Ho Stevie SUP Sock and Canvas Bag Review

If you're looking for a protective cover for your standup paddle board then consider the SUP Sock or Canvas Bag from Ho Stevie. Both covers provide protective coverings for your SUP and are a great option for protecting your boards from harmful UV rays, scratches and in some cases even dings. The board covers work for both inflatable and non-inflatable standup paddle boards and are available in a range of sizes from 8 feet to 12 feet in length. Priced at $64.97, these board covers offer great value in your SUP investment.

First up we have the Canvas Bag. Immediately on opening the box that it arrived in you could see the quality of the canvas material. It definitely gives a premium look and feel to it. It has a 3-tone color way which is very subtle but adds in a nice design touch, rather than just having one color throughout. The standup paddle board that was put in it was a 10'0" x 32" so there was a bit of spare room there with the extra fabric. It would probably be pretty perfect for a 12' or 11' board as intended. With the extra slack you're able to carry the board by the grip of the handle however it might be a little more difficult to carry when there is less slack when you're using the proper board size for the board bag because the material does not have any stretch to it so keep that in mind. At the tail of the bag, it closes up with a drawstring tightener. The bag definitely feels like it is a good protector of the board from minor scratches and dings that you could get when not using the bag. It's thick enough but not too thick. Also, because the canvas material is a bit more durable and higher quality it will likely add a couple pounds to the overall weight of the board when you're transporting it. It should be pretty negligible but still something to note. Overall, the canvas bag is quite a premium product and should be a great asset to protect your SUP.

Moving on to the SUP sock, it came in a little zip up mesh bag which was a nice surprise as we weren't expecting it to come in any type of carrier. The mesh bag is definitely meant to be reusable but does seem like it is more on the fragile side. That being said, let's move on to the actual board sock. The material is really nice and soft and is very nice to the touch. The sock features this material throughout the entire length except for the nose. Here, the material transitions to a tougher canvas material, possibly the same as the canvas bag, which is a nice feature as it will give the nose of you board just a bit more protection. The nose of the board also features a Ho Stevie branded logo and a stitched in tag that notes the size of the board sock which is a nice little detail there. At the tail of the sock it has the drawstring tightener which is nice to have, and there's also a little pocket that could be used for something small like a fin key, tool, sunscreen or other. The quality of the material is a bit lower than what we see on the canvas bag in terms of durability and it does seem more susceptible to snags and tears. As a reference, the sock size that we had was a bit larger than the board we tested with. We tested with a 10'4" x 31" in the 12' sock so there was plenty of room to spare but even with the extra space on the length, the width there was plenty of room for an even wider board if needed. It's definitely a quality sock for the price point.

When looking at each bag side by side, they're both 12 foot bags but the sock definitely seems to have a bit more length to it which is interesting. For both bags, fins can be on or off the board so no fin removal is required to use either of the bags. When looking at the thickness of the materials on both the canvas bag and the sock, it seems about the same. So one won't be any more cushiony over the other. But the ruggedness of the canvas bag is more apparent as the material is less likely to get snagged on something or get a hole in it because the material is more stiff versus the softness of the sock. Carrying the board with the canvas or sock bags on might be a little more difficult without the handles being usable. You might need to take it out of the bag at your car rather than carrying it down to the beach or launch site. Another thing worth noting is that the bags are not waterproof or water resistant. They do absorb water and will get wet so if your boards are stored in an uncovered area outside and they get exposed to rain and other elements, they will likely wear down over time.

Overall, with both bags being priced the same, if you're looking for something more rugged and durable, the Canvas bag is the bag for you. Alternatively, if you're looking for a softer bag that has some stretch to it, the sock is your best bet between the two.