Best products from r/Sup

Hey man, I actually made a post very similar to this a few months back, you can see the replies here. Seems like a very similar situation to yours as it was me and my fiance both looking to get a board. She went with this board, just as an FYI because I'll give some comparisons.


I went with the Atoll and I'm really glad that I did. As you mentioned, if you look online there are tons of great reviews, which can make weighing your options very difficult. But I'll try to give as honest as a review that I can.


I love my Atoll. It seems to cut through the water much better than my fiances more "All Around" board. Initially I thought that I may have been cheating myself by getting an iSUP rather than a rigid board, but the Atoll has curbed those concerns. I honestly don't know where I would store 2 11' paddle boards. Traveling with them would have been costlier as I would have to get racks for one of my cars. And after reading reviews, it seems that iSUPs can sometimes prove to be more durable.


The paddle that comes with it seems solid. I've used other paddles, and I've liked the Atoll's more than most. Not saying it's the best one in the market, but for one that comes in a package, it definitely gets the job done.


When fully inflated, not only is it a gorgeous board(I went with the blue option), but it seems extremely rigid. My sister even commented that she would never have even guessed that it was inflatable. Not naming any of the other companies, but I've seen other iSups out in the water, and they seem to have much more bend than mine. I believe that as long as you have the 6" PVC and a high PSI requirement than you shouldn't worry too much about bending(if i'm wrong, please correct me, just an observation). I have not had any issues with my fiances' board bending either.


I have not utilized the extra D-Rings as of yet, but it is obviously a nice addition. The universal fin box is a great value add as well because you can get replacement fins from virtually any surf shop, and could even experiment with other fins if you wanted to. Rather than getting some proprietary fin and then the company goes out of business and being unable to replace a missing fin. Also, I like the locking mechanism much more than my fiances because hers is just a little plastic clip, and I've seen reviews of her board people commented on losing their fin.


When deflating, my board seems to roll up tighter and easier than my fiances. Her handle seems to have a large pad underneath the handle so you have to account for that when folding up. I'm not sure if that allows her to be more stable, but I have not seem any impact on performance of my Atoll.


My gripes with the package are as follows, I'm not as happy that the bag that comes with the board does not have any designated area to store my fin like my fiances does. I'm sure that I could just put it in the bag with the board, but I'm just paranoid that I could puncture or scratch it. The bag also has a cool design, reminds me of a giant dry-bag, but it doesn't seem to have the "nice-to-haves" such as special places to store a fin. Hand pumping sucks no matter what, and I will be buying an electric one once I've done my homework on which one I want to purchase. I feel like my fiances pump is a little nicer. Hers is one whole piece of plastic and seems to be more efficient. Don't get me wrong though, mine still gets the job done. The biggest complaint with the actual board that I've seen online is that people want more color options, but the company has worked through some of those challenges by offering additional options(and I hated the green look, that could have been a deal-breaker for me).


All in all, I love the board. I say it every time that I go out on it. The cons that I mentioned above in no way make me regret my purchase. I just know that when I'm doing research on a big purchase, I wish I saw more in-depth reviews. When purchasing the board I had kind of a unique scenario(I don't remember what exactly, something with Amazon gift cards), but the owner was super cool and helped me find a solution. We actually ended up chatting for about 25 minutes and he gave me some of the reasons why the Atoll was better than others(universal fin box being one that I had overlooked). Also, I actually reached out to Isle for some questions as well, but their customer service seemed to be outsourced, or just not very helpful. They gave some very weak response, which didn't really answer my question, and then emailed me asking to rate their service. Which was a big turn-off for me. *I cannot compare the performance aspects of the Isle though, just customer service experience.


If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to try to answer them.

All of the major brands have designs that only slightly vary between their models and will give you a nice experience.

• Naish One fast and stable
  
• Starboard Astro Touring nicely stable and fast, but a bit pricy
  
• Boardworks Shubu Raven good price and nicely stable
  
• Think XOi good price and nicely stable
  
• C4 iTrekker good price and nicely stable but also very basic
  
• Uli Touring good price and nicely stable, and has customisation options, such as d-rings, different deckpad...
  
