Stand up paddle boarding is what happens when you mix surfing with paddle sports. Riders stand on a paddle board that is similar to surf board, just larger in sizing, to allow for greater balance and stability. Paddle boarders then propel themselves through the water using their paddle. Believed to be first seen in Hawaii during the 1940’s, paddle boarding as we know it started to gain popularity from 2001 onward.

Stand up paddle boarding, also known as paddle boarding or the acronym SUP is a sport that can be done anywhere there is water. From the smallest pond, to the oceans, paddle boarding has quickly grown to one of the most popular waters ports in the US due to this fact. You can learn more about different paddle boarding options and conditions near you by reading CRUISER SUP® BUYING TIPS. While the name stand up paddle boarding suggests that one just stands up and paddles, there are many different elements to SUP. SUP surfing, SUP Yoga, and racing are just a few examples of all the variety that SUP has to offer.

With so many options of paddle boarding conditions, ranging from flat calm lake water, to breaking ocean waves, there is also many options of paddle boards to buy. By far, the most popular style of paddle boards are all around paddle boards. All around paddle boards are the most versatile, stable, and easy to use of all.

SUP is a great way to spend time on the water with friends and family, as well as having fun and getting fit.

Before selecting a stand up paddle board model to buy, one of the decisions to make is if you want an inflatable paddle board (also called iSUP), or a non-inflatable paddle board. Non-Inflatable paddle boards are also called hard stand up paddle boards, rigid SUP boards, regular SUP boards, or epoxy stand up paddle boards. As the name suggests, inflatables paddle boards are air filled paddle boards that are inflated with a hand pump, similar to a pool toy. Hard paddle boards are what most are familiar with in relation to other board sports, and that being an EPS foam core that is then covered with layers of fiberglass or other materials like carbon.

While inflatable paddle boards are often applauded for their ease of storage, as they store in a back pack sized back, that is about the only benefit they offer. Inflatables SUP boards take an extensive amount of effort to inflate, often taking 15 minutes or more. Not only is the inflation process time consuming, it is also very difficult physically. From our experience, lighter men and women often struggle to inflate an inflatable paddle board to even half of the suggested inflation capacity. Hard stand up paddle boards on the other hand, are always ready to paddle. No inflating, no pumps, and no being tired from 15 minutes of hard pumping before you have even starting paddling. Just grab and go!

Hard epoxy solid paddle boards are widely regarded as the superior paddle board for this, and many other reasons. As inflatables paddle boards are filled with air, many users have found they are quite unsafe in the event they lose air pressure.   It is not possible to stand on an inflatable paddle board that has lost air pressure and may leave you stranded. Additionally, rigid paddle boards have higher performance in terms of glide, tracking, and stability. There is a reason that we sell a lot of rigid paddle boards to customers that have inflatables SUP's, but rarely, if ever, sell an inflatable paddle board to someone who has a rigid paddle board!

To read more about the comparisons between hard and inflatable stand up paddle boards, you can read RIGID OR INFLATABLE STAND UP PADDLE BOARDS: WHICH ARE BETTER FOR YOU?  as well as INFLATABLE PADDLE BOARDS - ARE THEY WORTH IT?

While stand up paddle boarding is a sport that most learn quickly and easily, we are all beginner paddle boarders at some point. Starting off with the best beginner stand up paddle board can make the difference between SUP being fun and easy to learn, and paddle boarding being frustrating and hard to learn. The ideal beginner paddle board is lightweight, stable, durable, and sized for your body weight. A great beginner paddle board should not only get your started in the sport of stand up paddle boarding, but also give you lots of room to progress as your skills improve. Our expert sales staff is always ready to answer all your questions when it comes to picking the best beginner stand up paddle board. You can also read a couple of great articles about sizing and beginner SUP boards such as TOP 5 TIPS FOR STAND UP PADDLE BOARDING BEGINNERS and What Size Paddle Board Do I Need for My Weight?

Some of our best selling beginner stand up paddle boards are the super durable Cruiser SUP Dura-Maxx, the Cruiser SUP Xplorer, as well as the Cruiser SUP Fusion and Bliss. These paddle boards come in several different sizes, as well as many different color options. Any of these paddle boards are a great choice for not only now as a paddle boarding beginner, but also as you continue to improve!

Stand up paddle boarding is one of the best ways to spend time together as a family. You and your family will be outdoors, on the water, getting fit, and having fun. What makes the best family stand up paddle board?

