Stand up paddleboarding is an activity that opened up the doors to people who never thought they would be able to take up watersports.
There is a paddleboard out there to suit just about every person regardless of height, age weight and disability.
Out of all of these different categories one question that I got asked more than any other when hiring out my boards is:
What is the weight limit for paddleboarding?
The average maximum weight limit for paddleboarding is 256.5 lbs (116.3kg). This figure was obtained using the weight limit of over 10 major paddleboarding brands incorporating both inflatable boards and epoxy hardtop boards. With the figures ranging from 190 – 400 lbs
If you wish to see where I got my number and what boards/ brands were included in my data you can do so by looking at the table below.
| Brand | Model | Length
(Feet & Inches) |
Weight Limit
(Pounds) |
| Fatstick | Inflatable Starter Kit | 10’6” | 310 lbs |
| Fatstick | Hardcase | 10’6” | 200 lbs |
| RedPaddle Co | Inflatable Starter Kit | 10’6” | 240 lbs |
| Redpaddle Co | Compact | 11’0” | 240 lbs |
| Starboard | IGO Deluxe | 10’4” | 230 lbs |
| Starboard | GO | 10’8” | 220 lbs |
| Gladiator | Pro | 10’6” | 265 lbs |
| Fanatic | Fly | 10’6” | 195 lbs |
| Fanatic | Fly Air Rocket | 10’4” | 190 lbs |
| Fanatic | Fly Eco | 10’6” | 195 lbs |
| Anomy | Seamless | 10’6” | 220 lbs |
| Anomy | The Way of Emil Kozak | 12’6” | 330 lbs |
| Shark | All Round SUP | 11’0” | 220 lbs |
| Isle | Outpost Rugged SUP | 10’6” | 275 lbs |
| Connelly | Tahoe | 10’6” | 260 lbs |
| Connelly | Classic | 10’9” | 260 lbs |
| Stand on Liquid | Caspian Air | 11’0” | 320 lbs |
| Stand on Liquid | Pacific | 11’0” | 260 lbs |
| Thurso | Waterwalker | 10’6” | 300 lbs |
| IROCKER | Cruiser | 10’6” | 400 lbs |
Hopefully having seen the average, if you do consider yourself heavier you will be feeling a bit better about giving paddleboarding a go.
With that being said if you looked at the average and squirmed then there is still good news to come.
For starters you will have noticed that there is actually a plethora of boards in the table above which far exceed the average weight limit.
In fact you can actually get boards suitable for upto and over 500 lbs (227kg).
What I am trying to say is regardless of your weight you can find a paddleboard to suit.
So I appreciate that maybe you were concerned about weight not necessarily because of your own weight but instead because you wanted to carry out fishing tackle, pets or even your crate full of beer.
Generally speaking whatever the reason to be digging into weight categories the result is the same.
If the board can take the combined weight of you and whatever you wish to carry along with you, you will be good to go.
Why is Weight Limit in Paddleboarding Important?
If your paddleboard doesn’t have enough volume to support the weight you wish to carry, you will likely find that you have a buoyancy problem.
If your board isn’t buoyant enough it will sit too low in the water or even sink below the water if you have a serious problem.
This will create a lot of drag in the water which will not only slow you down massively but also cause you to exert a lot of energy for very little gain.
If you are in the market for a paddleboard and know that you won’t be the only passenger, be that a fishing rod, child, friend or just that crate of beer, then make sure you take this into account when checking the weight capacity of your new potential board.
Which Boards Have a Higher Weight Capacity?
So you may be wondering which boards have a better weight capacity.
Do you go for an inflatable board or do you go for epoxy?
Now this answer I feel is quite divisive as it will either be clear as day to you or a massive surprise.
Out of all the boards noted above in almost every comparison the inflatable boards came out on top.
Using the above table we actually have some like for like comparisons.
One example is the Stargboards
The Starboard IGO is the inflatable version of this board and even though its shorter in length than its epoxy counterpart it still takes an additional 10 lbs of weight, making the IGO suitable for weights upto 230 lbs.
When we compare this to the Epoxy version known as the GO it is an additional 4 inches longer yet takes a lesser weight of 220 lbs.
Another even better example is the Fatstick boards.