• Red Paddle Explorer stiff (high PSI) and and very stable (width of 32")
  
• Red Paddle Race very stiff (high PSI and side battens) and fast
  
• Fanatic Fly Air Touring Premium very stiff (high PSI) and fast
  
  I have both the Astro Touring and the Red Paddle Race and love them both. For relaxed touring, the Astro is very nice, whereas the race is more of an efficient, super stiff and fast board.
  
  Both the Red Paddle and Fanatic boards can be pumped up beyond 25psi, which make them very stiff. The other boards in this list go up to 18 psi (as per manufacturer specs) and albeit they are quite stiff, you will feel their flex in some situations.
  
  For a racy touring board, I would suggest the Fanatic fly air touring or fly air race, or the red paddle race, for more relaxed and smooth touring, any of the other major brands listed above are nice options that barely differ from one another.

We have an NRS Baron 6, an Isle Airtech, and a Solstice Bali (listed most expensive to cheapest, also most volume to least, and I think longest to shortest). We bought the Solstice four years ago because it was the cheapest one available at the time and I wanted to see if we liked SUPing before throwing a bunch of money into it. I'm 5'10" and 150lbs and my boyfriend is 6'2" and 225lbs. He can ride the first two, but the solstice is much too short and thin (too little volume) to support him stably and he said he doesn't enjoy it at all. The NRS Baron is too much board for me to maneuver around the lake over a few hours and especially on rivers, thus I have a less enjoyable time on it. However, the Baron is super stable when inflated to the right pressure and it can hold a heavy cooler and I can even sit on it with him. It's a pricier board, but I thought I'd throw that in there if you ever find yourself wanting more stability. I primarily only ride the Isle and I love it, but I do find the Solstice easier to maneuver as it is shorter and has the touring style. I mostly ride the Isle over the Solstice for silly reasons--I like the graphic design better and since I spent more on it I feel like it should see the light of day more often.

Your height and weight can make a significant difference as to your enjoyment on the board so I would base your decision on how much weight there is to you and how much core strength/stability you have (more weight/less stability/easier board to balance on, go with a higher volume board, want ease of maneuverability, go with a touring board; it's kind of a balancing act of features to get the right fit). Here is a very short guide from REI, and one from StandUp Journal (which I recommend a subscription to if you get really into paddling).

Also, if you get one with D-rings but no deck rigging, I highly recommend getting some. I clip my water bottle to it with a carbiner and use it to hold down my shoes, food, hammock, and drybag.

When it comes to ordering, we've both had much better customer service with Backcountry than REI, and with Amazon, they have a great customer protection policy if you're unsure of your seller.


Edit to add that I couldn't imagine backpacking/hiking with my Isle. It's so cumbersome alone, and any additional gear would be too much bulk for me (I can fit inside the bag) to carry over terrain that isn't completely flat. I'm not very strong for a female but I am athletic (for an idea of fitness level I do Insanity 5 days/week for the past year and jog ~ 8 miles 3 days/week). My boyfriend has some severe back issues so I couldn't tell you how it is for a taller or more muscular person as he is unable to carry it far without pain.

How much and what distances do you intend to paddle? Also, are you primarily the only one using the paddle? The carbon in that paddle isn't actually doing much more than regular fiberglass. Carbon fiber is used to reduce weight while keeping strength. It's best when used with epoxy resin which greatly drops the weight to more traditional (wood, metal, nylon for shafts and blades) materials. The drawback to a carbon/epoxy construction is a decrease in durability.

So if weight reduction and some flex for longer paddles or racing is your goal, then you'll really enjoy a carbon shaft and blade (however, not the one above.) You'll also want to get a single shaft cut to your size. The adjustable paddles add weight because of the extra material for adjusting and sacrifice some ability for flex.

If your goal is just a mile or two casual fun trips two or three times a month then you really only need a nylon blade.

If you're wanting to stick with Amazon and that style adjustable paddle, I would look at the Red paddles they have listed. They are a reputable company that produces quality products. Something like this: Carbon shaft with nylon blade.

https://www.amazon.com/RED-Paddle-Co-Carbon-Nylon/dp/B07GYY4FPH/

If you're more interested in longer paddles/fitness/some racing then I would look at Quickblade, Werner or Hippostick. They all have websites loaded with info.

