Best Stand Up Paddle Board Brands

First time to buy a stand up paddle board? Wondering about the best SUP brands? You’re not the only one. I’m sure there are a lot of other people out there thinking about buying their first stand up paddle board. After all, stand up paddle-boarding is increasing in popularity nowadays. Gliding peacefully through canyons or lakes, seeing bald eagles soar over the water, hearing paddle splashes – who wouldn’t want to take part in this sport? Who wouldn’t want to be out on the water, getting healthier and happier?

However, as with any sport, there is a wide array of equipment of varying price points, designs, and sizes depending on riders tastes and budget. Matching the right equipment to your physical needs is of great importance. With that said, we did the research so you don’t have to. We’ve put together this resource – a one-stop-shop, all-inclusive guide to help you find the best stand up paddle board brands worth considering.

We have received a bunch of requests from those who are just starting out who want a great stand up paddle board. We have come up with a great lineup, and we totally stand by the boards we have provided. We have tried to cover all categories from expensive to inexpensive to very inexpensive. We have also introduced you guys to a brand we have never reviewed, and you possibly haven’t heard of before.

This comes along with some other recurring brands that we like and already reviewed on this site, and we know you fellas like. Although, in all reality, if you are at this point, you are likely starting out. But even some of our veterans might see some good snags here for great prices.

Best Stand Up Paddle Board Brands

Reliability and durability have become ubiquitous labels that SUP manufacturers love to attach to their boards. Every stand up paddle board brand out there throws these terms around as a marketing ploy, a gimmick used in an attempt to ingrain in consumer’s minds the idea that their packages are more worthy of the customers hard-earned buck than the next brand. But as the brands squabble with consumerism jargon and advertising tactics, there is actual research being done into what makes each brand worth considering.

So ,What stand up paddle board brands lived up to their claims of being reliable and trustworthy?

“TowerPaddleBoards”, “Isle Surf & SUP” ,”Red Paddle Co” continue to top the ranking according to the latest consumer reports survey as the leading inflatable stand up paddle board brands in in consumer’s minds. Well, that’s no coincidence. These perennial leaders have a significant advantage in overall score, but several other SUP brands are moving up the rankings.

The reviews below reflect how consumers perceive each SUP brand in three categories: price, performance, design/style. Combining these factors gives us a total brand-perception score.

If we missed a stand up paddle board brand you love, let us know in the comments!

Disclaimer on Our Best Stand up Paddle Board Brands

We have come up with this lineup after several hours of extensive research while considering parameters like price, consumers’ reviews, popularity, reliability, and many more.

This is not by any means a comprehensive list. There’ are tons and tons of great stand up paddle boards out there. However, we did want to give you a few good options. These brands represent different price points, styles and designs. With any luck, you’ll find something that best meets your needs and fits within your budget.

SereneLife boards (great budget boards)

check out this SereneLife Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board (seriously).

• Price. SereneLife Stand Up Paddle Boards are very affordable, which is why they made this list, since we’re assuming most people reading it are beginners. And with some of their boards often under $350, you can get a really decent stand up paddle board. Also, keep in mind that the current offering of SereneLife is only inflatable boards. This should not be a big deal for most of the people, though.
• Performance. The performance was surprisingly good. The inflatable SUP board we tried feels very solid when you blow it up, and you can barely tell it’s inflatable. One of the most subtle, but most useful features was the 6″ thickness that holds more air volume for larger paddlers, and keeps it quite stable for all riders. This board tracks very straight and glides like a dream. Though it’s not recommended for surfing, I used it in mild choppy ocean water and it proved to be quite stable.
• Design. These are fairly cool looking stand up paddle boards. They’re made from extremely rugged materials like those you find on Zodiac boats and extreme river rafts. You can literally put the front tip of the 9’10” x 6″ on one chair and the rear tip on another chair and a 200 lb person can stand in the middle and you can barely see this thing flex. To put it plainly, if you’re on the lookout for a solid SUP board, and don’t have enough space to store it or you want to avoid the dilemma of transporting it, just get this SereneLife board and thank me later.

ISLE Surf & SUP (slightly more pricy but higher quality + well known brand)

ISLE Surf & SUP is one of our most-reviewed inflatable SUP board brands. They’re a company known for their long tradition of making high quality SUP Boards. We have reviewed plenty of ISLE board on on this site. We generally enjoy them, and we think you guys do as well.

