SUP-laudan
Selection guide

Which SUP board is right for me?

Almost any sup board will get a beginner started, but choosing the right one right away will help you get more out of foosball and the best value for your money. You'll also get started faster, your equipment will keep up with your progress, and you won't have to think about buying a new board after the first summer when you find yourself pushing a banana-shaped mass of water in front of you at 2km/h!

Frequently asked questions about SUP boarding

When buying a SUP board, it's not necessarily a good idea to buy the first or cheapest board that comes along. The choice of a SUP board depends on the weight of the user, the intended use and the wishes of the user. Choosing the right board for the job at hand will ensure that your equipment will last for years and you won't have to upgrade to a new board anytime soon.

Getting started is not difficult, it's simple and easy! The right quality board will help you maintain your balance and beginners are recommended to start paddling on their knees. When started calmly, progress is rapid and learning is also fun and relaxing from the start. The core muscles of the central body do a lot of work unnoticed when you are paddling and active paddling also makes it a good form of exercise or even a tool for body conditioning. 

SUP stands for Stand Up Paddling. This originates from surfers who wanted to get further away from the beach to get bigger waves under them. Since paddling with their belly hands was time-consuming and heavy, they tried stand-up paddling instead. The trick worked very well and it was discovered that this is a very fun activity even in still water and as a result of this event SUP boards (both hard and inflatable) spread across the rivers, lakes and seas of the world and paddling was born as a sport in its own right.

There are many shops selling SUP boards online and some traditional sports shops also sell SUP boards. When buying a SUP board, it is worth checking the professionalism of the shop where you buy it to make sure you get the right technical information and that you are not over-promised, e.g. about the board's load capacity.

The width of your SUP board affects its stability, handling and speed. For beginners and those who prefer a more relaxed paddle, a fairly wide board with rounded ends is recommended, for example in the range of 79-85cm in cents. If you are looking for more speed or long distance capabilities, boards less than 80cm wide and with a sharper tip shape will glide faster and break waves better.

SUP board length also tends to correlate with the desired cruising speed. SUP boards made for racing and longer cruising are very long, around 12.6-15 feet (380-450cm), and boards for more casual use are slightly shorter, around 10-12 feet (300-360cm).

Depending on the board, an air-filled sup board is pumped to a pressure of approx. 12-25psi (0.8-1.7bar) either with a conventional hand pump, an electric sup pump or an air compressor. Blowing to fill the board is not possible, due to the pressure required by the board and the valve on the board. The Halkey Roberts valve type is commonly used for SUP boards.

A board can be stored over the winter, inflated or deflated. When stored full, it is recommended that the board is not inflated to the maximum pressure, but e.g. half of the recommended pressure. The most important thing when storing a sup board for the winter is to dry and clean it carefully before storage.

The materials used in quality sup-boards are durable and strong, so you can take your dog on the board without worry. Your dog's nails will not damage the board, although there may be claw marks on the padding, for example. It's a good idea to train your pet to take its time when swimming and boarding. Buoyancy aids are recommended not only for humans but also for dogs.

Professional help with SUP board selection

Our team has been paddleboarding for ten years, so we price our products according to their characteristics. You won't find constant -50% offers or overpriced board capacities - instead you'll find professional product descriptions, advice and service on choosing a SUP board, and quality boards in every price range. According to the given load capacities, the boards we sell glide great, the trip goes on and the funning is fun.

We have been serving our customers from Mikkeli for ten years all over Finland. You can find us on these pages for any SUP-boarding related matter.

However, if you are not interested in the terminology or technical details of the industry and you want to flip with the right equipment without learning or buy a board as a gift, contact our expert customer service team, and we will be happy to find the most suitable option for you. Our team is passionate about water sports in almost all its forms and has tested all our SUP boards for sale, so don't hesitate to ask for help!

info@vesiurheilu.fi

045 841 7744

Stand Up Paddle - SUP or SUB board

SUP is short for Stand Up Paddle, which means a board similar to a surfboard but larger, which is paddled standing up. SUP has its roots in Hawaii, where surfers used to paddle along the shoreline and pick up waves with the help of a paddle - it was there that they realised it was a fun way to get around on flat water, and so SUP began to spread to lakes and rivers in Europe. You sometimes hear a funny misunderstanding of SUP board as sub-board!

