Traveling with a SUP board: Tips for your SUP vacation

Mit dem SUP Board verreisen: Tipps für deinen SUP Urlaub

Inflatable SUP boards have a decisive advantage over hardboards: they are perfect for traveling. With a hardboard, which is roughly 3 meters long or more depending on the model, neither air travel nor traveling by car is fun. It is cumbersome, the risk of the hardboard being damaged during transport is very high, and you also have to expect high additional fees, especially when flying. It is much easier to travel with an inflatable SUP board, which you can easily take with you when flying, in the car, and even on a train trip. Here you will find tips on what to keep in mind when traveling with your SUP!

Traveling with an SUP – Packing the board properly

The be-all and end-all of traveling with an SUP is the right "packaging" for your board. After all, you want your board to arrive at its destination in one piece. For easy transport, we recommend an SUP backpack with wheels. Especially when flying, when you have to drag your board halfway across the airport, a bag with wheels is indispensable. This way, you can roll your suitcase in one hand and pull your bag along with the other.

When packing your SUP board, make sure you roll it up nicely and perhaps cover the board additionally with cardboard or towels. Luggage is not handled very gently at airports, so it is possible for a sharp object to cut the bag. You should be aware of this when taking your inflatable SUP on your travels.

Tip: Various travel insurance policies cover such damage up to a certain amount. Find out which travel insurance is suitable before booking your trip.

You should pay special attention to the proper transport of your carbon paddle. For this, we also recommend a special paddle bag that you then pack into a hard-shell suitcase. This way, your carbon paddle is perfectly protected while traveling!

Traveling with an SUP – Checking local spot conditions

Before you travel with your SUP board, you should check the local conditions when choosing your destination. Are there any suitable spots at all, is my board suitable for them, and are there certain rules I have to follow? In some countries, wearing a buoyancy aid or life jacket is mandatory, and some waters are strictly off-limits for SUPs. To get this information, you can look for a surf shop or SUP rental service that can provide you with these details.
Before you head out to an unknown spot, you should definitely inform yourself about dangers such as undercurrents, always have a smartphone in a waterproof phone case with you, and save emergency numbers just in case of an emergency.
If you have discovered one or more spots suitable for stand-up paddling, you should decide whether you have the right board for it. If you use a race SUP on lakes at home, you won't have any real fun with it in wave conditions. It makes more sense to rent a suitable wave SUP board locally for the duration of your holiday.

Traveling with an SUP – Taking part in a guided sightseeing SUP tour

Nowadays, there are even guided SUP tours through canals and urban waterways in some cities. This is a fantastic way to combine sightseeing with stand-up paddling. Various SUP tour providers offer these opportunities in cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Zurich, Ghent, Rostock, Copenhagen, and many others. This way, you avoid the tourist crowds pushing through the streets and alleys and get a completely different view of the city!

SUP Trip

Where are you spending your next trip with your SUP? Tell us about it in the comments! Do you still need SUP equipment for your next SUP holiday? Contact us now and we will put together your SUP set!

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