Searching for the Best Foam Paddleboards?
What Is a Foam Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP)?
A foam SUP is a stand-up paddleboard constructed around an EPS foam core. EPS, or Expanded Polystyrene, is a lightweight yet durable material first used in surfboards and later adapted for SUPs.
These boards are often referred to as “soft tops” because of their forgiving surface and easy shaping.
One of the biggest advantages of foam SUPs is their durability. They can handle bumps, dents, and occasional rough treatment while remaining watertight and performing reliably on the water, making them an excellent choice for beginners and family use.
The Benefits of the SUPs Built with Foam
Foam SUPs offer two key advantages.The first is affordability. Foam boards are a cost-effective way to produce a paddleboard at a reasonable price, often making them cheaper than inflatable SUPs.
The second advantage is their light weight. Foam is lighter than materials like wood, fiberglass, or epoxy. This makes foam SUPs ideal for beginners and for paddling on flat water, as they are easier to carry and handle.
There’s also a performance benefit. Foam SUPs provide a rigid surface, giving you better traction, sometimes called “bite”, on the water during turns compared to inflatable boards.
This rigidity also makes foam SUPs more enjoyable for beach paddling and small-wave surfing. The increased stability and responsiveness make riding waves easier and more fun than on an iSUP.
Features:
For the past four years, the Isle Cruiser has held its spot as the best-selling soft-top stand-up paddleboard, and it’s easy to see why.
Its soft-top construction makes it approachable for paddlers of all levels, handling bumps with ease and even accommodating your furry companions. Beneath the soft surface, a rigid EPS foam core provides the stability and stiffness needed for a reliable ride, while the textured croc-skin deck ensures comfort and grip on every outing.
Available in three attractive colors, the Cruiser combines quality materials, smart design, affordability, and a ready-to-use setup that has won over countless enthusiasts.
Transport is simple thanks to the cleverly designed center handle, which extends for carrying and tucks away neatly when not in use. The front 6-point bungee system offers plenty of room to secure dry bags or gear for longer adventures.
The package includes everything you need to hit the water, including an adjustable carbon paddle, lightweight and designed to reduce fatigue during extended paddling sessions.
Whether for kids, adults, or family outings at the beach or lake, the Isle Cruiser Soft Top delivers a complete, versatile paddleboarding experience that rarely disappoints.
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The LiquidShredder EZ Slider Soft stands out as one of the most stable paddleboards on the market. While it’s not built for speed or racing, it excels at providing a fun, relaxed, and versatile experience on the water.
Its soft outer deck makes paddling and standing comfortable for hours, perfect for SUP yoga or simply lounging. When it’s time for a break, the cushioned surface doubles as a cozy spot to rest or even take a quick nap.
The EZ Slider Soft is ideal for casual paddling, fishing trips, and leisurely cruises, thanks to its lightweight, buoyant construction that’s easy to carry and maneuver. The fin setup ensures solid grip for turns and handling small waves, while the rounded nose maintains stability and control.
Durability is a major highlight. Constructed from polyethylene and polypropylene with a hard, slick bottom, this board resists heat and wear. Its glue-free design enhances longevity, ensuring reliable performance for years of adventures on the water.
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If you’re looking for a lightweight, stable paddleboard with a closed-cell EPS foam core, the South Bay Board Co. Premium Beginner Soft Top is an excellent choice. Setup is simple, just attach the fins, add a little water, and you’re ready to hit the water.
Designed with beginners in mind, this board provides confidence and stability on everything from gentle waves to boat wakes and breezy conditions. Its soft top construction is forgiving and durable, making it easy to transport without worrying about scratches or damage to your car, dock, or boat.
As a versatile all-around SUP, it delivers excellent performance without the cost of an inflatable or a high-end rigid board. Built with premium materials and thoughtful design, the South Bay Board Co. Premium Beginner Soft Top offers quality, durability, and value, earning it a spot among PaddleboardSurf’s top picks for SUP enthusiasts.
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Scott Burke 10'6" Foam SUP: Simple, Lightweight, and Beginner-Friendly
The Scott Burke 10'6" foam SUP delivers a straightforward, no-frills paddleboarding experience while keeping plenty of fun on the water.
This board comes fully equipped with everything you need to get started, including roof racks, an adjustable paddle, and a safety leash.
Built from high-density foam and reinforced with three laminated wood stringers coated in waterproof resin, the board is completely waterproof and exceptionally durable. Weighing just 26 lbs yet supporting up to 300 lbs, it strikes a perfect balance of lightweight portability and reliable strength.
Soft-top construction makes it easy to carry, gentle on the knees, and maneuverable, even in windy conditions or choppy water.
For paddlers seeking an affordable, forgiving, and practical beginner SUP, the Scott Burke 10'6" is a dependable choice that doesn’t overcomplicate things.
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The CBC Hydra Foam 10'6" SUP offers exceptional value, making it a perfect choice for beginners, families, and casual paddlers. While rigid SUPs are usually more expensive than inflatables, CBC delivers a high-quality board at an accessible price point.
Weighing just 25 pounds, the board is constructed from high-density EPS foam with a fully waterproof core, ensuring smooth, reliable performance on the water. Additional features like a camera mount and surf leash make it easy to capture adventures or explore a variety of water activities.
Its solid build provides excellent buoyancy and stability, supporting over 300 pounds, more than most inflatable boards, making it suitable for larger riders or tandem paddling.