Choose correctly

Hard or inflatable SUP board?

When comparing sup-boards, a rough division can be made into two categories: inflatable sup-boards and hard sup-boards. The choice between hard and air-filled sup-boards is usually dictated by price and storage and transport possibilities. Air-filled boards are easy to carry in a rucksack, while hard boards are ready to use without pumping. Hard-bodied boards fare a little better in stronger winds and waves, so if you only intend to paddle in one place, in rough conditions and demand the best from your board, a hard sup board is a good choice.

Most popular SUP boards

Most of the SUP boards we sell are inflatable because they are cheaper, easier to transport, easier to store and can withstand the same use as hard boards. The highest quality inflatable boards have almost the same characteristics as hard-bodied boards. Good examples of high quality boards that challenge hard boards are Saimaa SUP Sun and Moon and Joben Danube and Neva. All the inflatable SUP boards we sell fit neatly into a carry bag, which can also hold other equipment. On the beach, you open the backpack, unroll the SUP and pump it up in 5-15 minutes!

When choosing a SUP board, pay attention to the dimensions and shape of the board, whether it's a hard or inflatable board.

SUP board length:

A short SUP board is easy to handle even under a small person, which means it turns well. The downside of a short board is that you have to change the paddling side more often, which means you lose directional stability if you have good turning ability. A long board is more difficult to manoeuvre, but has better directional stability, so you don't have to change sides as often as with a shorter board, for example on a long run. Saimaa SUP Lily is a light, light and agile board for smaller people, while Joben Neva sup board is the most directionally stable board in our shop.

SUP board width:

Width gives the board stability, the wider the board the more stable it is and therefore easier for a beginner or someone with poor balance. Saimaa SUP Bass is a good example of an easy, wide and stable SUP board that is suitable for the whole family and can carry a big man with a child. The narrow and long board is trickier, but what you lose in stability you gain in speed.

SUP board thickness/volume:

A thicker board has more volume, which gives the board load-bearing capacity and stiffness. If the inflatable board is less than 15cm thick and still in low pressure, the load capacity will easily fall short under an adult and the board will bend and the trip will not progress. A 15cm thick board of the same length but made of high quality materials will easily carry over 120kg and will work for both a jogger and a large person with a child and/or dog.

SUP board shape:

The shape of the SUP board has a significant influence on the board's behaviour. A rounded shape at the bow and stern makes the board playful and easy to turn, but less directionally stable. This shape with a wide bow is the most popular SUP board shape in the world for all brands, including all brands, because of the board's universality. For example Saimaa SUP Sun and Jobe Yarra are real family boards, suitable for both a child and a big man with a load, or even for a relaxed yoga session.

The fastest shape has a sharp kayak-like bow and rectangular stern. The bow of such a board cuts through the waves well and the rectangular stern does not make giant waves but reduces water resistance. With these features, the board turns less easily, but moves forward quickly and with directional stability. Good examples of fast boards are Saimaa SUP Moon or Jobe Neva.

Air-filled SUP board

When choosing an inflatable SUP board, you should also take into account pressure and accessories. Pressure often correlates with board quality - even the lowest quality boards start at 15psi pressure, which gives the hull enough stiffness so that the board doesn't become a "banana" under load, pushing the mass of water in front of you, but holds its shape and slides well on the water. However, it is worth noting that the materials used in the manufacture of the materials used are more important factors than pressure. The boards are made of PVC plastic, the thickness and quality of which is an essential factor. In addition to the PVC plastic, another important factor is the wire thread running from the lid to the bottom of the board, which keeps the board in shape so that it does not ball up when pressure is pumped into the board. This wire is called dropstitch material. Dropstitch comes in different thicknesses: thin and normal weave, reinforced, thinner and denser, and the most advanced X-stitched like in the X-style, the more sophisticated, the harder, the more delicate, the more sophisticated, the more delicate, the more delicate, the more delicate, the more delicate, the more delicate.. The highest quality dropstitch is reinforced and dense, which also allows for higher pressure. The boards sold at Vesiurheilu.fi always use the best dropstitch and PVC materials in their price range. When the board materials are of high quality, the board will not buckle even at low pressures and you do not necessarily need to pump the board above 15psi even if the maximum pressure is 25psi, as in Saimaa SUP. Sun and Moon flagship models.

