man paddling quickly on a sup

Best Racing Stand Up Paddle Boards

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Looking for the Best Paddleboards for Racing?

Have you taken your love of paddling to the competitive level? 

Do you need something better than just a general pupose iSUP for a race this weekend?

Well, we compiled this list of our favorite racing SUPs that will give you the best chance of beating your competition.

The Benefits of Racing SUPs

Racing paddleboards are for experienced paddlers looking to take it up a notch.  Whether you are an athlete and you want to race competitively, or you want to push yourself physically, or you just like to go fast on the water, you need a paddleboard designed for racing.

Quality, durability, and the design of the SUP are among the important things to consider.  In general racing SUPs have a narrow cut to them and are designed to slice through waves, and track or glide much easier and longer than a traditional paddleboard.

If you want to push yourself and achieve your top speed on the water, you'll need a specially designed race board.

Here are some of the quality racing stand up paddle boards we like the most.

Bluefin Sprint Race Kit


Features:

  • Narrow nose to cut through waves
  • Narrower outline for improved glide
  • Inflatable
  • Complete iSUP packages sets up in minutes
  • 5 year manufacturer warranty to cover any manufacturing faults

Long and narrow the Bluefin Sprint is designed for racing. But don't worry, even though you can travel at 4 knots all day long with a normal stroke, this board is also stable.

Fast and stable the Bluefin Sprint is also capable of carrying a lot of weight.  You can also use the Sprint as a touring board and pack for an overnight trip.

One of the hidden benefits of a racing paddleboard is that because of the narrow design, you can paddle a lot easier in areas that would be untenable for a regular, much wider nosed SUP.  For instance, you can break through the surf or even paddle upstream of a river.

One of the reasons the Bluefin Sprint 14' is our top choice for racing SUPs is because of the complete package and value.  Racing SUPs get expensive quickly, just look at another of our picks the StarBoard ALL STAR, a great board, and really expensive.

The Bluefin Sprint 14' is cheaper than many regular all around paddleboards and the build quality is excellent.  The company obviously stands behind their work with a 5 year manufacturer warranty, which is an industry best.

If you are looking for a hardcore competitive racing SUP, this board is not for you, you'll want something like our 2nd pick.  But if you want all the advantages of a racing SUP combined with the ease and value of an inflatable, this will be a great board for you.

Pros of this Board

  • Cheap for a racing SUP
  • One of the strongest Manufacturer Warranties in the industry
  • As fast as a kayak and way more comfortable

Cons of this option

  • Not easy to inflate, probably want to buy an electric pump
top, bottom, and side view of the liquid shredder race sup


Features:

  • A fraction of the price of a comparable carbon fiber board
  • Narrow outline for efficient glide
  • Rigid
  • Gortex Microfiber vent that equalizes temperatures extremes ensures you won't experience catastrophic delamination
  • Weight: 23.8 lbs.

Liquid Shredder has produced impressive package with their 12',6" Race SUP.  

This board is hand made.  It uses innovation manufacturing techniques like a patented Dual Aluminum Stringer (DAS CF) design; which allows Liquid Shredder to build boards much lighter and stronger than any other boards built with similar weight stringer system.

Liquid Shredder uses these advanced techniques so they can offer you a racing paddleboard with the weight and performance of a carbon fiber racing SUP, but at a fraction of the price.  This is also why this board ranks so highly on our list.

The Liquid Comfort anti-slip deck pad covers most of the board and feels great.  The single polycarbonate and fiber fin and the pointed displacement bow design cuts through choppy waves and provides a nice long glide, perfect for a racing SUP.

If you are looking racing paddleboard that offers the most bang for your buck, quality and speed minus the enormous price tag, then you'll love the Liquid Shredder 12'6" Racing SUP.

Pros of this Board

  • Very competitive price for a racing SUP
  • One year consumer use warranty
  • Best racing SUP you can buy without breaking the bank

Cons of this option

  • Paddle and leash sold separately
bote traveller aero top and side view with accessories


Features:

  • Stabile yet agile
  • Narrower outline for improved glide
  • Inflatable
  • Complete iSUP packages
  • 2-year manufacturer’s warranty at no additional cost

The Traveller Paddle Board is for speed and travel and efficient paddling over great distances. The board has a design that places the center of gravity in the middle of the board. With a low center of gravity, the board can navigate all kinds of waterways, including open waters with speed.

