Looking for the Most Stable Stand Up Paddleboards?
What is a stable stand up paddleboard? An stable SUP is a paddle board constructed with PVC materials similar to what is used to build white water rafts.
As you can imagine, you pump up these boards, and you can deflate them when you're finished using them.
ISUPs have come a long way in recent years, from a novelty, to the industry's best selling product.
The Benefits of the Stable Paddleboards
There are are so many benefits of inflatables. Inflatable SUPs have dramatically increase the market of people that can paddleboard. An iSUP takes up very little space, it can fit into a bag the size of a large backpack.
Inflatables are very light, they generally only weigh about 27 to 33 pounds. They are very forgiving yet also extremely durable. You can bang an iSUP into a rock, a boat dock, and even another paddleboard and they won't break or even get any damage.
And you can take an inflatable SUP just about anywhere, to the lake, on vacation to the beach. You can even go hiking with one to a secluded lake or river.
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You can actually get the Bluefin Cruise in 3 different sizes: 10’8”, 12’, and the massive 15’. The Cruise is great because it is one of the best values in inflatable paddle boards. It does everything you need it to for a reasonable price.
You name it this board can do it, from converting to a kayak (the seat is included) to white water, to just cruising, the Cruise is great for all SUP activities.
This is more of a no frills paddle board, but nothing is lacking, except a high price. It comes with a removable center fin, a leash, paddle, pump, a kayak seat, and durable backpack for transport. Even though this package is cheaper, it still maintains a high level of quality in materials an build.
If you want a complete package that travels light, with ample stability, and the ability to handle a whole family with different skill levels, the Bluefin Cruise is for you.
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The Atoll paddleboard company hails from southern California. The have taken a simple and direct approach to paddleboards. Atoll focuses on building the strongest and lightest iSUP around, with this board weighing only 21 pounds.
Why is the Atoll Army Green SUP good for beginners? Because it's an inflatable, and there that means it's forgiving. If you bump into a dock, a boat, another paddler, or even a swimmer, they will not be hurt.
It's a reasonably priced complete package - you don't need to spend an arm and a leg on your first paddleboard.
This Atoll SUP can handle a variety of conditions from flat water, to touring, to rivers and small waves.
And this SUP is tough. A beginner won't have to worry about damaging it. You can even drive an SUV over it.
The Atoll iSUP Package comes with everything you need to quickly get on the water. The pump is a dual-action pump which means it inflates when you pull the handle up, and when you push down, cutting your inflating time in half.
A coil leash, removable center fin, and carrying and storage backpack are included. The backpack is built with heavy duty nylon and big enough to hold everything your need, including the pump.
So if you are an adventurous paddler, that like to hike to hard-to-get-to lakes and have a SUP to explore on, then this package is for you.
This iSUP package comes with fiberglass paddle, but if you want to reduce weight even more you can opt for the 100% carbon fiber paddle for an additional cost.
Here at PaddleboardSurf we really like it when we see a strong warranty. That means the manufacturer is confident in their product. Atoll stands behind their iSUP with a 2 Year Manufacturer's Warranty.
And it's not surprising. Atoll boards are built so tough that they can drive an SUV over their fully inflated board, with no damage! Check out the video below.
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The Thurso Waterwalker is designed in the classic touring shape which makes it good for all around paddling activities and most water conditions, while also allowing the comfort for longer paddle tours.
The Waterwalker breaks the iSUP mold and actually looks cool. It look more like a rigid paddle board or even a surfboard with it faux wood print. And added benefit to this package is that it comes with a repair kit, should you need it.
It comes with a great EVA foam padding making for solid comfort and traction. This pad is also great for yoga sessions. And if yoga is your thing, you’ll really like this board because Thurso thought of all the details down to creating Velcro straps on the side rails of the paddle board to hold your paddle, so it doesn’t float away.
The Waterwalker is fully optioned with 3 grab handles, front, center, and rear. A 6 point bungee front and 4 point bungee in the rear for carrying all manner of equipment. As well as 4 D-rings which would allow you to securely attach a cooler if you wanted.
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The Blackfin Model X Inflatable SUP is simply one of the best, most versatile paddle boards on the market.
Its durable construction using both the strongest and lightest materials around and consists of a 3 layer composite PVC with a carbon fiber rail system which is almost unheard of on an iSUP.
Due to this rock solid construction the Blackfin Model X can hold up to 450 lbs, which is more than any reasonable person will need.
The EVO deck pad is comfortable while providing good traction. It can even be used as a yoga mat, if you want to take a SUP yoga class.
The Blackfin Model X comes fully loaded with an ankle leash and key pocket, carbon blended adjustable paddle, carrying backpack (with wheels!), an ultra fast twin chamber hand pump, and 3 fins for super stability on the rough water.
This iSUP performs well in most water conditions, can handle 2 people (and a dog), and is a good fit for all skill levels.
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Tower Paddle Boards were one of the first to start creating thicker boards for better stability. The standard was 4 inch thick boards, but Tower found that their 6 inch thick boards didn’t sag as much as the competition, making their inflatables act more like a rigid board.
This is why the board is as rigid as a piece of plywood, when fully inflated.
The Adventurer 2 is built from the same tough materials that Zodiac boats are made out of, so this board can take a beating. This extra thickness and rigidity makes this paddle board ideal for tandem paddling or even taking on light white water on rivers.
With a width of 33 inches the Adventurer 2 can comfortably hold up to 350 lbs.
This board comes with a simple 4 point bungee system up front, high pressure hand pump, and a removable center fin.
The only gripe with this board is that it doesn’t come with a good carrying case or backpack. You have to buy the backpack separately.
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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.
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.