There are so many different types of SUP on the market nowadays, For beginners, you may struggle to figure out which type of board is the most suitable, here are the basics to help you know the difference between each type. 

All-around sup

The most popular and affordable paddle boards on the market today are the all-around boards. If you’re a rider who wants to explore the versatility of stand up paddling, this board type is the perfect option. The all-around shape is ideal for beginner or intermediate riders 

Touring sup

The touring paddle board is primarily used for long distances in flatwater, open ocean, bays and lakes and has a long, narrow shape which make touring board cuts through chop with ease and tracks in a fast, straight line.

They are typically longer than all-round boards, and often have a nose that is pointed to help the board slice through the water smoothly, increase glide and help the board go straight. 

Even most touring boards are wide enough to be stable for beginners However, these boards require a higher level paddling skills to maneuver than all-round board due to their length and are much less stable than nearly every other type of board. In general, touring boards are not best recommended for beginners.

Racing sup

People often say that race paddleboards aren’t stable. That’s actually pretty accurate comparing it to the previous type of paddleboard. However, they’re not as hard to manage as people assume that it is.

These are being constructed in a way that they’re longer and slimmer. But that doesn’t really set much a bar, the only thing that it does is its price. Race Paddleboards have only but one goal in mind – reducing the drag so that speed would increase. That’s why these boards are made out of materials which are lighter. 

Also, these require a bit of modification. For instance, a displaced hull will be utilized as it helps in slicing through the water seamlessly. Tour or race boards sacrifice their width for thickness. When they do this, it reduces the drag without having to deal with volume fallbacks.

If you want to be seen as awesome, try this on for size. Once you get the hang of it, they are fun to use. And your speed on water increases dramatically. But this isn’t ideal for beginners as it needs time to practice, if you’re not interested in spending a couple of weeks catching waves, this isn’t for you.

Not to mention, you have to spend an extra three to four hundred dollars for this. On the other hand, if you want speed and awesomeness, this is definitely a green signal for you.

Yoga/ fitness sup

Yoga and fitness paddle boards are suited for anything from Yoga to simply doing push ups or stretching on board.  Yoga and Fitness boards are usually from 10 to 12 feet in length, range and the 32”-34” width range to offer optimal stability, but also remain nice handling boards for general cruising when not doing Yoga. To ensure your hands and feet have grip and traction, Yoga and Fitness boards generally have a full length deck pads. 

Kids sup

It’s not just adults that love stand up paddle boarding, Kids can paddle on smaller boards than adults, just because they weigh less and need less buoyancy.  But that doesn’t mean they can’t paddle on a board that’s also big enough to support an adult.

Looking for a board on the smaller end of the adult size range.  A 7-8 foot board designed for kid can be perfect for a young child to play around on around the lake – and provide a proud parent another different board they can add to their quiver.

Multi person sup

Multi Person sup offers the performance needed flat or choppy waters, or take all your friends to catch small surf.  It’s a perfect tool for family and clubs to create team building, family tour, and parties to engage more people on the water. Multiple handles and inflation valves so, all family/team members can help carry and pump up the board.

You can refer to Paddleboard Insiders to find more useful advice about paddleboards.