When it comes to SUP paddle boarding and why you should do it, this is a question that many people ask – especially if they are enthusiastic kayakers who mainly poke fun at the paddleboarding folks!

However the fact is that both kayaking and paddleboarding offer great fun to the users, and indeed there is no reason why an individual may enjoy both sports.

Here is whare y we can take a look at the reasons why you may want to try paddleboarding for yourself – if you have not already done so.

Or indeed you may use the following arguments to persuade your kayaking friends to forego their kayak for just a little while, and try paddleboarding for themselves!

So here are ….reasons why should you try SUP paddleboarding

1. It’s a great way to spend time socialising and getting to know new friends with ‘like passions’ as they say.  Gathering at the lakeside or oceanfront with a barbeque and a few drinks is a fantastic way to meet friends and enjoy pleasurable surroundings of an evening.
2. Paddleboards are an excellent keep-fit routine, especially when standing up (SUP). This is excellent for the abs, core, arm, back, shoulder, and leg muscles. Even kneeling on the board and paddling offers different benefits for the body in general. Are you into Yoga? A paddle board makes an excellent yoga platform as well.
3. Its easy to do. Most folks manage to paddleboard effectively after just 1 lesson. Stick to flat calm water until you get your balance, and you will soon be striding out on your own.
4. Find peace and tranquillity. There are not many pastimes more peaceful than paddleboarding across a quiet stretch of water. Just you and the gentle swish of the paddle. Sun setting across a tranquil lake, broken only by an occasional trout rising…lovely!
5. Fishing enthusiasts can find great benefits from a SUP paddleboard. You can see further across the water from your standing position, compared to sitting in a kayak for example. Also when fishing from a paddleboard, the board is ‘stealthier’ as the water does not slap against the sides as it does on a boat. This allows you to get nearer to the fish, then crouch down to offer a smaller profile.
6. It’s just great fun for all the family! It’s a sport that the whole family can enjoy as 2 or even 3 can go safely on some boards at any one time. Kids really enjoy paddling their parents around on the board – even the family dog can join in (once it get used to the idea).
7. iSUP’s are Easy to transport. Inflatable paddleboards are simple to load into the back of your car, or even carry on your back over to your own secret paddle loch or waterway. This is a huge advantage over a kayak, and part of what has made them so popular.

As you can see there are many good reasons why you should try paddleboarding for yourself – if you have not already done so.

Are paddle boards better than kayaks?

This is a tough question to answer, and one that really depends on the individual needs or desires of the user. Some of the advantages that the iSUP in particular has over the rigid kayak is the fact that it is far easier to transport being inflatable.

Most iSUP’s come with a complete kit including the SUP, carry bag, air pump, fin(s) paddle, and attaching leash. For an iSUP vs a hard board see this post.

These all fit into a bag that can be carried like a backpack or pulled along on wheels like a shopping trolley.

Keep in mind that the complete iSUP kit can weigh on average around 30lbs. So this is a significant load to carry on your back across the hills, but by no means difficult for a fit individual.

Advantage Kayak over PaddleBoard

An advantage that the kayak does have over the SUP however, is that it can handle rough weather better. Once the wind gets to over 10 mph or so then the paddleboard becomes more than a little unstable, especially standing up.

The kayak is able to ‘ride the storm’ and is relatively safe for a competent user with winds over 15mph to a max 20mph, after which it gets decidedly dangerous especially in an off-shore wind.

So unless you are a confirmed thrill-seeker, keeping off the water when the wind speed gets to over 10mph would be advisable, whether in a SUP or a kayak.

Happy boarding folks!