Sapsurf: how to choose, what to pay attention to when buying a SUP board

Are there people who still haven’t heard of sap-boards? If yes, then let’s clarify: we are talking about sports equipment that allows you to float on the surface of the water, standing on a special board and moving forward with the help of a paddle.

Sportmaster PRO expert

How to choose the right sap-board to start practicing this sport as quickly and efficiently as possible? We break down board options, chips, prices and savings opportunities.

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What is important to decide on first?

To choose your first sap-board correctly, you need to look not only and not so much at the board’s appearance, coloring, shape or its price tag. You should first:

correctly determine the purpose for which you are buying it (we’ll talk about this further on);
study the technical characteristics of the sap-board (length, width and thickness, as well as the load capacity of the board) and compare them with your physical parameters;
look at the equipment of the board (they are different) and understand which of the additional options you need specifically;
gather information about the brand and study user reviews – not only for the quality of manufacture, but also for the peculiarities of use.

Sap-boarding is very common today. Many people generally consider it the most popular type of surfing, so there are many types of floating boards. Recreational, touring, sup-wind boards, tandems, children’s sap-boards, sports, “saps” for surfing, boards for fishing, yoga – and this is just the beginning.

In this article we will try to focus on beginners – those who are just interested in the sport and want to choose their first personal board. Therefore, we will dwell in detail only on the main types. What types of boards are there and how to find your option?

Walking sap-boards, aka Travel boards

This is the most popular and universal type of board. It’s for those who are first timers. Great for learning the sport, it will help you learn how to paddle, turn, and more.

Average size: from 10’6 to 12’6 feet (320-381 cm), thickness from 10 to 15 cm, width from 80 cm. The shape is most often oval, and the equipment is quite rich. What are we talking about? Here in a set with the board often go: a bag-case for carrying, pump, paddle (collapsible or solid), fin, safety lich and even a seat.

Before buying a board, read the specifications carefully. If your height is above average, the board should be longer and wider. What else should you pay attention to when choosing? The load capacity. Often the board is bought for riding with the whole family. So count not only on your weight, take into account those who can ride with you. Also do not forget about things. Their weight should also be taken into account.

Depending on the brand and model, Travel boards are equipped with one, two or three removable fins.

Touring Sap Boards

This board is great for those who are familiar with paddling. It has a pointed nose. It is also stiffer than a touring board. This shape increases speed quite a bit and allows you to paddle longer distances with less effort.

Approximate length: 11′ to 13’2 feet (335-405 cm), width 73-76 cm (up to 81 cm for heavier riders). Touring boards are more difficult for a beginner to master due to their peculiarities. They, among other things, are somewhat inferior to recreational boards in stability. But, as mentioned above, they win in speed. The fin is usually one, but large – for better directional stability.

Sport sap-boards

These are racing shells designed for high-speed rafting. They are longer and narrower than their counterparts, ranging from 12’6″ to 14′ feet in length (381-427 cm) and 60 to 73 cm in width.

The specifics of the boards are clear from the name. These boards are very fast, have good maneuverability, but have noticeably less stability. They are usually chosen by athletes to participate in competitions.

Sap boards for yoga

These boards are similar in shape to walking boards, but they are noticeably wider and have a special coating along the entire length. Essentially, it mimics the familiar yoga mat that everyone is used to. In addition, these yoga boards have a special attachment for fixing the paddle while the athlete is training and distracted from paddling.

Tandem Sapp Surfboards

Basically, these are just elongated boards designed for comfortable riding for a company of two or three people. You can also look at them for athletes with large dimensions: weight from 120 kg and height from 190 cm.

So, what conclusion can be drawn here? If we are talking about the first sap-board and you do not really understand how and where you plan to use it, a pleasure board will be enough. For now, it is better to buy it. If the training will be long, and there is a skill of riding, then you can pay attention to touring sap-boards.

What to pay attention to when choosing?

Another extremely important parameter in the selection is the design. There are rigid and inflatable boards. Let’s analyze the pros of each of the types.

The unambiguous leader, of course, are inflatable boards. Their advantages:

have high compactness and mobility;
repairable;
are cheaper than their rigid counterparts;
safe – the deck and boards are softer.

Rigid boards are made of carbon fiber. They are lightweight, reliable, but expensive models. Their advantages:

have better glide, smoother ride;
they allow for higher speeds;
are stable and steady.

The disadvantages of rigid variants are obvious. Such boards need a place for storage and a car for moving. In addition, compared to inflatable, the price tag on them is usually higher.

So, rigid or inflatable? You decide, taking into account all the pros and cons described above. In any case, do not forget to look carefully at the characteristics of the board. Regardless of its purpose, it should suit you in terms of length, width, load capacity and equipment.

What should be the equipment?

For beginners it is better to pay attention to boards with a fairly rich set of equipment. It allows you to solve most of the problems and issues related to operation.

An approximate set for an inflatable SUP-board looks like this:

the board itself;
removable fin (from one to three depending on the model; today, versions with three fins are mostly considered obsolete due to inconvenience);
backpack for storage and carrying;
pump (necessarily with a function of air downloading);
paddle (can be double-jointed);
a seat (when paired with a two-piece paddle, it turns the SUP into a small boat);
a safety rope that minimizes the chance of falling off the board and helps to catch up with a floating SUP;
sometimes – a sail, which allows you to turn the sap-board into a windsurfing board.

Well, and of course, choose those boards that you will like visually. It’s always nice to ride not only a good SUP board, but also one that pleases the eye.

Top 3 boards

What specific boards should you consider? I suggest three compromise options.

1. Aventum 10.6 – an inexpensive inflatable recreational SUP with a good package.

SUP inflatable board SUP Adventum 10’6″ Teal 2022, 29 200 rubles / sup-club.ru

2. Gladiator PRO 12.6T – rigid, maneuverable and high-speed touring board with an extensive kit.

SUP inflatable Gladiator PRO 12.6T, 50 900 rubles / gladiator.ru

3. HIPER Deck Mini – inflatable touring board in a cute design.

SUP inflatable HIPER Deck Mini 355x75x15 cm, 23 800 rubles / Sportmaster

Important extras

To make the ride as comfortable as possible, you need to take care of additional accessories. First of all, don’t forget about slippers. They should be convenient to remove and put on when going ashore. Of course, when we are on the beach and the weather is hot, it is not so critical. You can do without shoes. But after all, sapsurf is an option that goes beyond beach vacations. Land, grass, asphalt – the shore can be different.

1. Peak Sports Slippers 4500 rubles / Nonconform

2. Reebok Pantolettes, 3399 rubles / Sportpoint

3. Kappa Goldie Women’s Slippers, 1519 rubles / Sportmaster.

Secondly, don’t forget to maintain your water and salt balance. Take a water bottle with you. Preferably, it should be warm. A small thermos will help you. Also remember to protect yourself from the scorching sun. Headgear and sunscreen is something you should definitely take care of. A baseball cap, panama bandana or a multi-purpose buff is your choice. Specialized options are usually made of materials that are quick-drying and UV resistant.

Let the ride on the sap-surf will bring you only joy and benefit!