Who is this for: If you’re looking for a fast, premium inflatable race board to paddle in SUP races then the Red Paddle Co. Race Elite is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the MSL technology from Red Paddle Co. and is highly durable and has its ups and downs. Due to its width of 26 inches the board is very unstable, however, at only 1.36 lbs per foot (19.1 lbs total) this board is very lightweight. Its shape makes the Race Elite a board for exactly that: a race board for advanced paddlers that can be used in competition. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short or long distance racing. Retailing at $1,799 the board is in the high-tier price point but comes with the best that the brand has to offer.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a very stable, inflatable, all-around paddle board to paddle short distances then the Red Paddle Co. Ride is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the MSL construction which is durable and has its ups and downs. Due to its width of 32 inches the board is very stable and its has 2.2 lbs per foot weighing a total 23.1 lbs. Its shape makes the Ride a classic all-around board that can be ridden by everyone and is designed primarily for recreational paddling. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short distance paddling, around the beach and dock. Retailing at $1,299, the board is in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, touring/race, inflatable board to paddle mid-range distances (3-5 miles) then the Boardworks Shubu X Rocket is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the Single Chamber Dropstitch construction which is durable and has both ups and downs. Due to its width of 30 inches the board is stable and best suited for intermediate-advanced paddlers. The board has 2.24 lbs per foot weighing a total of 25.8 lbs. Its shape makes the board best suited for touring or race training and should be easy to use for paddlers with an intermediate skill-set. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for recreational paddling and is great for touring and race training. Retailing at $1,199, the board is priced in the mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for an affordable, all-around, inflatable board that is very stable to paddle then Boardworks’ Shubu Sport is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the single chamber drop stitch technology which is meant to be durable. The board is very stable due to its 32 inch width and the board has 2.43 lbs per foot weighing a total of 25.5 lbs. Its shape makes the Shubu Sport an all-around board suited for paddlers of any skill level. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short-distance paddling, mainly around the beach and dock. Retailing at $899, the board sits in the lower-end of the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, inflatable, all-around board to paddle short to mid-range distances and in the low price point of under $500 then the Thrive from Aqua Marina is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in drop stitch construction which is somewhat fragile and has its positives and negatives. With its 30 inches in width the board is stable, it has 1.75 lbs per foot, weight a total of 17.11 lbs which makes the board very lightweight but can also have an impact on the durability of the board with the construction not being as strong. Its shape makes the Thrive an all around board that can also be fun in the surf and is suited for intermediate paddlers. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short to mid-range distance paddling between 3 and 5 miles max. Retailing at $449, the board is among the most affordable ones you can find.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, inflatable, surf board to paddle short distances then the Red Paddle Co. Whip is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the MSL construction which is very durable and has its ups and downs. Due to its 29 inch width the board is somewhat stable and has 1.94 lbs per foot weighing 17.1 lbs total, making this board very lightweight. Its shape makes the Whip great for surfing either in the ocean or on the river that can be used by surf and river enthusiasts with an intermediate skill-set. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for recreational paddling of short distances. Retailing at $1,199, the Whip is in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.