The Fatstick inflatable paddleboard measures exactly the same length as the Fatstick Hardcase both being 10’6”.
However, the inflatable paddleboard is capable of withstanding weights up to 310 lbs whereas the epoxy counterpart known as the hardcase can only take weights of 200 lbs.
This is an astonishing 110 lbs which when you consider that they are similar boards albeit different compositions this really drills home the superiority of inflatable paddleboards over epoxy.
At least when it comes to weight capacity that is.
Now to be honest this isn’t a massive surprise when you think of what air does in water, for example think of a diver underwater, the bubbles from the oxygen tank rise to the surface.
Now before I get accused of sucking up to inflatable paddleboards too much I do want to make clear that although they are superior in the weight capacity category there is an argument to suggest they don’t quite live up to the epoxy standard when it comes to performance.
Different Types Of Boards and Which Ones Are Best for Weight Capacity
There are actually a variety of different paddleboards that are all uniquely designed to perform in different activities and certain conditions.
These activities are as follows:
- SUP Surfing
- SUP Touring
- SUP Racing
- SUP Yoga
There are specific boards designed for each of these and each board has different characteristics.
SUP Surf Boards
SUP Surf boards are generally shorter and have narrower tails, this is to ensure the boards perform well on the waves and provide maximum maneuverability to carry out turns, pullbacks etc when riding waves.
Due to the boards being shorter and often slightly more narrow they are often not as buoyant and therefore have lower weight capacities.
SUP Touring
SUP Touring involves paddling long distances often without stopping.
As the main aim of SUP Touring is travelling long distances at a steady relatively fast pace these boards are often longer, wider and thicker.
This makes them extremely buoyant as it allows them to have a higher resting position on the water to decrease drag.
Being very buoyant means they are usually a good option for paddlers who require a higher weight capacity board.
Just bare in mind they may not be the best for SUP Surfing.
SUP Racing
SUP Racing as the name suggests involves racing from point to point on your paddleboard.
SUP Racing boards are the longest of the boards but as they are designed for speed and paddle proficiency they are often very slight and narrow.
This makes them extremely hydrodynamic and buoyant but as they are often more narrow they can be quite unstable for beginners or paddles without a wealth of experience.
SUP Yoga Boards
SUP Yoga boards are as the name might imply designed for those who enjoy Yoga on their paddleboards.
SUP Yoga boards are often very wide for maximum stability on the water.
They don’t generally need to be the longest boards and most Yoga poses do not require mountains of space.
Being buoyant however, is obviously an advantage but again not a requirement.
All-Rounders
The last category that you may be surprised to see as it wasn’t even noted above is the all-rounders.
All-rounder boards are not designed with any particular purpose in mind but instead they are designed in a way that they can be used for all activities.
This is very much the jack of all trades and master of none.
All rounder boards as they are designed to allow you to dabble in all activities are not very performance based and as such are normally designed with the beginners or recreational paddlers in mind.
All rounder boards are generally a nice balance of length, thickness and width making them buoyant enough to take most beginners but not so thick that they are cumbersome and difficult to paddle and turn.
Which Board Type Is Best Board For Weight Capacity
I’m sure after reading the above you can probably guess, but generally speaking the safest option for those who require a heavy weight capacity is the SUP Touring boards.
SUP Touring boards are a fantastic compromise between the all-rounder boards and the SUP Racing boards.
Often they are slightly longer in length but not so long they are cumbersome and they often offer the buoyancy of the SUP Racers without compromising on the width.
If you do require a board with high weight capacities and you aren’t concerned about SUP Surfing then maybe lean towards the SUP touring range.
If you think you may want to dabble in SUP Surfing then you are probably going to want to stick to the all rounders.
Just be sure you find a suitable all rounder for the weight that is likely going on the board.
Best Inflatable Boards for Heavier Weight Capacities
So As I stated above the two most suitable boards for heavier weight capacities are the SUP tourers and the all rounders.
As such I have included two of the best inflatable SUP’s for high weight capacity, one being the all-rounder, the other being the SUP Tourer.
Now before I mention these I do want to caveat that these boards certainly aren’t the cheapest but you do get for what you pay for when it comes to paddleboards.
Generally speaking the more money the board is the better the materials, technology and design.
