If you are coming into stand up paddle boarding from other water sports or paddle activities, then one thing that you will notice right away is that you don’t really need as much gear as you do for other water activities, like kayaking. Here at Just Paddleboard, we want to break it down to just the bare essentials that you’ll need when you go SUPing, as well as some additional items that you might enjoy taking out with you. And if you’re already into other water activities, then you might have some of this gear at home.
Essential SUP Gear
| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
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Pathfinder Inflatable SUP Stand Up Paddleboard 9' 9" (5" Thick) | Buy on Amazon |
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Onyx Curve MOVEVENT Paddle Sports PFD | Buy on Amazon |
As with any sport or adventure activity, there are always a few core pieces of gear that are must-haves and standup paddleboarding is no different. Though this may seem obvious, here’s a quick list of the only essentials you’ll need:
- inflatable SUP or rigid SUP board
- SUP paddle
- personal flotation device (PFD)
That right there is really all that you need to get out there on the water and do your paddling. Sure, some people go out without a PFD, but that is a risky move. You never know what will happen out on the water, especially if you are in the ocean, so play it safe and get yourself a PFD before hitting the water. You’ll find that the inflatable PFDs that go around your waist are the best for SUPing as they don’t get in the way of your strokes.
Optional SUP Gear
Though can do your paddle boarding with only the items listed above, there are a few accessories and other gear available that can enhance your time out on the water. While you don’t need to buy any of these items, you may want to consider it.
Here’s our quick list of gear you might decide you need for paddleboarding, but is definitely not a requirement:
- leash
- dry bag
- traction pad
- water bottle
- sunscreen
- surf booties or water shoes
- UV surf shirt/rash guard or wetsuit
- hat and/or sunglasses
- headlamp (for night paddling)
- safety whistle and/or first aid kit
- detachable seat
- SUP car rack
- SUP storage rack
- iSUP carry bag
Depending on how you’re going to be using your board, you may end up needing a few of the items on the above list. Or, you just might get by without needing any of them. If you think we’ve left some gear off this list, please let us know what SUP gear you can’t live without!
Image credit: © Dangubic | Dreamstime.com – Paddleboarding Photo
Last update on 2021-08-06 at 00:10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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