Have you, by chance, seen those paddleboards that are now being displayed in the big box stores? I have. And, did you wonder what it would be like to try one out – either on the local river or lake – or maybe even take one to the beach? I did. However, I realized that I knew nothing about SUP, or Stand Up Paddleboarding – so I did some research and the following is what I found out.
Where did stand up paddleboarding begin?
The first stand up paddleboards were actually long, low profile canoes. Hawaiians used them for transportation and fishing. Many historians point to the Hawaiian surfing community of the 1930s as the first notifiable SUP presence as a pastime, with stand up paddling as a sport not developing a real global presence until as recently as 2005. Continue reading
Perhaps you have done a lot of research, your friends rave about SUPs, and you just want to rush out and buy one. Slow down, pump your brakes and cool your jets. There are a few things you need to know so that you get the perfect stand up paddleboard, especially if this is your first time purchasing this unique and versatile piece of water sport equipment. Follow the 5 tips below when purchasing your first paddleboard and you will never suffer buyer’s remorse. Continue reading
Every sport has its own language, and stand up paddle boarding is no different. While it doesn’t take a genius to understand exactly what someone is referring to when they speak about their SUP board or paddle, some SUP terms may lead to some serious head scratching if you are new to the sport. Let’s take a closer look at some of the slang and lingo used in the stand up paddleboarding community. Continue reading
