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Buying a Paddle Board - Advice Please

Peter McDermott

Peter McDermott

pfm Member
Hi Everyone,

My wife Beth is hoping to buy a paddle board. She is 5'2'' (not sure if that's significant in the paddle board world).

it will be used in calm waters (not any white water madness).

She has never paddle boarded before but thinks it looks appealing.

Budget would be £500 max, and hopefully less. Probably for a new one rather than second hand, but if anyone has a decent one for sale let me know.

Any advice/tips etc would be really appreciated.

Best wishes, Peter
 
Peter McDermott said:
Hi Everyone,

My wife Beth is hoping to buy a paddle board. She is 5'2'' (not sure if that's significant in the paddle board world).

it will be used in calm waters (not any white water madness).

She has never paddle boarded before but thinks it looks appealing.

Budget would be £500 max, and hopefully less. Probably for a new one rather than second hand, but if anyone has a decent one for sale let me know.

Any advice/tips etc would be really appreciated.

Best wishes, Peter
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You can book a day's tuition and hire on the lake near me, Llyn Padarn. Might be a good idea?
 
And a buoyancy aid. Please.

I see they are selling SUPs in The Range now. Worth a look.

Not that I go in the Range. A friend told me.
 
I have never paddle boarded, but watching some of the failures, it looks as though a board that is too light will make it harder to not fall off the back. As in skateboarding, too little resistance to movement appears to be a disadvantage for beginners.
But as I say, I have never done it.
 
@5’2”, the quality of the board is slightly less important assuming she built proportionally.
I’m 100kg (and take 25kg dog), I’ve had a brief go on the £300 Amazon specials and they’ve gone banana with a few strokes.

I’d look out for clubs and likeminded people to get going and echo the need for safety equipment. Don’t forget waterproof pouch for phone, and install what3words so you know where you are.

The Lidl boards have been good starters, 10’6”, but more importantly 6” thick
 
You'd be better off buying a "Red Paddle Co" one second hand than a cheap one. A lot of the cheap ones are unstable, bend like a banana and come with rubbish pumps. Read the reviews if possible
 
gintonic said:
my experience of Decathlon (albeit with clothing and small bags) is that they are very poorly made and don't last that long.
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My experience of them is OK, the stuff lasts well enough. Good value for bikes. I've got a few t shirts from there that are 15 years old and showing no signs of wanting to wear out after a lot of abuse.

For the board, I'd join a club, get lessons if necessary and buy second hand following advice from those who do it.
 
stevec67 said:
My experience of them is OK, the stuff lasts well enough. Good value for bikes. I've got a few t shirts from there that are 15 years old and showing no signs of wanting to wear out after a lot of abuse.
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3 pairs of loose fitting shorts for walking not particularly abused. Seams started spliting, pockets coming unstiched after 3 months. I really had to argue the toss to get a refund.

T shirts I have no idea about, as I buy by mine from elsewhere.
 
We bought one for our daughter, who's not dissimilar in size to your missus. It was really important to get one that she was able to handle out of water, along with in the water.

In the end, we got her this Paddleboard from Aquaplanet. Comes with all the bits and pieces you need to go with it, though you 100% will need an electric pump that plugs into the car - and of course a life jacket.

P.S. - Don't stand, sit or lean over the valve when you let the air out!
 
Ellenor said:
You'd be better off buying a "Red Paddle Co" one second hand than a cheap one. A lot of the cheap ones are unstable, bend like a banana and come with rubbish pumps. Read the reviews if possible
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Seconded - cheap boards are really tricky to ride, especially for a beginner. They are just too bendy, although this is less pronounced for a smaller person.

Safety equipment appropriate to the weather and water is essential.

Water temperature below about 15 degrees and you are at risk of cold shock, so a wetsuit is a must save for the warmer months - possibly more than one if you want to go out all year.

Look for one with a net to secure a waterproof barrel, that way you can take food, water, sunscreen, a hat etc as well as your phone.

Particularly if going on the sea, make sure she can read, understand and interpret tide tables, weather forecasts and local conditions. Very easy to get swept out to sea on a SUP, happens here regularly in the summer.
 
gintonic said:
3 pairs of loose fitting shorts for walking not particularly abused. Seams started spliting, pockets coming unstiched after 3 months. I really had to argue the toss to get a refund.

T shirts I have no idea about, as I buy by mine from elsewhere.
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Sounds like the usual individual to individual variation across multiple countries, a 15 year time span and multiple suppliers. Just as you'll hear "I tried Lidl/ Aldi food, it's cheap and nasty" alongside "I do most of my shopping in Aldi, it's generally better and cheaper than Asda" . You can find a dud in most places.
 
stevec67 said:
Sounds like the usual individual to individual variation across multiple countries, a 15 year time span and multiple suppliers. Just as you'll hear "I tried Lidl/ Aldi food, it's cheap and nasty" alongside "I do most of my shopping in Aldi, it's generally better and cheaper than Asda" . You can find a dud in most places.
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indeed i agreed - i was a bit peed off they argued about a refund...but in reality it was about £40s worth....

in the end i went to the Nike outlet shop at KingsX and bought whatever shorts were on the clearance rail in my size - i recall 3 pairs were £36 - 3 years later they are still going strong....
 
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