This very special image was submitted to the Supconnect Photo of the Month competition by Agnes Karsai 

Summer’s here. And like always, she brings a host of wonderful things for paddlers. Things we reminisce over during the coldest months of the year, anxiously waiting to re-experience them like it’s the first time all over again.

Warm water and cold drinks. Sweet smelling sunscreen. Flipflops and cooler boxes. Long, languid days. Night paddling under a full-moon. Morning sessions at sunrise. Post-work sessions at dusk. And a whole lot of all-day-weekend sessions. Road trips. Downwinders. Upriver tours. Onshore bowls. Glassy lakes. Camping. Glamping. More selfies than we care to mention. And endless bonfire discussions with your friends and loved ones. 

Yip, summer’s pretty sweet and we couldn't be happier to welcome her into town.

To help you get the most out of the fairest season of them all, we’ve put together a little guide, comprised of our favorite gear: clothing, accessories and boards. Just the basics. Simple, like summer. 

Enjoy...

Check out Supconnect's Summer Gear Guide for 2014. 

BOARDS

The 'Great Bear' 14' 

The Great Bear was made in collaboration with Canadian team ambassador, Norm Hann. This SUP is designed to be the ultimate tour and expedition board. Evolved from the Raven platform, the Great Bear is overall thinner throughout the hull and wider in the tail for extra stability . The nose shape and rocker have been refined for downwind paddling and cutting through heavy chop. We added more gear tie downs in the back and filled in the cock pit for watershed.

The Shubu Mod 10'6"

SHUBU "show up and blow up" INFLATABLE SUPs Made of extremely durable military grade, UV resistant rubber, these boards can take just about anything you can throw at them. Featuring a proven high density drop stitch construction making the SHUBU very rigid for better performance. Excellent for cruising, recreational surfing, touring, running rivers, or just goofing around, the SHUBU is extremely versatile, and fun is guaranteed!

For more, check out the Boardworks Surf Website.

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Recon 10'4"

New this year, the Recon 10’4” is the board that offers stability and performance for nearly any size rider. An updated version of last season’s Recon 10’6”, which excelled in larger waves, the 10’4” charges in small to large waves. The wider waist, fuller nose and squashed tail make this board very stable when making your way out to the lineup. Don’t waste energy standing on the outside waiting for your chance to drop in only to have your legs fatigued and blow your first turn. After all, it’s supposed to be fun, not a balancing act.

X 12.6

With its wave-piercing bow and a quick transition to flat, this “Stock Class” board has a great glide in “displacement mode” while in calm waters and is stable when in “planingmode” in choppier conditions. Sharp rails at the tail shear water for unlimited speed. This is your board of choice if you want a fast fitness / race board that has a bit more width for added stability. Remember: you are faster on your board than swimming next to it!

For more, check out the SIC website. 

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The Drift

The Drift inflatable paddle board by BOTE is a fistful of firsts, featuring the first ever wood inlay deck on an inflatable paddle board, BOTE's first Tackle Rac compatible inflatable and the first inflatable to come in it's own waterproof bag. This go anywhere, do anything paddle board is an uncompromising design bringing together all of the best features of our solid boards, with ease of a flexible board, and with its beautiful zebra wood deck, the BOTE Drift does it in style.

The Valhalla

In Norse mythology, Valhalla is the idyllic destination of warriors. The newest elite race board from BOTE is designed and built for copetitors with the warrior spirit. Featuring the industry's first progressive design including a forward swept "V" entry, water-shedding deck channels and stepped-hull technology. Designed with a harder than traditional rail for added stability in all conditions, the stepped-hull technology provides aeration for reduced drag. Made from BOTE's proprietary Chainmail® coposition, the Valhalla is designed to win the battle.

For more, check out the BOTE website.  

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The Space Pickle 

It may have the same name as last year but the board shapes have changed and new sizes are now available. The new Space Pickle will SUP surf, wake SUP and flat-water SUP.

Its unique wide tail is now much more pulled in allowing a quicker release off the top of a wave. And with its kicked up nose there will be no nose pearling when you are late into your turn. The board is flat under foot then progresses to an aggressive “V” spine. The flatness under foot allows the board to track straight but the “V” spine allows you to carve rail to rail when you want to. Whatever size you choose you can catch waves early, shred behind a boat or hit the flat-water.

Based on Slingshot’s Future Response Technology the Space Pickle is built with Wood Veneer Sandwich Construction (WVS). This proprietary construction controls the durability and flex of the board and the result is a proven lightweight, impact resistant board.

For more, check out the Slingshot website. 

Kailua Fit iSUP

The 2014 Mistral Kailua Fitness Inflatable SUP offers a totally new experience of having your fitness workout or Yoga session on the water! To step things up a bit you can transform the Mistral Kailua Fitness 11‘5" into an on the water fitness exercise machine by just integrating Mistral's All-round Elastic “Resistance” Band System.

Red Dot

The NEW RED DOT EPS Epoxy SUPs from Mistral are the perfect board for the first time paddler and are ideal for SUP schools and rental centers. The Red Dots, which are available in 10' x 34", 10'9" x 32" and 11'6" x 33", are ultra stable, durable and priced just right at a $999 MSRP....for all 3 sizes! This family of boards was specifically developed and designed for cruising, riding small waves, and cross training. 

For more, check out the Mistral website. 

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WaveJet Pau Hana Big EZ Angler

Stand at the top of the food chain with the brand new WaveJet Pau Hana Big EZ Angler. Built to be the ultimate in SUP fishing, this board combines WaveJet technology with a platform stable enough to reel in the biggest catch!

For more, check out the Wavejet website. 

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Starboard Whopper ASAP

Composite T stringers introduce overall stiffness. Wood half-deck provides extra impact resistance on the deck. Extra-strong bottom glass composite material provides longevity and low maintenance. Full EVA deck for a soft, comfortable touch. The EVA is grooved in the most important areas. High-density EVA around the rails for increased impact resistance. This high density EVA has been further toughened through a thermoform process which increases the surface density. The soft sponge tail bumper further increases safety aspects. The US center fin box and FCS compatible side fin option makes the ASAP offering an absolute value winner.

 For more, check out the Starboard website. 

PAU HANA 'Lotus'

Move past the work and worries of daily life and find enlightenment of the Lotus Yoga SUP. This board’s ground-breaking new shape is designed to provide a stable and balanced platform for all kinds of yoga enthusiasts. The Pau Hana Lotus features the first ever full length interchangeable yoga pad on a stand up paddle board, as well as the Pau Hana Seamount system for attaching accessories to the board. Accessories available include Petal Bands, which utilize the Lotus’s multiple attachment points to join boards together making each board like the leaf of a lotus petal. Drink holders and various deck art are also available for this revolutionary board.

For more, check out the Pau Hana website. 

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GLIDE 'SESH'

Time to get out and throw down with your buddies. The Sesh will take your river surfing/play to the next level. Be prepared to be the local hole hero. The Sesh is our Park and Play Board. Throw it in the back of your car, get out and shred. This high performance board will take your surfing to the next level. Be careful, it is addictive. And be prepared to share, because everyone will want a turn.

See more at the Glide SUP website. 

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