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Remember these first look videos are not full SUPboarder reviews, they’re not even close! They are unedited, gut feeling videos showing what’s in the box and how they look for the first time.

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The post Don’t stop paddling / Ideas to keep you paddleboarding this winter appeared first on SUPboarder Magazine.

In our SUPboarder PRO Head to Head Test on Beginner Surf SUPs, we dive into the best options available for those new to the world of surf stand-up paddle surfing. A beginner surf SUP is specifically designed to make learning easier for new riders, offering stability, ease of paddling, and user-friendly handling in smaller waves. These boards generally feature a wider, thicker shape that enhances balance while allowing beginners to confidently navigate waves without compromising maneuverability. Our test compares six beginner Surf SUPs, highlighting how each board performs in terms of stability, wave entry, and turning capability. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to find the perfect beginner board for small-wave surfing, this test provides valuable insights to help you make an informed decision and get the most out of your early surfing experiences.

The post Beginner SUP Surf Test 2024 / SUPBOARDER PRO HEAD TO HEAD appeared first on SUPboarder Magazine.

The post Join us for the most unique paddle race in the world! Last Paddler Standing 2024 LIVE STREAM appeared first on SUPboarder Magazine.

There are so many skills and manoeuvres that you can do and practice on flat water to help your SUP surfing when the waves are on. Is this pro video we look at what you can try when you want to go surfing but there’s not a wave in sight!

The post SUP surfing skills on flat water / Get ready for the waves! appeared first on SUPboarder Magazine.

I ride a SUP—yes, a stand-up paddleboard. I’m out there on my longboard SUP or shortboard SUP, catching waves that others can’t even dream of reaching. On small surf days, I paddle the entire stretch of beach, picking off waves, working my fitness, and growing stronger. Meanwhile, the old-timers? They sit in the same spot for hours, barely moving, barely catching anything, riding the same wave—if they’re lucky—that they’ve ridden for decades. It’s like watching a replay of the same old tape.

What’s stopping them from breaking out of that cycle? I’ll tell you: it’s not just the busted body or the aching joints; it’s the mindset. There’s a stubborn resistance to think outside the box, to even consider new ways of doing things. It’s not just about riding a SUP—it’s about trying something new, being open to change, and maintaining curiosity. SUP is one of the original water sports—it came long before shortboard surfing—but when I paddle out, I’m met with sneers and scoffs, as if what I’m doing isn’t “real surfing.”

But here’s the thing: this rigid thinking doesn’t just break your body; it breaks your spirit. These guys look worn out, not just from the years of wear and tear on their joints, but from the exhaustion that comes with living inside a narrow mindset. The ocean should rejuvenate them, fill them with life, and yet, you can see it on their faces—agitation, frustration, tiredness.

I once suggested to a surfing buddy that he give SUP a go since he’s getting older and his body isn’t what it used to be. His reply? “I’ll just go fishing.” Cool, mate. You can sit onshore and fish while I catch 50 waves and stay in shape.

But this response is telling—it’s more than just laziness or pride. I think it’s fear. Fear of trying something new and getting teased by the boys. Imagine that, at 50 years old, still worried about being mocked by your mates for thinking differently. It makes me wonder—did these guys ever have the confidence to carve their own path? Did they ever develop the ability to think for themselves? Or have they just been going with the flow, following the same tired patterns?

What I see so clearly in the ocean every day is the failure to grow, to extend beyond the norm, to stay open. These older surfers are the same generation that once represented rebellion, freedom, and the thrill of new frontiers. Now? They’ve fallen in line, just like the people onshore they once swore they’d never be like. It’s ironic, and it’s tragic.

The lesson I’ve learned from them is simple: original thinking keeps you alive. It keeps your body fit, your mind sharp, and your spirit full of zest. The moment you close yourself off from new ideas, new experiences, or new ways of thinking, you begin to break down. You become that tired old guy, sitting on the same busted board, stuck in the same place, while the world—while life—passes you by.

So, here’s to trying new things, thinking outside the box, and paddling out into life with curiosity, confidence, and a whole lot of waves.

……………………….

Thanks Evan for kindly sharing your article. We totally agree! You can never have too many water toys!

Evan Sutter is SUPer and ultra athlete based in Bar Beach, Australia, who as well as enjoying a mix of long distance river and ocean paddles and SUP surfing, is a well being coach and author.  Evan has recently completed a 300+ km paddle down the Hunter River and is soon to be embarking on a 112km paddle (1 day) down the Hawkesbury River.

To follow Evan’s paddling, work and wellbeing blogs check out his website.

The post How Old Surfers Taught Me the Power and Importance of Original Thinking / Evan Sutter appeared first on SUPboarder Magazine.

As a SUPboarder Pro member, you can send in your clips for the experts to analyse. Here we have Ismo from Chile who has sent in his clips to breakdown. Ismo would like to become more efficient with his stroke, get more power and have better tracking when paddling. In this video, we speak about a few key changes Ismo can make to his stroke that will help him achieve his goals. Hopefully you can identify some things to introduce into your paddling.

The post Readers Video Breakdown / Efficient Paddle Technique appeared first on SUPboarder Magazine.

Just because the water and weathers getting colder it doesn’t mean you have to stop paddling. With the right clothing, paddling during the Autumn/Winter months can be great fun.

