Paddle Board Holiday Gift Guide 2021
Sifting through a Sea of Gift Ideas
It’s almost the holiday season, and now is the best time to start thinking of great gift ideas for loved ones, or even for yourself! If you’re on the lookout for a sweet, new inflatable stand-up paddleboard (iSUP), it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the deep ocean of information out there. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with our easy-to-follow holiday paddleboarding guide. We’ll highlight some high-quality boards, what activities each board excels at, and also add in other useful facts so that you can make the best decision possible!
The Best Touring iSUPs
If you’re looking for a board to fit the type of person who enjoys long rides and exploration, then a touring board might just be the one for you. These boards are typically longer and broader than other types of iSUPs and offer amazing stability when out on the water. Such features are very important since any boarder who enjoys touring will need a board that is comfortable and reliable for long periods of time. Some great touring iSUPs include:
Hurley PhantomTour Paradise
An eye-catching design that combines effortlessly with great practicality, this board is great for people who enjoy touring in style. Though this board is smaller than the CUDA, it is still extremely stable and offers a great ride for boarders of all skill levels. Built to be tough, the PhantomTour Paradise is able to deal with the bumps and scrapes that are commonplace when touring. If you’re looking for a board that is lightweight, sturdy, and great in differing water conditions during long touring trips, then look no further than the PhantomTour Paradise.
Useful Overview:
- Dimensions (10’6” x 30” x 6”)
- Ideal for families and beginners
- Carries a max load of 280lbs
- Can be used in calm waters, rivers, lakes, and choppy seas
- Comes with all essential accessories
- Includes D-Ring
- Lightweight – 20.9lbs
- Inflates in 10-15 minutes
Click here to learn more or shop now!
AquaPlanet PACE
This board is built for speed, as its name suggests. With an ultra-aerodynamic design, you’ll be able to cut through the waves with no effort at all. However, since the emphasis is speed over stability, the AquaPlanet PACE is best suited to intermediate boarders or beginners who aren’t totally wet behind the ears. That being said, if you are shopping for a beginner who has a wild side, this might be the perfect board to go for. As a touring board, the PACE is still stable enough, though it certainly ups the fun factor!
Useful Overview:
- Dimensions (10’6” X 2’7” X 6”)
- Ideal for beginner and intermediate paddleboarders
- Carries a max load of 264lbs
- Best used in slightly choppy or calm waters
- Comes with all essential accessories
- Includes D-Rings for kayak seat
- Lightweight – 28.5lbs
- Inflates in 10-15 minutes
Click here to learn more or shop now!
The Best iSUPs for Teens and Kids
Paddleboarding is a great sport for teens and kids to engage with, but you’ll also want to ensure you equip them with boards that are forgiving and easy to master. The below iSUPs all contain amazing features to help young enthusiasts make a splash as they kickstart their boarding journeys and develop a love for the water!
AquaPlanet Wingtail
This board is compact and is well-suited to young beginners who are keen to try surfing with their iSUP. The board’s unique wingtail design makes it perfect for carving up waves in rougher waters while keeping paddlers safe. This is a great board to use even after teens and kids improve on their skills and shift from beginners to advanced boarders. The amazing feel and feedback from the Wingtail make maneuvering easy and will be great as a confidence booster!
Useful Overview:
- Dimensions (9’ X 2’6” X 4”)
- Perfect for advanced riders and surfers
- Carries a max load of 330lbs
- Best used in wild waters
- Comes with all essential accessories
- Lightweight – 23lbs
- Inflates in 10-15 minutes
Click here to learn more or shop now!
AquaPlanet Wilderness
The Wilderness is larger than the Wingtail, but for good reason; it’s built like a tank! Made to tame rough waters and handle all that the ocean can throw at a board, the Wilderness will be a great board for those who wish to prioritize safety for their kids. As young children and adventurous teens blossom into more experienced boarders, the Wilderness will still be a great companion on longer journeys and won’t need to be replaced. Its broad footprint and amazing stability also make it an ideal candidate for ocean yoga, so adults buying this board for their kids might even want to steal it for themselves!
Useful Overview:
- Dimensions (10’ X 2’8” X 6”)
- Ideal for whitewater explorers and riders
- Carries a max load of 352lbs
- Best used in choppy conditions
- Comes with all essential accessories
- Lightweight – 24lbs
- Inflates in 10-15 minutes
Click here to learn more or shop now!
Hurley PhantomSurf Ombre
This is a great board for teens and kids who want to try their hand at surfing on an iSUP. This board’s special swallowtail design gives inexperienced boarders a distinct advantage when they tackle waves for the first time. The special tail of this board also allows young boarders to really feel connected to the water and develop great fundamentals as they improve their boarding and surfing skills!
Useful Overview:
- Dimensions (9" x 30" x 4")
- Ideal for kids, beginners and intermediates who enjoy surfing
- Carries a max load of 200lbs
- Best used in surfing conditions
- Comes with all essential accessories
- Includes D-Ring
- Lightweight – 20.9lbs
- Inflates in 10-15 minutes
Click here to learn more or shop now!
The Best All-round iSUPs
This selection of boards is great for people who want a balanced experience. While other boards have unique features that allow them to specialize in specific water-based activities, all-round boards will be good enough to try most water activities at a basic level, but cannot substitute for specialized gear. These boards are great for people who use their iSUP casually or to relax.
