Stand up paddle boarding was listed as the most popular outdoor activity among first-time participants on a recent research. The report stated that the median age for stand up paddle boarding was 28 years old. The Outdoor Foundation’s 2015 Special Report into Paddlesports found that 2.8 Million (or 0.9%) of Americans participated in standup paddleboarding in 2014.
Stand-up paddling (or SUP) has been practiced in one form or another in Africa where natives used to stand on their canoes and since the beginning of surfing in Hawaii, they have also practiced paddling while standing on the board. It’s a fairly easy sport to start as standing up on the board doesn’t take any effort. Stand Up Paddleboards are very stable and float well. You only need a board and PADDLE, and for safety a leash to keep the board close to you in case you fall off.
A starter should take time and try several types of boards with varying lengths and widths and as your stability and confidence increase, so will your ability to feel comfortable on a greater range of models. THE ONLY THING IS, a SUP board can be a fairly expensive acquisition and not only that, traditional stand up paddle boards are huge and clunky and for the occasional or every day user, it can be an efforting bringing it to the beach or or the place where you will paddle.
Guy paddleboarding in a river..The solution for that is an Inflatable Paddle Board!
Advantages of Inflatable Paddle Boards:
- ISUPs or Inflatable Paddle Boards are lighter and easier to carry to your car and to beach.
- Regular Paddle Boards are hard to lift and attach to the top of your car, while Inflatable Paddle Boards can be deflated and easily carried inside whatever car you have.
- Inflatable Paddle Boards are usually cheaper than regular paddle boards.
- Just like regular paddle boards, there are inflatable versions for every style of stand up paddling: surfing, yoga, racing, and all around boards.
- Paddle boards come in a variety of lengths, widths, thicknesses, and constructions, and all SUPs are designed for either flat water or surf, or sometimes a little of both.