Paddleboards: Your guide to picking the perfect SUP

Over the past decade or so, paddle boarding has gotten more and more popular. With inflatable paddleboards becoming more accessible than ever, it’s the perfect time to join the paddle boarding community, stay in shape, and have fun out on the water.  

For those of you completely new to the sport, odds are you have no idea where to begin, never mind what makes a good starter board! 

Read on for the basics, the lingo, and how to find the board for you.  

What even is paddle boarding, anyway? 

Let’s start with the easy stuff, it’s a mix between surfing and canoeing.

You stand on your SUP and use your paddle to pootle along in the water. It’s awesome fun but also offers a full body workout that really targets the balance and core muscles. 

It’s becoming one of the most popular water sports in the UK!  

Wait, what’s a ‘SUP’?  

Super simple: SUP is a common acronym for ‘stand up paddle board’ or ‘stand up paddle boarding’.  

If you see iSUP, that just means there’s an ‘inflatable’ stuck in front of all that.  

Why get an iSUP over a solid board?  

If you’re new to the sport, an iSUP would be a worthy investment for your first dip - there’s really no need to fork out for a solid SUP if you’re not a professional or practically living on it. The inflatable ones are just as good – and a lot easier to store!  

Ok, but are they any good for beginners? 

In short, yes!

They're a great option for newbies as they’re easy to set up, store, and can handle on the water beautifully.

Then there’s the price difference; in case you missed it a second ago they’re a much more affordable option than jumping straight in for the solid version when you’re still testing the waters!  

Our PointBreak paddleboards are made with beginner and intermediate paddle boarders in mind and come equipped with all the basic bits and bobs you need to get started.  

How do I know what size board to get?  

Paddleboards come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, suitable for all kinds of riders and conditions in all kinds of combinations. 

We've kept things simple, so our paddleboards come in 3 sizes, suitable for riders from juniors and up - best suited for flat or calm waters like rivers, lakes, or flat seas.

Perfect for learning the basics! 

It’s quite common for boards to be ranked in terms of both the dimensions of the board as well as the maximum weight they can carry. 

The PointBreak boards are ranked in terms of rider weight; check out our simple guide below to see which of our boards would be best suited to you:

So I've got my board...How do I figure out the paddle size?  

The general rule of thumb is that your paddle should be about 7-10 cm above your height to start off with to give you improved reach and power; but there’s nothing to say you can’t tweak that once you’ve figured out your paddling style. You do you! 

Our paddles are adjustable so you can really fine tune it to the length you like.