What Makes a Paddle Board Good for a Beginner?
A good beginners paddle board will have plenty of stability and float. This will make it easier to keep your balance and learn the proper paddling stroke quicker. A good beginners paddle board should not cost a fortune. Beginners want a reasonable price and good value.
Finally a good beginners paddle board should be a board you can grow with as a paddler. Whether you want to try sup camping, downwinding or surfing you can find one board that will allow you to participate in all those activities.
Check out this post on recommended mid-priced sup boards
What to Look For in a Beginner Paddle Board
A good beginner stand up paddle board will have…
Stability
Plenty of float
Value for the dollar
…and allow room to grow as a paddler
1. Stability
To have fun paddling you need to feel comfortable on your paddleboard. If you are constantly struggling to keep your balance without relatively quick progress you will become frustrated.
Of course as a beginner it will take some time to acquire paddle board balance. When paddling you are working muscles that don’t get worked hard in everyday life. And some people are naturally better athletes than others and have a better sense of balance.
32″ width
x 10’6″ length is the most
popular size
in a beginner board.
Becoming comfortable on your paddle board is also important for paddling fitness benefits. As the ACE studies on paddle board fitness have shown being comfortable on your board is necessary for fitness gains.
If you are struggling with your balance you will not be able to exert full effort to paddling. And “paddling with intent” is needed to work to gain fitness when paddle boarding.
So the beginner needs a stable paddle board. And the main component of stability is the width of a paddle board. This is also tied to the shape of the paddle board. A very stable paddle board will be wide from the nose all the way to the tail of the board.
Stability
is the beginning paddlers
best friend.
32-34″ is a good width range for beginners. Keep in mind that, all things being equal, the wider the board the more stable but the slower it will glide through the water. If you are confident in your athleticism and balance 30″ is a good width, but for most people 32″ is the place to start.
Also remember the more width you have on the nose and tail of the board the more stable it will be. So consider the shape of the board too. A full rounded nose and profile adds stability.
2. Plenty of Float
The second characteristic we want to look for in a beginner’s SUP is plenty of float. If your paddle board does not have enough float for your weight it will drag in the water. It will be hard to paddle and not feel stable.
When you are learning to paddle board you want to get the board moving. It is easier to keep your balance on a moving paddle board. Proper float is one of the most important specs when looking at paddle boards regardless of your experience level.
Volume = Float. Size = Volume
The float of a paddle board is related to it’s size. Beginners want to know what size paddle board should they should get. A typical paddle board will be 10’6″ to 11″ long which is fine for most paddlers.
Float is a more important consideration. You can easily determine if your paddle board is the size for your weight by looking at the maximum weight capacity or weight limit.
Look at the maximum weight capacity or weight limit if you are a big person
Every good SUP manufacturer will list the weight capacity or limit of their paddle boards. You want to give yourself extra float. As a beginner extra float will never hurt.
So if you weigh 200lbs you don’t want to buy a board with a weight capacity of 220lbs. Don’t cut it close. Give your yourself a cushion of around 50lbs or more.
3. Good Value for the Price
Once you have the right width, shape and weight capacity we can look at price. If you are a beginner you might not want to spend a fortune on a new paddle board.
It might be better to “test the waters” with a reasonably priced paddle board and see how much you like paddling before buying an expensive board.
However, buying a cheap paddle board is not the best choice. We want a paddle board that has some durability. And durability is all about quality construction and materials.
How often will you use your paddle board?
The more you plan on paddling the better off you are going top quality. Cheap boards have issues.
Cheap paddle boards cut corners to save money. Cheaper materials and construction methods not only affect durability they also affect performance. Your not going to have a great time if your new paddle board is a slug in the water.
In Conclusion
Focus on a width and a rounded nose for stability. 32-34″ is a good width for beginners. Then you want to make sure your bodyweight is well under the maximum weight limit.
Finally you want a paddle board that is a good value. You don’t need an expensive top of the line board. Look for quality and a reasonable price. With these tips in mind you will have no problem find the the perfect beginner paddle board.
