Board Shapes & Designs
Understand the design features that shape how a SUP performs. Explore board shapes, dimensions, construction, fins and other key features across all-round, touring and race boards.
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Part 1: Choosing the Right Board
Learn the fundamentals of SUP board selection, from shape, size and stability to the features that influence how different boards perform. Use this knowledge to find a board that better suits you and your paddling.
Understand the main SUP shapes and what to consider when choosing a board to suit you and your paddling.
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How To Choose The Right Board / Understanding SUP Shapes
Understand the main SUP shapes and what to consider when choosing a board to suit you and your paddling.
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Discover the key factors that make a SUP feel more or less stable and what to look for when choosing your next board.
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Factors that affect board stability
Discover the key factors that make a SUP feel more or less stable and what to look for when choosing your next board.
Preview VideoUnderstand the differences between all-round, fast cruising and touring SUPs to help decide which style of board is right for you.
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Should You Buy An All-round, Fast Cruising Or Touring SUP For Your First Board?
Understand the differences between all-round, fast cruising and touring SUPs to help decide which style of board is right for you.
View VideoThinking of moving to a narrower or hard board? Learn how width affects stability and what to consider before dropping down.
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How Wide Should My Hard Board Be Compared To My iSUP? / Dropping Width
Thinking of moving to a narrower or hard board? Learn how width affects stability and what to consider before dropping down.
Preview VideoUnderstand the different fin setups available and which options are best suited to newer paddlers.
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How many SUP fins for beginner paddlers / SUP basics
Understand the different fin setups available and which options are best suited to newer paddlers.
View VideoSee how different fins affect tracking and speed, and discover just how much a fin can change the way your SUP performs.
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Fins Do Make A Difference #1 / Tracking and Speed
See how different fins affect tracking and speed, and discover just how much a fin can change the way your SUP performs.
Preview VideoExplore how smaller fins affect your SUP and how your paddle technique can play an important part in keeping the board tracking.
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Fins Do Make A Difference #2 / Small Fins & Paddle Technique
Explore how smaller fins affect your SUP and how your paddle technique can play an important part in keeping the board tracking.
Preview VideoLearn how changing your fin can alter the feel and performance of your board in different paddling conditions.
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Fins Do Make A Difference #4 / SUP Fins For Different Conditions
Learn how changing your fin can alter the feel and performance of your board in different paddling conditions.
Preview VideoSee how inflatable and composite touring SUPs compare and understand the differences you can expect on the water.
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Comparing Starboard Touring SUPs – inflatable Touring Vs composite Touring
See how inflatable and composite touring SUPs compare and understand the differences you can expect on the water.
View VideoTake the inflatable versus composite comparison further with additional testing and insight into how the two constructions perform.
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Comparing Starboard Touring SUPs - inflatable Touring Vs composite Touring PRO Extra
Take the inflatable versus composite comparison further with additional testing and insight into how the two constructions perform.
More InfoPart 2: Understanding Board Design
Take a deeper look at the design features that shape the way a SUP performs. Explore construction, rocker, rails, tails, fin systems and other design elements to better understand how different boards behave on the water.
Discover the different shapes found underneath the nose of a SUP and how they influence the way a board moves through the water.
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Which SUP nose bottom shape is best for you? Reuben explains all…
Discover the different shapes found underneath the nose of a SUP and how they influence the way a board moves through the water.
View VideoTake a closer look at SUP bottom shapes and understand how different contours influence a board’s feel and performance.
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SUP Shapes Explained / SUP bottom shapes
Take a closer look at SUP bottom shapes and understand how different contours influence a board’s feel and performance.
Preview VideoExplore the different tail shapes used on SUPs and learn how they can influence the way a board behaves on the water.
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SUP Shapes Explained / SUP tail shapes
Explore the different tail shapes used on SUPs and learn how they can influence the way a board behaves on the water.
Preview VideoUnderstand the different rail shapes found on SUPs and how this important design feature can affect board performance.
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SUP SHAPES EXPLAINED / SUP RAIL SHAPES
Understand the different rail shapes found on SUPs and how this important design feature can affect board performance.
Preview VideoLearn what SUP rocker is, how different rocker profiles work and why this design feature can make such a difference on the water.
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SUP rocker-lines explained
Learn what SUP rocker is, how different rocker profiles work and why this design feature can make such a difference on the water.
More InfoThis video has more of a SUP surf focus, but it’s well worth watching whatever you paddle. Understanding how rail thickness affects a board’s performance will help build your overall knowledge of board shape and design.
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SUP Rail thickness at the tail / Design & Performance
This video has more of a SUP surf focus, but it’s well worth watching whatever you paddle. Understanding how rail thickness affects a board’s performance will help build your overall knowledge of board shape and design.
Preview VideoPART 3: DEVELOPING YOUR EQUIPMENT KNOWLEDGE
Build on the fundamentals with more detailed advice on board types, construction and performance to help you make better equipment choices as your paddling develops.
Discover why board length can have such a big influence on speed and understand the principles behind longer, faster SUPs.
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Why are longer boards faster? / SUP Tech talk
Discover why board length can have such a big influence on speed and understand the principles behind longer, faster SUPs.
Preview VideoTake a deeper look at what really makes a SUP stable and how different design factors work together to affect stability.
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The fundamentals of a board’s stability / SUP Tech talk
Take a deeper look at what really makes a SUP stable and how different design factors work together to affect stability.
Preview VideoExplore the key things to consider when choosing a touring SUP, from the type of paddling you do to the equipment that will suit it.
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Things to consider when selecting your touring SUP
Explore the key things to consider when choosing a touring SUP, from the type of paddling you do to the equipment that will suit it.
Preview VideoSharing boards and equipment can be a great way to paddle. Discover the practical things to consider when your SUP gear needs to work for more than one person.
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Sharing SUP gear
Sharing boards and equipment can be a great way to paddle. Discover the practical things to consider when your SUP gear needs to work for more than one person.
Preview VideoLearn how board width affects speed, stability and efficiency, and when going narrower could help you paddle further or faster.
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Want to paddle further or faster? / Choosing the best board width for you
Learn how board width affects speed, stability and efficiency, and when going narrower could help you paddle further or faster.
Preview VideoDiscover what tail runners and edge-release features on inflatable SUPs actually do and how they can influence performance.
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We talk about tail runners / edge releases on your iSUP / What do they do & why?
Discover what tail runners and edge-release features on inflatable SUPs actually do and how they can influence performance.
Preview VideoThinking about moving onto a raceboard? See how a hard race SUP differs from an inflatable and what you can expect when you make the change.
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What can I expect from a ‘real’ raceboard! / iSUP vs Hard
Thinking about moving onto a raceboard? See how a hard race SUP differs from an inflatable and what you can expect when you make the change.
Preview VideoUnderstand the differences between common composite SUP constructions and what you gain by choosing carbon over more affordable constructions.
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What composite SUP board construction should I buy? Full carbon or wood/glass?
Understand the differences between common composite SUP constructions and what you gain by choosing carbon over more affordable constructions.
Preview VideoLearn what SUP volume means, how it relates to your weight and why it’s useful when comparing and choosing boards.
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What is SUP volume?
Learn what SUP volume means, how it relates to your weight and why it’s useful when comparing and choosing boards.
View VideoSee how different SUP pumps compare and learn what features can make inflating your board quicker and easier. An older video but still a goodie!
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The SUP pump guide & test – Which is fastest & easiest?
See how different SUP pumps compare and learn what features can make inflating your board quicker and easier. An older video but still a goodie!
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