A 12V SUP pump takes the effort out of inflation and can be powered from your vehicle or a compatible portable power supply. It is often said that pumping up your board is a good warm-up for paddling, but this is really just rationalization.
A not very glamorous, but truly essential component of your SUP kit is a personal flotation device PFD , which is important for your personal safety and required by law on many lakes and waterways where you may want to paddle. There are two main types of PFD: A lifejacket or inflatable belt pack. A lifejacket is the safer option, but many paddlers want the feeling of being out on the water unconstrained by anything worn on their torso.
An inflatable belt pack is worn inconspicuously around your waist and has a CO2 cylinder which is activated by pulling on a string. Pulling the cord inflates a bladder that is folded inside the belt pack for flotation in an emergency situation. There are situations where an inherently buoyant lifejacket is the only option, such as whitewater paddling, and a lifejacket is really the only safe choice for kids, beginners, and paddlers who are not strong swimmers.
A belt pack can be a valid choice for adults with good swimming skills while paddling on flat water, and is in fact the most popular type of PFD that we sell. The one situation where paddling without a PFD is generally accepted is while surfing at the beach, but surfers are taking a known risk and should take precautions including always surfing with a buddy in case a rescue is needed. As a matter of both convenience and safety, you do not want to get separated from your board when you fall off.
A leash is an essential part of your SUP gear kit, as it tethers you to the board so you can simply pull the board back toward you in the water and climb back on. Leashes are not very complicated, but there are differences you need to know about when selecting one. The cord is one area where leashes differ. Leash cords can be coiled, straight, or have both coiled and straight sections. For surfing, however, a coiled leash has the disadvantage of the spring-back effect which can have your board boomeranging back toward you after a hard fall.
For this reason, straight leashes are generally preferred for surfing. Hybrid leashes with cords that have both a straight section and a coiled section are a great choice for all uses as they keep the cord from dragging while minimizing the spring-back effect. Leashes also vary by length, with 10 feet being the most common cord length for paddle boarding.
Shorter cords are sometimes chosen for surfing on smaller boards. When shopping for a leash, look for a nicely cushioned cuff with a wide range of adjustment and a cord type suitable to the type of paddling you will be doing. A specific type of leash is used in whitewater, or on any waterway with shallow water and a strong current, where there is a risk of entrapment by a leash cord.
A leash for moving river use must have quick-release mechanism at or above waist level that can be easily reached by the paddler in case the cord gets snagged on a rock or branch.
Following these tips should help you narrow down the categories of boards, size and shape considerations, materials and constructions, deck pads, riggings, and fin systems to help guide your choice of an inflatable paddle board. Want expert advice on choosing an inflatable SUP board?
You need something that will help grip into the face of the wave allowing you hold your rail in the water easier. Depending on the waves you will be surfing, try to aim for the rounded pin as that will allow you to surf the wave a little more. Remember, this is not a full on gun, so you will still want the maneuverability to rip the wave up, so the rounded pin as opposed to the straight up pintail will allow for this a little more.
Even if it is a twin fin fish style step up, the deep swallow tail essentially acts as a pintail for whichever rail is in the water, so by default, the fish already gives you that pintail hold you need for bigger surf. You can usually add a little more rocker to your board as well.
For the same reasons you can get away with a pintail, you can add more rocker. It could actually hurt the way you surf the wave as you may end up going too fast and have a difficult time wiping the speed off.
Remember, you are not surfing massive waves here, you still want to have some performance, so there is no need to outrun the wave. The bottom contours of your board will play with how well you can get up to speed and on a plane, keeping your rail in the water, and the transition from rail to rail. The trusty single to double concave with a little vee out the tail goes a long way for your step up.
With a single fin or a step up fish, you might consider adding a bit more vee to help with the transition from rail to rail.
Also changing the bottom contours on your surfboard by adding a bit of vee in the nose would certainly be handy since those boards generally have a little less rocker than a traditional thruster. That nose vee will help displace the water and keep it from pearling nose diving when taking late drops or coming out of turns on steeper sections.
Not only is it a great workout and easy to learn, paddle boarding is also fun, invigorating and enables you to connect with nature. Be advised that there can be some crossover, as most people will use their paddle boards for multiple types of activities, such as SUP surfing, recreational use, touring and even racing. Determine your stand up paddle board size based on your weight and paddle boarding experience.
Think of your ideal board size in terms of volume. The wider, longer, and thicker the board, the more volume and weight capacity it will have. The more volume the board has, the more stable it will be on the water. Beginner paddlers will usually want a board with more volume as well as thickness because of the additional stability this offers.
As your skill, balance, and strength improve, you can downsize to a board with less volume. By then, your older board will be great for friends and family to use! It isn't going to get the same drive, it isn't going to cutback sharply, but it is going to be a fun challenge and it will give you a really different and unique style of surfing. A performance SUP won't turn you Laird Hamilton but it gives you a great platform to develop your own skill and style.
The best SUP for surfing, is the one you actually get out on. Don't be the guy or girl who spends hours with crossed arms surveying the break, driving up and down the coast talking about it while waiting for perfect conditions that are not coming.
Even when the waves are not great you can still have fun on an all-around inflatable. If you're a surfer who knows that feeling of disappointment when the surf report and cameras are showing red, a performance inflatable will get you out regardless. If you will be surfing frequently, it makes sense to consider a surf-specific board and have a second board for other types of paddling. If surfing will be one of many things you want to do on your board, we recommend choosing an all-around board that has the right shape and features to perform for you when there are waves to catch.
With those basics under your belt, come see our selection of the best inflatable paddle boards for SUP surfing. Want expert advice on choosing an inflatable SUP board?
Pumped Up SUP is an online store specializing in high-performance inflatable stand up paddle boards and accessories. We're always happy to answer your questions - just give us a call at Read More.
We are an online business that services all USA states and territories. We are an authorized US dealer of every product listed on our site, and we spend as much time as we can out on the water using and evaluating the products we sell. Contact us for advice, check out the Paddleblog for interesting articles, and sign up for our mailing list to receive exclusive news and offers.
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