Endurance athletes from other sports such as swimming, biking, and triathlon are one source of new stand up paddlers.  This article presents a somewhat contrarian view that endurance athletes can consider when purchasing an SUP board.

Getting to know the endurance athlete

Endurance athletes spend their lives going longer and/or faster in a straight line. This training takes hours. Endurance sport is as much a lifestyle as it is a hobby.Step one in understanding the endurance athlete is that they want to go longer and/or faster.

Endurance athletes are, therefore, coming to SUP looking for a workout.   Whether it is for cross training purposes, because they are injured, or their family is rejecting them because they are spending too much time on the bike, the workout is what they are after. SUP is much more palatable than (gasp) the elliptigo. Step two in understanding the endurance athlete is that they are looking for a workout.

Endurance athletes have the propensity to be a competitive herd animal.   If there is a group doing an endurance sport they want to join the pack. If someone else passes them while they are training, they want to jump on and draft. Getting dropped is unacceptable.  Step three in understanding the endurance athlete is that they are competitive. Laid back surfers or river fisherman they are not.

SUP board recommendations for endurance athletes.

In our experience, the most common recommendation found online and at board shops is that beginner paddlers should start with a hybrid or touring type of board.  These boards are generally big, wide, and stable.  Nearly all the boards stocked at surf shops, Costco, Sports Authority, and at every rental outlet around the world fall into this category.  The theory is that beginner paddlers should start here and then see if they like the sport.

To wit, the purchasing decision tree most surf shop owners use to help beginner paddlers goes something like this. Question 1: are you going to surf? Question 2: are you going to race? If the answer is no surfing and no racing the recommendation is for a hybrid/touring board.

This recommendation is perfect for the majority of beginner paddlers but may not be appropriate for endurance athletes because, like hybrid bikes,

these hybrid/touring boards are not the fastest SUP boards around.  Although they can be used to get a workout, if your goal is to go fast, go long, and not get dropped, these boards may not be up to the task. Endurance athletes view hybrid boards the way they view hybrid bikes and no self respecting endurance athlete would be seen riding around town trying to get a workout on a hybrid bike.

Our contrarian recommendation is that endurance athletes new to SUP should at least consider purchasing an SUP race board even if they do not plan on racing.  Even though SUP race boards may be less stable, more fragile, and significantly more expensive than a hybrid board, the better tracking (they go in a straight line better than a hybrid board) and ability to go faster will more than compensate for the instability, fragility, and cost.

When selecting a race board, the new paddler does not need to select the fastest board on the market. A stock board geared toward heavier riders can be as stable as some hybrid boards. Although they are not the fastest race boards on the market they will likely satisfy the needs of the endurance athlete.

Conclusion

Endurance athletes looking to get into SUP should understand their goals and needs.  The SUP industry should understand their endurance athlete clients. Endurance athletes should at least consider purchasing an SUP race board rather than a hybrid/touring board for their first SUP board even though it is contrary to common dogma regarding purchasing a beginner SUP board.

Perhaps the purchasing decision tree for endurance athletes should go something like this. Question 1: are you going to surf? Question 2: do you run marathons, play sports in college, do Ironman, or otherwise consider yourself an endurance athlete?  If they answers are no and yes…maybe a race board is the way to go.

Naish , Surftech , Riviera , Yolo , and Starboard are popular manufacturers that may have a race board to consider.