About the board: The Freeride is a stable, non-inflatable board that is suited for intermediate-skilled paddlers. It has some really nice looks featuring beautiful Australian Pine and with pops of color. This paddle board is pretty easy to carry since it’s only 26.4 lbs and the glide feels fast. And although the width is a bit narrower at 29 inches, it does feel very stable when paddling. The board is best suited for mid-range paddling between 3 and 5 miles. A premium look and feel give the Freeride a well-deserved “A” grade. Read more HERE.

About the board: The HD Lowrider is an awesome non-inflatable touring board that is fit for intermediate-level paddlers and can be used in a wide range of conditions. Its shape makes the HD a great touring board that could also be used in a race because of its race-board hull design. It looks has beautiful graphics and the deckpad design flows perfectly with the color of the board. Although the board is difficult to carry has a ton of cool accessories and additions that cater to touring and fishing. It has ConnexSUP inserts which allow for endless opportunities to hook up cool gadgets and tools, it has a paddle holder on the rail of the board, cooler tie downs, fishing post inserts more. With the premium look and countless add-ons the HD Lowrider is awarded with Supconnect’s “A” grade. Read more HERE.

About the board: The Sport Touring Escape from Surftech is a non-inflatable board designed for intermediate-level paddlers who are interested in touring. The board has some exquisite looks, coming with a bamboo finish and gorgeous graphics. This paddle board is easy to carry and the glide feels fast which is a definite plus. The board doesn’t have many add-ons other than the bungee on the deck of the board but the look and glide of the board are excellent, befitting of Supconnect’s “A” grade. Read more HERE.

About the board:The Javelin Maliko is a non-inflatable premium quality race board that is best suited for intermediate and advanced paddlers. The Javelin Maliko looks great and has detailed graphics that are displayed all throughout the board that are rather eye-catching. This paddle board is pretty easy to carry considering its size and the glide feels fast, which is no surprise since lightweight construction and speed-centric design are at the core of this board model. The board was really fun to paddle and stood out compared to other boards in the category earning Supconnect’s “A” grade.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, all-around inflatable board to paddle short distances then the Drive from Starboard is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the Deluxe construction which is highly durable for an inflatable. Because of the width being 30 inches the board is stable and it has 1.81 lbs per foot weighing only 19.1 lbs total. Its shape makes the Drive an all-around board that can be used by everyone and it’s designed primarily for recreation. 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 among the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a SUP/kayak hybrid to paddle short distances then the Aqua Marina Evolution is worth a look. This product is unique in that it can be used as either a stand up paddle (SUP) board or a kayak and comes in the PVC drop stitch construction which is rather fragile and has its ups and downs. Due to its width of 41 inches when outfitted as a kayak the board is very stable however, when the board is used solely as a SUP its width of 26 inches make it very unstable. The Kayak setup has 2.83 lbs per foot (board is 11’2 when outfitted as a kayak) weighing 31.8 lbs. It’s shape makes the Evolution best for beginners as a Kayak and best for advanced paddlers as a SUP. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short distance paddling around the beach and dock. Retailing at $599 the board is in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability and is a great price for a SUP/kayak hybrid.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, lightweight, inflatable, all-around board to paddle mid-range distance, and in the low price point of under $500 then the Magma from Aqua Marina is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the drop stitch construction which is somewhat fragile and has its ups and downs. With its 30 inch width the board is pretty stable, and has 1.57 lbs per foot weighing only 17 lbs. Its shape makes the Magma an all-around board that can be used by almost anyone and is designed primarily for recreation. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short to mid-range distance paddling (3-5 miles). Retailing at $499 the board is among the most affordable paddle boards (inflatable or not) that you can find.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable inflatable, race/touring board to paddle then the One from Naish is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in a double drop stitch technology, which is durable and has its ups and downs. The board is 30 inches wide making the board pretty stable and the board has 2.01 lbs per foot and weighs 25.1 lbs total which is lightweight for a board that is 12’6”. Its shape makes the One a race/touring board that can be used by intermediate paddlers and was designed for both recreation and competition. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for mid to long-distance paddling between 3-10 miles plus. Retailing at $1,249, the board is in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, inflatable, paddle board geared towards surfing and touring then the Hala Playa is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the Fiberglass Hybrid Inflatable construction which is durable and has its ups and downs. Due to is 30 inch width, the board is fairly stable and it has 2.77 lbs per foot weighing 29.1 lbs total, making the board moderately heavy for its size. Its shape makes the Playa a hybrid between a surf and a touring board that can be used by intermediate paddlers and was designed for recreation. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for mid-range distance paddling between 3-5 miles. Retailing at $1,379, the board is among 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 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.