What Size SUP Board Is Right For You? [Updated 2023]
What Size SUP Board Is Right For You in 2023?
While looking to buy your own SUP (paddle board), you will want a board that provides enough flotation and stability for your skill and body weight but which paddles fast enough for a satisfying experience and suits the type of Stand Up Paddling you will be doing.
All the info below considers and applies to both inflatable and hard boards. Our comments on considering the option of an inflatable vs hard board are only mentioned briefly in this Blog. Inflatable SUP’s are also referred to as iSUP’s.
There are stability advantages with inflatable boards over hardboards. Inflatable boards have a uniform thickness from side to side and nose to tail, making them considerably more stable than similarly sized hardboards. Hardboards are sculpted to reduce weight and optimise race and surfing performance, but they provide less stability and buoyancy for the recreational SUP paddler.
For more thoughts on whether to go for an inflatable SUP or a hard SUP take a look at our article –“Inflatable SUP Boards vs Hard SUP Boards – Which is Best?”
The most popular sizes for SUP boards for general use are around 10 to 11 feet in length and between 32 to 34 inches wide. If stability is a high priority for you, you’ll want to look for a board that is 33-34 inches wide. You can go wider, but you may end up with a board that is sluggish and less fun to paddle.
If portability and manoeuvrability are priorities, or if you weigh less than 150 lb/70 Kgs, you may want to go shorter than average and opt for a board in the 9’6” length range. 9’6” boards are a lot of fun and can be very stable if the design is right. Just make sure the width is appropriate for the length which would be around 30 to 32 inches. A 9’6” board that is wider than 32 inches will be slow to paddle.
If speed and straight tracking are priorities, consider something like a 11’0” or longer touring or race board. 32 inches is a good width for a stable touring board. Race boards can be 28” or even narrower at 26” which makes them very fast but less stable. A 30” wide board is a common compromise width for an 11’ or longer board that may be used for both touring and racing. Given the popularity of SUP touring, an 11’ to 12’6” should be a very popular length, but most would shy away from this length due to storage concerns. That’s a long board to store and transport. However, if of course you look for an inflatable board, the extra length does not pose any storage issues and you can expect excellent performance from a quality inflatable touring SUP. For us those are the JP Australia 10’6” and 11’0” Superlight (SL).
Board thickness is just as important as length, width, and outline shape. Inflatable SUP boards for all-around paddling, especially for riders who are developing their skills, should generally be 5 inches thick. An exception to this would be heavier rider (225+ lbs/100+ Kgs) who might benefit from the extra volume of a 6-inch thick board, making the extra bulk and other disadvantages of a 6-inch board a reasonable tradeoff.
While there are various factors that influence the ideal length, width and thickness you should be looking for in a paddle board, the information we hope to impart to you should get you in an appropriate range if you are new to SUP looking for a board for “all-around” use:
We carry inflatable (iSUPs) which are absolutely fantastic to use, store and transport.
Our Fanatic iSUP recommendations for great “Allround” SUP boards are:
The Fanatic Fly Air Pure 9’8″ which has a volume of 213 Litres, is 9’8” long and is 32” wide and 4.5” thick with a recommended rider weight at up to 85 kg.
The Fanatic Fly Air Pure 10’4″ which has a volume of 284 Litres, is 10’4” long and is 33” wide and 5” thick with a recommended rider weight at up to 95 kg.
The Fanatic Fly Air Pure 10’8″ which has a volume of 306 Litres, is 10’8” long and is 34” wide and 5.5” thick with a recommended rider weight at up to 105 kg.
Our JP-Australia iSUP recommendations for great “Allround” SUP boards are:
The JP-Australia Allround Superlight (SL) 10’6” which has a volume of 318 Litres, is 10’6” long and is 32” wide and 6” thick with a recommended rider weight at up to 95 kg.
The JP-Australia Allround Superlight (SL) 11’0” which has a volume of 339 Litres, is 11’0” long and is 33” wide and 6” thick with a recommended rider weight at up to 105 kg.
As you can see, with each size step up in length the volume and width step up too.
These are the boards we have found to be most popular with SUP paddlers who want to get out and have a great time on the water without being limited to one specific SUP paddling activity.
Any of our recommendations would also apply to beginner and more advanced paddlers when it comes to board length, volume and width, this is because, while length is a key element in the performance and intended use of a paddle board, it is less directly related to rider weight and is more affected by other factors such as:
- The riders height and relative reach.
- How you intend to use the board.
- The range of water and wind conditions you expect to encounter.
- Who else might be using your board?
- The likelihood of you having passengers on board (small children and pets).
Picking the right size SUP board
Knowing the range of length, width, and thickness you are looking for in an inflatable SUP is an important step in the buying process, but there is a lot more you’ll want to consider before deciding on a board to purchase so if you still have any questions or nagging throughts of “what if?” then please contact us at sales@thewatersportscentre.com or give us a call on 07542 835125 as our team of experts are always here to help and advise.
