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As experience grows, so do the demands on the material. Paddle boards for advanced paddlers are often narrower, more stable, and made of better and lighter materials.

Many of the boards also make good secondary boards.

Most paddlers get into Stand Up Paddling with an allrounder. In the beginning, many stand up paddlers gain their first experience with this board.

After one or two seasons, many athletes outgrow their first boards. Either longer tours are planned or the focus should be more on endurance and strength sports.

Another typical thing is that paddlers want to go more in the direction they particularly enjoy with the second board. Advanced paddle boards are often touring paddle boards, paddle boards for surfing or fishing paddle boards.

If you want to buy an advanced paddle board, you have to plan more money for the purchase than for the first board. In some cases, advanced riders also take the step from inflatable SUP boards to fixed SUP boards.

The material costs and transportation costs are significantly higher for hard boards, which is also reflected in the purchase price.

In the following, we will go into what is important for advanced paddle boards and present our favorites among advanced paddle boards.

Best Paddle Boards for Advanced Paddlers

Bestseller No. 1
Boardworks Navigator | Touring All Water Stand Up Paddleboard | Bombshell Epoxy Hardboard | 11' 6",...
  • Designed for Comfort and Maneuverability
  • Superior Glide and Great Tracking
  • Lifts UP Handle for Easy Portage and Locking
  • Forward and Aft Storage
Bestseller No. 2
Boardworks Raven | Touring All Water Stand Up Paddleboard | EXP Veneer - Epoxy Hardboard | 12' 6",...
  • Perfect for anyone who wants to explore longer...
  • This touring SUP is designed to maximize distance per...
  • Works equally well in calm lakes and bays as well as...
  • Integrated lifts up handle for easy carry and locking...
Bestseller No. 3
Bluefin SUP Stand Up Inflatable Paddle Board | 14' Sprint Model | Touring/Race Model | Complete with...
  • LOOKING FOR THE TOUGHEST ALL-INCLUSIVE SUP TOURING...
  • WE PLANT A TREE FOR EVERY PURCHASE - The environment is...
  • SPRINT DOES SPEED & GLIDE LIKE NO OTHER - Explore the...
  • DURABLE TRAVEL BACKPACK & LIGHTWEIGHT FIBREGLASS PADDLE...
Bestseller No. 4
Bluefin SUP 14′ Sprint Carbon Stand Up Paddle Board Kit – Advanced Touring SUP
  • ADVANCED TOURING SUP: The Sprint Carbon is the...
  • FRS: FLEX REDUCTION SYSTEM: Robust carbon fibre rovings...
  • AIR DUO INFLATION: Independent Inflation Loop Air Duo...
  • US BOX FIN + CARBON FIBRE PADDLE: 2 piece carbon paddle...
Bestseller No. 5
Boardworks SHUBU Raven | Touring All Water Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard | SUP Package Includes...
  • The Raven inflatable touring is up that is perfect for...
  • Package includes: inflatable paddle board, lightweight...
  • Dual Fusion laminate (DFL) combines a high density...
  • Ultra-comfortable Honey fob embossed deck pad provides...
Bestseller No. 6
Boardworks Great Bear | Touring All Water Stand Up Paddleboard | EXP Veneer - Epoxy Hardboard | 14',...
  • Perfect for anyone who wants to explore longer...
  • This Touring SUP is designed to maximize distance per...
  • Works Equally well in calm lakes and bays as well as...
  • Integrated Lifts UP Handle for easy carry and locking...
Bestseller No. 7
THURSO SURF Expedition 138 Touring Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board SUP 11'6x30''x6'' Woven...
  • The Expedition 138 Touring SUP Paddle Board is made to...
  • THURSO SURF inflatable SUP boast the strongest iSUP...
  • The included Carbon shaft paddle is the best paddle...
  • Details matter and THURSO SURF takes pride in including...
Bestseller No. 8
Sea Gods Skylla CX 11ft Inflatable Cross-Touring Stand Up Paddle Board ISUP- Dual Chamber Triple...
  • Board Dimensions: 11ft x 33"x 6"
  • Inflation pressure Max: 20psi, Recommended: 14-18psi
  • Premium Full accessory kit included
  • Ideal for flatwater, open water, oceans, lakes
Bestseller No. 9
Gladiator Elite Touring 14.0T Inflatable Paddle Board - 26 PSI Ultimate Technology 14' Touring Stand...
  • Ride with no limits: Paddle longer distances with the...
  • Spirit of adventure: From extreme experience that pumps...
  • Top of its class: We made a portable paddle board from...
  • Full kit: Order an ocean paddle board and get a...

