Choosing the right paddle for your stand-up paddle board is well worth the time. Whether you own a hard-bodied or an inflatable SUP, having a paddle that both suits you and matches your paddling style is way underrated!
Carefully consider whether you’re seeking a segmented, or one-piece paddle and begin your search there. One-piece paddles tend to feel more solid in your hand and have a tighter response, while segmented paddles are far more manageable to pack up and travel with.
Our top list has tracked down the best SUP paddles for every scenario. Whether you’re seeking a paddle for speed, power, or portability, we’ve got you covered with the best quality and value options!
If you need a paddle that packs compact but you don’t want to settle for a junky travel paddle, this is a killer option. Three-piece paddles oftentimes just lack the responsive feel of one, or even two-piece options due to all the breaks in the design – the Carbon Fiber Pro SUP Paddle is an exception.
This paddle is built with a carbon fiber shaft and fiberglass blade and is intended for intermediate to advanced paddlers. It’s a highly versatile option that’s almost as practical for actively surfing as it is touring and racing.
At 1 pound 11 ounces, this is on the lighter side of the spectrum, especially considering it’s not a fully carbon fiber design.
This option is adjustable from 72 to 86 inches, so it’s a good fit for most paddlers. Super Paddles even includes an awesome quality carry bag with this purchase that features three separate sleeves for each segment of the paddle and a padded, waterproof design.
All in all, this is a great choice of all-purpose SUP paddle for those seeking a high-quality travel paddle but lack the funds to purchase a top tier option.
This three-piece option is highly comparable to the previous SUP paddle by Super Paddles listed but has a reduced weight of just 1 pound 8 ounces due to the pure 12K carbon fiber construction. It’s a high speed, low drag paddle intended for advanced paddlers pushing the limits out on the water.
If you’re a racer, surfer or just love to embark on long, grueling paddles, this is a great go-to based on its weight and blade shape. Similar to the Carbon Fiber Pro Paddle previously listed, this option feels less like a segmented paddle than you’d expect.
This unique model features a bamboo veneer over the blade so you can take to the surf, river or lake with style! Super Paddles furthermore offers a 12-month guarantee on their paddles so you can purchase in confidence.
Versatile paddle blade great for both relaxed and endurance paddling
Smooth back face of the paddle is quiet
High performance, travel paddle
If you have the funds to spring for a top-quality SUP paddle, you’ll be blown away by the feel, power, and response of essentially all of Werner’s paddle options. The Trance 85 is no exception coming in at 15.5 ounces making it one heck of an ultralight, all-day paddle choice.
This unit is built entirely with carbon fiber which is what allows it to achieve such a low weight. If you’re the type of paddler who enjoys embarking on long, all-day adventures, you’ll really appreciate the reduced weight of a paddle of this caliber – it truly makes a difference in fatigue during the long hauls.
Werner has designed the Trance with a smooth back face, so it’s particularly quiet when paddling on still water. If you enjoy tranquil nature viewing while on the water or just prefer a quieter ride, this one should definitely be on your radar.
The price tag is certainly steep, but that’s the price you pay for a segmented SUP paddle with this level of agility.
This option is built with a carbon fiber shaft, and nylon blade. The total weight is about 1 pound, 13 ounces, so it’s by no means the lightest option out there, yet it’s still certainly manageable even for long paddles.
The nylon, as opposed to carbon fiber blade, bumps the weight up a bit, but it’s a less fragile material so if you’re hard on your gear then a nylon paddle blade might make more sense for you!
This two-piece option can adjust from 70.5 to 90.5 inches, a wider size range than the majority of the competition that should not be overlooked if your paddle board is shared between family members or friends of varying size.
Raystreak even includes a carry case with this purchase so you have somewhere to safely store and transport your paddle. Score!
This non-adjustable, full carbon fiber paddle has a super solid feel to it that’s a result of zero segments, connections or extensions. This is simply a powerful, lightweight carbon shaft featuring a performance blade.
The fixed length is 83 inches, so particularly tall or short paddlers may find the size to be not quite ideal. Make sure to consider whether or not 83 inches is a good length for you. There is an adjustable shaft option of this same one-piece paddle available through the same link if adjusting your paddle length is important to you.
ISLE Surf and SUP have come up with a stellar SUP paddle with this one at a more than fair price point. There’s furthermore a 30-day guarantee and a one year warranty on the product so you can purchase in confidence!
Longer, rectangular design is intended to reduce fatigue without sacrificing power
The Zen 85 by Werner is another top-notch paddle option for those interested in owning a truly responsive and ultralight SUP paddle.
This bad boy weighs in at just 1 pound 4 ounces – it doesn’t get much lighter than this. The paddle length adjusts from 76 to 85 inches, making it suitable for paddlers from 5 feet to 6 feet 4 inches tall.
The shaft is a carbon blend while the blade is constructed from fiberglass. This paddle although ultralight has an impressively solid feel in your hands – likely due to the fact that it’s a one-piece SUP paddle.
Werner has designed the longer, rectangular shape of the Zen with fatigue reduction in mind. The idea here is to achieve higher cadence and less fatigue without sacrificing any real power. The smaller sized blade (85 square inches) inherently creates less resistance in the water – making the Zen a great choice for smaller to mid-sized paddlers.
This paddle option although wildly expensive weighs just one pound, you can’t beat that! The double concave dihedral built into the face of the blade combines with the low weight and unique seven degree (as opposed to 5 or 10) bend in order to really give you some impressive boost. The “power pockets” as the brand refers to them, truly add some grab to the paddle blade.
Werner has furthermore built the Rip Stick with a bit of added flex compared to their other paddles. The idea of the added flex is to reduce strain on the arms and body during rapid energy bursts. It’s the kind of attention to detail that sets Werner apart from the competition.
One last feature worth mentioning is that the Rip Stick is designed with a smaller than average (89 square inch) blade for making quick, tight adjustments while actively surfing. The smaller blade size translates to higher cadence for speed bursts – while the power pockets make up for the lost power of the reduced blade surface.
All in all, a beyond killer paddle for those that can afford it. You can’t go wrong with Werner, but this is one seriously high-performance option!
Here’s a more than adequate SUP paddle that we wanted to include here for it’s super affordable price point.
The Airhead Aluminum SUP Paddle is an adjustable one-piece paddle that extends from 63 to 86 inches. This is a great solution for the family lake house where every attending paddler is a different height!
The shaft is aluminum while the duck foot style paddle blade is fiberglass reinforced. This is not a performance SUP paddle by any means, but for leisure days on the water and for amatuer paddlers, it’s more than adequate.
For those seeking a reliable SUP paddle that will perform just fine and hold up in the long run at the lowest possible cost, look no further.
If your paddle board has tie-downs for attaching a sit-on-top seat, then you might love the brilliance of utilizing a SUP paddle that can be quickly converted into a kayak paddle with two blades.
Constructed from aluminum and PVS plastic, this versatile paddle option by Blue Water Toys is both effective and affordable. No, it won’t have the response of a carbon fiber or fiberglass paddle, but it will give you the option to paddle in several styles, and of course, can be paired with your kayak too!
The paddle blade is not too shabby, so don’t let the low price tag fool you into thinking this is a low-quality option.
There are 45 different height adjustments so this is a fit for paddlers of all sizes. Between the conversion capability and huge array of different possible paddle lengths, this is truly a super versatile option.
For the cost, this is without a doubt an awesome value buy that you’ll likely use for much more than just stand up paddle boarding!
Our top list has tracked down the best SUP paddles for every scenario. Whether you're seeking a paddle for speed, power or portability, we've got you covered with the best quality and value options!
