Stand Up Paddle Surfing... What Is It and Where Did It Come From...

30 Apr 2008

For some time now, you’d have been hard pressed to find a Surf or Windsurf magazine not featuring Stand Up Paddle Surfing or ‘SUP’. Could this sport really become the new darling of boardriders? Some people have already said that SUP will eventually surpass all other boardsports in terms of popularity. We have seen some boardsports experience a lull in interest over the past few years, especially Windsurfing and Snowboarding. Could SUP be the one to refresh interest in boardsports and renew growth in the equipment sector? Is SUP the boardsport of the 21st century? Remi Forsans endeavoured to find out more.


SUP’s current popularity began on the Hawaiian Islands. It is said that at the dawn of the 60s, the local Hawaiian ‘beach boys’ used their longboards and paddles to follow and photograph tourists who were learning to surf. This is how the term ‘Surf Beach Boy’, the other name for Stand Up Paddle
Surf, came about.

Moving swiftly on to the start of the 21st Century and well-known Hawaiian surfers such as Bill Foote, Jimmy Lewis, John Amundson, Sean Ordonez, Dave Kalama, Brian Keaulana, Archie Kalepa and of course, Laird Hamilton had started to use SUP as an alternative to surfing when the waves weren’t working. In the subsequent years, SUP has asserted itself as a sport in its own right, has become federated and now boasts its own circuit, its own brands and its own media.

Since then, the sport has taken off rapidly and pictures of these famous Hawaiian watermen using SUP on big waves have been popping up in magazines all over the world. In the last six years, numerous associations have been set up, including the British Stand Up Paddle Association (BSUPA).

The standard of Stand Up Paddle Surfing has also exploded in this time with groundbreaking exploits such as the crossing between Molokai and Oahu by Archie Kalepa and Laird Hamilton’s recent foray into Jaws on an SUP, enthralling the public.

The fundamental difference between surfing and SUP is that the latter does not need waves. You can go ‘SUPing’ on the ocean, in the port, on the lake, river or any large body of water. One of the advantages of Stand Up Paddle Surfing over Surfing is vision; due simply to the standing position adopted on the float. Although catching a wave is very easy – the hardest part is trying to resist catching each and every one of them! In SUP, it is not essential to catch the best waves to have fun and this also makes for peaceful co-existence with traditional surfers, respecting their playground and not provoking conflict.

SUP is definitely an Action Sport but also an excellent all-round physical activity, you don’t need much more than an hour of it to get a real workout. SUP is more complete than running as it requires even more muscular action. It is one of the best basic exercises that you can do and one that allows you to stay in touch with water and nature. Another advantage of SUP is its versatility. Many manufacturers have incorporated a mast holder into the board so that on windy days riders can rig a sail onto it and use it like a windsurf – ideal for the whole family! SUP reconciles boardsports with wholesome family sporting activities, without demanding too much commitment.

How Big Is The Market? How Is It Developing?
No one knows the exact size of the market; only vague estimations are available to give us any idea at all. At present, the market is performing well in the US but it seems that the European potential could be even bigger, given that the market’s roots are intertwined with that of windsurfing.

According to Windsurf and Kitesurf legend Robby Naish, “I really do think that there is enormous potential in this market. I don’t think that every surf spot will be invaded by Stand-up Paddle Surfers but the potential of the sport goes way beyond waves, spilling over into the open-air fitness sports domain. I see SUPs on lakes and rivers all over the world.” Robby then adds, “Now that influential surfers have started doing it and Stand Up boards are specially made, excitement is building. SUP gets people who wouldn’t otherwise be there out on the water. Also, it provides a lot of enjoyment in crappy waves. I would say that the market currently consists of a few thousand boards throughout the world but this number is growing exponentially. For sure, here at Naish Industries we are witnessing a strong demand from all corners of the globe... and not only from the surfing market.” We now understand that this market is in full expansion and Robby concludes, “Standup adds another dimension and another option on the list of boardsports and is accessible and can be done at your own pace. It represents a different way for hardcore boardriders like myself to get the most out of the best conditions, and at the same time, offers a chance for non-extreme athletes to get on a board.” According to some sources, SUP is currently situated at 15% of the total surf market and its current development is in double figures.

