Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, inflatable, all-around board to paddle short to mid-range distances and in the low price point of under $500 then the Thrive from Aqua Marina is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in drop stitch construction which is somewhat fragile and has its positives and negatives. With its 30 inches in width the board is stable, it has 1.75 lbs per foot, weight a total of 17.11 lbs which makes the board very lightweight but can also have an impact on the durability of the board with the construction not being as strong. Its shape makes the Thrive an all around board that can also be fun in the surf and is suited for intermediate paddlers. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short to mid-range distance paddling between 3 and 5 miles max. Retailing at $449, the board is among the most affordable ones you can find.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a board that will be very durable for you to have for yourself, your kids, friends and family that can be beaten up, thrown around and still last for a long time, this is the board for you. The Baja 100 is a perfect board for flat water paddling and touring and can withstand up to 230lbs. The board is made out of a plastic-like construction called RamXs polyethylene and is very stable and very durable however, the board has 4.7 lbs per foot and weighs 47 lbs total, making the board very heavy.  As it's typically the case with low price point boards, the Baja 100 is relatively heavier when compared to boards in higher price point tiers. You’re going to want to look at the mid-to high price-point range boards for lighter and faster boards. Retailing for $399.99, the Baja 100 is among the most affordable boards you can find.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a very stable, non-inflatable, all-around paddle board to paddle short distances, then the Flow from SIC Maui is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the Full Carbon Innegra (FCI) construction, which is very durable and has its ups and downs. Due to its 34 inch width the board is very stable. Its construction is moderately heavy, coming in at 2.68 lbs per foot, weighing 28.1 lbs total. Its shape makes the Flow an all-around board that can be used by everyone and is designed primarily for recreation. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short distances, around the beach or dock. Retailing at $1,349, this board is in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a very stable, affordable, non-inflatable board to paddle short distances then the Boardworks Rukus is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the new Bombshell construction which is highly durable and has its ups and downs. Because of its 33 inch width the board is very stable but because of its construction the board is moderately heavy and somewhat difficult to carry. The board has 3.09 lbs per foot and weighs 32.4 lbs total. Its shape makes the Rukus an all-around board that can be used by anyone with any skill level. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short-distance paddling, around the beach and dock. Retailing at an affordable $999, the board fits into the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for an affordable, very stable, non-inflatable paddle board to paddle short to mid-range distances then the Boardworks Super Natural is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the EPX construction which is fairly durable and has both ups and downs. Due to its 33 inch width, the Super Natural is a very stable board but its construction makes the board heavy and difficult to carry, coming in at 3.05 lbs per foot weighing 35.15 lbs total. Its shape makes the Super Natural a classic all-around board that can be used by everyone and is designed with the recreational paddler in mind. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short-range paddling at the beach and near the dock. Retailing at $699, the board is very affordable.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, non-inflatable, touring board to paddle mid to long-range distances then the Pau Hana Mini Sport is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the EPX Standard Epoxy construction which is durable and has its ups and downs. The board is 29 inches wide which makes it somewhat stable, not ideal for beginners. It has 2.43 lbs per foot and weighs 26.1 lbs total which puts the board at an average weight for its length of 10’10”. Its shape makes the Mini Sport touring board that can be used by intermediate paddlers and was designed primarily for recreation. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for mid to long-range distance paddling between 3-10 miles. Retailing at $1,299, the board is in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a stable, non-inflatable touring board to paddle mid to long range distances then the Touring Elite by Starboard is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board has the Starlite construction which is durable and has both positives and negatives. Due to its width of 29 inches the board is somewhat stable. The board has 2.79 lbs per foot and weighs a total of 27.9 lbs which is slightly heavy for only a 10ft board. Its shape makes the Touring Elite a touring board best for intermediate paddlers designed with touring in mind. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for recreational paddling between 3 to 10 miles max. Retailing at $1,999, the board is among the high-price point boards but is among the best of what the brand has to offer.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a very stable, non-inflatable, fishing-specific board to paddle short distances then the Big EZ Angler from Pau Hana is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in the Ricochet construction, which is highly durable and the board has both ups and downs. Due to its large width of 36 inches the board is incredibly stable, just what you need for fishing. Its construction is extremely durable and strong, however it causes the board to be a bit heavier. The board has 3.43 lbs per foot which is on the heavier side for a board at 11 feet. Its shape makes the Big EZ Angler a board that can be used by everyone and was designed primarily for SUP fishing, however, it can easily double as a board that the entire family can enjoy. Retailing at $1,599, the board sits just above the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.

Who is this for: If you’re looking for a very stable, non-inflatable, fishing paddle board to paddle short-range distances then the Tracker from Boardworks is worth a look. This stand up paddle (SUP) board comes in Boardworks’ Innegra Glass Krypto-Mat construction which is highly durable and has its ups and downs. Because the board is 36 inches wide it is incredibly stable which is ideal for fishing where added stability is needed. While extremely durable, it’s construction is very heavy coming in over 4 lbs per foot weighing 47.04 lbs It’s shape makes the Tracker a board that can be used by anyone but was designed primarily for SUP fishing. It’s construction and shape combined best fit this board for short-distance paddling, around the beach and dock. Retailing at $1,999 the Tracker is a high-price point stand up paddle board.