If you are on the heavier side or don’t have much water experience, go longer (over 10 foot) and wider (32”-36”).  If you’re fairly light and/or you have some watercraft experience, you can choose the shorter beginner boards around the 9'5" foot mark.

The key thing to know is that width gives you stability, and length gives you glide (ie, easier to paddle).

If you just want a low cost entry level board to paddle every now and again, nearly all the brands have some lower cost options.

Great Beginner Package Deals - Board, Paddle & Legrope from $999

We've got some of the best value beginner package deals around.

$999: 9'0 x 30" Deep Six board and Ocean & Earth adjustable paddle.  This will suit women and lightweight entry level riders who want a board where you can progress to surfing small waves. Deep Six are designed and tested in Westerrn Australian.

$999: 9'6 x 31" Deep Six board and Ocean & Earth adjustable paddle.  This package will suit medium size entry level riders who want a board that can progress to catching small waves.  

$999: 10'0 x 30" or a 10'6" x 31" Deep Six board and Ocean & Earth adjustable paddle.  This package will suit families and medium sized riders who want a board for easy cruising and catching small waves.   

$1,449 (RRP $1,805): 9'6 x 31 or 10'0 x 30 Fanatic Fly Pure, Ocean & Earth adjustable paddle and an In The Pocket board bag. This is a great board for cruising on the Swan River. Fanatic is one of Europe's leading brands and built in the renowned Cobra factory.

We offer custom package deals on all boards. Other popular brands include SMIK, a new brand designed by local Western Australian champion Scott McKercher. Prices start at $1,450 (board only). Starboard, one of the world's leading brands, has the GO Starshot for beginners at $1,749 (board only).

Getting into Waves

There's plenty of Stand Up Paddle (SUP) beginner board options where you can progress to catch a few small waves in and around Perth.

For the girls, the Fanatic Diamond or Sunova Surf range are great choices. They both look great and perform really well on both flat water and in small waves.

For the guys, good boards include the Starboard Whopper, SMIK E-Sea Rider/Leilani, Sunova Surf & Starboard Avanti (for those over 110kg).

For those who have already got a bit of surfing experience and you’re under 90kg, you might even be able to jump straight onto a larger surf SUP board such as the Sunova Speed. 

Family SUP Boards

Most of the beginner SUP boards are perfect boards for kids as well.  Depending on you and your child’s weight, it doesn’t take much practice to paddle with one child.  And kids from as young as 5 can learn to paddle on your board by themselves.  Go a little wider if you do want something you can throw your kids on to because this adds stability.  Great family boards include the Starboard Whopper, Starboard Avanti, Fanatic Fly, SMIK E-Sea Rider/Leilani and Sunova Surf. Some of the boating options are also great family boards as they are inflatable or high density foam, which means there are no hard rails and they are not intimidating for anyone to learn on. 

Getting into Race

And if you think you might want a board where you can do a few downwinders and really paddle to increase your fitness, the wider NSP/DC is definitely worth considering. 

Choosing The Right SUP Board

There are a lot of beginner's boards out there. To help narrow your choice, you can use our Recommend a Board tool. Just select your weight, level and interest and review what boards best suit you.

Or just come into the shop - we're always happy to have a chat and a coffee.  

We also have over 30 different Stand Up Paddle boards that you can demo, so you really do choose the right one for you. You just need to come in, grab the board and give it a go where and when you want. If it's not quite right, demo a few until you find the perfect one. We understand it's an investment for you and we're committed to making sure you get the board that is absolutely right for you.