It’s no secret that in the surfing world standup paddleboarders are often met with some disdain and are the focus of frequent controversy at your local break. But whether you’re a fan or not, Stand up Paddle Boarding is certainly here to stay. So if you can’t beat ‘em maybe it's time to join them! Here’s a quick run down of the main reasons you might at least consider adding one to your quiver.

Summer fun

When that dreaded summer flat spell truly kicks in and you’re itching for a surf, take out a paddleboard and discover that weak summer slop can still be a lot of fun. There’s nothing better than getting out in the ocean on a summers day and having a SUP will increase that likelihood infinitely. You’ll get a nice tan too.

Perfect for the summer

Great work out

Even if you’re not looking to replace surfing, there’s no harm keeping in tip top shape in preparation for that next swell. Maybe it’s just for the summer, but the combination of strength, balance, core and endurance will maintain and possibly improve your overall fitness, even when you’re not surfing as much as you’d like to.


Improve your strength, balance, core and endurance

Catch waves

Adding a standup paddleboard to your quiver will simply mean you’ll catch more waves. You’ll paddle out on days you usually wouldn’t consider on a surfboard. Long gone will be the times of those depressing 2 or 3 wave sessions. You know, the ones where you miss a few waves too, because the surf was so gutless. Pick the right weapon for the job, grab your paddle & you’ll rarely miss a wave, even on the lamest of wind swells.

Catch a few waves, even with the lamest of wind swells

You'll learn to “not” hate on SUPers

As any surfer knows, there is usually some friction among the surfing world between surfers and SUPers, but there really shouldn’t be. We’re not saying that tension doesn’t exist for a reason. There are idiots in the lineup everywhere, but they also ride shortboards, longboards and bodyboards. Read this article not all sup surfers are kooks which explains exactly why you can't put everyone in the same basket.

Meet new people

You’ll start to reach out to fellow paddleboarders rather than hate on them. You’ll soon understand that most of them are just like you, looking to escape the daily grind for a few hours & wanting to enjoy some peace and quiet. 

You’ll head to the beach more

Now that you’ve got your longboard, fish and paddle board in your arsenal, it’ll mean you can head to your local break, on a less than stellar day, knowing you can paddle out and have some fun. Get stoked no matter what the conditions offer. Just look at someone like Kai Lenny. I don’t think there’s a single surfer in the world who doesn’t look up to him. He’s an incredible surfer, and he excels on a shortboard and a longboard. But he also rips on a tow in board, foil, kite board, windsurfer – and of course an SUP.

Kai Lenny treating his SUP more like his shortboard

Super easy to learn

It's quite easy to learn to paddleboard, especially if you already can surf. You don’t need to be a strong swimmer or particularly fit to get started. And if you’re just getting into surfing, then there’s no better time to add an SUP to your board rack. Any bonus time spent in the ocean will always improve your awareness of others and improve your understanding and connection with the ocean.

SUP Anywhere

As surfers, we gravitate towards the coast. But having a stand up paddle board in your quiver will mean you can also take it on your inland adventures too. Lakes are particularly cruisey and a great place to start. Rivers and estuaries are typically a little trickier but can also offer opportunity for some fun and safe exploration where you wouldn’t normally consider.

Discover inland adventures

Family fun

Surfing is a pretty solitary and selfish sport. It just is. Sure, some sessions can be social but generally speaking it's "every man for himself" and the days of sharing waves are a thing of the past, at least at most surf spots. Even if you bring the kids to the beach, chances are, you’ll still surf alone.Standup paddleboarding is different. At just about any age, you can literally bring your grommets along & let them discover the thrill of catching a wave without the traditional hardships of learning to surf. It’s potentially a far easier and more enjoyable introduction into catching waves.

The perfect introduction into riding waves

Buy or sell your used surfboard or SUP on Second Hand Boards