With allrounder paddle boards, the name already reveals the area of use.
The rounded nose, the wide tail, the soft edges and the rounded shape give the allrounders balanced riding characteristics, so they can be used for various purposes.
The boards are a good choice for relaxed cruises over the nearby lake, exploration tours through narrow canals, shorter tours, riding small waves and for yoga.
Allround paddle boards are typical boards for beginners. SUP beginners do not yet know what they will enjoy about paddle boarding. The versatile allrounders are very useful for this reason. The wide design also ensures that the boards are very safe in the water and allow a stable stand.
If you want to try out paddle boarding for the first time, you certainly don’t want to invest a fortune right away. It comes in handy that many allrounder boards are very affordable. Allrounders also often come with a bunch of accessories.
Beginners who don’t yet have the basic equipment might find it convenient that many allround paddle boards come with a paddle, a backpack, an air pump and a leash.
Dog owners who want to try paddling with a dog are also well advised to go with an allround board. A number of special allround boards have been developed for this purpose. These boards are equipped with extra thick deck pads that dog claws can’t damage.
In the following, we will go into what is important with allround paddle boards and present our favorites among them.
Table of Contents
Best Allround Paddle Boards
#1 Bluefin Cruise
The Bluefin Cruise is one of the best SUP boards on the market. What convinces me most about the Cruise SUPs is the high-quality workmanship of the boards and accessories. Clearly, no quality has been spared here. Last but not least, the Bluefin Cruise comes with an incredible five-year warranty.
#2 Wowsea Bionics B1
The WOWSEA Bionics B1 (formerly known as WOWSEA Waterdrop) is an excellent board for beginners. The well-built and extremely affordable paddleboard convinced us with its great construction, which makes the board very stable on the water. Also, there is lots of additional solid-quality gear included in the package, which is great for beginners.
#3 Aqua Marina Beast
The Aqua Marina Beast is a very solid all-around board and an excellent choice for the price. It has been on the market for years and continues to be very popular. The board is great for ambitious beginners as it offers a lot with its great construction quality (including additional rail reinforcements), extended features (great deck pad with a kick pad) and its high-quality gear.
#4 Moai Allround 11′
The MOAI Allround 11' closes the gap between all-rounders and touring boards. The paddleboard of the Dutch brand combines many advantages of both board types. The MOAI Allround 11' is very well-built and comes with a whole accessory package (including a very high-quality backpack and a lightweight fiberglass paddle).
#5 Penguin Lancer
Both the Penguin Lancer and the included accessories of the Lancer are very well-made. The board is very well-built and durable, but with just 10 kilograms (22 lbs) relatively light-weight. It got a cool design and offers many features. With its wide built, the paddleboard is best suited for beginners.
#6 Decathlon Itiwit X100 10′
The Decathlon Itiwit X100 10' is one of the most popular paddleboards for beginners. Decathlon's 10 ft long allrounder, which is available in red and turquoise, is a very good choice for lightweight beginners (up to max 75 to 80 kilograms or 165 to 175 lbs). Its very affordable price, well-built and great shape make the board stand out. However, there isn't much additional gear included in the package.
#7 Aqua Marina Fusion
The Aqua Marina Fusion is one of the most popular beginner paddleboards and is sold around the globe. Over the years, this paddleboard collected thousands of positive reviews. The Aqua Marina Fusion is built quality is proven, is neither cheap nor expensive and got a universally popular design.
#8 Bluefin Cruise Carbon
The Bluefin Cruise Carbon is one of the stiffest paddleboards in the world. It is more expensive than the normal Bluefin Cruise, but offers more in terms of stiffness, included gear and board features. With its weight, it's not the best model for travelling, but on the water this inflatable paddleboard comes as close to a hardboard as you can get.
Checklist: What Is Important for Allround Paddle Boards
- Measurements: the standard measurements of the classic allrounder are in the range of about 320 x 81 x 15 cm (10’6″ x 32″ x 6″). However, there are many differing models in length.
Shorter boards are generally more maneuverable, while longer models have better straight-line stability. In terms of width, dimensions around 80 cm (31″) have become established, which emphasizes the tipping stability which is very important for an allrounder. - Volume and load: It is very important that your allrounder has enough volume and buoyancy to carry your body weight without any problems. The size of the board is therefore quite crucial.
Smaller, compact allrounders (<320 cm / 10.5 ft) are therefore more suitable for children, teenagers and light adults. The heavier you are, the bigger the allrounder should be. Just take a look at the respective board review, there you will find our recommendations in terms of load capacity. - Weight: The net weight of most allround paddle boards is in the range between 7 (15 lbs) and 15 kg (33 lbs) and is influenced by the material construction and the size. You can use this calculator for the conversion of kg and lbs.
- Stiffness: Good stiffness is fundamentally important in terms of load capacity and riding characteristics. Boards with double or even multi-layer outer shells (“double or multi-layer boards”) are clearly ahead in this respect.
- Equipment (features): Most allrounders have a luggage net, which, however, varies in size. Additional D-rings for mounting a kayak seat (sometimes included) can often be found and expand the areas of application. They also differ in the number of carrying straps.
A kickpad (elevation in the back area of the standing surface) can be used on some boards for spectacular turns and turning maneuvers. - Scope of delivery: Allrounder boards are especially popular with beginners, accordingly they are often offered with a complete accessory package (backpack, paddle, pump, leash possibly kayak seat etc.).
- Price: The prices of allround paddle boards differ significantly. In the vast majority of cases, however, the price is also an indication of the quality and durability.
FAQ
Why do many beginners start with an allround paddle board?
This is mainly due to the very high tipping stability and the wide range of applications. For every beginner, keeping balance is the first barrier on the way to becoming a pro.
Furthermore, beginners want to try out many facets of paddle boarding, so allrounders are the best choice for that!
Learn more about allround paddle boards.
What characterizes an allround paddle board?
Allrounders are, so to speak, the compromise of different characteristics. They have good tipping stability, are easy and agile to control and ride well.
The rather rounded construction of the boards forgives many a mistakes made by beginners.An allrounder board is absolutely versatile and can be used on a variety of waters, ideal for testing out all areas.
Learn more about allround paddle boards.
Which paddle board brands make good allround paddle boards?
The range of allrounder boards is constantly growing and becoming more and more confusing. Even many non-specialist manufacturers are jumping on the trend of stand up paddle boarding and offer inexpensive allrounders under their own name.
Personally, I can only advise you to continue to rely on the allrounders of the well-known brands. Even if these are a bit more expensive, you are usually better served in terms of quality and have a guarantee!
We have already tested hundreds of paddle boards since 2016 and in our overview of the best paddle boards you will find many recommended allround boards for every budget!
