Have you ever heard of paddleboarding? It may not be your first choice for an extreme sport, but as an activity, it is totally worth trying and possibly - falling in love with! Here’s all you should know about it!

 

What is paddleboarding?

Paddleboarding is a relatively new sport. Тhere are a number of disputes about its origin. Some say the first paddleboard has its roots in the 1930s, while others classify it as a way younger sport and say it has begun developing around the year 2000. Either way, if we have to give it a short description, it will be as follows: a water sport that you can practice in big bodies of water: lakes, seas, and oceans, or small ones where there are no strong currents. 

There are two main types of paddleboarding:

• traditional paddleboarding is also known as kneeling paddleboarding
• stand-up paddleboarding also called stand-up paddle surfing

Paddleboarding is usually very popular in oceans where it is a preferred way to travel between closely located islands or coasts. You can also see people practicing it on lakes and calm streams as well as with waves and in choppy waters. The options are almost limitless!

 

Equipment you will need

For paddleboarding, you need just a few simple pieces of equipment: 

• a board.
• a paddle.
• a PFD (otherwise known as a personal flotation device: lifejacket, for example, although if your paddleboard is inflatable, it is also considered a PFD).
• a whistle: for safety.

Depending on the waters and season you’re paddleboarding in, you might want to consider wearing either some sort of a swimsuit (in summer) or a warmer wet suit or drysuit (in cooler weather). Alternatively, you can wear board shorts. 

In summer it’s advisory to consider some sort of light, long-sleeved wear because of the sun and a hat for protection, as well as sunglasses on a cord so you may not lose them easily if (or rather when) you fall out the board. Choose clothing from fabrics that can’t get wet or dry easily. Sunscreen is absolutely necessary so you can enjoy your days in peace and without nasty sunburns.

For safety reasons, it’s advisory, and at some places around the world, obligatory, to have a leash that you strap to your board and yourself. There are different kinds of leashes so you have to choose the correct one for your board and purposes.

 

Types of paddleboards and how to choose the correct one for you

Speaking of boards, there are three main classes of boards for paddleboarding. The key difference is in the length of the boards. The correct one for you depends on your weight. 

The first one, the Stock boards, are 12 feet or 3.7 meters long. They are suitable if you’re weighing not more than 82 kilograms (or 180 lb). It is said that you can accelerate faster with them in calm waters and depend on them to be fast even in choppy waters. Unfortunately, though, you cannot reach that top speed that you can with the other types of paddleboards. The reason: the short waterline of this type of board. 

Next on the list are the 14 Foot paddleboards. As their name states, they’re longer by two feet with a total length of 4.3 meters. With them, you get a bit more speed and stability as well as the best qualities of the Stock boards. 

This is why, if you seek speed and nice, sleek, and express rides on a paddleboard, if you, want to participate in a competition of some sort, you should consider taking up a board from the Unlimited class of paddleboards. The cons here are the dimensions of the boards. Because they are between 17 to 18 feet long, you should be prepared to have a space that can store a board with a length between 5.2 to 5.5 meters. Boards with class Unlimited can reach even more than 6 meters.

There is one more, less popular class, that offers boards with a length of 10' 6" or around 2.08 meters. They are not used for long ocean runs and competitions but are perfect for paddleboarding with waves and surfing. They offer you more mobility and are also suitable for children. 

 

This is why there are a few simple rules when you choose a paddleboard:

• If you want a board for waves and surfing choose a shorter board: a 10’ 6’’
• If you want to paddleboard in calm waters as well as to travel long distances paddleboarding, choose a longboard
• Check the thickness of the board: more thickness means more support for bigger weight
• Choose your shape: this will have a great impact on stability as well as the speed you will be able to reach

Keep in mind though: if you choose an inflatable paddleboard, you cannot expect it to be as good as a hard one when you surf or try to conquer waves. This is why it is advisory to have a surfboard for that adventure, apart from the paddleboard.

 

What are the differences between solid and inflatable paddleboards?

The characteristics of the paddleboards also depend on the material they’re made of. For example, carbon fiber paddleboards are one of the lightest and best for your swims. Nevertheless - they’re extremely expensive and can often reach prices of $2000+. 

Most paddleboards you will find out there, especially for beginners, are inflatable though. That does not make them bad - not at all! They are accessible and depending on the company that produces them, can prove very durable and accompany you on countless adventures. Some pros of the inflatable paddleboards include the following:

They don’t take up a lot of space: you don’t have to wonder how and where to store a gigantic 6-meter board, you just let the air out and fold it carefully until you need it for the next trip.

You don’t need to worry about space and weight when traveling: inflatable boards take way less space in the luggage and weigh way less than solid boards. This is a priceless characteristic if you’re flying somewhere, for instance, and you have luggage limits. 

It weighs less: it’s not light by any means, but an inflatable board is much easier to carry to a lake during a hike on foot, for instance.

And if you're into yoga on the water, this will be a better choice for you than a solid board.

On the other hand, solids also have positives. For once, they are much more solid on the water than inflatables. As well as that, they have a larger variety you can choose from and usually offer better performance and can sometimes be used for surfing too, for instance.

 

A few reasons you should try paddleboarding

Have you already fallen in love with paddleboarding? No matter your answer, we have a few more surprises for you that will make you like the sport even more.

But first, let us answer the main question: can paddleboarding be classified as an extreme sport? The truth is since it is a water activity and it provides adrenaline and a great deal of pleasure when you get the hang of it, for us, it does qualify into the category of extreme sports - even though it’s a more mild one. 

Aside from that, there are quite a few positive things paddleboarding can bring into your life. For once, it is a sport that can get you into shape pretty easily. It trains all your muscle groups - from the arms to the core which you keep balance with to the legs. And let’s face it - even after you get a grip on it, you still will have to swim around less or more. So not only it gives you an intense workout for the whole body but gives you swimming training too. That, as we know very well is very good for the body. 

Another good thing is people of all ages and body types can practice paddleboarding. They only have to choose the correct board for them so they can enjoy the experience. 

 

Advice for paddleboarding beginners

As a beginner, it’s good to choose calm waters - a lake or pond, preferably. It is a good idea to hire a guide too since there are some technical difficulties that differentiate paddleboarding from other water sports. If this is not a possibility, then follow these steps for standing up, keeping balance, and what to do when you fall down so you can easily get back up again. The good thing is you learn pretty fast and very soon you can enjoy paddleboarding and nature at its finest.

When you first begin, you have to get into the water in knee-high water - just so the fins of the board don’t hit the bottom. Then you have to work up your way into a kneeling position on the board. Now, it’s easier with a sold board, but an inflatable will not be that hard either. Your hands keep the paddle on the board perpendicularly to the board for stability. It is a good idea to relax your body as much as you can at this point. Stiff muscles will make it harder and if you’re on an inflatable board, will make it less stable. 

The next step for you is to keep one knee on the board and get the other one up. This is the way to get up and find your balance on the board. Your knees should be a little bent, like in snowboarding and skiing, for instance. Your back should be straight, but not rigid. Look only forward and no staring at your feet - you should keep your gaze to the horizon.

As soon as you do this, it’s paddling time! Our advice: focus on your core and balance and not that much on your arms and if you paddle correctly. You will get in sync with it with time, but keep in mind, the tricky thing is turning. You can paddle forward or in reverse, but if you want to turn, you should use a sweep stroke.