Choosing a Paddleboard

My goodness it’s a minefield out there. There are so many things to consider: size, price, quality, delivery times….

I’ve wanted a paddle board for a long time, but choosing my own has certainly not been easy. In the end, me and my other half went for different brands based on our own personal wants.

I ended up going for a 10’6 Fatstick airstick inflatable board.

Size, Shape and Style.

I’m pretty tall (5’9), so opted for a slightly longer board than some. I’ve borrowed a few off friends over the past year and have preferred the slightly bigger size, due to my height and the extra stability.

There are loads of guides out there to help you decide which size board to go for, based on things such as your height, weight and what you will mostly be using your board for. Here’s one useful guide from pumpedupsup.

I went for an inflatable board mainly due to storage space. Most of the time the boards will be coming out in Sheddy with us, and a full size board just wouldn’t fit. Yes they take a bit of time and effort to blow up, but it’s a good little workout! I believe that solid boards are better for racing and on choppier water, but for me it’s all about a chilled paddle and lazing around!

If you’re not sure whether to go for a solid or inflatable board, there is a great post on the Fatstick boards website which can help!

Price

Anyone who knows me, knows I’m pretty frugal when it comes to money. Parting with a few hundred is not easy. Most of the boards I was considering were between £400-£500. When I got down to my final few, there wasn’t much in it price wise and the other factors swayed my decision. I know this is an investment and definitely something I’m going to get a lot of use out of, so for me, it’s worth the cost.

Timescales

With such a high demand for paddle boards right now, some companies had huge lead times. As we are now out in Sheddy most weekends, we want to be able to make the most of our boards on our trips! Therefore, long lead times ruled out several companies from the off. Fatstick boards had a 10-14 day lead time and had said that if this gets delayed further then I could request a refund – top notch customer service (Unfortunately Colin hasn’t been quite as lucky with lead times on the one he picked).

Brand ethos

This is something I am becoming more focussed on. I want to support smaller brands that create a community. Fatstick boards definitely do this! I also have a couple of friends who already own these boards and absolutely love them, personal recommendations go a long way!

There is so much information out there about paddle boards and it can seem overwhelming. I’d definitely recommend making a list of the key things you want out of it and your priorities (storage? price?) and then speak to people who already have boards. There are loads of places you can hire boards from too, so if you haven’t tried one before this is a great way to get a feel for a board before you invest! 

I’m so excited to finally get my own board and will be doing a review once I’ve had a chance to test it out properly. Watch this space!