I like to paddle for fitness/distance at least once or twice a week. I've been using Quickblade V drive Vector Net for a year now and love it. For me, it has a nice catch and flex. I also have a Kialoa Makai adjustable shaft for friends. It's built like a tank and average weight.

Hi I have experience a low price isup that looks very similar. Last year I bough this GOPLUS on amazon for $289 [now $250ish] and it is fully adequate for my use in lakes, rivers, intracoastal, and calm days in the atlantic. The accessories that came with my board look similar to those pictured in your link. My friends bought slightly more expensive boards in the $350 to $400 range and got slightly sturdier boards, nicer more durable transport backpack, little bit better working pump than that black one pictured. Another friend got an iRocker [$600 range] and it's significantly better quality.

Mine is fine and it works, I was happy with the price. The $400 boards are noticeably better. After a year of moderate use I notice that the PVC at my D-rings shows some degradation of the plastic. The pricier boards seem to have better durability of the PVC. In general they come with higher quality accessories that are easier to use.

Hope this helps you.

Edit: apostrophe

Dry bag (simple roll bag) and dry phone bag.

Surf racks for your car.

Inflatable life jacket belt. These are the bomb! https://www.nrs.com/product/40037.01/nrs-zephyr-inflatable-pfd

Pretty much anything from NRS - https://www.nrs.com/category/2550/sup/

Good paddle clothes. For days you don’t plan on getting wet, get lightweight shirts (short or long sleeve). This one from Speedo is great - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005QXF4FM

For days you might get wet, neoprene shorts (for under your swimsuit), neoprene jacket, etc. A little bit of lightweight neoprene adds a lot of potential warmth in the water and makes your more confident. Check out NRS Hydroskin.

Good hat.

Polarized sunglasses with a cord.

My first board was an iRocker all-around package that I bought for $600 after reading lots of reviews. The same package costs closer to $700 now, but I'd still recommend it as a fantastic beginner to intermediate iSUP board. Here's a link to the latest version of the one I bought a year and a half ago:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XNKRSWG

Last spring/summer/fall, I went out on it probably at least 3 times a week. I even took it to the beach for vacation and tried SUP surfing -- it was a little too bouncy for that I think, but my brother-in-law, who has surfed all his life, had a lot more success on my board so I know it's possible.

Now that I know SUP'ing is something I'm really into, I'm looking into upgrading to a RED or Hala board probably. But I'd definitely recommend the iRocker at the low-to-mid-range price point.

I'm giving you US links just to let you know what I'm talking about but you shouldn't have any trouble finding them elsewhere.

• Dry Bags - Very handy to have along and it wouldn't hurt to have more than one. I keep one stocked and ready to go at all times.
  
• Onyx PFD - PFD that wears like a belt and stays out of the way until you need it.
  
• Waterproof Phone Pouch - Cheap and handy
  
• First Aid Kit - I keep one in my dry bags but have never had to use it. You never know though.
  
• Survival Whistle - Because you never know.
  
• Cooler - If it's a long outing I like to have a soft cooler that I can strap down.
  
• Headlamp - Just another one of those you never know items that takes up hardly any space in a dry bag. Alternatively you could get a bunch of those cheap LED bracelets.
  
• Water Bottle - I swear the Gatorade squeeze bottle is the best water bottle ever made. I always have one with me when I'm paddling.

You’ll definitely need crossbars regardless of the how you’ll actually attach the board.

Something like the Thule SUP taxi is nice if you can afford it. If you’re looking for something more economical, these straps work well: Thule 531 Express Surf Strap Blue One Pair https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MZZF4U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1h5YCbYYRSS84

To protect the board from scuff marks from the crossbar, you can just use pool noodles or something like this: Dorsal Aero Crossbar Roof Rack Pads for Car Surfboard Kayak SUP Snowboard Racks 28 Inch Long [Pair] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00996WIJW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Om5YCbTYKFA1H

$95, Atoll paddle, Carbon Fiber shaft, nylon composite blade.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AGT7KL6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fOjJzbCMF7R9G

I have this paddle and you can't beat it for the price. Real nice finish, super strong.

