I was first introduced to standup paddling (SUP) in 2012 in Marina Del Rey, California. I rented a board from a local shop and went out on the water with my brother. It was a lot of fun and a great workout! I had just started training for my first marathon so that took up most of free time, but supping was never far from my mind. Living in Colorado we don’t have the ocean to paddle on but there are plenty of lakes and rivers. That got me thinking about whitewater paddling. I

The world’s top standup and prone paddlers battled it out over the weekend at California’s Doheny State Beach Local knowledge. It can mean the difference between success and failure. A good time and a bad time. Winning and losing. For a number of the world’s top standup paddlers competing at the 4th annual Pacific Paddle Games at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point California over the weekend, local knowledge gained over countless hours spent training in the ocean off Doheny (Do

A simple and effective way to schlep your SUP I was extremely skeptical, bordering on resistant when I first saw the SUP Hipster online. Had it not been a trusted friend who made the introduction, I would have likely rejected the review opportunity outright. Heck, I wasn’t even sure if I had a board that would be relevant to use with the SUP Hipster at first. I own an Infinity Downtown, a New Deal, and a pair of inflatables from Hala. The perfect quiver for my standup paddlin

Hi PaddleXaminer, I’m starting to look at new boards and the dugout shape caught my eye.  any shot you will write an article about the pros & cons of each board type?  It’d be great to read about the differences. Thanks, Eric Great question! The number of dugout standup paddleboards is on the rise presenting paddlers with some interesting options. Dugout shapes are all about lowering your center of gravity to increase stability. This is why many SUPs with a dugout shape are d

SUP Review: Red Paddle Co. Wild white water SUP I met up with Jordan Curet who represents Red Paddle Co (Red) in the US, on Friday August 18 for a demo of the Wild MSL board. We planned to paddle a four-mile stretch of the Colorado River outside of Kremmling, CO. The Wild is specifically designed for white water paddling and I was excited to try out the board. My previous experience on white-water has been on an all-around board which functions fine in the white-water, but I

Choosing a SUP for whitewater paddling can be confusing. Sure, you’ve probably heard that inflatable SUPs are the way to go, but there are still a lot of options. Are all inflatables suitable for paddling in whitewater? The short answer, no. Stability Stability is an important factor in all aspects of standup paddling (SUP), but the balance element really comes into play when stepping onto moving water. A sub 30 inch SUP may glide through the flats, but if you are paddling wh

The SUP Community The question is simple enough. Why do people stand up paddle? The answers to the question are as diverse as the day is long. Some do it for the fitness benefits. Others gravitate towards racing and frequent any number of events now held around the world on any given weekend. SUP is fun, easy to pick up and it can be a great entry-level activity to introduce people to the wonderful world of paddlesports. One can stand up paddle on any body of water, in any cl

Is your SUP paddle to long?  Changing your paddle’s length does not require you to purchase a new stand up paddle.  As Quickblade Paddles founder Jim Terrell demonstrates in the accompanying video, modifying your paddle’s length can be done at home or by a trained staff member at your local SUP shop. Many élite SUP racers have begun shortening the length of their paddles.  The advantage in doing so is to increase the amount of torque during their stroke – particularly when pa