The efficient design of the platform lets you travel with or without luggage as there are many tie-down points. The hull features a very pointed nose that allows the board to cut seamlessly through water for your enjoyment, fitness, or competitive racing event.

The Traveller benefits from using a narrow design, a V-Shaped hull, and Entry Rocker.  Entry Rocker is a slight rise of the hull on the nose of the board that minimizes drag and cuts through the water.

The board comes with a handy stashpod, which lets you store your smaller items such as your keys. It also holds a bottle opener, so you can enjoy a bottled drink while you paddle and open it quickly.

A convenient carrying system called Travelink SUP carrying system helps you travel easily over distances while keeping your hands free. The Travelink is ergonomic and makes carrying your board easy. The wheel track lets you roll the board using oversized tires, ensuring you will have multiple ways to travel with your board without causing strain.

Complete package that comes with:

Traveller Inflatable Paddle Board, Three Piece Adjustable Paddle, Aero Bag, Paddle Sheath, Inflatable Center Fin, Hand Pump, Rac Receivers, and Repair Kit

If your looking for a racing SUP that you can also use for general paddling around, then you'll love the BOTE Traveller.

Pros of this Board

  • Cheap for a racing SUP
  • One of the strongest Manufacturer Warranties in the industry
  • BOTE has excellent customer service, even after you purchase the board.

Cons of this option

  • Inflatable, so has more flex than a rigid when paddling hard in a race
MALIKO INFLATABLE 14'0" X25 FUSION CARBON


Features:

  • Stiffest Inflatable Race Board Available
  • High Pressure Rated
  • Added Deck Handles
  • For paddlers up to 220 lbs.
  • 25 inches wide

The Maliko Inflatable has been designed to deliver excellent results when it comes to standing up paddleboard racing. Naish is considered one of the best SUP builders in the world.

The board has been made with a carbon stringer key to the board's length on the top and bottom parts. The stringers have been paired with 21 PSI, making it one of the market's stiffest boards. It also minimizes unnecessary bending caused by the rider's weight.

Hydro slick edges complement the overall speed and also the efficiency of Maliko.

The stiffness of this bot cannot be compared with other ordinary stand up racing boards. This makes it great and enables the racer to win races.

Maliko has been fitted with grab handles for comfortable grab-and-go racing. Its lightweight is also essential in attaining maximum speed. It is also a friendly board that will offer no challenges when it comes to balancing the board.

To achieve the best performance in stand up paddleboard racing, then Maliko can give you the edge you need over the competition.

Pros of this Board

  • Lightweight
  • Durable
  • High-quality board for racing

Cons of this option

  • The hand pump is good, but it gets old.  You want to consider buying an electric pump.
starboard racing sup


Features:

  • Improved nose volume
  • Narrower tail outline for improved glide
  • Extended and lowered standing surface
  • Rounded vee hull with double concave bottom
  • New and improved drainage system

This is the board that perfectly fits the beginners and the elite racers. If you want to improve your racing skills, then this can be your best chance. It is a board that has been well designed and very versatile and also a user-friendly paddleboard.

This board's stability is beyond expectations, and its power output is also excellent in every stroke that is made. It has a narrow tail hence gives the rider the maximum speed, and again, the gliding of the paddleboard is excellent.

Its tail also has an upwind, thus helps the board to flow naturally. The downwind makes the board reactive, and it makes it easier when maneuvering over bumps.

The standing area has been designed in a way that lowers the rider's center of gravity and offers maximum stability hence improving the control. This design gives the rider a chance to reach faster speed and maintain that speed over a long distance.

The rounded VEE and the concave bottom enable the board to sit higher, making it easy and lighter to paddle, allowing the rider to conserve energy. Downwind is very responsive and also fast in maneuvering. The concave bottom enables the board to glide at a higher speed with less energy.

The nose volume is optimized to provide a lift and a more outstanding float in flat water. This gives the rider a good opportunity for faster acceleration during the race. It's excellent buoyancy, and the lift upwind makes the nose not to dive, especially when paddling downwind.

Its pop and release give the rider a great chance to maintain the glide with a steady cadence. It also enables the board to glide at a higher speed hence fit for racing. This is a stand-up paddleboard that offers excellent results and it will improve your racing ability.

