Adventure SUP Gear Guide

Stand Up Paddling is the ultimate vehicle for adventure around the world, or in your own back yard.  Here is a list of equipment for your next Standup paddle adventure.

Ocean Rodeo “Soul” Drysuit

If you choose to paddle icy lakes and river, or the Great Salt Lake in February, then be sure you are wearing the Ocean Rodeo “Soul” Drysuit.

Pros–very warm, very comfortable, and when the hood is soaking wet with gallons of saltwater, it still feels fleecy warm and comfortable!  Yes, I am not kidding!  Cons–everyone on shore bundled up telling you that you are crazy for stand up paddling without a wetsuit or drysuit as it looks like a cool snowboarding outfit.  Incredible suit and just love this piece of equipment.

Offering greater flexibility than any wetsuit and customizable levels of warmth the SOUL is Ocean Rodeo’s premier drysuit for SUPing, Kiting and Sailing. The SOUL features: waterproof breathable material, Captive Zip self entry, crotch relief zip and a removable hood and while it looks like a 2 piece jacket and pants the SOUL is actually a 100% dry, one-piece suit.

C4 Waterman 3-Piece Carbon Fiber Travel Paddle

This round C4 3-Piece Carbon Stand Up paddle is extremely versatile, making it easy to take on the next adventure and comes with a durable, light weight travel bag. The blade is eight inches long, has the proven dihedral and is made of 12K weave carbon. This patent pending shape featuring a keel shaped bladeneck (dihedral) on the powerface of the blade. The dihedral flows the water down and off the board, steers the paddle straight during hard strokes and moves and balances better than bigger boards trying to catch waves.The front of the blade features a curved face designed to move the water to the backside to create the drive and lift of the powerface and to allow easy skimming and turning of the blade across the water. C4 sup paddles also use a tapered oval shaft with appropriate stiffness and flex and an ergonomic palm grip. Weighing only 28oz, the paddle is good for paddlers 5’6 to 6’3 and can be expanded to 82″.

Red Paddle Company “Race” 12′ 6″

This inflatable SUP is super rigid, stable, and fast.  The board comes with the patented RSS system, the rocker stiffening system which improves board stiffness and performance by up to 50%. The RSS system works by inserting battens along the rails of the board. This works against the downward force of the rider, resulting in a stiffer board. The battens are removable for easy board roll-up, and can be stored in the same carry bag. While some inflatable boards flex uncontrollably in the water, Red Paddle Co’s industry leading 25 PSI super-stiff, double layer construction holds firm and allows you to travel with SUPreme confidence.

Stohlquist “Rocker” PFD — Designed for SUP

Body-wrapping, ergonomically articulated WRAPTURE™ shaped torso combine with the
cross-chest cinch harness and self-tensioning shoulders for a great fit. The Rocker is the
perfect low-profile vest for long days on the water. The comfort and performance of this
vest have quickly made it one of our most popular among whitewater boaters and SUP
paddlers. Multiple pockets allow you to carry all the needed essentials; While the low cut,
offset front-zip makes entry and exit simple.

A great review of the Rocker is here: http://cksblog.com/2012/12/the-stohlquist-rocker-pfd-review/