Clothing that protects you from the elements, whether that be wind or rain, and keeps you warm both in and out the water is essential.

It’s also important your clothing is comfy and unrestrictive to ensure your paddling remains fun. Ideally that’s clothing that’s moisture wicking, breathable, waterproof, has thermal properties to help keep you warm, comfy when wet or dry, doesn’t get heavy and weigh you down when wet, and is easy to layer up.

Layering your clothing rather than just wearing one thick layer will allow you to easily add/remove clothing layers to best suit the weather and the type of paddling you’re doing. Rooster are a brand that offer some great clothing layering options for SUP, with a mens, womens and juniors range.

About Rooster

Rooster was set up in 1999 primarily for the dinghy sailing market to “increase accessibility in being able to buy the right kit to enable all watersports enthusiasts to perform on the water, at an affordable price.”

With huge growth in the SUP, and similarity between dingy sailing and SUP in terms of being mainly dry on the water, but the possibly of getting wet too, Rooster are now making a name for themselves in the SUP market, with their layered clothing providing some good options for all year round paddling.

They have a good environmental focus, and over the last few years have started using more eco friendly premium materials and products including water based glue, limestone based neoprene, dope dyed yarn, and recycled polyester. They have also reduced their use of plastic and cardboard packaging where possible, exchanging for reusable mesh bags instead. As well as collaborating with the Ocean Co, a global movement dedicated to collecting 7 billion ocean-bound plastic bottles by 2025.

Find out more about Rooster and their full range on their website

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By Hector Jessel, Starboard UK Team rider.

2023 Head of the Dart men’s winner.

Introduction

Hi my name is Hector and I’m a SUP racer/team rider for Starboard UK and am the current National Champion. As the winner of the 2023 Head Of The Dart men’s fleet, I am hoping to return for 2024 and defend my title.

In this article and am going to talk about how I prepare for a race like this as well as offering advice for first time racers who might be feeling unsure about the prospect of entering their first event.

Physical preparation

Last year was my first international racing season which continued right up into November. I had some time off over Christmas and started training again in the New Year, working towards the first race of the UK 2024 season, at Bewl in a few weeks. Most of my winter training has consisted of long, “steady-state” paddling and as races draw closer I like to up the intensity of my sessions. Everyone trains differently, depending on where they live, the conditions and their time schedule. But one thing that I see all good racers do is cross train. Whether this is swimming twice a week at your local pool or going to the gym after work, cross training is a great way to stay fit off the water and it can be a great opportunity to give your paddling muscles a rest and work on other muscle groups. I also like to do paddling-specific exercises in the gym and I have seen a big improvement in strength and fitness from this. For a beginner racer, paddling 2 days a week and cross training 2 days a week would be a realistic target to reach on the lead up to an event.

My own training regime has steadily been growing over the last few years and as I will now be competing in the Open men’s division I am now training twice a day, 6 days a week with one rest day. At least 4 of these sessions will be on the board and the others I’ll either be in the gym, on the bike, swimming, or the occasional surf. I understand that most racers do not (need to) train this seriously, nor do they have the time.

Conditions

When preparing for a race it is important to know the possible range of conditions that you may be presented with on race day and to prepare for the worst. This way, when you turn up, you will be prepared for whatever the conditions present. An example of this is the HoTD. The Dart can have strong winds which may create small, frequent chop. It is sensible to practice in conditions like this at least a few times before the race just to familiarise yourself with the water state. Knowing the conditions will give you a slight edge on your competitors confidence wise. For new racers, the most daunting part of a race is normally the start because it involves the roughest water and there is very little space between you and the other racers. To prepare for this, I recommend paddling in rougher conditions and, if possible, practising your starts next to other paddlers. If, by the time race day comes, you are still not feeling confident, then you can wait behind on the line and start paddling when the quicker racers are ahead of you.

Clothing

There’s nothing worse than being too hot or cold during a race. This is why selecting the right clothing for the conditions is vital for an enjoyable event. Personally, I get quite hot when I am racing, so I tend to wear just a pair of board shorts and the race bib for most races. If the conditions are colder then I like to wear my 1.5mm wetsuit leggings and a few under-layers on top. It is important to account for your skill level and the water conditions when deciding what to wear. For example, if the water conditions are looking rough and you don’t feel confident with your balance, then it might be sensible to wear a wetsuit or extra neoprene layers. Something that is great about events like Head Of The Dart is that there is a massive range of abilities and everyone has different preferences when it comes to kit. If you are unsure what to bring, then it’s best to wear too many layers than too little.

My kit

  For the race I will be riding my brand new 2024/5 Allstar 14’ x 21.5” along with using my Black Project paddle and fin. If you would like to test ride any of these then please speak to me after the race and I will happily lend them out.

Conclusion

I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have  writing it. If you have any other questions about the race then you can contact Fiona through the race website. I would also be very happy to answer any questions through my Instagram account  @hectorjessel. I look forward to seeing you all at the 2024 Head Of The Dart SUP race.

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In this video breakdown of Beth, we found it very interesting how a whitewater paddler takes to the surf, and we are sure many of you will get something out of this video.

One thing is clear, it’s not going to take long for Beth to get good in the surf. Look out for more videos where we will drag her away from the rivers to hit the beach. 

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