Who is this for: If you’re looking for an affordable standup paddle board designed for the river then the Rapid by Aqua Marina might be the board for you. The 9’6” inflatable paddle board is very lightweight and easy to carry, weighing just under 20lbs. Its lightweight construction does hinder the boards durability which could be problematic if you’re goal is to paddle Class III - Class V rapids. The board is however very wide and stable and could be a good option for paddlers looking to try whitewater paddle boarding at an affordable price of $699.Read more HERE.

About the board: The Flow inflatable paddle board from BOTE is a SUP geared towards youth and lightweight paddlers. At an affordable price point in the $700’s the Flow is a great starter board for your kid. The board comes in a complete package with the board, carrying bag, paddle and pump. The only thing missing is a leash and PFD. The Flow is an all-around shape that will work in both flatwater and small waves with ease. At 8 feet in length the Flow is a great pick to get the younger kids going and comfortable on the water. Read more HERE.

Who is this for: The Ranger by California Board Company is a standup paddle board designed for beginner paddlers who are looking for a non-inflatable and affordable paddle board. The Ranger is very stable having a 33in width on the deck and is great for beginner paddlers and those looking something solid on the water. The board will be best suited for short distance paddling and is designed primarily for recreation. The board is a bit heavy and difficult to carry, weighing just under 30lbs but it comes at a very affordable price of $599.Read more HERE.

Who is this for: The SUPyak by Scott Burke is a SUP/kayak hybrid paddle board geared for beginner paddlers looking for a multi-purpose all around paddle board. The board is affordable and sits in the popular mid-tier market making it a great starter board that can work for the entire family. The board is stable but is slightly more difficult to carry than the average paddle board since it weighs just over 31lbs. The SUPyak is designed for recreational paddling and is best used paddling short distances around the beach and dock.Read more HERE.

About the board: The Air Glide Flow from SIC Maui is an inflatable, all-around board, perfect for beginner paddlers and is at an affordable price point under $1,000. The board has a very clean look and takes a simplistic approach with graphics and colors. The packaging that the board comes in is stunning and has a very high-quality, premium feel to it. The board is lightweight thus making it easy to carry and has FCS II tool-less fin compatibility giving it a great value for its price. The high-quality packing and materials combined with the premium look and feel make the board merit the Supconnect “A” grade. Read more HERE.

About the board: Slingshot’s Crossbreed Inflatable is a stable, beginner-friendly board great for all-around paddling and/or short-distance touring. The Crossbreed has some nice looks, coming with a solid yellow throughout most of the board keeping it simple and striking. (The board is also offered in three other colors: Blue, Red, and Green.) At a very affordable price point the Crossbreed has premium qualities to it coming with a nice carrying bag, strong dual-action pump and FCS II fin, among other items, easily making this board a great value for its price and deserving of Supconnect’s “A” grade. Read more HERE.

About the board: The Moorea from Pelican is a non-inflatable, beginner board that is available at some of the lowest price-points in the market, but packs tremendous value with beautiful graphics and an all-around great package. It naturally misses some of the features of intermediate, advanced boards, such as faster glide and lightweight construction, however, at its very affordable price point this board offers great value and is one of the best that you can get, meriting it Supconnect’s “A” grade. Read more HERE.

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 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 very stable, affordable, non-inflatable board to paddle short distances then the Boardworks Rukus is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the new Bombshell construction which is highly durable and has its ups and downs. Because of its 33 inch width the board is very stable but because of its construction the board is moderately heavy and somewhat difficult to carry. The board has 3.09 lbs per foot and weighs 32.4 lbs total. Its shape makes the Rukus an all-around board that can be used by anyone with any skill level. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short-distance paddling, around the beach and dock. Retailing at an affordable $999, the board fits into the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a very stable, durable, non-inflatable, all-around board to paddle short distances and is very affordable then the Rush 116 from Pelican is worth taking a look at. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the polyethylene skin with a foam core construction which is rugged and has its ups and downs. The board is 32 inches wide which in turn makes it very stable. Its construction is highly durable, coming in at 4.26 lbs per foot, weighing 49 lbs total, which is very heavy. Its shape makes the Rush an all-around board that can be used by everyone and is designed for recreation. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short distances, around the beach and dock. Retailing at $699, the board is very affordable, sitting in the low-end of the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for an affordable, very stable, non-inflatable paddle board to paddle short to mid-range distances then the Boardworks Super Natural is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the EPX construction which is fairly durable and has both ups and downs. Due to its 33 inch width, the Super Natural is a very stable board but its construction makes the board heavy and difficult to carry, coming in at 3.05 lbs per foot weighing 35.15 lbs total. Its shape makes the Super Natural a classic all-around board that can be used by everyone and is designed with the recreational paddler in mind. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short-range paddling at the beach and near the dock. Retailing at $699, the board is very affordable.