Paddling professionals are the most demanding group when it comes to equipment. Particularly high-quality materials are used to build paddle boards for professionals.
A particularly lightweight and sturdy construction is typical for this type of boards. Another trend is that professional paddle boards are not only used for normal touring paddling, but are often designed with individual special uses in mind.
Most paddlers get into water sports with an allround paddle board. On this board, the paddlers then gather their first experiences.
After one or two seasons, longer tours are planned and a switch to touring paddle boards is made. Often it then goes straight towards more speed and the paddlers end up with race paddle boards.
Another trend is that paddle boards for professionals are being built for specific uses. For example, fishing paddle boards are designed for the special requirements of paddle board fishing.
They offer extra stability with a wide design and reinforced edges, have numerous D-rings for attaching gear, and are usually equipped with fishing rod holders that make a long day of fishing on the water more comfortable.
Some true paddling professionals also venture into whitewater. The so-called Whitewater paddling is still small in number, but is growing from season to season.
The special Whitewater paddle boards are built enormously robust, so that they even withstand collisions with rocks. Furthermore, these boards are built wide and offer a lot of stability. Some models also have handles on the deck that paddle boarders can hold on to in dicey situations.
Below, we’ll go into what’s important about pro paddle boards and present our favorites among professional paddle boards.
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Pro Paddle Board Review: the 3 Best Paddle Boards for Professionals
#1 Bluefin Sprint Carbon
The Bluefin Sprint Carbon is a very good race board for advanced paddlers looking for the experience of a hardboard on the water, but the comfort of an inflatable paddleboard when transporting and storing it. This ultra-stiff paddleboard has great tracking. Due to the level of workmanship and its carbon reinforced rails, this board is as close to a race hardboard as you can get. You should consider the 5-year warranty and included high-quality SUP equipment.
#2 Penguin Competition
The Penguin Competition is a great race board that meets all criteria advanced paddlers are looking or in a racing paddleboard. Except for a paddle, all accessories are included in the large accessory set. With its extra-long, pointed design, this board reaches high speeds and is a great choice for races and longer tours.
#3 Bluefin Sprint
The Bluefin Sprint is one of the best race paddleboards on the market. The very high-quality workmanship, the extensive accessory package and the uncompromising focus on maximum speed are the biggest arguments for the board from Bluefin. This race board also comes with a five-year warranty.
Checklist: Here’s What’s Important about Paddle Boards for Pros
- Board type and area of use: In this board class you will find exclusively very powerful touring and racing boards that meet the highest demands. They are all designed for very sporty and experienced users.
- Dimensions: For professionals, flawless directional stability and high speeds are the most important. The boards are therefore very long, narrow and absolutely streamlined cut. The very slim shape (contour) has a low water resistance and therefore glides excellently.
- Volume and load: Due to the above-average length, most boards for professionals have a fairly high volume and a correspondingly solid load. In terms of performance, however, it is enormously important, especially for models with very good glide, that you do not load them with too much weight. In the respective board review, we therefore give you realistic values regarding the load capacity, which you should definitely consider.
- Weight: In this respect, the manufacturers are in a bit of a dilemma. On the one hand, the boards have to be constructed to a very high standard, which usually leads to a higher weight. On the other hand, however, lighter boards can be accelerated better. To be able to realize both features, special manufacturing techniques and materials are used. Carbon, for example, is very light yet mega-strong, and in the so-called “fusion process”, thinner PVC layers are fused to form a very stable layer.
- Stiffness: High stiffness is the guarantor for first-class gliding behavior. That is why many paddle boards for professionals have material layers made of carbon. These carbon fiber mats stiffen the entire construction and are still very light!
- Scope of delivery: The scope of delivery of paddle boards for professionals varies. Many very experienced paddlers already own high-quality and individual accessories and are therefore happy if there is a board without accessories in the trade. However, some professional paddle boards also come with a complete accessory package, which is then usually also qualitatively suitable.
- Price: In terms of price, the paddle boards for professionals are of course in the upper range (premium boards). This is simply due to the high-quality, more expensive components or materials (carbon, etc.) and the elaborate and very good processing quality. The price / performance ratio is, however, seen so, still coherent!
Which Paddle Board for Professionals is the Best?
The Bluefin Sprint Carbon is currently the best paddle boards for professionals on the market. Bluefin’s inflatable race paddle board is superbly crafted and made of high-quality materials throughout.
The scope of delivery includes a lot of high-quality accessories. Above all, the Bluefin Sprint convinces with a safe straight running, the modern design and the great degree of stability.
Furthermore, the board can be converted into a kayak with an additional kayak seat (not included). All in all, the Bluefin Sprint is a top race paddle board that finds a good compromise between maximum speed and tipping stability, making it a very good choice for all paddling pros out there.
