How to select a i-SUP board?

SUP
#1

I’m an intermediate maybe bordering on advanced paddler and hoping to become more serious. I need to buy my first isup board.

I’ll just brain dump what I know and tell you what I am confused about.

It’s very easy to find the advised length of the board with a simple google. I’m going to assume that longer boards are harder to turn? Every website that sells a SUP has SEO’d the hell out of their webpage and has a chart for you. I understand that lengths range from 9 ft. to 12 ft. I’m average height male.

Wider iSups are harder to turn but balance better. I have good balance, so I’m fine with the lower end of 30-33.

I’m actually not sure about thickness, but honestly this is one of the things that I could care less about. I’m pretty sure that thickness is the least important factor, but they seem to range from 5-7.

The weight of the board probably matters for acceleration, but again not one of the bigger factors as far as I can tell.

The capacity is where google starts to fail me. I’m pretty light. I’m at 130 lbs or 59 kg. What’s unclear is that all these websites that have managed to claw their way to the top of the Google search results will say that you just need to be below the capacity, but others will say you want to have the capacity that is as ‘right’ as possible because if you’re too heavy or you’re too light, you’ll have problems. The board sinks too much or doesn’t go into the water enough? I would appreciate some clarification!

Apparently volume is also a way to pick the board? From what I’ve seen online, I’ll see things like take your weight and convert it into kilograms and then double it. This calculator I found seems genuine. SUP Calculator - SUPwest

PSI also seems like higher is better. PSI influences the rigidity of the board, so if the board can accept a higher tolerance of PSI, then it’s going to feel more rigid. I assume.

hopefully I got that right?

If that’s all correct, here’s my personal dilemma.

I found an amazing deal on a racing board. It’s 12’6”, 30” wide. It’s a bit long for me, according to the charts, but it looks like all these racing boards are this long. But the real problem is that it’s 300 L. This is way over the 59kg x 2 = 120 (beginner) 59kg x 1.4 = 84 (advanced?) suggestions I have seen.

Could any experienced SUPers please help me walk through the selection/constraint process? Other than if I got all the selection rules right, at what point should I say no to a board’s liter number because it’s too high or low for me (all-around SUP and touring/racing SUP)?

#2

Not an iSUP expert here - intermediate paddler who just uses borrowed boards from where I work (haven’t bought any myself yet).

What type of paddling do you want to do? Maneuverability seems to be important to you as that seems to be one of your focuses of questions? If maneuverability is key, then a racing board (made for speed) would likely not be the way to go.

But if going fast is something you want, then maybe it is. What do the specs of the racing board say for paddler size? If it is an amazing deal and the specs are reasonably close to your size, I’d go ahead and buy and give it a go. If it doesn’t work, you should be able to sell for similar to what you paid.

Keep in mind that racing boards are not known for stability, so usually made for more advanced paddlers. I have trouble seeing a racing board as being way too volume for most anyone - usually the opposite.

#3

Hey thanks for replying.

I guess I just want to enjoy the waters. Speed is fun, but i’m not racing anyone. I think speed is definitely a plus and the better I get the more fun it will be. I’ve also had some frustrating experiences trying to maneuver cheaper rental boards around.

Honestly, I don’t think I really care that much, especially because this will be my first purchase. Whatever I get is probably going to be fine.

Well this is the board SOLsonic Inflatable Paddle Board | Top-Rated Tour and Race Board | SOL Carbon GalaXy Collection

Here’s my concern that I don’t know what to make of. Its volume is 300 L, WAY over what I am. Could you elaborate more what you mean by you have trouble seeing a racing board being too much volume? I’ve seen one website say that racing boards are different from all around boards where If you’re too heavy or too light for it, it doesn’t work out.

(Actually, it looks like the seller that I was going to buy it from took it off. Even though I can’t buy it anymore, I still really want to know what’s going on with the liters In case I want to buy a racing or touring board in the future)

#4

I’ve owned a few different isups. I often paddle in the South Florida intracoastal and the mangroves. I am 5’11" and weigh 215 lbs. and often have one of my elementary school aged kids on the sup as well. Occasionally, I also take a small soft sided cooler with drinks, a small waterproof speaker, a wet bag (for keys, phones, sunscreen, etc.), and of course I have to leave room for life jackets. Presently, I have a couple of iROCKER ULTRA ALL AROUND 11’ x 32" x 6". I am not endorsing the iRocker brand isups but they do stand behind their warranty - no hassle.

About isup architecture, strictly from my own experiences: a wider isup (33") will be more stable than a narrower one (31"). A longer isup (11’) will be faster than a shorter one (10’). Maneuverability, for me, mostly depends on weather I stand more forward (tracks straight) or backwards (easier to turn) on the isup. A firmer isup (16-18 psi, if the isup specs allow) is better for rougher water conditions, but with firmness, comes buoyancy, so unless it’s fully loaded, the wind may push you around. These are all relative to me; my daughter, who is half my weight, manages everything better on a smaller isup under all conditions. I do OK on both a narrower and wider isup, but I do have to concentrate a bit more on the narrower one. The narrower isup is negligibly faster than the wider one. If transportation and storage are an issue, some boards fold smaller than others.

There are many variables: where you paddle and with who, for what purpose, and what/who you bring with you on board. With many assumptions on my side, at 130 lbs., I would go with a 10’ all around isup from a reputable brand that stands behind their products. You may play with the psi to find the right balance. The same isup at less than max psi will have a lower weight limit.

1 Like
#5

Absolutely awesome information. Thank you.

#6

If you are serious about SUP paddling, and especially if you want to go fast, an ISUP is a waste of time.

Thickness and volume are critical for choosing the right board, for a regular touring board you don’t want the board to be floaty like an air mattress, the volume should place your feet so about 3/4 of the board are submerged and your feet are level with the water surface. Longer racing boards with cut out decks can be floaty, but they are narrow and difficult to balance. A narrow racing board is going to challenge your balance. For your weight a 130 Liter board, 30 inches wide and 9 or ten feet would be a good place to start, you can buy a used solid board on craigs list, learn to paddle, learn how to handle chop, and then decide what you want to do after you have learned the basics.