Best All Rounder Inflatable SUP With High Weight Capacity
iROCKER ALL-AROUND 11
The IRocker all-around is 11′ long and 32” wide.
This is a terrific combination of length and width making this board a buoyancy machine suitable for weights upto 435 lbs (198kg).
IRocker has a fantastic name across the industry for constructing good quality boards that are built to last.
When you couple this things together it actually makes the board very good value for money.
If you are looking for an all-rounder with a good weight capacity this is the board for you.
Before you I move on I do just want to clarify something about one board that you may have thought would be sat it the IRockers place.
The Atoll boards have grown quite the reputation when it comes to weight capacity.
I would like to point out though that even in their own write up they write that their boards are suitable for riders upto 400 lbs but have been water tested upto 700 lbs.
Now that’s not to say that Atoll boards aren’t fantastic but just something to note when choosing boards.
Best SUP Tourer Inflatable SUP With High Weight Capacity
BLACKFIN Model V
For those of you that don’t know the Blackfin range is actually another board created by the IRocker SUP team.
They are really killing the game when it comes to offering durable, practical but most importantly rigid boards that have a fantastic weight capacity.
The Blackfin model V is not strictly listed as a SUP Tourer however it ticks all the boxes with it’s design, measurements and technology.
The Blackfin Model V is 12’6” Long and 32” wide making it a great length for touring with a width that is ideal for stability on the water.
This combination of length, thickness and width makes the Blackfin Model V suitable for weights upto 485 lbs (220kg).
The Blackin also has 8 sensibly positioned multi-use mounts so you can mount things such as cameras, speakers, fishing rods, beer crates, tents etc, etc.. This board is designed to take a lot of weight and be paddled for a long time.
Now admittedly this board comes with a steep price tag but when you bundle in all the tech and possibilities the board is well worth the money.
Best Epoxy Boards for Heavier Weight Capacities
If you do require a board with a heavy weight limit then I would strongly urge you to to look at inflatable.
Inflatable boards even as few as 3 years ago were not designed with performance in mind, but now that really is a thing of the past and you can get a board with a high weight capacity and performance.
But look I get it, some of you just don’t like the idea of inflatable and just want a traditional rigid epoxy board you can walk down to the water, jump straight on and be on your way.
Unfortunately as I stated earlier when you switch to epoxy although you gain on performance you do sacrifice maximum weight capacity.
With that being said though two of the best boards I have found for high weight limits are as follows.
Best All Rounder Epoxy SUP With High Weight Capacity
ISLE Outpost Paddle Board Package
Isle have spent the last 12 years perfecting their craft and this board really shows the love, care and passion that they have put into the sport.
The ISLE outpost is 10’6” long which is the sweet spot for all rounders with a nice width of 32” which is often the optimum size for stability for these all-rounders.
Considering the board is only 4.8” thick it holds a surprisingly good weight of 275lbs (125kg)
This board is a fantastic performer making it suitable for paddlers of all levels regardless of what SUP activity they want to do.
Best SUP Tourer Inflatable SUP With High Weight Capacity
ISLE Voyager Paddle Board Package
Look I know what you’re thinking.
You have seen that both boards in the inflatable range from the same company, now both the epoxy boards are from the same company.
You are either thinking I have been extremely lazy with my selections or I am getting a nice fee to shout out these two companies.
I wish the latter was true but alas it’s not.
You do tend to find a paddleboard manufacturer finds their niche they often swoop in and dominate it which is what both these brands did.
The ISLE Voyager is 11’6” long, 31 inches wide and a staggering 7 ⅕” thick and has a generous weight capacity of 300 lbs (136kg)
Although this board does drop an inch in width the thickness and length still over a good amount of stability making it a good choice for the beginners or less experienced riders.
If you are really determined to get yourself an epoxy board with a decent weight limit then I would strongly suggest you check out ISLE Surf
Signing Off
So that’s all I have left to say about the weight capacities of different paddleboards.
Hopefully now you can see that paddleboarding really is an activity for just about everyone regardless of weight, height, size, number of pets, number of kids.
Whatever the excuse, paddleboarding has the answer.
So how’s about it, get online, order yourself a nice board suitable for your weight including whatever else you may load up and meet me out in the water.
See you out there.