Think of these new generation of paddleboards as an allround SUP with a pointy nose and a touring tail. This new generation of SUP’s will give you the maneuverability that an allround SUP gives but with the performance of a touring board. These boards are pretty much perfect for everyone, and are possibly the new generation of an allround shape (especially for those that don’t want to catch a wave)
They’re are a few caveats to this new shape and a few MUST & MUST NOT’S to watch out for when buying your board.
• To keep the board going in straight line, unfortunately you can’t just make a 10’6 shape pointed. Doing this makes the board weave, as the board loses the straight rail, which keeps the board in a straight line. This is why a 10’6 all-round board is 11’2-11’4 long in performance allround.
•The board has to be made out of the correct high density dropstitch, as making a board longer and keeping the board stiff and retaining the all important 4.75” dropstich, can only be done with the right technology. (read more about why 4.75” and 6” dropstitch here)
•The width of a performance allround shape should mirror that of its allround design.
For Example –
A 10’6 x 32” x 4.75” allround shape, in a performance allround should be anything between 11’2 / 11’4 long x 32” x 4.75” thick.
For the lighter riders – The allround board shape is anything between 9’8 and 10’4 x 31” x 4.75” thick in different preferred brands and the performance allround is then anything between 11’ / 11’2. x 31” x 4.75” thick.
For the heavier rider – The allround board tends to be about 10’8 x 34” x 6” and the performance allround design is then about 11’6 x 34” x 6”
Here’s Our Absolute Favourite Performance Allround SUP List 2020
Red Paddle Co 11’ & 11’3 Sport 2020 Package – From £999
Red will always be Red & We love them! They are the original inflatable SUP brand, A UK brand with long heritage in the watersports industry, Their boards are absolutely perfect in every way and if you have the cash its ‘The Must Buy’ easy choice. Choose from the 11’ Sport & 11’3 Sport. The 11’ is for the lighter – shorter rider and the 11’3 is for everyone else (up to 120kg).
For 2020 Red have tweaked the board design with front nose handles (as well as the already existing back and central carrying handle) and have brought in the purple deck pad, limited edition design, in to the 11’3 board to offer a 2nd colour way.
Red have now brought in a 5 year warranty into its 2020 range too.
It’s our suggestion to upgrade to at least the carbon nylon paddle (£40 upgrade) to gain the perfect Red SUP package and upgrade to the Midi – Carbon Nylon paddle if you are under 5’8.
For those that don’t know Red, The package is unchanging and faultless for 2020. A UV lined Red paddle Co paddleboard bag, Titan pump, Red Paddle Co leash and waterproof phoncase comes with the package.
Gladiator Paddleboard 11’, 11’4 & 11’6 2020 Package – From £629
Gladiator has come far in the last few years, An inflatable rib company that started making SUP’s 6 years ago, Their heritage is in inflatable boat manufacturing, so not the usual way into paddleboard manufacturing.
Where most brands in the UK herald a story and history in windsurfing & watersports, Gladiator heralds a history in inflatable boats, glueing and dropstitch technology. Their board design have come from a pretty utilitarian look, and been the largest iRib and SUP brand in Eastern Europe. This branding did show for the first part of Gladiators life but the quality was always up there, with the rest of the premium brands, with the price been lower to match with the Eastern European market needs.
3 years ago Gladiator entered the UK market and the design of the boards have gone from strength to strength along with the range growing to fit everyone’s SUP needs. For 2020 the range choice is amazing with the brand design been luscious.
Gladiator Boards start from £349 with the Performance allround boards being made in the Elite range. The 11’2- 11’4 & 11’6 are really something special, made with very new to the UK, ‘weave technology’ (which Gladiator have been using in the Eastern European D7 brand (now Elite range) for 3 years).
Weave Technology allows for an even stiffer and lighter board ( Read more about weave technology here) The boards are perfectly shaped and designed with the added bonus of coming with a great package, which includes full carbon 3 piece paddle, the well-reviewed ‘SUPer’ pump (link to review) and all the accessories you would expect from a premium product, wheeled paddleboard bag and premium leash. The boards also come with a Gladiator branded white bendy fin, allowing the board to perform extremely well in shallow waters too!
Starboard 11’2 Tihine Wave and Sun and 11’2 Deluxe Packages – From £875
Starboard are the brand of choice for the Eco warriors out there and as Starboard are very up on their iSUP technology too your won’t be choosing eco over quality.
Starboard try and be as ‘Green’ as they can when making their boards, Within their ‘Green’ initiatives they give a trash bag away with the deluxe boards to make it easy for you to pick plastic out of our oceans whilst your paddling, They use paper instead of plastic as much as they can within their packaging, their deckpads are made from recycled evo deck for 2020 and they plant a tree with every board sale too!
Starboard have one performance allround SUP in 2 different constructions.
The 11’2 Takhine Wave and Sun are perfect for paddlers wanting something a bit different, with the design coming from artist and SUP lover Sonni Honscheid.
The 11’2 Takhine is made from double laminated fusion technology and 4.75” thick, so perfect for paddleboarders under 100kg. The shape of the 11’2 air’s towards a more allround shape and with a glued on fin system this board is for riders who want a board that ‘inflates and goes’ and those who will be paddling in shallow waters. The package comes with a 3 piece Tuff Skin paddle, which is light, well made and easy to put together and use. The board is very much designed with women in mind, and with this comes a bungee style shoulder carry strap that is attached to the board allowing you to carry your board to the beach with an incredible amount of ease. The board also has back and central carry handles too!
Starboard have also patented the heat welded rail technology and are the only brand to use this technology over a glued rail giving extra security over leaky seams (The welded seam does have a glued over layer as it’s not very pretty to look at)
The boards for 2020 come with a Tiki pump which is a SUPer pump rebranded, The pumps are great and a personal favourite. (click the review here)
Last but not least .. The Starboard 11’2 Deluxe is made from Weave technology, (read more about Weave technology here) giving an even stiffer lighter board. The 11’2 Deluxe is 6” thick, so we think this board is great for paddlers over 120kg (read more about 4.75” and 6” thick boards here) The deluxe board comes with US FIN box and 9” fin meaning this board tracks well and goes in a straight line with ease.
The Starboard Deluxe come’s with a side shoulder carry handle making it really easy to carry the board to the beach, welded seams, tuff skin paddle and Tiki pump as well as the accessories you would expect from a premium package, wheeled bag (made from recycled plastic bottles) and an eco leash makes this a great board for the heavier eco warrior rider.