I TRIED GETTING INTO STAND UP PADDLE BOARDING

Like a lot of people, I bought a stand up paddle board, and used it only once.

Mainly because the summer was one of the hottest on record. There was also weeks of smokey days due to forest fires, plus I started a new job that was taking up all of my time. But at the beginning of this year, I went on a vacation to Maui and rented a couple paddleboards – we were on them just about all day. So I knew this is something that I wanted to do more!

I purchased my board from Amazon as there are a lot of options. Quite a few have good ratings for about $200 and routinely go on sale for less. Mine ended up costing me $220 with tax delivered.

They come with everything you need: collapsable paddle, pump, carry bag, and leash. But don't forget to pick up a life jacket as many areas require them by law. I just picked up a cheap one for about $20, but since I have kayaks now, I am looking at something a little more advanced.

There are only two things I don't like about my board:

1. Mine has a width of only 30". For someone that is over 6' 2" and about 200 pounds, that makes this board a little unstable – even though I have fairly good balance! The one I have listed above is 33" and I'm sure it's a lot easier to stand up on.

2. It takes a long time to inflate with the hand pump. Though it's not hard to pump, just be prepared to get a little winded. I'd say pick up a motorized pump.

Not sure if I want to sell mine in the spring or not since it's perfect for my overlanding adventures. Just need to get it out a few more times to find out if I need a wider one.