How to choose the right SUP?
Start with the category and then find the board. Much like buying a new car, if you’re in the market for a stand-up paddleboard, the first thing you need to decide is what general type of board you’re looking for. The easy way to do this is to eliminate what you don’t want first. There are three main paddling styles “categories” to choose from.
- Race/downwind/high-performance touring: Boards in this category are designed for speed, efficiency, and straight-line tracking. They are expensive because they are light and are built with carbon fiber. They are the least durable. (don’t drop one of these) Does this sound like what you’re interested in? If so this article will help you more. If you are interested in racing or high performance touring this blog post does a great job of explaining how complex and technical this can get. If you want a fast performance without dealing with having a Ph.D. to make a buying decision check out the Nitro.
- Waves: Are you going dedicating your paddling in the surf? If you are interested in surfing this article will be more focused on understanding how to choose a surf style boards?
- Flatwater Recreation: This is the most popular paddling style because you can pretty much do it all. The boards are less specialized, and as a result, they offer many additional benefits that race or wave boards can’t really compete with.
Flatwater recreation category in detail.
Flatwater recreational boards are designed to be user-friendly and versatile in a broad range of conditions. That translates to a board that is stable and buoyant enough for families, kids, beginners and dogs at sunny summer days on the beach, but also fast and efficient enough to slice through the water on an early morning workout or evening cruise.
This is where the Slingshot Crossbreed stands apart. We have refined the Crossbreed over the years to be the one shape that makes everyone happy. So happy that it is deemed first in class and best in the class by SUP Connect magazine!
Key Benefits include:
- Stable design and outline for all-around performance
- Fast and efficient glide tracking and turning
- Enjoy an extra level of comfort.
- Bring a life jacket or gear with onboard storage fore and aft.
- Fast, hassle-free set up with the only board in the industry that comes stock with tool-less FCS fin.
The Crossbreed is available in three construction types:
Hardboard: Full hardboard construction for paddlers who are more interested in top paddling performance in this class. The trade-off for this performance is ease of use, transportation, storage.
Soft Top: This is the happy medium of performance and durability. Not to be confused with a flimsy foam board that bends and wobbles when you paddle it, the Crossbreed Soft Top features full hardboard construction and is wrapped in a soft EVA layer that acts as a cushion and protects the board from dent, dings, and scratches.
Inflatable: This is lightest and most durable board type available. It’s packable, inflatable construction rolls into a bag when not in use and pumps to a solid 15PSI in just a few minutes. Lightweight for carrying and bomber construction can take a crazy beating without worry. Less efficient through the water than the hardboard or soft top, but still performs amazingly well.
The inflatable version of the crossbreed. It is the winner for 80% of everybody.
And 100% of everyone who has more than one board… This board is travel-friendly, kid-friendly, beach-friendly, wallet-friendly. It comes with a “best of class” stamp of approval for a reason. It is a worry free product that makes any summer day a blast for any level of paddler!
State of the art technology
Inflatable technology has come a long way in the last decade. A quality board, like the Slingshot Crossbreed, is not like a flimsy rubber raft. When fully inflated (about 15ps), it’s rock hard and is easily mistaken for a standard board. It will paddle a little slower through the water than a hardboard, but what you sacrifice in efficiency you more than make up for in versatility. You could lose an inflatable off the roof of your car going down the highway and it wouldn’t suffer a ding or dent.
If you’re a spontaneous adventurer, keep the board in your trunk and break it out when you’re in the right place at the right time. It takes about 10 minutes to inflate with the pump it comes with. For or remote paddling, an inflatable is the ONLY way to go. It comes with a custom backpack that’s comfortable for hiking, and if you combine it with a three-piece collapsible paddle, everything you need fits in the bag.
If you’re not that adventurous type, and you just want to cool down at the lake check out this pro convenience tip: When you think of an inflatable board you might think that you need to inflate it and deflate it every time you use it. If you have roof racks and straps, you can do what we do. We inflate them and treat them like hardboards all summer. We only deflate them to store them for winter. This little tip increases our convenience factor by about a 1000%
Inflation Tip:
If you do want to inflate and deflate we offer our HP-SUP-Inflator valve. This little tool connects any compressor to your SUP valve. It is a Slingshot exclusive invention that everyone worldwide uses to make life easier.
Bonus Convenience Tip: When you think of an inflatable board you might think that you need to inflate it and deflate it every time you use it. If you have roof racks and straps, you can do what we do. Inflate them and treat them like hardboards all summer. We only deflate them to store them for winter. This little tip increases our convenience factor by about a 1000%