Spring is Coming! - Canoecopia

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“Rooted in the outdoors since 1976”
JOHN
REINDERS
S.U.P. Stand Up Paddling.
It seems like in no time at all the sport of Stand Up Paddling has
exploded from a few passionate individuals into one of the coolest
new trends in paddling. At Rutabaga, not only are we on top of it,
we’re embracing the sport. And we think you’ll love it, too.
At last year’s Outdoor Retailer Demo Day, an event at the
industry’s annual trade show, we at Rutabaga had our eyes opened to
the fastest growing development in the paddlesport industry, Stand Up
Paddling (S.U.P.). Like other years, there were fun new canoes and
kayaks to test out, but there were actually more stand up paddleboards
to try than traditional watercraft. The number and variety of boards
we paddled at Demo Days were incredible, and we came away with
some favorites to share with our Rutabaga family.
So here’s the scoop:
What is Stand Up Paddling (S.U.P.)?
It’s just like it sounds. You stand up on an oversized surfboard with
an oversized canoe paddle and well…you paddle. That’s all there
is to it. Deciding where and how you do it is part of the fun. Like
canoes and kayaks, the boards come in many shapes and sizes, so
you’ll want to find a board that works for you and the type of paddling
you want to do.
Generally speaking, bigger boards are easier to learn on and better
for bigger paddlers, while narrower and smaller boards can be more
challenging and playful. As for paddles, we generally size them based
on your height, but your paddling style is factored in, as well.
Where did S.U.P. start? How long have people been doing it?
The origins of S.U.P. are not known precisely, but legend has it
that the first modern stand-up paddlers were photographers catching
photos of tourists learning to surf in Hawaii. From there, the idea
spread and was cultivated by a number of trend-setting paddlers who
have brought the sport to where it is today.
Now there are open water races between the Hawaiian Islands
and all up and down the West Coast. S.U.P. has naturally made its
biggest inroads where there was already surf-culture, but it is rapidly
spreading inland.
Why Stand Up?
First of all, S.U.P is a new and fun way to enjoy your time on
the water, and it can be whatever you want it to be — a lazy paddle
around the pond, a way to catch a wave or two, or even a killer
workout. And standing up instead of sitting down gives you a view
you won’t get sitting in a boat.
You can also stand-up paddle in almost any size and type of wave,
whether you ride it for a few feet or a few hundred yards. Surfers use
stand-up paddleboards to get out farther or catch different swells than
they could with a regular surfboard. Amateurs like myself can have
a blast on the smaller waves of Lake Michigan or on the wakes of
powerboats passing by. You can even have a good time cruising the
flat water of smaller inland lakes, or paddling downriver and surfing
the rapids.
But as well as being a lot of fun, S.U.P. provides the added benefit
of a great core workout. Many people use stand-up as core training,
because you use all of your muscles and you aren’t stuck in a gym.
You may be exercising, but you’re cruising around — standing up —
and having a great time. In fact, many adventure athletes and people
training for the Ironman Triathlon use S.U.P. as a no-impact core
workout.
Who’s Who in S.U.P.?
We paddled dozens of boards to make sure we could bring a good
selection home to our Rutabaga family. And while we tried boards
of all shapes and sizes, one manufacturer stood out above the rest:
Surftech.
Surftech is the largest manufacturer of surf- and paddleboards on
the planet, and they know everything there is to know about board
making. They have an incredibly wide stable of passionate athletes
who use their experience and skills to help keep the company on
the top of the surf-heap, and we’re excited to bring their stand-up
paddleboards to Rutabaga.