20 “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 <strong>is</strong> 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 <strong>is</strong> to it. Deciding where and how you do it <strong>is</strong> 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 <strong>is</strong> 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 prec<strong>is</strong>ely, but legend has it that the first modern stand-up paddlers were photographers catching photos of tour<strong>is</strong>ts 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 <strong>is</strong> 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 <strong>is</strong> rapidly spreading inland. Why Stand Up? First of all, S.U.P <strong>is</strong> 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 cru<strong>is</strong>ing 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 exerc<strong>is</strong>ing, but you’re cru<strong>is</strong>ing 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 <strong>is</strong> the largest manufacturer of surf- and paddleboards on the planet, and they know everything there <strong>is</strong> 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.
Rutabaga will also be carrying standup paddles from Werner, Kialoa, and Surftech, all companies with a passion for and tradition of making awesome paddles. It’s clear that S.U.P. <strong>is</strong> here to stay, and we at Rutabaga want to be the ones to bring it to you. It’s fun, versatile, and accessible; not to mention downright cool. And as your primary paddling enablers, we at Rutabaga want to help give you a chance to catch some of that cool. Surf’s up. 21 <strong>Canoecopia</strong> 2010 www.rutabaga.com
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