Paddleboards come in all shapes and sizes and when you are just trying to start out and dip your toe in the water, knowing what type of board or more specifically what size board you should get can be a real mystery.
Paddleboards are often designed with specific activities in mind.
For example there are boards for SUP Surfing, SUP Touring, SUP Racing and even all-rounder boards.
Unless you already know exactly which discipline of paddleboarding you want to do I would suggest starting with the all-rounder boards.
As the name suggests this is a board that is not specifically designed for any particular activity but is more than capable of performing each discipline.
Starting out on an all-rounder board is a great way to get into the sport and determine which if any specific form of paddleboarding you want to do.
Now that’s all well and good but which size paddleboard should you be getting?
As a general guide you can refer to the below table to point you in the right direction.
| Paddler Weight | SUP Thickness (Inches) | Recommended SUP Length (Feet & Inches) |
| Under 150 lbs (68Kg) |
5” |
9’6” – 10’9” |
| Between 150 – 200 lbs (68 – 91kg) |
5” |
10’0” – 12’6” |
| Over 200 lbs (91kg) |
6” |
10’0” – 12’6” |
There are a few other factors worth considering regarding board selection, that is the thickness of the board and the width of the board.
As a general rule of thumb beginners should be looking for a board that is between 30-34 inches wide.
The wider the board the more stable it is, however, the greater the width the more sluggish and heavy the board will feel when paddling.
Regarding the thickness of the board this really depends on what budget you have as well as what brands you are looking at.
Generally the better the brand and more premium the board the better the materials that were used will be.
This means if you buy a premium all-rounder board from a well respected brand you can probably drop to a 5 inch thick board and be absolutely fine.
If you were to go budget all the way then you may find the 5 inch board too skinny to support your weight if you are at the higher end of the table.
As per the table above you generally want to be looking for a 5 inch board but if you are nearing the weight in which we recommend upgrading to the 6 inch and you don’t know the brand that well I would suggest going for the 6 inch.
Different Size Boards For Different Activities
I started this article talking solely about the beginner trying to find out which all-rounder board size they should be going for.
However you may be further along in your paddleboarding journey and you might be ready to niche down and get a performance board specific to the activity you want to do.
Now I could include an additional table showing which size board you would want to get if you were an intermediate or advanced paddleboarder but I feel there wouldn’t be much point.
The main reason I say this is because unless you are looking to do something specific on the board such as Race or SUP surf then the size recommendations wouldn’t really change.
If however, you have found your calling and know what variation of paddleboarding you want to do, you may find the below table showing common board sizes per discipline of use.
|
SUP Activity |
Ideal SUP Length (Feet & Inches) |
|
SUP Racing |
12’6” – 14’0” |
|
SUP Touring |
10’6” – 14’0” |
|
SUP Surfing |
9’0” – 10’6” |
| SUP Yoga |
10’0” – 12’6” |
Final Word
Well there you have it a short but simple guide to help you find your first or next paddleboard.
All of these measurements are for guidance only and only you will be able to determine what size you need or which board feels most comfortable.
Remember you can read all the reviews and guides in the world about which size board you should get but paddleboarding is very individual and the things you look for in a board will most certainly differ to the next person.
My suggestion if you are still not sure is to go to your local hire shop or if you are UK Based use my business www.Sup2you.co.uk and try a few different sizes to get a feel for which size suits you.
Look forward to seeing you on the water.