Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) provides a way to relax and entertain everyone. You can paddle leisurely on the calm lake or catch the waves in the ocean. Or, you may want to do SUP yoga or fast-paced paddling to exercise. No matter what your purpose is, having a suitable paddle board is the key to your enjoyment.

In this blog, we will tell you how to choose a suitable stand-up paddle board.

To find the right stand-up paddle board for you, you have to consider how to use it, how it will fit your body, and how you want it to be handled in the water.

The key point is the shape of the board. A good stand-up paddle board must have the correct volume and capacity, as well as the appropriate length, width and thickness.

Whether you choose a solid board or an inflatable board depends largely on how you will transport it and how much storage space you have.

Different SUP hull types

The hull or main body of the paddle board plays an important role in determining the performance of the paddle board in water.

Most SUP have planning or displacement hulls.

A few hybrid designs combine the best attributes of each design.

Beginner paddlers can enjoy any hull shape, but the differences between them make them better in some activities than others.

Therefore, it is wise to choose the hull type according to the way you plan to use the board.

Planing hull

The planing hull is flat and wide, similar to a surfboard.

It is designed to ride on the water and is very maneuverable.

Boards with planing hull are a good choice for leisure paddling, surfing, SUP yoga and whitewater.

Displacement hull

The SUP with a displacement hull has a pointed bow (front end) similar to a kayak or canoe.

The hull slices through water and pushes the water around the bow to both sides of the SUP to improve efficiency and create fast, smooth ride.

Displacement hulls are more efficient than planing hulls, so you can travel longer distances at faster speeds.

Their tracking is also good and straight, but it is usually less maneuverable than planing hulls.

Paddlers choose a displacement hull for a variety of applications, but always focus on the efficiency and speed of the boards.

Some applications include fitness paddling, SUP touring / camping and racing.

There are two different conventional structural forms of planing hull and displacement hull SUP: solid type or inflatable type.

Solid SUP

Most solid boards have EPS foam cores and are wrapped in fiberglass and epoxy resin.

This is a rather lightweight, durable and reasonably priced structure.

Carbon fiber is a lighter, harder option, but also more expensive.

Plastic SUP is cheaper, but they are heavy and lack the properties of other materials.

Some SUP combine lightweight wood with an exquisite appearance.

Solid board water performance and stability are very good, but you need to have a place to store it, solid SUP will take up a lot of space, which may be its only disadvantage. If you have a transportable vehicle and there is enough space in the garage to store it, then solid SUP is a good choice.

Inflatable SUP

The inflatable SUP is characterized by the use of a stitch structure on the outside of the PVC, thus forming an air core.

They are equipped with pumps for inflating boards and storage bags for holding things when idle.

The premium inflatable SUP can be inflated to 12-15 pounds per square inch and feels hard when fully inflated.

After deflation, the inflatable SUP is compact and can be easily stored in a small space, which is very suitable for customers whose storage space is not large enough.

And its small size makes it easy to carry. If you want to travel or fly, you can also easily bring an inflatable SUP, to enjoy paddling at your destination.

If you want to paddle in a lake in the mountains, you certainly can't carry solid SUP. inflatable SUP is not light, but it's almost your only option.

In addition, in wild lakes with bumpy rocks, inflatable SUP is more suitable than sturdy planks.

If you like to do yoga on SUP, you don't have to buy additional inflatable equipment. Inflatable SUP is softer than solid board, and you can do yoga directly on it.