The Aqua Marina Fusion is better than the Lidl Paddleboard, if you aim for mid-range or longer paddle tours. With its more affordable price and higher weight capacity, the Lidl paddleboard is a great choice for beginners first want to get their feet wet.
A paddle board is a fast-growing water sport where you stand on a surfboard and use a long shaft as a paddle to propel yourself over the surface of the water. With paddle boards, you can explore your environment more closely, and they are the perfect choice for any type of water sport enthusiast.
They are great fun, but also quite an investment if bought new. Luckily, there’s a great selection of cheap paddle boards on the market, so there’s no reason to not try out this exciting new sport. The Lidl Paddle Board and the Aqua Marina Fusion are among the most popular choices for beginners.
We’ve been featuring some other Lidl paddleboard alternatives on this blog. In the past, we’ve also written about the Bluefin Cruise vs Lidl Paddleboard or even Decathlon’s SUPs vs the Lidl Paddleboard.
However, there are differences in terms of weight capacity, included gear, pricing, built quality. Both board have their own set of pros and cons. In the following guide, we analyse both models in-depth, and you can find out which board is better suited to your needs.
Table of Contents
Weight Capacity
Looking at the weight capacity, there are several differences between the boards to consider. The Lidl Paddle Board has a total weight capacity of 120 kg, whereas we recommend the Aqua Marina Fusion to a weight limit of 110 kg.
This makes it both boards advisable for families with small children who want to have some fun on the water – or maybe for paddlers who just happen to be a bit heavy.
Built Quality
When it comes to the built quality, the boards are quite equal – but there is one significant difference.
The Lidl Paddleboard does have two separate air chambers. This is a decent extra feature in terms of safety, and it’s definitely a bonus when you consider that this board is cheaper compared to the Aqua Marina Fusion.
Overall, the Lidl Paddleboard is more stiff than the Aqua Marina Fusion.
Included Gear
The Lidl Paddleboard comes in a comprehensive set with lots of paddleboard accessories. In the package, you will find a leash that keeps your board secure to your ankle in case of emergency, an adjustable paddle that lets you adjust it to your size.
Also included are an air pump, a backpack, a waterproof bag, a tool kit for repairs, and a kayak seat.
The Aqua Marina Fusion is available at different stores, all offering different versions, including different sets of gear.
Pricing
The Lidl Paddleboard is usually more affordable than the Aqua Marina Fusion, but this might vary from store to store.
In our opinion, the Lidl Paddle Board offers a better price / value ratio for beginners with a family. This is because it comes with a comprehensive set of gear – and since paddling can be quite an investment for beginners, this is definitely a bonus.
However, the Lidl Paddleboard does have its weaknesses when it comes to durability and disciplines the Lidl SUP is great for and those it isn’t.
Board Shape
Let’s start with the Lidl Paddleboard. This board is a great option for those looking to use it as a family SUP. It has a maximum load capacity of 120 kg, which means that you can take small kids out with you on the water.
However, the board shape is quite wide, which makes this SUP less suitable for long distance paddling. With its width, the board slows you down in the water. Especially for mid-range and longer paddle tours, that’s an issue.
You’ll need to consider this when choosing which of the boards to buy.
The Aqua Marina Fusion has a slightly slimmer shape, and it’s better suited for mid-range and longer distance paddling and tracking in comparison to the Lidl Paddleboard.
Built Quality
Both boards are pretty stiff. The two chamber built of the Lidl Paddleboard gives it extra stiffness, which is great on the water. Especially if you are taking for kid(s) or dog(s) with you on a tour.
However, in the past there have been many reports of issues with the Lidl paddleboard such as problems with the stitching on the rails, the deck pad coming off and problems with the glueing.
In this post about the Lidl Paddleboards’ durability, we’ve summed it all up with and even found some customer reviews online.
That’s one of the reasons, we highly discourage everyone from buying a second-hand Lidl paddleboard.
Final Words
Both paddleboards are popular among beginners, and rightfully so!
These boards offer a great value, and they’re ideal for beginners with a family.
However, the Lidl Paddleboard is more suitable for paddlers with children and dogs, since it has got wider and offers more volume.
The Aqua Marina Fusion offers better tracking when you want to do some mid-range or long distance paddling.
At the end of the day, both boards offer great value and the Aqua Marina Fusion is a great choice for beginners and a worthy alternative to the Lidl Paddleboards.
To find more about the Aqua Marina Fusion, read this review here.
Also, you can check out our comparison of the Aqua Marina Beast vs Fusion (two of the most popular models by Aqua Marina). We’ve also compared the Aqua Marina Fusion with the Bluefin Cruise (another beginner favourite).
