1. THURSO SURF Waterwalker All-Around SUP 2020
What Makes This Paddle Board Stand Out
- Complete package, everything you need to get on the water
- All around board good for all skill levels
- Inflatable
- Carbon shaft paddle
- Reasonably priced
- Easy payment plan available
- Storage backpack comes with easy-e rollers
- Carbon enhanced side walls for unusual stability for an inflatable
It’s no surprise that our top All-Around Board is an inflatable, it just makes sense. Inflatable boards are incredibly versatile and easy to transport, which is why the newly redesigned Thurso Waterwalker earns the top spot.
Built in a classic touring shape, the Waterwalker performs well in a variety of paddling conditions and activities while still providing comfort for longer tours.
This board stands out from typical iSUPs with its stylish faux wood finish, giving it the look of a rigid paddleboard or surfboard. Plus, it includes a repair kit for added peace of mind.
A thick EVA foam deck pad ensures excellent comfort and traction, making it perfect for extended paddles or yoga sessions. For yoga enthusiasts, Thurso thoughtfully added Velcro straps on the side rails to hold your paddle in place so it won’t float away.
The Waterwalker is packed with practical features: three grab handles (front, center, and rear), a six-point bungee at the front and four-point bungee at the rear for gear storage, and four D-rings for securing items like a cooler or extra equipment.
What Makes This Paddle Board Stand Out
- Sturdy build
- All around board good for all skill levels
- Rigid
- All purpose design
- Reasonably priced
- Basically: wide, stable, and great to learn on
The ISLE Soft Top is a classic SUP that can handle a wide variety of people and skill levels. It is built using an epoxy core and adding a soft layer on top that is firm but also grippable with wet feet.
The Soft Top is designed to handle everything from small ocean waves to lakes to fishing in quite coves and is even a good platform for SUP yoga, if you want to test your stability on the water.
It comes equipped with a smaller 4 point bungee system in the front, which is great for most situations. If you are doing some gear intensive activity like fishing, you might need a larger 6 point bungee system, but for most applications, you’ll be fine with the 4 point system that comes on the Soft Top.
Carrying your Soft Top is easy with a standard center mounted carry handle. What makes this carry handle better than most is the pop up feature, so that when it’s not in use, it closes flush with the board.
The board has a single center fin, and at 31 inches wide and 27 pounds this durable construction means that you won’t have to worry about bumping and banging your board. It can handle it.
The Cruiser Soft Top also comes with a Carbon adjustable paddle
This is one of the best all around stand up paddle boards you can get for the money.
3. Tower Adventurer 2 Inflatable SUP
What Makes This Paddle Board Stand Out
- Touring board
- Durable construction
- For mid to long range distance paddling
- Affordable
- Built for the whole family
The Promenade has a displacement hull and carries a lot of volume
One of the only downsides of this board is the weight. At 34 lbs it is not the lightest board, but it is beefy. You are not going to have to worry about it, this one can take a beating and be fine.
This board is great for touring or distance paddling. It was made to with stand the abuse of being a rental board. So if you are looking for a board for the whole family, and you don’t mind if friends or neighbors use it as well, because you know it’s going to hold up, then this is the board for you.
The Promenade is 11 ½ feet long and 32 inches wide. It’s one of the thickest boards out there at 7.3 inches thick, which goes to durable go anywhere design.
A single center fin and 2 piece paddle is included.
4. Pau Hana Malibu Classic Stand Up Paddle Board
What Makes This Paddle Board Stand Out
- One of the best all around SUPs for everything from touring to surfing
- Designed with the beginner in mind, yet capable for all skill levels
- Rigid
- All purpose design
- Reasonably priced
- Excellent for families, yoga, rentals, super stable and tough as nails
The Pau Hana Malibu Classic is a board that can just about do it all. The Malibu Classic will do great in everything from flatwater touring to surfing water conditions.
This is an “entry level” paddleboard, yet it really over delivers. It comes with an adjustable aluminum handle, and a removable 9 inch center fin.
The specs of the Malibu Classic:
Length: 10’6″
Width: 34″
Weight: 31 lbs.
5mm EVA deck pad provides great traction with a soft grip for comfort while riding.
The Malibu Classic comes with SeaMount®, which is an accessory attachment system that makes it easy to add cup holders, paddle clips and easy-to-thread bungee tie-downs. You can purchase the accessories, called the Pau Hana SUP Recreational Kit, separately.
Built with EPS (Expanded Polystyrene Foam Core) and Kevlar Reinforcement, the Pau Hana Malibu Classic is a rock solid choice for the budget minded buyer looking for a first time board, that really over delivers.
What Makes This Paddle Board Stand Out
- Super lightweight @ 22 lbs.
- Sizes 10’4” and 11’2”
- RigidBeginner board
- Premium design
- Beautiful look
This board is awesome. The Generator uses the best materials, design, and construction techniques and it shows. This board excels in small to medium surf with good stability and maneuverability
The Generator has a flatter rocker design, which means it does well in flat to slightly choppy waters. With a width of 32” and a depth of 4.4”, this board is designed more for stability than for speed
The board is constructed with natural wood fibers, carbon tail patches, that give it added strength while also maintaining a useful amount of flex.
The Generator has a standard 4 point bungee system and wider head and slimmer tail which makes it slip through water. All around one of the best boards you can buy.
Bruce Paulson is the owner of PaddleboardSurf and an avid water sports enthusiast with a lifelong passion for all things aquatic. From stand-up paddleboarding and surfing to boating, kayaking, and canoeing, he thrives on the joy of being on the water. As an advocate for water conservation and environmental stewardship, Bruce shares his adventures and insights through his writing, inspiring others to embrace the beauty and excitement of life on the water.