eBay paddle boards - any experience / views?
Discussion
Looking to buy a paddle board. eBay seems to have a load on at around £250 new. Then there are the big brands which tend to go for £800-£1000 new / £500-£600 second hand. The branded ones need to be a whole lot better to justify the premium, so what’s wrong with the cheaper ones? Anyone have any experience of the cheaper ones?
I have no experience of the Ebay listed products, however we’ve bought 3 from decathlon which sell for a similar price.
We also have a RED 10.6” and honestly I prefer the Decathlon boards. They track better and seem more stable. They are thicker so will probably suffer more in windy conditions. They also pack down smaller than the RED version.
We use for recreational coastal paddling. Nothing too serious so our experience may differ from somebody who is a bit more expert.
We also have a RED 10.6” and honestly I prefer the Decathlon boards. They track better and seem more stable. They are thicker so will probably suffer more in windy conditions. They also pack down smaller than the RED version.
We use for recreational coastal paddling. Nothing too serious so our experience may differ from somebody who is a bit more expert.
Stiggolas said:
Last year Aldi sold a paddle board (Crane branded) for £250. It's great, tracks well and is quite quick. The paddle is a bit crap though. It's a little less stable than a RED or similar and you need your wits about you but for the money, I can't fault it.
We bought one from Aldi, used it all summer on canals and in the sea, love it.I've paddled quite a variety of paddleboards, as a few years ago I was a member of a club that let you take out anything when you wanted. I currently have two SUPs: an old battered Starboard BoP that I bought secondhand on eBay and a full carbon super narrow Fanatic Falcon race board that I bought secondhand from a successful pro. I'm happy to talk about those if you're interested, but I must say that I actually prefer the cheaper one.
In answer to your question, the first thing I'll say is that inflatable vs hard board is pretty obvious in the way a board paddles, but beyond that, regardless of price the shape of the board is the biggest factor in determining how they paddle. Most boards for sale, especially cheaper ones, tend to be a rather generic 'jack of all trades' shape, and whilst these are great, you'll have a much nicer experience with a board dedicated to what you're doing on the board (flat water touring, wave riding etc).
The other more practical issue with shape is that most of those generic boards are extremely wide to generate stability for occasional paddlers, novices or people who don't already skate, surf etc. For sure, there's a loss of manoeuvrability with the width, but of more concern imho is that it can be uncomfortable and annoying to paddle a board where the paddle has to be such a long way out from your body where it meets the water. If your balance is good, then I'd advise against an overly wide board (compared to your shoulder width).
Lastly, a lightweight paddle is a great buy and makes a huge difference to enjoyment. You don't have to spend a silly amount to upgrade from a basic paddle to one which weighs a lot less and is therefore much easier to wield.
In answer to your question, the first thing I'll say is that inflatable vs hard board is pretty obvious in the way a board paddles, but beyond that, regardless of price the shape of the board is the biggest factor in determining how they paddle. Most boards for sale, especially cheaper ones, tend to be a rather generic 'jack of all trades' shape, and whilst these are great, you'll have a much nicer experience with a board dedicated to what you're doing on the board (flat water touring, wave riding etc).
The other more practical issue with shape is that most of those generic boards are extremely wide to generate stability for occasional paddlers, novices or people who don't already skate, surf etc. For sure, there's a loss of manoeuvrability with the width, but of more concern imho is that it can be uncomfortable and annoying to paddle a board where the paddle has to be such a long way out from your body where it meets the water. If your balance is good, then I'd advise against an overly wide board (compared to your shoulder width).
Lastly, a lightweight paddle is a great buy and makes a huge difference to enjoyment. You don't have to spend a silly amount to upgrade from a basic paddle to one which weighs a lot less and is therefore much easier to wield.
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