What Makes a Good Paddleboard?

So you’ve tried paddleboarding, rented a few SUPs, and now feel ready to buy your own board. But what makes a good paddleboard? The materials and method of SUP board construction are important factors, so it helps to buy a brand known for its experience in manufacturing and design.

Aside from the build and brand, a paddleboard must be good for you specifically. Buy a board that suits your weight, experience level, and the type of paddling you want to do. Take a look at our guide to help you choose the best paddleboard for you.

Arguably the most important factor will be the dimensions of the board, for example, is a longer or shorter better? We’ve witnessed paddlers struggling on budget boards that lacked the volume to comfortably float their riders.

Cheaper boards are built with the aim of cutting manufacturing costs –   so you’ll likely end up with a poor-quality board that is too narrow and thin. To learn more about getting the correct size SUP, check out our detailed blog post: What size SUP do I need?

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A good choice of inflatable SUP will suit your specific paddling needs. For most, a solid all-round style board will be just what you’re after.

The Allround paddleboards in our range are designed to do a bit of everything, whether you want:

• a flat-water cruiser for fun at the beach or on the river
• something capable of catching small waves, or
• a SUP that can take you distances to explore your local coastline.

These boards have been carefully designed, with templates that have a rounded nose and tail to make them suitable for a wide range of conditions.

If you’re taking up paddleboarding with the sole intent of either surfing, racing, or touring, it may be worth considering a specialist shape. Surf SUPs often use squarer tails and pointed noses. Racing and touring SUPs are designed for distance and speed as they have a much narrower profile and longer length.

Once you understand the importance of a paddleboard’s size and shape, you’ll immediately be better equipped to judge the quality of a SUP board.

But what are SUP boards made of? A cheap, low-grade board will be narrow and thin to save on material costs. If a SUP is less than 30” wide and less than 4.5” thick, a rider is probably going struggle to feel stable and comfortable while on it.

In addition, if you know the quantity of material has been reduced to cut costs, there’s a high chance the quality of the chosen materials may not be good either.  

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It’s common to see cheaper boards bowing underneath riders. Bowing occurs when the rider's weight causes the board to bend – the middle will dip down while the ends will lift out the water.

Bowing is usually the result of a combination of factors:

the board is simply too thin
a low thread density in the PVC
a low drop-stitch density in the air chamber

Through our SUP board construction, Two Bare Feet’s paddleboards aim to provide high tensile strength. This includes using DWF Double Wall PVC in all our boards, as well as a combination of stiffening laminations and, in some models, heat-fused seams.

Another sign of quality among inflatable SUPs is a high PSI (pounds per square inch) pressure rating. Higher air pressure can significantly increase the tensile strength of a SUP. It’s common to see a board with a lower pressure rating bow under the weight of a rider.

All Two Bare Feet stand up paddleboards are rated to 18PSI, making them incredibly stiff once fully inflated. Most cheaper manufacturers will only advise a rating of 14 or 15PSI, which will make their boards feel less stable, exacerbate bowing, and reflect on the overall poorer construction of the board.

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Sometimes, getting a good board can be about more than just the board itself. As an experienced SUP manufacturer and seller, Two Bare Feet offers a wide range of accessories with our SUP packages.

Having a quality carry bag to move your iSUP around is a big help, as is an effective pump that can allow you to inflate your board quickly and efficiently.

It’s also worth thinking about your paddle options: do you want something lightweight to increase your paddle stamina, or do you need a paddle that can take a knock or two while you’re learning? Why not check out the different benefits of an aluminium vs carbon paddle?

In addition, if you need some more help choosing a board, read our guide to selecting an inflatable SUP to find the best paddleboard for you. Alternatively, feel free to contact a member of our friendly and experienced team.