Do you wish your current stand up paddle board was lighter? Faster? Do you wish you didn’t have to inflate your board? Do you wish you had a 2nd board so you could take others out with you on the water? These are all great reasons for buying a new stand up paddle board! Let’s take a look at the top 5 reasons that you might need a new stand up paddle board!
Are You Tired of Inflating Your Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board?
Did you start stand up paddle boarding on an inflatable stand up paddle board, and are now sick and tired of the inflation process? Pumping for 15 minutes before you get to paddle can get very old, very quickly. As can being hot, sweaty, and tired before you have even taken a single paddle stroke. Hard boards solve that problem. Non-inflatable (also called hard, rigid, epoxy, or regular paddle boards) paddleboards are ready when you are. Just roll up to the beach, take it off your roof rack, and hit the water. No pumping required! Spend more time paddling and less time pumping by making the change to a hard board.
Some hard boards that customers make the change from inflatables to are the Cruiser SUP Dura-Maxx, Xplorer, All Terrain Classic, Fusion, Bliss and Blend. Not only will you notice that you don’t have to pump these boards up, but they are stiffer, faster, and have much better glide and tracking than your current inflatable paddle board. If you are sick and tired of pumping, make the change to a hard board now!
Your Interests Have Changed
When you bought your first board, you lived on a small lake and really only paddled in very calm waters. However, you have just moved to the coast and want to start SUP surfing. While your all around board will get you started in the waves, you are really going to get a lot better wave riding performance with a more surf specific board like the All Terrain or Escape series. These boards feature shapes that are a lot more designed for catching waves, and maneuverability once on a wave.
Or, maybe you started SUP’ing before you were into Yoga, and now want to do more SUP Yoga but your board doesn’t have a full length deck pad? A full length deck pad is key for SUP yoga as without, your hands will be on the slippery area of the board which can make grip a bit tricky. Boards like the Yoga Mat, Balance, Fusion, and Bliss are all great options for SUP yoga as they have super comfortable premium traction pads for total grip and comfort for your SUP Yoga.
Maybe it is just time to go from your boring looking SUP board to something more eye catching. The Blend and All Terrain, with their beautiful Paulownia wood construction will replace your boring SUP with a board that will be the envy of all your paddling friends.
You Want to Stand Up Paddle Board with Others
Let’s say you started paddle boarding years ago, and love it. Now you want to start to share the sport with others. That could be a spouse, family, your kids, or friends and guests. Having one board is great for you, but that means you have to take turns. Why not get a second board for others to use! You want your second board to be something very easy to use for a larger variety of paddlers. Pick the upper weight range that you think would use the board, and then anyone smaller can also use it. The Dura-Maxx, Fusion, and Bliss all make great boards for others to use as they are stable, light, fun to paddle, and durable. For example, if you want guests up to about 220 pounds to be able to use the board, the Dura-Maxx 10’6 is a great option, as would be the Fusion or Bliss in the 11’ sizing.
You can also start with buying more than one board right from the start. All our best selling boards come in two board packages with some great extra savings on over buying at single board pricing. As always, all our single paddle board and two stand up paddle board packages come with free paddles, free shipping nearly every where, as well as Cruiser SUP’s legendary 2-year warranty.
You Want Better Performance
Is the board you have right now too slow? Maybe it doesn’t track well? Or – is your current board a cheap inflatable board that only inflates to 12psi and flexes in the middle under your weight? Hard boards get rid of the dreaded "cheap sagging in the middle iSUP syndrome". Hard boards are just that, hard. Solid. Rigid. And with that, comes no more performance sapping folding in the middle that cheap iSUP boards are notorious for.
Older rigid boards are also not immune to lower performance. A lot has changed since 2006 when stand up paddle boards started becoming popular, and boards have gotten lighter, faster, and with more refined shapes to maximize glide, tracking, and speed. Upgrading to something like the Blend, All Terrain, or V-Max is a great way to go faster and further than your current board will allow.
You Want a Lighter Stand Up Paddle Board
Like board performance, a lot has changed in stand up paddle board materials. 10 years ago, heavy was the norm and a 35 to 40lb board was considered light weight. Even now, cheaper heavy plastic boards are still available at big box stores that can weigh 50 pounds or more! However, in 2019 there is no need to be paddling a board that is 50 pounds, or even over 30 pounds. We have boards starting as light as 18 pounds, with the majority of our board offerings ranging in the mid 20lb weight. Think of how easy it will be to carry a board that is half the weight of your current 50lb board! Not only will moving your board around off the water be easier, you will be faster on the water as you are not pushing around a board that is twice as heavy as your new Blend, Xplorer, Fusion, or Dura-Maxx will be!
You Need a New Stand Up Paddle Board!
Change is a good thing! A new stand up paddle board will enhance your paddle boarding in a huge way. Your new board will be faster, lighter, more versatile, and you won’t need to pump it up. Old favorites are great to have, but new and improved is always something to consider. Our staff have been stand up paddle boarding since the start of stand up paddle boarding, and it is very likely that they have paddled the exact board you are looking to replace. Let us compare new boards to what you currently have, and then explain all the areas of improvement you will see!
What do you think, time for a new board? Want to talk to use about that? Just give us a live chat, call, or email us at info@cruisersup.com
About the Author
Glenn Morton is Customer Experience Manager at Cruiser SUP, as well as chief content creator. Glenn has been stand up paddle boarding and windsurfing over 20 years, and has been with Cruiser SUP for over 15 years. When not on the water, Glenn can be found on his road bike, a ski hill, or raising his 12 year old daughter Nora. Glenn is an expert in all things paddle boarding including paddle board technique, SUP safety, and all paddle board products. Customers rely on Glenn's expertise to help guide them in their purchase of the best stand up paddle boards for their needs. Glenn helps equip thousands of paddle boarders each year, and is ready and waiting to help you!
