SUP is the shortened form of the water sport called standup paddle board, which is gaining popularity by the day. It has long been believed that the popularity of kayaking as a water sport increased steadily since the 1990s and early 2000s. It would be equally good to say that paddling in kayaks has become a favorite of the fastest growing. Well, it looks like this sport will soon have to ditch any of these titles.
Paddle boarding may not be your favorite water sport yet, but it is gaining popularity very quickly.
Understanding the Standup Paddle Board
The origin of the standup paddle board is the same as that of other board sports, and that is Hawaii. SUP, also known as “Hoe he’e nalu”, has very ancient roots. However, it has now become popular with many photographers and surf instructors.
SUP basically employs one type of surfboard in conjunction with a long paddle. In this sense, it is a mix of surfing and canoeing. Credit for making it popular goes to Laird Hamilton, who made use of tow waves to grab pallets from Hawaii. But now, SUP is not just for surfing. SUP can be enjoyed in many other ways. like flat water lakes to facilitate beach paddling, open water paddling and even waves for surfing.
Starting with SUP
Although you can visit a store and buy the first or cheapest board, it may not be the best option to get started in this sport.
The design, and therefore the value of SUP paddles and boards, varies greatly. It is not difficult to guess that better quality plates will be more expensive. At the same time, the best boards are more suitable for use by intermediate and experienced rowers.
Here are some tips that beginners will find helpful. After you have decided to gain paddle board experience, you should call one of the SUP shops in your area and get a rental board for the first few lessons. It may be a good idea to rent boards from different manufacturers to find which one suits you best. It is not uncommon for many stores to adjust the rental cost in the final price of the new plate they would buy. So, check this out. There is absolutely no harm in starting with used equipment. You can locate many used equipment dealers through classified ads in local newspapers. Some stores also offer boards that were used for demos or used boards at considerably lower prices.