6 Brands Supporting Women in SUP

SAN DIEGO, California - In a sport where participation is practically split down the middle between men and women, women many times get the short end of the stick in all areas of the sport. Whether it’s an unequal prize purse in an event, or for that matter an invite period to an event, and even when it comes to gear, women are often an afterthought.

While much of the SUP industry has started to take notice of this fault there are a few brands who are leading the way when it comes to catering to the females of our sport. Here are 6 brands who have embraced female athletes and are designing products specifically with them in mind.

Surftech

While at the 2017 Outdoor Retailer Summer Show Surftech unveiled a line of women’s specific paddle boards in a collaboration with prAna. This exciting product launch consists of 3 composite SUPs (Aleka), 2 Inflatable SUPs (Alta), 2 adjustable carbon paddles, and 3 coil leashes. All products feature either the Marrakesh or Desert Geo prints from the prAna spring / summer 2018 swim collection. They carry the Sustainable Surf’s “ECOBOARD” validation for the use of alternative materials, bio resins, and Bloom Algae-based deck pads. Learn more about the new Surftech line here.

BOGA

BOGA has been leading the way in products designed with women in mind for years. With a main focus in the SUP Yoga and Fitness space their products are aesthetically stunning and eye catching. Females make up more than 80% of their ambassador list and these ladies are incredibly fit and badass. BOGA will no doubt continue on their path of being a female-focused brand as the industry grows. Learn more about BOGA here.

Photo Courtesy: BOGA 

Starboard

While Starboard has definitely been dabbling with pushing women-specific products in the past, earlier in 2017 they went full-throttle on this movement and introduced a line of women-specific SUPs. Partnering with their ambassador Sonni Honschied, Starboard released the Tikhine line featuring Sonni’s unique artwork with bold colors and eye-catching designs. Learn more about the Tikhine Collection here.

Donica Shouse paddling the new Tikhine collection. | Photo Courtesy: Starboard / John Carter

Paiwen

Paiwen Paddle Boards is based out of Vancouver, Canada and is a brand solely focused on the female paddler. Their mission is “to design and manufacture the best all-around StandUp Paddleboard Package for Women in the world and to build a healthy lifestyle around it.” Paiwen recognized the lack of designs for women and in 2009 started the company to fill the void and have put all of their focus on designing paddle boards specifically for females. Learn more about Paiwen Paddle Boards here. 

Photo Courtesy: Paiwen

Naish

Naish is a brand that is known for its racing, surfing and their staple of red and yellow boards. But, did you know they also have a line designed for females? The Naish Alana series has been a line of boards in Naish’s lineup for the past few years. The Alana series is designed as a women’s all-around cruising board that also bodes well in the surf. The boards are lightweight and easy to cary and also steer away from the iconic red and yellow colors that Naish is known for and gives these boards more of a feminine touch. Learn more about the Alana series here.

Photo Courtesy: Naish

SIC Maui

SIC Maui is another brand that is well-known for its roots in racing and sleek designs. However, in 2017 SIC launched a new range of boards called the FeelGood series that was geared towards the female paddle boarder. “These boards were designed with fun in mind. Whether it is flat water paddling or catching a few fun ones at your local break, these versatile boards will perform in all conditions.” The graphics are feminine but not overdone and look stunning. Learn more about the FeelGood Series here.

While we recognize that these aren’t the only brands in our industry that cater to women, they are among those that have stood out in the past few years. We’d love to hear your thoughts on who else you think is doing a great job catering to women in the comments below.

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