and 4”, this combination makes the board light, quick and extremely maneuverable. Even though this board is relatively short and rather thin when it comes to thickness, it can still take weights upto 100kg which to me is just mind boggling. When you purchase the Whip it is sold as a complete package, this means you get everything you need to travel the world and rip up the swells from coast to coast. When you purchase the Whip you get the following items All terrain backpack Titan II pump Choice of paddles (I Suggest you take the carbon paddle if you have the funds) FCS fins Straight Surf Leash Repair kit If you are serious about SUP surfing but need an inflatable board there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the Whip is the board for you. If you want to purchase your own RedPaddle Co. Whip you can click the link below to find your local shop stocking them. Find me a Whip 2. Fanatic Stubby Air If you aren’t as experienced with SUP surfing the whip maybe a step too far. In which case my next recommendation would be the Fanatic Stubby Air. When you first look at this board you may think that something doesn’t quite look right. And well that’s because this board has a rather unique feature. The Fanatic Stubby has parallel rails with a wide nose and tail, this is all topped off with a double diamond tail. All of these clever little features all help the board to perform how you would expect a SUP surfboard to. The double diamond tail offers extra drive and makes snappy turns enjoyable and responsive, the parallel rails increase stability on the water and also allow the board to generate speed better when on waves. The nose is nice and wide and has a slight rocker to make punching over the white water when paddling out a much easier experience. As you may or may not know Fanatic as a brand has a strong windsurfing heritage which is why you can actually find a windsurf mast mount in the centre of the board which also displays itself a solid bubble on the bottom of the board. If you see this bubble don’t stress you board is not defective or damaged. Another little nifty thing this board features is 2no. Little arrows towards the nose of the board with writing that simply states fold here. Now to be honest I don’t know why more boards don’t feature this as it saves a lot of time and guesswork when rolling your board back up after thrashing your favourite waves. The Fanatic Stubby Air is 8’6” long, 29.5” wide and 4.5” thick, as you can see this is slightly wider and thicker than the RedPaddle Whip is part of the reason why it is more stable and beginner friendly. Strangely though, even though this board is slightly wider and thicker, the recommended rider weight is actually less than the RedPaddle Whip at 90kg. If you have recently decided that SUP surfing is for you, but maybe you don’t have the most experience in the world then the Fanatic Stubby Air is a fantastic choice. The Stubby Air again is a package purchase meaning you get the following items when you buy. Premium Backpack HP2 Fast Pump Quick lock click fin Straight Surf Leash Repair Kit If you want to learn more about the Fanatic Stubby Air and find a local supplier to you, you can check out their website here 3.Shark Surf SUP The Shark Surf Pro is perfect if you fall into either of these two categories. Category 1 - you want a board that is shorter than the ones I have previously listed. Category 2 - You want a board that is cheaper than the others I have listed. The shark surf pro is considerably shorter at just 7’8” long, 30” wide and 4” thick, this makes the board nimble in the water which compliments turns nicely. This reduced length does however, gear this board towards more advanced SUP surfers as the reduced length can make it tricky to paddle in a straight line and due to the extremely flat shape of the board it also makes nose dives quite a common occurrence. Due to little to no rocker you really have to throw your weight back quite a lot to get up and over the white water when paddling out. All of these things combined make this board a little tricky for the new SUP Surfers out there. However, if you can tame the beast this board is sure to put a smile on your face. The Shark Surf Pro features a stubby nose that is almost in the shape of a diamond and the board also features a swallow tail. If you consider yourself a more advanced SUP surfer and you are looking for something a bit cheaper to add to your quiver than the Shark Surf Pro is certainly a solid option. Best Epoxy SUP Surfboards 1.Starboard SUP pro We have arrived at my number 1 pick for best SUP Surfboard on the market today. Now this recommendation does come with a few caveats, this board is designed with performance in mind right from the get go, this means this board probably isn’t suitable for someone just getting started on their sup surf journey. Another caveat to the purchase of this board is the price. It is really expensive, I mean it is expensive for a good reason, there is a reason I have put it first on the list because if you want a performance SUP surfboard there really isn’t anything that comes close to this. If however, you are an advanced or