Inflatable SUP boards are often sold in packages. Here's what to look out for accessoriesas there are considerable differences. The most important thing is that the package includes a proper infinitely adjustable paddle with a blade angle to enhance traction. There are paddles from the beginner's aluminium paddle to the ultra-light and rigid carbon fibre coils which affect the prices of the packages. The carrier bag is included in all the packages we sell and must be durable so that the soup can be transported from one place to another for years without worry. Carriers are available in canvas, waterproof and wheeled models and can be purchased as an accessory if required. Sup runaway is also a very good safety device - in windy conditions, the suppi can drift away surprisingly quickly if you happen to fall over. It's worth checking that the chute is flexible, so that the cord stays comfortably on the board when paddling and doesn't drag behind you, causing unnecessary drag.

SUP board with arms

For hard SUP boards, you should consider what kind of use the board will be used for. Bamboo boards are really polished and stylish. The boards have very good sliding properties due to their hard body and precise design. Bamboo boards are an absolute choice if you want a sup board with a great finish and top performance! The best-selling hard SUP board is Jobe Parana 11.6.

If on the other hand you are choosing a hard SUP board for general use e.g. in a cottage, camping centre or rental shop where boards are handled more carelessly, then Titan series is an excellent option. These bombproof Titan sup boards are made of fibreglass and polycarbonate and are very resistant to impacts on rocks and concrete pontoon platforms. Made with Jobe's monocoque construction, the excellent sliding Titan sup boards are the lightest on the market for their durability.

Choose the right SUP board with our comprehensive guide

SUP boards for rent

We have been supplying SUP boards for over eight years to rental companies around Finland, where the most popular models have been the inflatable Joben Yarra and Danube models and in hard rafts Titan soups. From the Saimaa SUP range, the most suitable for rental use are Sun and Moon models, made from the best rigid and strong UV-protected PVC on the market. Both hard and high quality inflatable sup-boards withstand the rigours of rental use well. Ask for a quote for rental boards!

Saimaa SUP boards

Saimaa SUP board collection has been designed in Finland based on a decade of experience in SUP and on test experiences with numerous models from abroad. With the help of accumulated know-how and collected customer feedback, the Saimaa SUP collection includes seven inflatable SUP boards that are the most suitable for Finns, using the highest quality materials in their price range.

Jobe SUP boards

Jobe is a Dutch brand with over 30 years of experience in a wide range of water sports equipment. We import Jobe SUP products ourselves, so our prices are competitive and the boards are of very high quality. If you want all the latest technical innovations on your board, you'll find them on Jobe's boards.

With years of experience, our knowledgeable customer service team will be happy to help you choose the right board for you. info@vesiurheilu.fi or 045 8417744

Browse SUP boards

Instructions and technique tips for paddling

SUP board storage, maintenance and repair

SUP board instructions

Safety instructions for paddling

Video tips for SUP beginners

How to adjust the length of your sup paddle correctly:

HOW TO ADJUST THE LENGTH OF THE SUP PADDLE CORRECTLY


How to start without getting wet

How to start SUPing without getting wet

How to get the right paddling technique

The right paddling technique for SUP paddling


Filling your SUP board

Filling your SUP board

Emptying the SUP board

Emptying your SUP board

Click & go fin installation on bamboo boards

Installing the Click & Go fin on a bamboo SUP board