AquaPlanet Jupiter
This is a board that’s all about size, as its name suggests. Serving as one of the most stable, sturdy, and comfortable boards on the list, the Jupiter is great for families, people with dogs, and heavier riders. Being an all-round board, the Jupiter can be used in a variety of conditions ranging from calm lakes to choppy seas. A great gift for people interested in ocean yoga, too.
Useful Overview:
- Dimensions (11’6” X 2’10” X 6”)
- Best for intermediate adventurers and riders
- Carries a max load of 419lbs
- Ideal for all waters
- Comes with all essential accessories
- Lightweight – 30lbs
- Inflates in 10-15 minutes
Click here to learn more or shop now!
Hurley Advantage Outsider
The Advantage Outsider is an ideal gift for the type of person who wants to own a board that lets them excel in a variety of different water conditions. Built to be lightweight, strong, and versatile, the Advantage Outsider is a great option for beginners and intermediates. This is a fantastic board to get for someone who has a wide option of boarding locations within easy reach since it can excel in multiple types of water conditions.
Useful Overview:
- Dimensions (10’6” x 30” x 6”)
- Ideal for beginners, intermediates, and for heavier people
- Carries a max load of 280lbs
- Can be used in calm waters, rivers, lakes, and choppy seas
- Comes with all essential accessories
- Includes D-Ring
- Lightweight – 20.9lbs
- Inflates in 10-15 minutes
Click here to learn more or shop now!
Hurley Advantage Terrazzo
Another option that’s great as an all-round board, the Terrazzo is forgiving enough to help beginners find their feet out on the water and versatile enough to let intermediate riders build upon their skills. The longer length of this board also makes it a suitable option for those who mostly prefer to relax, but enjoy the occasional bit of touring or exploring. The sleek shape of the board helps it deliver a very smooth ride.
Useful Overview:
- Dimensions (10'6" x 30” x 5”)
- Ideal for beginners, intermediates, and for heavier people
- Carries a max load of 280lbs
- Can be used in calm waters, rivers, lakes, and choppy seas
- Comes with all essential accessories
- Includes D-Ring
- Lightweight – 20.9lbs
Click here to learn more or shop now!
Best Racing iSUPs
Racing iSUPs make the perfect gift for those who have a serious need for speed. With longer, sleeker designs, racing iSUPs are easy to tell apart from other types of iSUPs just by their shape alone. A lot of them also feature eye-catching designs to really get the message across that these boards are purpose-built to let riders fly across the waves.
AquaPlanet Stinger
As its name implies, the Stinger comes packing a punch. This board obviously means business from its streamlined design to the bee-inspired colorway. Built with the sole purpose to excel at racing, the Stinger combines breath-taking speed with amazing maneuverability so that riders can leave the competition tasting their spray! The perfect gift for thrill-seekers and speed addicts.
Useful Dimensions:
- Dimensions (12’6” X 2’4” X 6”)
- Ideal for explorers and riders
- Carries a max load of 352lbs
- Perfect for lakes, rivers, canals, or choppy seas
- Comes with all essential accessories
- Lightweight – 30lbs
- Inflates in 10-15 minutes
Click here to learn more or shop now!
AquaPlanet CUDA
Though this board featured already as a great tourer, it can also double up as an amazing racing iSUP. Much of what makes the CUDA great for long-distance exploring also makes it stand out as a racer. It’s sleek proportions, great stability, and ability to build up speed certainly makes this board on of the fastest iSUPs you can get your hands on. The fact that it can double up and excel at two different specialties makes it all the more desirable and versatile.
Useful Dimensions:
- Dimensions (12’6” X 2’4” X 6”)
- Ideal for explorers and riders
- Carries a max load of 352lbs
- Perfect for lakes, rivers, canals, or choppy seas
- Comes with all essential accessories
- Lightweight – 30lbs
- Inflates in 10-15 minutes
Click here to learn more or shop now!
4 Cheap and Cheerful Gift Ideas
If buying an iSUP is a bit beyond your budget this season, or if your loved one already has the iSUP of their dreams, you can opt, instead, to pick up any of these 5 ultra-useful accessories. They may not be extremely glamorous, but they make up for it by being immensely useful, and may actually get the user out of a pinch.
Hurley Detachable US Standard Fin
This fin can be attached to iSUPs to give them even more stability. A perfect gift for those who are still learning the ropes or for those who are trying to improve their skills. In each case, a little extra stability goes a long way!
Click here to learn more or shop now!
Hurley Repair Kit
No boarder should leave home without their repair kit on hand. This would be an ideal present for any iSUP enthusiast but is even more important for those who enjoy racing, touring, and surfing, where the chances of damage to the board are increased.
Click here to learn more or shop now!
AquaPlanet Compact Electric Paddleboard Pump
Inflating an iSUP manually isn’t tremendously difficult, but it can be a time-consuming process. Gift the boarder in your life an electric pump so that they can get out on the water faster and with far less fuss and faff!
Click here to learn more or shop now!
AquaPlanet iSUP Leash
Every boarder needs a leash to ensure they aren’t separated from their iSUP if they wipe out. If you notice or suspect that the leash on your loved one’s iSUP is wearing thin or is in need of replacement, get them one of these for extra peace of mind.
Click here to learn more or shop now!
Prepare the Perfect Paddleboarding Present
With our extensive holiday paddleboarding guide, you should be able to narrow down your search and pick out a board and/or accessory that will permanently put you in the good books of your loved one/s. With the holiday season nearly upon us, make sure you don’t delay and risk getting your order in late. Act now, and surprise that special person in your life with a gift that’ll blow them out of the water!