Yes, buying your own paddleboard is a good investment. There are many advantages to owning a paddleboard, as it gives you more flexibility on when and where to paddle, saves money if used regularly, and you can pick your own type of equipment.
First, buying your own paddleboard is a good investment.
But as a new and high-quality paddleboard cost several hundred pounds, you should think about the pros and cons for a bit.
And it’s not just about whether to purchase your own paddleboard. Nowadays, there are so many brands and models that it’s much more difficult to make the right choice.
We’ll help you find out if a paddleboard is a good investment for you.
In this article, we list the things to consider when you buy your own paddleboard.
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6 Reasons Why It’s a Good Idea to Invest in Your Own Paddleboard
If you are a regular paddleboarder, buying your own board might be the best investment you ever make. It can save you money and improve your paddling adventures.
#1 You Can Paddle Whenever You Want To
Most water sport stations renting out paddleboards are just open during business hours. Also, they usually only offer boards for the day.
When you own your own paddleboard, you can go paddling whenever you want to.
It’s even possible to paddle in the winter, but more about that later.
#2 It Saves Money
If you’re only going to use your board during the weekend or on your days off, buying your own board could be a good idea.
If you pay around £15 to £20 per hour, each rental session will easily cost you £30 to £60.
For any paddlers going out regularly, renting fees sum up pretty quick.
With just a few hours of paddling per week, you spend so much money that you could purchase your own paddleboard.
However, you shouldn’t pick the cheapest paddleboard. In most instances, a bit more pricey paddleboards are actually worth it.
#3 You’ll Get To Paddle During Peak Seasons
What we saw with some water sports stations is that during peak season, there were more people queuing up for boards than they had in stock.
Owning your own paddleboard gives you the advantage of being able to go paddling when others can’t.
#4 Explore More Areas
With your own paddle board, you are not bound to water bodies with a paddleboard rental station, which are not too common in some parts of the country.
You can explore more seas, channels, rivers and parts of the ocean shore.
#5 Pick Your Own Paddleboard Kit
There are so many paddleboards available.
When renting out a paddleboard, you get the model that’s available. With your own board, you can choose the exact model of board you want to buy.
From very stable, but slower all-rounders to touring boards, there is a huge variety of paddle available. You also get to pick the width, length and thickness of your board. Picking this kit yourself is a big advantage over buying a board from a rental station.
Also, you can purchase a complete kit with an inflatable board, which is lightweight and compact to carry around. It’s perfect for paddling on camping trips, or even if you just want to use it during an outdoor activity day.
Often, there is a bunch of additional gear included when purchasing a paddleboard.
#6 Paddle During the Winter
The summer months are not the only time of the year to go paddling. If you have your own board, you can also paddle in winter.
Just make sure that there is not too much ice, and you’ve got yourself a proper dry suit which protects you from the low temperatures.
How to Make Sure to Invest in the Right Paddleboard
For our blog, we’ve reviewed hundreds of paddleboards.
We’ve listed some tips on how to find the right in this post about how to choose a paddleboard.
If you want to jump right ahead, check out our best paddleboards post, where we list our most favorite models.
Here are some tips of what to consider when buying a board:
- Width: As a general rule of thumb, the wider the board, the more stable it is. But it’s also slower than a more narrow board.
- Length: The longer the board is, the faster it goes and the better it tracks. However, a longer board isn’t as easy to turn as a shorter board. That’s why it’s important to get yourself the right size of paddleboard.
- Board shape: There are three types of boards: All-rounders (which are very stable, great for beginners and kids), Touring boards (great for paddling long distances, or exploring open water like channels or rivers) and Racing boards (very narrow with a pointed nose and tail and are great for reaching the highest speeds)
- Included gear: Check if the board comes with a leash, a paddle, proper backpack, and/or a pump.
- Type: There are inflatable and epoxy boards. With an inflatable board, you always have to pump it up before paddling. It’s easy to carry around, but not as sturdy as an epoxy paddleboard. However, nowadays, somewhere between 95 to 98% of boards are inflatable paddleboards (or iSUPs). Most beginners prefer an inflatable board due to the much more affordable price.
To find more information, check out our guide how to choose the right paddleboard. Also, you should check out our post about how much to spend on a paddleboard in the UK.
Final Verdict
A paddleboard is a great investment if you are serious about taking up the sport.
It’s an investment in your own paddling, rather than renting out a paddleboard every time you want to go for a paddle.
However, to make sure that you invest in the right board, it’s important that you check out reviews on different brands and models, like our best paddleboards article.