As a lot of different people will use the paddle board, durability is a key thing to focus on. Cheap soft top paddle boards, or cheap fiberglass paddle boards will not stand up to the wear and tear of an active family of stand up paddle boarders. SUP Boards featuring a polycarbonate shell construction like the Dura-Maxx, Balance, or Xplorer are super durable, yet still light weight. The Fusion and Bliss series feature Cruiser SUP’s legendary Feather-Lite Wood/Carbon construction that is not only light, but very durable. Inflatable SUP’s are best avoided as they tend to be very low in stability if not properly inflated. Inflating an inflatable paddle board is very difficult, and time consuming where as a non-inflatable stand up paddle board is always ready for the water.

A family stand up paddle board should also be very stable and easy to use for everyone. This is best achieved by selecting a size suited to the largest member of the family, then anyone smaller can use it comfortably. Very popular with families are our paddle board 2 packs, as then you can be on the water paddle boarding together instead of having to share one paddle board!

It is a pretty rare situation where two isn’t better than one. Stand up paddle boarding is always better with friends of family. Whether it is paddle boarding with your spouse, partner, kids, or grand kids, paddle boarding is a great way to spend quality family time together.   All our best selling stand up paddle boards are available at reduced paddle board 2 pack pricing to help you save. We design our 2 stand up paddle board packages specifically so that families have an affordable way to get more than one SUP board.

No more fighting over who gets to paddle next, with two stand up paddle boards you can both be out on the water. As we know that one size does not fit all when it comes to SUP boards, all our two paddle board packages come in different sizes, as well a colors, to get that perfect board sizing. From the super durable Cruiser SUP Dura-Maxx 2 board package to the ultra high performance Cruiser SUP Blend 2 pack, we have two stand up paddle boards to suit your needs, and budget.

An inflatable paddle board, also known as an iSUP, is style of stand up paddle board that is air filled. Paddle boarders inflate the paddle board with either a hand pump usually provided, or a costly upgrade to an electric pump. Inflatable stand up paddle boards are made of a PVC vinyl drop stitch material. This double sided material is held together with thousands of small “drop stitch” threads, and then the board is glued together. Inflatables paddle boards, while popular with paddle boarders who do not have storage space for a regular, or hard stand up paddle board, tend to be less popular with paddle boarders valuing convenience, performance, and ease of use. While the materials of quality inflatable stand up paddle boards are quite durable, the glue that holds these SUP boards together tends to have a limited life span and can deteriorate rather quickly. Those preferring a longer lasting stand up paddle board are generally best to consider an epoxy stand up paddle board.

In recent months there has been much discussion about the safety of single chamber inflatable paddle boards. Nearly all inflatable paddle boards available on the market are single chamber, and some locations have been debating making the only allowable inflatable watercraft to be multi chamber boards. This could make your inflatable stand up paddle board something you could not paddle on certain waterways!

The stand up paddle board market is also plagued by a rash of exceptionally cheap, and low quality inflatable paddle boards. These low quality boards will likely be too small, of shockingly low quality, and without warranty. Do yourself a favor and read DON’T MAKES THESE MISTAKES WHEN BUYING A STAND UP PADDLE BOARD so you do not make a paddle board purchasing mistake!

Our Women’s paddle boards collection represent the lightest weight paddle boards designed specifically designed for female stand up paddle boarders. Women make up the largest percent of stand up paddle boarders, and we have customers ranging from 8 to 80.

Often times women are lighter than men, so women’s paddle boards tend to be smaller in length, width, and volume. Being smaller, this also makes them lighter weight for easier transport off the water. While women can use any stand up paddle board, often larger boards will overly heavy and needlessly cumbersome. The best women’s paddle boards will be lightweight, and have graphics that tend to appeal more to women. Women’s SUP Boards like the Cruiser SUP Bliss Feather-Lite, Cruiser SUP Dura-Maxx, Cruiser SUP All Terrain Classic, and Cruiser SUP Blend Ultra-Lite come in a variety of different color options, and start as light as 19lbs! When shopping for the best women’s paddle boards, you want to keep in mind the sizing of the board in relation to your body weight so you can get the most enjoyment, fun, and fitness out of your new stand up paddle board.

If you love paddle boarding, and love to practice Yoga, why not combine the two! SUP Yoga lets you take your yoga practice out of the studio and onto the water. SUP Yoga adds entirely new elements to your practice as not only you in the great outdoors, but the added challenge of being on the water is what draws many to SUP Yoga. What makes the best stand up paddle board for Yoga?