Who Are The Leading Brands And Retailers?
We now find at least 50 brands of board such as: 9 Fish, Aquaglide, John Amundson, Ed Angulo, Becker Surf, Bic Sport, Joe Blair, C4 Waterman, Channel Islands, Coreban, Custard Point Longboards , Danai , Bill Foote, Hobie, Ron House, Infinity Inspiro/Flame, Ball Surf Company, Kazuma, Stu Kenson, Laguna Bay, Laird, Jimmy Lewis, Mistral, Mickey Munoz, Naish, Nui Moana Paddlesurf, Sean Ordonez, Oxbow, Paddle Surf Hawaii, Dennis Pang, Pearson Arrow, Pope, Rusty, Sandwich Island Composites, Carl Schaper, Global Surf Industries Production, Stu Sharpe, Tim Stamps, Starboard, Bill Stewart, Jeff Timpone, ULI, Gary Young... and many more independent craftsmen who represent the roots of this sport.

Distribution has expanded and we find paddlesurfing products in a new network outside of the traditional surf business. That is how the shops Kayak and Schipschandlers have become somewhat representative while distribution remains largely in the hands of traditional Surf and Windsurf retailers. Of course, Internet sales are far from negligible thanks to the choice of products available aimed at this style of distribution. Many of the brands listed above have sites designed for direct sales.

How Much Do They Cost? What Are The Margins?
It is easy to find your feet with SUP equipment. Conceived for stability and for paddling, SUP boards are generally between 9 and 12 feet long, 28 inches (and more) wide and 4 inches thick (although sometimes thicker). The average public price without the paddle is €1000. The public price range generally varies, according to the construction materials, from €699 to €1300, the price of a paddle is between 70€ and €400 for top of the range models, which are generally made of carbon. The normal margins quoted are based on 30% (excl. VAT) for boards and accessories (paddles, etc.) with the possibility of rising to 40% (excl. VAT) if the brand is correctly represented at the start of the season. This allows retailers to make a good mark up... so long as the market doesn’t quickly adopt the bad habits of the Windsurf market, which sells stock at, cut-price almost as soon as it arrives in the shop.

Mainly manufactured in China and Thailand, SUPs currently offer attractive margins for importers and distributors. Independent shapers manufacture more personalised and lighter products, which, as in surfing, ensures a large piece of the pie for them.

What Are The Risks For The Retailers?
The question that we could also ask concerns the outdating of the product like in kitesurfing where a product more than six months old is difficult, if not impossible to sell. It is important to realise that an SUP is not a high-tech product rather it is based on longstanding surf technology, which means that besides the materials used in its construction (when will there be a completely environmental friendly board?), the product doesn’t rely on technological advances, which should keep SUPs at a relatively stable value for retailers and enthusiasts alike.

Retailer’s stock is comparable to that of a traditional surf shop and it may be considered unnecessary to cut prices too soon. SUPs are like Harley Davidson’s, they are never too old!

Who Are The Consumers And What Other Sports Are They Into?
The consumers are on the whole surfers and windsurfers who wish to make the most of days with little surf or wind. A sizeable number of kayakers also enjoy SUP and find it complementary to their sport.

In my opinion, SUP offers a means for all older people who remain ‘addicted’ to boardsports to continue playing in the sea and in little waves without injury or embarrassment. Families can come together around this versatile mode of transport again, like the first windsurfs in the 80s - discovering or rediscovering the pleasure of boardsports. Good for fun, and even better for business!

It is nonetheless a duty to inform all future Stand Up Paddle surfers that SUP, like surfing, is subject to surf etiquette, created to allow all watermen to practise their sports without risk of accident or collisions. Windsurfers and kitesurfers have already become integrated so there is no doubt that SUP riders and surfers can get along in the same spirit.

We will now leave you with a final word from one of the most charismatic retailers in Europe, Eric Gros, Hawaii Surf in Paris:“The new trend standup paddle surfing is brewing up a storm on the beaches. But can we really talk about a new trend? Is it not just a return to the origins of surfing? Oversized dimensions, even bigger than longboards, give these surfboards incredible stability and comfort.

Upright on the board, the take off is aided by a few paddle strokes and once inside the hollow of the wave, all you have to do is use your equipment to have fun. The paddle in the water, your two feet on the rail back and off you go, the master of folly. The paddle board is also very playful in weak waves and when there really are no waves, embark your lady, your child, dog, picnic, even the icebox... all for a great trip!

Another advantage for travelling with SUPs is that you no longer need a camping table for your picnic, two trestles, with the board over it and you have 12-person banquet table in a flash!

The downside? Storing it in a 6th floor apartment in the centre of town might be tricky.”