I just got this iSUP at <$500. It rides very nicely on a mildly choppy river bank. Seems well built and overall I feel like we got a good deal. Lots of reviews on amazon

I have a [peak all around sup.](PEAK Inflatable 10'6 Stand Up Paddle Board Complete Package (6" Thick) | Includes Adjustable Paddle, Travel Backpack, Coil Leash (Aqua) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I4HLW34/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_FPJaBbEACX5V1) I like it a lot. The backpack is very comfortable and nice. The board comes with everything you need except a pfd.

These are worth the wait. Super warm, multi purpose, and comfy. I will be wearing this, a similar top, and hood when I paddle this Dec.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X41FRQC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We have a high end board with an expensive werner paddle, and then a more moderately priced BIC tough tec board. I bought this BPS paddle for it. It's not as nice as the Werner, but it works well and is solid. A touch heavier, not as nice of a blade shape, but good for the $ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IWFEKLE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This post is a bit old but I'll post my experience so far for anyone searching for more info on iSUP. I have a Saturn iSUP (SOT330) I bought from boatstogo.com last year. It's 11' long and 6" thick and inflates to about 12PSI. I'm new to the sport so it was a cheap way to get started and I can bring it in my car anywhere easily. I have no problems with that board so far. It does ride a bit higher in the water than a normal board, but it's pretty stable. I really like the option with the D-ring setup on this board because I got their kayak seat and kayak/SUP paddle combo so I can kayak around the lakes sitting too. Some boards only have d-rings in the front/back. I got that whole setup with electric pump for under $700 shipped.

My girlfriend just got a Solstice Bali (35128) inflatable on amazon so we can both tryout different lakes. It's 10' 8" and 4" thick board that inflates to 15 PSI. It rides lower in the water than the Saturn and bows slightly in the center depending on weight of the rider. I feel it's a bit faster in the water than the Saturn, but you're feet get a little wet since it rides so low. The one thing I don't like about this board is the removable fin requires a screw to secure it while the Saturn slides in and locks without any screws.

I will say one of the challenges we've had with the inflatables is inflating them properly. It is key to get it up to the max pressure or you will be disappointed. At higher PSI you really need to adjust your stance and put your weight into the hand pump. A lot of the bad reviews I find with iSUP's are people simply not getting them up to the proper pressure. It's a bit of a system you just have to work out for yourself because the first few times maybe frustrating or take much longer than you would like.

We bought a 12 PSI electric pump and small battery pack and that works well at getting both boards filled up most of the way with little effort right away. Sometimes the pumps struggle to get the higher PSI though, so I just finish it with hand pump (or in the case of the solstice board it needs 15 PSI).

The problem I've run into is the connections on the hand pumps and electric pumps are a bit iffy, they always show people on videos just plugging the hose on a connector with nothing securing it or sometimes they come attached using a small zip-tie to secure it, but as the pressure increases and/or the hoses heat up from the electric pump I've had the hoses shoot off the connectors and then you're back to square one. So I recommend getting some metal hose clamps and Teflon tape right away and redo all the connections or at least be prepared to do so. Nothings more frustrating then hand pumping a board from 10PSI to 15PSI only to have the hose go shooting off on the last few pumps and having to start over. After re-securing the connections, we've had no issues and can get both boards ready to go in about 15-20 minutes from parking the car to walking down to the beach to launch after putting away the pumps and such.

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IWFEKLE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

---

^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

https://www.amazon.com/ISLE-Airtech-Inflatable-Adjustable-Carrying/dp/B00CRM3862

Great if you're looking for a touring board that can handle some chop. (If you're looking to surf look elsewhere).

Ding All is overkill for this repair. This is very easy to repair with Epoxy putty that is cheaper and just as durable (if not more) with this size ding. You can get it from a paddle/surf shop for $12 to $15 a tube or get the exact same thing from HomeDepot or Lowes for half the price under Loctite or JBWeld. I keep a tube with me whenever I go out for emergency repairs to keep it water tight.

https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-1999131-Purpose-Repair-Ounces/dp/B000BOB8P6

https://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-8277-White-Pack/dp/B000BRQ0TW/

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BluePlanet has decent video showing how to do it. Their Ding Stick is the same stuff as above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5SPbD-te7o

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After it dries give the area some sanding. Start around 150 - 180 grit then finish ultra fine, like 220 grit or higher. I've used it a few times on a yellow Naish board, then hit the spot with some Krylon and it's hard to see the repair.

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