First and foremost, a SUP Yoga paddle board needs to have a full length deck pad. A deck pad that covers the entire top of your SUP board gives grip and traction for your hands and feet. Without a full deck pad, your hands will likely be on the slippery area in front of the deck pad. SUP Yoga paddle boards will also have a slightly flatter deck for a more even surface, as well as ample width and flotation. A great yoga paddle board should be also a board that handles well on the water when not doing yoga. We suggest avoiding boards that are excessively wide (35” or wider) as the will not offer any cruising performance when not doing yoga. Paddle boards by Cruiser SUP such as the Yoga Mat, Balance, Fusion, Bliss, Dura-Maxx, and Escape Classic are all excellent boards for both paddle board Yoga, as well as all around cruising.

A fishing stand up paddle board will let you do your two favorite sports. While it is possible to fish from any stand up paddle board, Fishing SUP boards have tons of additional features to make catching the big one easy.

SUP fishing paddle boards tend to be large in length, width, and volume. This is not only for maximum stability so you can focus on fishing rather than balance, but also to allow you to bring your fishing gear on board. Stand up paddle boards for fishing also have tons of extra options for securing your fishing gear such as extra bungee tie down points on the nose, tail, and Connex adapters for mounting fishing accessories like rod holders or fish finders. For the serious angler, a SUP fishing paddle board is a must to allow you to get to those hard to reach fishing hot spots that may not be accessible by boat. The Cruiser SUP Xplorer is the best of the best when it comes to fishing stand up paddle boards. It has all the gear storage attachments you could ever want, as well as a super durable wood grain polycarbonate shell for a great looking, but also ultra durable paddle board.

Touring stand up paddle boards are designed for paddlers looking to go fast, and cover some serious distance on calm to slightly choppy waters. Also called displacement hulls, touring paddle boards can be identified by their longer length, and distinctly pointy nose that sits in the water. This length and nose shape is what gives touring paddle boards like the Cruiser SUP V-Max its glide, tracking and speed. Touring paddle boards, while stable, do tend to be a bit more technical to paddle and tend to be for more advanced paddle boarders. Many customers of Cruiser SUP start with a more traditional all around paddle board, and then advanced to a touring paddle board as they progress or want to get more dedicated in performance.

Hybrid paddle boards like the Cruiser SUP All Terrain 11’4, or Escape Classic 11’4 or 12' have gained tremendous popularity as they combine the speed of a touring SUP board with the versatility of an all around SUP board. The unique nose, bottom, and rail shapes of these boards allow them to be fast, but also versatile in anything from calm water, to surf.

If you are lucky enough to live near an ocean, stand up paddle board surfing is an aspect of the sport that may appeal to you. Similar to regular surfing, SUP surfing is riding the breaking waves while paddle boarding. However, SUP surfing is widely regarded as much easier to learn than regular, or prone surfing. One of the main reasons is that unlike prone surfing where you have to go from laying to standing, on a stand up paddle board you are already standing. This also gives a unique view of the incoming sets of waves allowing surf paddle boarders a much better view of the incoming sets of waves. The larger boards used for stand up paddle boarding also allow riders to catch smaller waves. SUP surfing is not only very fun, but also very addicting!

Pretty much any stand up paddle board with a planing hull (also known as round nose boards) can be used to at least try SUP surfing. However, more dedicated SUP surfing paddle boards like the Cruiser SUP All Terrain Classic or Cruiser SUP Escape Classic will come in smaller sizing, with much more surf specific shaping in the nose, bottom, rail, and tail. Things like a high nose to allow easier clearance of waves, and a swallow tail make SUP surfing paddle boards much nimbler in surf than less specialized all around paddle boards.

When it comes to stand up paddle boards, lighter is better! A light weight stand up paddle board is easier to carry off the water, and easier to get on your roof rack for transport. As well, a light weight paddle board glides much easier in the water than their heavier counterparts. While many big box retailers sell low cost plastic paddle boards, these SUP boards tend to be excessively heavy, topping the scales at over 50 pounds. These is no need to have a SUP board that heavy!   We have paddle boards starting as light as 19 pounds!

The only time lighter is not better is if quality is sacrificed to be lighter. Many lower end paddle board manufactures will take out structural parts of a board such as stringers, or fiberglass layers to make a board lighter. While can make a paddle board lighter, it will also be very fragile. While a 10’6 stand up paddle board does not need to be over 30 pounds, it is impossible to have a quality stand up paddle board in the same size under 20lbs. You an read more about the pitfalls of buying a low cost board at DON’T MAKES THESE MISTAKES WHEN BUYING A STAND UP PADDLE BOARD

Some of our lightest stand up paddle boards are the Escape Classic, Fusion, Bliss, Blend, and the All Terrain series. All of these SUP boards are as light as possible while still remaining durable, strong, and all carry a 2 year warranty!

