What is a Race Paddle Board

By: James | Last update: 3 january 2023

When your all-round or touring Paddle Board becomes too slow for you, it’s time for a race Paddle Board. But what exactly is a race Paddle Board? We explain it in this blog.

Don’t know what a Paddle Board is yet? Then take a look at this blog.

As the name suggests, a race sup is meant to go fast. But what makes these sups go so fast and can you really ‘only’ go fast with them? I did the research for you! We have taken a closer look at the race paddle board. We have looked at various points here. We looked at what exactly makes a race sup so special. We also looked at the types of race sups that are available.

What is a race paddle board

A race paddle board is a board that is intended to stand up paddle with as quickly as possible. These boards are mainly used by advanced paddlers. This is mainly because the boards have a high degree of difficulty. The boards are narrow, long and therefore unstable. Only as an advanced paddler can you stand relaxed on a race sup. This is because advanced stand up paddlers can simply keep their balance a lot better than novice paddlers. This is why we always recommend an all-round paddle board to a beginner. An all-round board is nice and stable and therefore ideal for beginners. Check out our research into the best all-round Paddle board for more in-depth information.

Characteristics of a racing SUP

A racing Stand Up Paddle Board contains a number of unique features and characteristics. These features make a racing SUP so fast. We have listed all the unique features. Check out the unique features below:

• Very narrow, this allows you to get up to speed quickly and also easily maintain the speed
• Long pointed nose, through which the board cuts through the water
• Extremely sturdy, so you are not stopped by the ‘flex’ of the board
• Very long, this allows the board to gradually stay at one speed without effort

Types of racing boards

There are both inflatable and non-inflatable (hardboard) race SUP-Boards available. Nowadays the inflatable racing boards are almost as good as the hardboard versions. This is due to all the special production techniques that exist today. For example, a double layer board is already a lot firmer than a single layer paddle board and a fusion board is the strongest and lightest. The choice for an inflatable or non-inflatable SUP (Stand Up Paddle) Board will depend on various circumstances. Check out the questions below if you are in doubt between an inflatable or hardboard.

Inflatable or hardboard

Consider the questions below if you are in doubt between an inflatable or hardboard race Paddle Board:

1. How often do you go to a different location? In other words, do you want to inflate your SUP every day or tie the SUP to the roof?
2. Do you have roof racks on your car? If not, an inflatable Paddle board will probably be a better choice
3. Can you bear the weight of a hardboard? If not, consider getting an inflatable Paddle board.
4. Do I want to manually inflate my SUP every day? If not, take a hardboard or an electric SUP pump

Who is a race SUP intended for?

Stand Up Paddling on a race Stand Up Paddle Board is not for everyone. It does take some experience to paddle on a race board. This is mainly because they are narrow and long. This makes a race SUP Board a lot more unstable than, for example, an allround or touring paddle board. We only recommend a race board to advanced riders. This is because an advanced paddler already has the necessary experience and therefore does not have to worry about the balance.

For which application(s) can a race board be used?

It may surprise you, but a race board is not just for racing competitions or to use for fast paddling. A race sup is also ideal for advanced paddlers to tour with. It is recommended to do this with a somewhat wider race Board since a wider board offers a lot more comfort for long trips.

Interested in a race paddle board after reading this blog about the meaning and characteristics of a race SUP board? Then take a look at our research into the best race paddle Board.