• Price. ISLE Surf & SUP boards come at lots of different price points. The ISLE Pioneer is is one of the best inflatable paddle boards regularly under $700 we’ve looked at recently. However, you can also find plenty of ISLE Surf & SUP boards at higher price points – up into the $1,500 range. However, some of our favorites were the less fancy, less expensive boards (like, again, the ISLE Pioneer which comes in 3 different colours so there will be always one that fits your taste).
• Performance. The board mentioned above provides an excellent SUPing experience for the money. It ticks all the boxes for most all-around riders. It has great dimensions for those of you who are starting out, as well as for our veterans who have been paddle boarding for a while. The Pioneer inflatable SUP Board comes with everything you’ll need for a successful SUPing cruise including 3 piece adjustable travel paddle, high pressure pump and a removable travel fin. At regularly under $700, you can have so much fun riding your board in the water in as little as ten minutes after receiving it. Additionally, in terms of durability, this ISLE 10ft Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board is made of high grade PVC material using Korean Drop-Stitch construction for added strength. Its military grade material is nearly impossible to damage. All ISLE Surf & SUP inflatable boards are covered from any workmanship or material defect for a period of 2 years.
• Design. The design of ISLE Surf & SUP boards is very appealing. Trust us on this one, people will often ask you where you got your board.

If you are looking for a rigid board, the ISLE Versa Rigid might be fore you. Keep in mind however that this one is almost twice as expensive and, well, a “little bit” more difficult to travel with!

DRIFT Stand up Paddle Boards (great value for money)

We’ve reviewed various DRIFT SUP boards on this site before, and the story hasn’t changed. DRIFT produces quality boards for a great price. If you are on tight-budget and wanting to keep your stand up paddle board under $500 and don’t get for the cheapest option like SereneLife, we can’t think of a better option for a SUP board than DRIFT’s. These stand up paddle boards are highly recommended to novice paddleboarders and all-around riders. You can certainly sub these boards out for another of your choosing in case racing and speed are high on your list of priorities.

• Price. DRIFT boards are very affordable. If you’re budget-minded but simply unwilling to skimp on quality, then DRIFT’s SUP boards are your best choice. The price of these boards is usually at a perfect balance. While most of the stand up paddle boards are priced at over $700 easily, the DRIFTs SUP boards can be purchased for around $500. This stood out to us as not being too cheap, but not on the expensive side either.
• Performance. To be honest, we weren’t too familiar with DRIFT SUP boards prior to using. However, The inflatable SUP board we tried (this one) proved to be a great value for the price. All things considered.

Red Paddle Co Stand Up Paddle Boards (probably the best SUP brand but expensive)

Ok, now we’re just having fun. This is one of the most luxurious, crazy, expensive SUP boards on the market. And, assuming you’ve got the cash to spare, and are a stickler for quality, any of the Red Paddle Co Ride lineup of inflatable boards (9’8, 10’6″, 10’8 ) would be a great buy. All things considered (the Ride Series of inflatable SUP boards in particular seems to be well-liked). And If I had to pick some criticisms for it, it would be the price – something this good is naturally expensive, and at over $1,000 the price tag can be difficult to swallow, but the quality of the board and the loveliness of the design are well worth it.

• Price. Obviously, these are some pretty expensive SUP boards. If you want to go balls-to-the-wall and actually purchase one of these works of art. Again you’ll be looking at well over a $1,000 price tag. However, you’ll be getting a fine piece of craftsmanship that will last you a lifetime if properly cared for.
• Performance. As SUP”ing has progressed over the years, Red Paddle Co have seen the need for a Ride style board for varying weight paddlers. This is why they developed the three sizes that make up the Ride family. The Red Paddle Co 10’6″ is one of their most popular inflatable SUP board on the market. That’s no coincidence. It’s designed to match the requirements of the all-around riders, it floats and glides easily and smoothly on flat water. It is also quite stable in choppy water conditions as well as in surf. And that’s what we love most about them. The Red Paddle Co 10’6″ just seems to hit the sweet spot for a lot of guys.Everything about it is high quality.Its super durable double wall construction makes it feel like a solid board. The Red Paddle Co 10’6″ is at the higher price range, but it’s worth every penny.
• Special features. It’s really a fantastic inflatable stand up paddle board. It comes with an awesome backpack, a repair kit and the Red Paddle Co Titan Pump which makes inflation to 15-20psi faster and easier, leaving you more time to enjoy your SUP”ing cruise. The Red Paddle Co 10’6″ is all class.

To sum up Red Paddle is definitely one of the top SUP brands that I know.

I hope that this article gave you some idea around the best paddleboard brands out there. I think that there are plenty of SUP brands to avoid but let’s be honest, we don’t really want to give then ANY publicity. Stick the the known brands like these described above to make sure you enjoy your surf!