Pros of this Board

  • Designed to maximize energy conservation for the paddler
  • Easy to balance which conserves energy
  • It is user-friendly board for a racing board

Cons of this option

  • Expensive
Focus SUP Cali VST 12'6" Paddle Board


Features:

  • The Ultimate SUP for flat water racing
  • Fiberglass and bamboo sandwich construction
  • Ding resistant paint
  • Weight: 26 lbs.
  • 90 day limited manufacturer warranty

The Focus Cali VST board offers ultimate experience when it comes to flat water racing. Racing requires a quality board and this can be all you need to excel in this field. The focus has a higher volume and allowing the board to reach high sprints after a pop-up. 

The concave shape at the bottom improves the speed. The concave shape improves on the Pop-Up of the board hence enable the keyboard to attain high speeds. The concave shape also ensures that the board moves easily and quickly.

The standing spot gives the races perfect stability, so the rider will have no trouble in balancing. The body's ability to offer great stability with minimal energy makes it very useful for the racer when it comes to energy conservation.

The Hull has been designed to share water easily. Its head has been made narrowly hence giving the board the ability to pierce through the water, making it easy to glide. This narrow head plays a crucial role in attaining the maximum speed.

Cali has been made using durable materials but also lightweight hence very good for racing. The lightweight enables the racer to last for very many hours on the water. The bamboo and fiberglass sandwich, which are the board's main building materials, has been topped using a finish coat and a PU ding paint resistant.

The grip handle is also designed in a manner that will offer a perfect condition for the rider to race and attain high speeds. It is a board that has been made using advances carbon tech construction, and it is fit for racing.

Pros of this Board

  • Lightweight 
  • Built for speed
  • Stable and easy to control

Cons of this option

  • A bit smaller than competing boards
hala carbon nass t race sup


Features:

  • Elite race inflatable
  • integrated pressure gauge
  • Low monthly payments available
  • Patented Carbon Construction™

If you want to compete and be in a better position of winning, then this is the right board for you. Nass-T is one of the fast boards you can get.

The board has been reinforced using patented carbon. This makes it rigid and also improves its acceleration hence gives the rider an upper hand. It is a lightweight board, thus enables the rider to cover a long distance at high speed.

Its 1.5 stamp pad makes it easy to control the board and also maneuver easily. The removable neoprene handle makes it very easy and too comfortable to carry it around. Their deck pad gives maximum traction, and it is also gentle for bare hands and even the feet.

It has an erased foot index, which is located near the stomp pad on the deck. This enables the racer to easily step the foot to the center part of the board without losing concentration, giving the rider a perfect competition condition.

It has a square tail, which plays a crucial role when it comes to the stability of the board and the maneuvering of the board.

If you want a board that can enable you to race and enjoys, this is the best board you can get.

Pros of this Board

  • This board is also excellent downwinding
  • Industry leading 3 Year Warranty

Cons of this option

  • 26" wide on an inflatable makes it a little tippy
Naish 2020 Javelin 14'0" Carbon Sandwich Elite Paddle Board


Features:

  • Easy to read pressure gauge
  • A solid pump to pack on multi-day trips
  • Low-volume, two-hand pump
  • Also works to deflate boards and boats
  • Lifetime manufacturer warranty against defects

The team that took part in designing this board must be credited for the excellent work they did.

Most boards are designed to be used during calm conditions, but this one is suitable for calm and choppy conditions.

It has been made in a manner that makes it very easy to maneuver hence making it very effective in overtaking your opponent. The straight and narrow front allows you to move at the top speed because it reduces friction between the board and the water.

The scupper holes are strategically fitted to drain the water during the race. Javelin's tail is also designed with a professional touch. Therefore, it gives the rider a perfect condition for aggressive turns.

The board also ensures maximum power output in every stroke made hence one of the best boards for stand up paddleboard racing. If you want a board you can use at the highest levels, then this is the best.

Pros of this Board

  • Very fast for racing
  • Optimized shaped tail for easy gliding
  • The very highest quality construction

Cons of this option

  • Expensive

Final Thoughts

Stand up racing boards are fun to ride. It is even more exciting when you select the best boards to work with.


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 racing.