Checklist: Here’s What’s Important About Advanced Paddle Boards

  • Board type and area of use: advanced paddlers attach great importance to sporty running performance, accordingly narrower touring boards and racing models are very popular with this target group.
    Due to their streamlined shape (silhouette), they have better straight-line stability and higher speeds can be achieved. Hardboards are also very popular in the professional sector, as they have a very stiff basic construction and glide even smoother through the water.
  • Dimensions: Tilt stability is less important for advanced riders than gliding performance and high speed. Therefore, suitable models are much narrower and longer than boards for beginners.
    When it comes to the thickness of inflatable boards, on the other hand, the tried and tested standard value of approx. 15 cm (6″) is recommended.
  • Volume and carrying capacity: In terms of volume, the smaller width is in most cases compensated for by the gain in length. Especially for large and heavy paddlers, a high volume is quite important.
    Unfortunately, some manufacturers tend to overstate the maximum carrying capacity. With this formula you can always calculate realistic values, besides, we always attach great importance to practical data in our board descriptions.
  • Weight: Paddle boards for advanced users are often a bit heavier than beginner models due to the very high-quality material construction. Since they are usually larger or longer overall, the material cost is higher.
  • Stiffness: Stiffness is very important in terms of performance, so that the board has a good contact surface even under load and glides confidently through the water.
    Advanced paddle boards usually have a double or multi-layer outer shell (“double or multi-layer boards”). Sometimes even further reinforcing elements are used (carbon elements etc.). Hardboards made of solid materials, however, are still the measure of all things in this respect.
  • Kickpad: The boards are less maneuverable due to their length. Some manufacturers try to compensate for this with a so-called “kickpad” (elevation in the rear area of the standing surface).
  • Scope of delivery: Advanced paddlers often already have some equipment and attach great importance to high-quality and individual accessories. For this reason, there are also some paddle boards for advanced paddlers with significantly lower scope of delivery.
  • Price: Paddle boards for advanced paddlers have to meet the highest requirements and are therefore on average much higher quality. Accordingly, they are also somewhat more expensive than the models for beginners.

FAQ

Are there advanced inflatable paddle boards (iSUPs)?

Of course, plenty! Due to technical advances in manufacturing and material construction, there are now a lot of high-performance inflatable paddle boards (iSUPs).

You can usually recognize suitable models directly by the narrow, streamlined shape (contour) with a pronounced board tip (nose).
More information about paddle boards for advanced can be found here.

Why do many advanced riders choose touring or race paddle boards?

It’s simply because of the much better gliding characteristics. Touring and especially racing boards have much less resistance in the water due to the tapered board tip (nose) and the slim, elongated silhouette and are therefore faster on the water.

They run much truer to the track and you can put more paddle strokes on the same side before you have to switch.
More information about paddle boards for advanced can be found here.

Which paddle board brands offer good advanced paddle boards?

Boards for advanced paddlers are the domain of well-known brand manufacturers. Every company specializing in paddle boards has numerous, suitable models in its range.

This also makes sense in that these companies stand for high quality and have the professional know-how to construct very high-performance specimens. In our best list you will find our current favorites, which also offer you a very good price-performance ratio.
More information about paddle boards for advanced can be found here.

Hi, my name is Max. In 2016, on my first SUP trip, I was still a bit shaky on the SUP board. But quickly the ambition grabbed me and my passion for SUP was ignited. That’s why I founded stand-up-paddling.org the same year. Our mission is to help beginners discover this sport and bring more transparency into the market with our in-depth product reviews.

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