experienced paddle board surfer and you are looking to take your ability and enjoyment to the next level, save the pennies and invest in this board. It will not disappoint. Now in the summary at the top of page I noted that the Starboard Pro was 7’7” long, however, the starboard pro is actually available in a variety of different sizes so you will be sure to find that perfect board for you. I have screenshotted and included below the current sizes available. You may be wondering just how I know this board is the best you can buy? Well for one I have actually ridden different iterations of this board and I can honestly say its the most fun I have ever had on something shorter than 8’6”. As someone who has grown up riding longboards I don’t tend to drop down that low but I am glad I did to experience the Starboard Pro. The second reason I can be sure this is a top quality product is because it comes from a brand that has been extremely successful in the competitive SUP world. In fact the Starboard Pro is a board that has won the ISA SUP Surf World Championships 3 years in a row. Now obviously this has a lot to do with the rider and not just the board, but the rider is only able to do these things because the board is set up to do so and quite frankly flourishes when given the opportunity. This board has a short outline making it possible to ride whilst the thin rails offer more control, response and allow you to generate a lot more speed on the wave. The Starboard Pro also features a channeled tail with bites into the water to drive you out of sharp turns. This board has quite literally changed the game on what is possible on a SUP surf board and I am ready to see where it takes us. 2.Fanatic PROWAVE If the Starboard is just a stretch too far in the budget department my next pick is the Fanatic Prowave. This board again is designed for the more experienced SUP surfers however it is a little more forgiving then the Starboard so providing you have had some experience SUP surfing you should be good to go with this board. The Fanatic Prowave is a board that comes from a brand who understands what us water sports enthusiasts need in our boards. The Fanatic Prowave will charge down overhead waves on a reef break or allow you to work on big airs and flashy cutbacks on a beach break. Whatever and wherever you take your Prowave it will serve you proud and do so with a smile on its face. This board again is available in a variety of different sizes, if you want more stability as you are fresher to SUP Surfing then go bigger, if you are experienced and want the best performance go shorter. I have inserted a screenshot again to show the available sizes. This board features a surf scoop rocker that helps drive the forward and offers better acceleration when on the wave, it also features thin rails, nose and tail making turns responsive and offers the ultimate control under foot. The Prowave also features a 5 box fin setup meaning you can customise your fin setup to suit your style and present conditions. If you want the performance of the Starboard without the price tag then this is going to be your next best option. JP Australia Surf Wide JP Australia have really been making waves in the SUP Surf game over the last few years but their boards also seem to fit a specific type of rider. The Surf Wide however, seems to fill this gap and cater to everyone nicely. The Surf Wide is a performance board at heart but adds a couple of inches to the width making it more stable and suitable for beginners or intermediate riders who may be on the heavier side. The Surf Wide has nice thin rails making turns precise and responsive, for the most part the board is relatively flat which is great for generating speed on the wave. It does however, feature a nice pulled in tail and nose which is great for really throwing the board around when on the wave. The Surf Wide by JP Australia sports a quad fin setup with slightly larger fins at the front and slightly shorter fins at the rear. This quad fin setup is geared towards performance; it does however, make paddling out in a straight line a bit more challenging as it doesn’t feature that large centre fin that some of the other boards have. Like the other boards I have mentioned, the Surf Wide comes in a few different sizes although the choice is much more restricted with this board as you can only get it in 3 different sizes. If you are in the market for a performance SUP Surfboard but maybe you are only just dipping your toes in the water the JP Australia Surf Wide is a fantastic choice. It comes at a similar cost to the Prowave so I would suggest if you are more experienced you opt for the prowave as it will offer greater performance in the long run. Final Word So there you have it my recommendations for SUP Surfboards. Hopefully I have given you all some inspiration and guided you to which board you are going to be adding to your quiver next. I have tried to give a recommendation for all aspects of sup surfers. Whether you want an inflatable performance board or a beginner epoxy board I have included all. The only thing left to say now is. Get your board and see you out in the lineup.