When you are choosing a SUP board, the length, width, and thickness are among the most important criteria, besides material, manufacture, and other considerations. You might ask yourself which board size would be the right one for you?
While you could find lots of (sometimes too) quick and simple answers to this on the internet, truth is that there is no single recommendation that works for everyone. This is because the right size actually depends on the required weight capacity and the way you are going to use your board.
This calculator will help you determine the right board size for you.
SUP Board Sizes
Both hardboards and inflatable ones are available with different lengths, width, and thickness. they are typically available in sizes such as:
- Length: 9′ to 14′
- Width: 26″ to 34″
- Thickness: 4″ to 6″
Boards for special purposes, e.g. professional racing or carrying multiple paddlers even, come with sizes outside of these ranges.
This broad variety of board sizes that are available on the market ensures that almost every paddler is able to find the ‘perfect’ stand up paddleboard.
On the other hand, it can be quite confusing finding the right for one’s needs, especially for beginners. This SUP size calculator determines which length, width, and thickness would be ideal for your weight and uses.
Calculator for Stand-up Paddle Boards
Instructions
First of all, you’ll need to select the required weight capacity of your board. This is basically your weight plus additional weights that you’ll want your board to carry.
If you want to transport your kids or dog on your board you should add their weight accordingly.
The same is true if you’re carrying bags. For paddling a few hours, a light bag with water and a camera might be enough, so not much additional weight here. However, multi-day trips may require much more baggage which can increase the total weight on your board significantly.
The second input parameter is the intended use of your board. Select the area where you are likely to use your board the most. If you’re new to SUP or don’t know the answer yet, try an all-round/beginner board first and test until you find a specialization (or stick to the all-round board if it meets all your needs).
If you intend to go surfing you might prefer a shorter board while for racing a fast and slim long board would be most suitable.
Touring boards combine high efficiency and speed with moderate stability and agility. For SUP yoga, a board needs to be wider to provide more stability.
An all-round or beginner board aims to be stable while offering a moderate level speed and agility. They are great for beginners to learn and practice the sport. More advanced and intermediate SUPer might prefer one of the more specialized board though, depending on their needs.
SUP Board Size Calculator
Sources: Book “The Art of Stand Up Paddling, A Complete Guide to SUP on Lakes, Rivers, and Oceans” by Ben Marcus, PumpedupSUP
Conclusion
We hope that This calculator has helped you identify the right size of your board. Note that the calculated SUP board size is a recommendation. It doesn’t mean that this would be the only suitable board size for you.
However, this recommendation can be a first guidance for you before you start testing different boards and sizes yourself (ideally as many as possible) to find the one you feel most comfortable with.
Bear in mind that for efficient and safe stand-up paddling, not only the board but also the paddle is crucial. if you need to determine the right length of your paddle, read this instruction and feel free to use our paddle size calculator.