When investing in a stand up paddle board, you want your new SUP board to last a long time for many years of stand up paddle boarding fun and fitness. Aside from taking care of your new paddle board, buying a durable stand up paddle board is one way to make sure your new board lasts for years. Buying a poorly made cheap SUP board is one way to ensure your new paddle board is NOT durable, and will NOT last. Cheap soft top paddle boards are little more than a styrofoam core with a deck pad, and lack any sort of structural reinforcements. These are similar to boogie boards that are available at beach supply stores. It would be very unlikely that a soft top paddle board will last an entire season of paddle boarding, and without a warranty, you will be looking to replace it sooner than later. Similar applies to low cost single layer fiberglass paddle boards which are not reinforced enough with withstand regular use. Inflatables paddle boards, while a durable material when new, are held together in the seams only by glue. This glue tends to deteriorate quickly resulting in air leaks. Generally, a quality rigid paddle board is much longer lasting and more durable than inflatable paddle boards.

Stand up paddle boards featuring the Cruiser SUP Dura-Shield polycarbonate shell construction are not only super durable, but also light weight. The Feather-Lite, Super-Lite, and Ultra-Lite constructions by Cruiser SUP are extremely durable epoxy paddle boards that offer a 2 year warranty.   Many low cost/low durability SUP boards will only have a warranty of 180 days or less, which is extremely short and not something that inspires confidence when compared to a 2 year warranty.

Like the heading implies, fiberglass paddle boards are SUP boards that are made of fiberglass. However, not all fiberglass paddle boards are created equal. At the very low end of fiberglass SUP boards are a single layer construction, that are what is referred to as hand shaped, and vacuum bagged. The EPS foam core of the board is covered with one layer of fiberglass, and then put into a vacuum bagging system under pressure for the resin to cure. These are generally the lowest quality boards, as a single layer of fiberglass is very fragile, hand shaping as opposed to CNC shaping allows for huge variations in board shape, and ultimately performance. While vacuum bagging does offer pressure, it is only a fraction of what compression molded constructions offer.

All paddle boards in the Cruiser SUP Ultra-Lite and Feather-Lite series are the top tier of fiberglass SUP boards. The CNC shaped core is covered with not only multiple layers of fiberglass, but also wood veneers and carbon for strength and stiffness. These paddle boards are then placed into compression molds under incredible pressure for the resin to cure. The results are paddle boards with 100% consistent shaping, and fiberglass constructions that are light, easy to paddle, and ultra strong.

Generally speaking, soft top paddle boards are very basic construction of paddle board. These boards are typically only an EPS foam core with a deck pad covering the top and sides of the board. As they lack any sort of structural construction elements, they are very flimsy and shockingly low in durability. They can almost be considered disposable. Soft top paddle boards can often be distinguished from other stand up paddle boards as the deck pad covers the top of the board, as well as the sides. While low in price, they are very low in quality and often cost more in the long run as they need to be replaced with a quality stand up paddle board.

Soft stop stand up paddle boards should not be confused with full wrap stand up paddle boards. Full wrap stand up paddle boards, which are well made fiberglass paddle boards that have a similar deck pad that covers the top as well as the sides. Deck pad on the sides of full wrap stand up paddle board adds durability to the sides of a paddle board, as well as safety when stand up paddle boarding with kids. Full wrap stand up paddle boards like the Cruiser SUP Escape Super-Lite are very often higher performance boards, just with a full wrap deck pad.

A hard shell stand up paddle board is any stand up paddle board that is not an inflatable stand up paddle board (or iSUP). Hard shell paddle boards come in a huge variety of sizes, shapes, materials, and constructions. An inflatable stand up paddle board is a PVC vinyl drop stitch construction that is then glued together to form an inflatable stand up paddle board. iSUP’s are much less rigid than hard shell stand up paddle boards, often flexing in the middle of the board underneath the riders weight.   Hard shell paddle boards not only offer better performance, but they are also more durable, last longer, and are much more convenient.

The majority of our customers purchase hard shell, or regular, stand up paddle boards. While we do stock inflatables paddle boards, our company wide preference is hard boards. Even if all aspects were the same between the two style paddle boards, inflatables SUP boards are inherently less safe as they are filled with air. Anything filled with air has the ability to suddenly lose air. A rapid air pressure loss on an inflatable stand up paddle board can lead to being stranded in the water, as it is not possible to stand on a deflated stand up paddle board. Read more about inflatable vs hard paddle boards at RIGID OR INFLATABLE STAND UP PADDLE BOARDS: WHICH ARE BETTER FOR YOU?