‘Standup Paddleboarding’ Articles

What’s SUP: An Overview of Stand-Up Paddle Gear

By: Beth Lopez | June 14th, 2011
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Stand-up paddleboarding (or SUP, as it’s affectionately abbreviated by those in the know) is the fastest-growing paddlesport for a number of reasons. It’s tremendously fun, it builds your balance, it’s an excellent full-body workout, and you can do it anywhere there’s water—no ocean needed.

And now that the sport has taken off, there are a dizzying variety of paddleboards and accessories available, from the (relatively) bargain-priced to the super-high-tech. Whether you’re brand-new to SUPing or you’ve already tried it, it’s intimidating to muddle through the gear options and select the right board and accessories. Here’s an overview of terms, types of boards, and accessories, plus some tips to help guide you in the right direction. Read More …

Paddleboarding at the Outdoor Retailer Show

By: Justin Mool | August 6th, 2010
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Surfing legend Laird Hamilton talks SUP

If you follow Backcountry.com on Facebook, you’ll know that the Outdoor Retailer show is currently flaunting its stuff in Salt Lake City. Besides giving outdoor folks an excuse to hobnob with industry hotshots and drink real beer, the OR show still manages to do what it does best: showcase new gear and new trends. This year there’s been a lot of buzz about standup paddleboarding.

A few months ago we were taught how to standup paddleboard by Mike Fox, co-founder of paddleboard manufacturer C4 Waterman. We figured the OR show would be a perfect opportunity to learn more. Read More …

Intro to Standup Paddleboarding

By: Beth Lopez | June 29th, 2010
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Standup Paddleboarding GuidePerhaps you’ve noticed a lot of confused people down at the waterfront lately—the poor fools think they’re supposed to surf standing on flat water with a big canoe paddle in hand. What’s their deal? Fortunately, before you look silly pointing out their folly, someone straightens you out: those folks are bobbing around on stand-up paddleboards, and they’re actually having a great time doing it.

We were confused too at first, but once the sport caught our attention, we set out to do some learnin’ and figure out what stand-up paddleboarding is all about. Read More …