With a complete accessory package included, the CBC Hydra Foam 10'6" stands out as one of the best-value rigid paddleboards available today, combining durability, versatility, and affordability.
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The BIC Sport Slide stands out from most foam SUPs by offering premium performance rather than just a beginner-friendly option. While many foam boards target rentals or casual paddlers, the Slide excels for those who want versatility and fun on the water.
Despite its foam core, it performs impressively on flatwater tours and can even handle small to medium waves, making light surfing a possibility. The deck features soft, anti-slip EVA foam, ensuring comfort and reliable grip in every stance.
One of its biggest advantages is its lightweight construction. At approximately 5 inches thick and just 25 lbs, the Slide is easy for nearly anyone to carry to the water. Its perfect balance of buoyancy and weight provides stability without sacrificing performance, making it a great choice for paddlers of all skill levels, including families.
While less expensive foam boards exist, the BIC Sport Slide distinguishes itself as a high-quality, lightweight, and versatile option for those seeking a fun, stable, and reliable SUP experience.
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The Wavestorm 8ft SUP features a foam core, making it an excellent choice for beginners. Its lightweight design allows for easy transport, while the affordable price makes it ideal for casual paddlers or family use.
Foam construction also adds a layer of safety, if you lose control and bump into someone, it’s far less likely to cause injury compared to a rigid epoxy board.
This SUP comes as a complete package, including a 9-inch removable and adjustable center fin, an adjustable paddle, and a leash, so you can start paddling right away. The internal compression-foam deck pad provides comfort for hours on the water while offering excellent grip, reducing strain on your feet.
Durable, user-friendly, and perfect for beach or lake outings, the Wavestorm 8ft SUP is a reliable, safe, and fun board for beginners and families alike.
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The California Board Company 9ft SUP delivers great value, especially for beginners. A standout feature is the included padded roof racks, making it easier than ever to transport your board to the water, a convenience rarely offered with SUPs or surfboards.
Lightweight and easy to carry, this board is a breeze compared to heavier hard epoxy models. While it may sacrifice a bit of stability compared to rigid boards, it remains perfect for beginners, kids, and smaller adults, supporting riders up to 160 lbs.
Ideal for casual paddling on calm lakes or bays, this board offers a fun and accessible way to enjoy the water without breaking the bank. However, it’s not designed for long-distance tours or larger waves, so more advanced paddlers may want to consider other options.
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Are foam paddle boards good?
Yes. And well, it depends. There are some foam SUPs, like the ones lister here, that are very good. A few of the best are the South Bay Board Co. Premium Beginner SUP and the ISLE Cruiser. These are excellent boards.
But, you need to be careful. A lot of foam SUPs are priced cheap, and are manufactured using super cheap materials and techniques. You get what you pay for, and that's ok as long as you are aware of this going into your purchase.
Some foam SUPs are really cheap which is for a specific buyer. There are a lot of families that go on vacation to the beach or the lake, and they'll pick up a cheap foam SUP and use it on vacation and basically throw it away when vacation is over.
Can you use a foam surfboard as a paddleboard?
Sure, you can, but do you really want to? If all you have is a foam surfboard and you have a paddle, you can certainly try to paddle standing up on your surfboard, but it's not ideal.
Surfboards are designed for surfing, not SUP. A surfboard is going to be smaller and more narrow and a lot less stable than a paddleboard. Surfboards are also best used... in the surf. One of the cool things about SUP is that you don't need waves, you can SUP on flat water, like lakes or rivers, and a surfboard just won't perform well on flat water conditions.
What is the best SUP board for beginners?
It depends on the person. In general foam paddle boards can be a great option for beginners and people new to the sport. Foam boards are lighter and because of this they are easier to maneuver.
Another nice aspect of foam SUPs for beginners is that the foam is a forgiving and softer surface for the falls that are basically guaranteed to happen when you are just learning how to stand up paddleboard.
Foam SUPs are also a lower price point paddleboard. It makes sense when you are new to the sport, not to spend an arm and a leg on your first board, and so getting a foam SUP makes a lot of sense.
Are cheap paddle boards any good?
Some are and some are not. It's like anything.
If you spend too little, then you'll get a board that will break down on you quickly. But you can still find good values, SUPs that are not too expensive, but that still have a decent quality so the board will last, and you'll have fun.
The best price to quality board on this list is probably the California Board Company's Hydra. After that we'd pick the South Bay Board Co.'s Beginner SUP, and then our favorite is the ISLE Cruiser, but while the Cruiser is not expensive, it is certainly not cheap either.
But what is cheap?
Is a board like the ISLE Cruiser, which is more expensive than a super cheap board like the Wavestorm, a cheap SUP? Well, the ISLE Cruiser will last much longer than the Wavestorm. You can easily get five to ten years of use out of the ISLE Cruiser, and you will probably get two to three years of use out of the Wavestorm.
So if something costs a bit more, but lasts much, much longer, isn't that the cheaper option? It's similar to how a used Toyota costs more than a used Cheverlot, but the Toyota will last three to four times longer.
Final Thoughts
Foam stand up boards are fun to ride. They are ideal for beginners and not worrying about letting friends, family, and guests use your expensive SUP.
The highlighted boards are some of the best you can get, and it will enable you to get to a new level in stand up paddleboard fun.
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.
