About the board: The award-winning Lotus from Pau Hana is the ultimate SUP yoga paddle board that works for paddlers of all skill sets. The board is non-inflatable and is incredibly stable (as it should be since it’s geared for yoga). The Lotus has some beautiful looks, suited exactly in line for what someone who enjoys Yoga might like. The shape design is unique for boards in this category and has a squared nose and tail, which is very uncommon to see. It is pretty heavy and difficult to carry however, once you’re in the water you feel comfortable and stable while practicing yoga. The board also has multiple attachment points that can be used to hold you paddle or attach a number of your favorite accessories. The unique design and suitability for practicing yoga gives the Lotus a well-earned “A” grade. Read more HERE.

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 very stable, inflatable all-around board to paddle short distances then the Hala Hoss is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board is 35 inches wide, making it incredibly stable and it has 2.27 lbs per foot weighing 24.4 lbs total, which is pretty light. Its shape makes the Hoss an all-around board that can be used by everyone and is designed primarily for recreation. Everything combined, the board is best fit for short-distance paddling, around the beach, dock or on the river. Retailing at $1,399, 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, 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 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 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.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a very stable, non-inflatable, all-around board to paddle short to mid-range distances then the BOTE Flood is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the innegra fiberglass co-mingle construction, which is very durable and has its ups and downs. The board has a 32 inch width on the widest point of its deck which makes the board very stable and easy to stand on. The Flood has 2.93 lbs per foot, weighing a total of 35.1 lbs which is moderately heavy. Its shape makes the Flood an all-around board that can also be suited for small days in the waves if you want to catch a couple. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for anyone to paddle short to mid-range distances of 3-5 miles. Retailing at $1,499, the board sits in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a very stable, non-inflatable, all-around paddle board to paddle short distances, then the Flow from SIC Maui is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the Full Carbon Innegra (FCI) construction, which is very durable and has its ups and downs. Due to its 34 inch width the board is very stable. Its construction is moderately heavy, coming in at 2.68 lbs per foot, weighing 28.1 lbs total. Its shape makes the Flow an all-around board that can be used by everyone and is designed primarily for recreation. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short distances, around the beach or dock. Retailing at $1,349, this board is in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, non-inflatable, touring board to paddle mid to long-range distances then the Pau Hana Mini Sport is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the EPX Standard Epoxy construction which is durable and has its ups and downs. The board is 29 inches wide which makes it somewhat stable, not ideal for beginners. It has 2.43 lbs per foot and weighs 26.1 lbs total which puts the board at an average weight for its length of 10’10”. Its shape makes the Mini Sport touring board that can be used by intermediate paddlers and was designed primarily for recreation. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for mid to long-range distance paddling between 3-10 miles. 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, non-inflatable, touring board to paddle mid to long range distances then the NSP Performance Touring is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the E-Tech constriction, which is durable and has its ups and downs. Due to its 30 inch width the board is relatively stable. Its construction is on the heavier side (above 35 lbs) and has 2.82 lbs per foot, weighing 39.7 lbs. (It is worth noting that when we tested this board it was a non-production board so it is heavier than what the production boards should be.) Its shape makes the Performance Touring a touring board that can be used by intermediate paddlers and is designed primarily for recreation. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for mid to long range distances of 5-10 miles. Retailing at $1,499, the board is in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.