Is it time for a new stand up paddle board?
A few of you might be thinking, “Yes I do!”, and the majority of you will be questioning, “Do I?”. Let the six signs below help you decide if a new paddle board is necessary in your life. Maybe it’s time to go out with the old and in with the new. This blog post isn’t going to describe the variety of damages your paddle board can experience in its lifetime. However, this blog post will help you decide if the paddle board you currently own is or is not aligning with your lifestyle and needs. Ultimately, if you love paddle boarding, you don’t want to be stuck with a stand up paddle board that is not meeting your expectations and is making your experience in & out of the water more difficult than it needs to be.
Signs You Need a New Paddle Board
1. You have outgrown your paddle board
If you started paddle boarding two years ago and are wanting more performance out of the beginner paddle board you initially purchased, it’s time for an upgrade. Beginner paddle boards are wider, more stable and have more volume which can restrain you from growing your skills. Upgrading to a paddle board that is designated for intermediate-advanced paddle boarders will give you the performance and speed you are looking for at your skill level. Intermediate-advanced paddle boards will be less wide and have less volume. However, beware that this tier of paddle boards will be harder to ride, but with a little practice you will be paddling like a pro in no time.
2. Your paddle board isn’t versatile enough
In the last two years, companies are designing paddle boards that can do it all. There are some paddle boards that are not only great for recreational paddle boarding, but also SUP yoga, SUP fishing, and SUP surfing. If you’re passionate about yoga and want to take your practice to the water, but your paddle board doesn’t provide you with enough room on your board to comfortably do so, then you want to consider upgrading. The point of a solid versatile paddle board is that you can do multiple activities at your own leisure. If your paddle board is limiting you to only recreational paddle boarding, then you want to consider a SUP that offers more range of activity, especially if you enjoy yoga, fishing or stand up paddle board surfing. In general, inflatable paddle boards are more versatile than epoxy paddle boards. Learn more about the difference between inflatable and epoxy paddle boards here.
3. You don’t have enough room to store your epoxy paddle board at home
You thought you had enough room in your garage to store your epoxy paddle board, but lately it has been a nightmare to get it in and out of your garage. If you don’t have any good place to store your epoxy paddle board, you might want to consider replacing an inflatable paddle board. Rule of thumb, owning an epoxy and an inflatable paddle board will offer you amazing range in paddle boarding activities. Note: storing your epoxy paddle board outside is not a good solution. Read our tips for storing your paddle board to learn more about this. In most cases, people don’t have enough room to store an epoxy paddle board in their home. Epoxy paddle boards are large and aren’t ideal for those who have minimal storage space at home. If this is becoming a tedious, recurring problem, an inflatable paddle board is great for storing. Inflatable paddle boards are easy to store anywhere in your home, even your bedroom closet.
4. Your paddle board is outdated
If you own an epoxy or inflatable paddle board that is over four-years-old, you should consider upgrading. Paddle board technology has improved immensely over the last two years. Since then, paddle board companies have been discovering new technologies to design more rigid, durable and lightweight paddle boards. The biggest change in technology has occurred with inflatable paddle boards. Single layer, 4-inch paddle boards are almost obsolete in today’s market and are considered low-quality inflatable paddle boards that don’t have a long life expectancy. Today’s high-quality inflatable paddle boards are double layered and are 6-inches thick.
5. Your paddle board is difficult to travel with
This is geared towards those who own an epoxy paddle board. Many people’s lifestyles can change in the few years of owning a paddle board. When you first purchased your epoxy paddle board, you might not have found a passion for consistently traveling to new bodies of water with your SUP. If your epoxy paddle board is holding you back from traveling to amazing destinations with your SUP, you should consider upgrading to an inflatable paddle board. An inflatable paddle board is perfect for a person that is always on the go and loves to frequently explore new places to paddle board. Also, keep in mind that an inflatable paddle board is easy to fly on a plane with. Avoid airline paddle board fees and simply pay to check your inflatable paddle board as an additional bag.
6. Your paddle board is not stable enough for you
You will probably realize this within the first month of owning a paddle board. If just purchased a paddle board and it’s not stable enough for you or it simply doesn’t fit your lifestyle like you thought it would, some paddle board companies will let you return it within a certain period of time. At ISLE, we have a 60 day ride it guarantee so if you’re not happy with your paddle board in the first two months of owning it, you can return it. The point of this program is to make sure you enjoy the paddle board you purchased.
Wrapping up
If you love paddle boarding, upgrading to a new one that will better your experience in and out of the water will be a no-brainer. There are plenty of great reasons why you might want a new paddle board. Who’s said you must get rid of your old one? Two paddle boards is always better than one.
