Bote Paddle Boards: which model is right for you?

BOTE PADDLE BOARDS COMPARISON

BOTE PADDLE BOARD REVIEWS

INFLATABLE PADDLE BOARDS

Breeze Aero 10′8″ / 11′6″

Best Least-Expensive Inflatable SUP

PROS: – Easy to paddle and navigate with – Extremely lightweight – Super stable on the water – Maneuverable even for a petite woman – Sturdy material – Easy to transport – Very durable and versatile – Deflating it using the included pump makes packing easier

CONS: – Manual pumping takes a good 10-12 minutes workout – Pumping the last few PSI can be a challenge but not terrible – Fins are not removable for added performance

Short review:

Bote Breeze Aero is a very stable and lightweight inflatable SUP that is ideal for beginner SUP paddlers.

Bote Breeze Aero lets you also share the paddling experience with a child or pet if you want.

Its durable construction, paired with a return possibility makes you not worry about if you didn’t like the paddling activity.

Flood Aero 11′

Best Upgradable Inflatable SUP

PROS: – Great in flat or rougher water – Comfortable to stand on – Great control – Good stability even for a beginner – Durable – Very sturdy in the water – Smooth on the water – Very easy to carry when inflated – Can be lifted and moved easily by females early twenties – Surprisingly rigid – Tracks great – Pets-friendly deck surface

CONS: – The rack receiver mounting points are a little bit sharp in edges – The included pump is only a single chamber

Short review:

The beautiful Bote Floor Aero offers solid performances for non-heavy beginner paddlers due to its good stability.

Bote Bloor Aero makes a solid fishing SUP and also can be used as a decent touring paddleboard for paddlers up to 230 lbs.

Moreover, it makes also ideal for river and lake SUP with a pet or a kid.

HD Aero 11′6″

Best for Larger Paddlers Worrying about Stability

PROS: – Extremely stable and durable – Tracks well – Perfect for solo trips or with a passenger – Easily storable – Easy to set up or pack up and transport – Super light to carry around – Maneuver around quite well – Very firm and easy to manage – Plenty of deck room and gear attachment points –

CONS: – Included paddle can be a little bit heavy for some – Does not come with a leash

Short review:
Bote HD Aero SUP is designed for paddlers looking to feel stable in almost all conditions while having the possibility to attach multiple accessories for different water situations.

This SUP board makes an ideal recreational, ocean, or fishing inflatable SUP.

Traveller Aero 12′6″

Best Touring Inflatable SUP

PROS: – Superfast – Stable – Super sturdy -Glides straight – Easy to inflate – Offers smooth and great control even in choppy water rides – Easy to manually pump up, deflate, roll up, and store – Lot of storage room

CONS: – His sleekness can make it require time to get used to balance on it or get back up after falling in the water – More on the heavy side

Flow Aero 8′ Kids

Best Balanced Beginners Kids iSUP

PROS: – Durable and super tough – Very stable for adults and kids – Tracks well – Perfectly manageable by kids of all ages – Extremely easy and quick to pump up with the included pump – Included items are of high-quality materials – Easy to carry – Strong enough to withstand river run scraping and poking

CONS: – Does not come with a leash

Rackham Aero 12′4″

Best Stealthy Fly Fishing Inflatable SUP

PROS: – Very stable even in waves or in the wake of boats – Smooth and very sturdy on the water – Comfortable platform – Glides through the water – Very easy to inflate, deflate, and store – So versatile – Lots of mounting options – Amazing traction pad – Two people on this board is a breeze

CONS: Heavy, but expected for this model – Be prepared to use some muscle to lift it – Holds water in the middle of the board, but you can always elevate it to let the water drain out – Discoloring can be surprising

SOLID PADDLE BOARDS

Breeze 10′6″

An Affordable Pure Paddling Solid SUP

PROS: – Pretty stable in small gulf chops – Fast and maneuverable – So sturdy and durable – Absolutely comfortable – Smooth, stable, and able to surf all in one – Very lightweight for the size – Easy to carry even by a small female – Glides almost effortlessly through the water – Takes the wakes of boats perfect even for a beginner – Priced great and beautifully made

CONS: – Do not come with a leash – Tends to show the tiny dings and scratches easily

HD 10′6″ / 12′

Best-Priced All-Around Solid SUP

PROS: – Super stable fishing on it and even when boats leave a wake behind them – Tracks very well – Glides effortlessly through the water – Able to hold a lot of gear and weight – Faster on the water than an inflatable – Durable – Deck pad decrease fatigue and is non-slip – Large enough for two people – Very sturdy – Easy to maneuver for all levels of paddler

CONS: – Can be a bit heavy to carry for a distance – Not as resistant to scuffs and nicks as expected – Paint comes off for one owner – Heavy and on the bulky side

Flood 10′6″ / 12′

Best for Surfing or Fishing Solid SUP

PROS: – Very light for its size – Great quality – So much more stable than an inflatable – Lightweight – Sturdy – Easy to maneuver with the center fin in place – Good looking – Rides smoothly – Tracks really well – Trackpad is great for bare feet – Stylish

CONS: – A bit heavier than expected, but the Travelink Carry Sling makes this less of a problem – Do not come with a leash – Scratches so easily

Traveller 12′6″ / 14′

Best for Speed Paddle Board

PROS: – Incredibly fast and nimble – Accelerate well in downwind – Stable and easy to paddle – Cuts through the water really well -Lots of storage room – Very calm and confident in windy choppy water – Glide through the water extremely well – Great in both flat and small surf and windy conditions – Easy to handle –

CONS: – Paint is fragile and chipped a bit – A little heavy to carry

Rackham 12′ / 14′

Best for Advanced Fishing and Expedition Adventures

PROS: – Incredibly impressing stability allowing much better visibility for sight fishing without worried about falling over – Very versatile – Tracks well – Able to carry much weight and still glide through the waves – Very steady and smooth on the water – Durable – So stealthy – Top shelf quality – Great performance – Lots of options to hold your gear – Paddles efficiently with its displacement bow – Lots of deck space – Can easily accommodate two adults while being easy to paddle – Can upgrade w/ tons of accessories

CONS: – Very heavy, but to be expected from this model. Wheels or straps makes carrying less of a problem – Scratch easy – Nose and rear corners should be reinforced more

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR BOTE PADDLE BOARD

INFLATABLE OR SOLID ?

INFLATABLE	SOLID
– Affordable, lightweight and support more weight than similarly-shaped solid SUPs – Easy to store and travel with because it deflates – More resistant to scratches and dents	– Slightly better performance than similarly-shaped iSUPs – Feel more stable – Always ready to hit the water
– Takes time and effort before and after use – Close to but not the same solid SUPs performances – Requires being fully dry before long storing periods	– Harder to transport – Expensive – Require more storage space

LENGTH

• Shorter than 10’: shorter SUPs are ideal for surf because they are more maneuvrable.
• 10’ to 12’: SUP boards in this length range are most of the time all-around stand-up paddle boards that do everything but are expert at nothing.
• Longer than 12’: Very long SUP boards are ideal to racing and touring because they track well and are faster.

WIDTH

• Narrower than 32″: They are faster but they require you to be advanced or lightweight to keep your balance.
• 32″ to 36″: These offer enough space to share the experience with a child or a pet.
• Wider than 36″: This wide board offer added stability and room and are limited to experienced paddlers who know what they need.

THICKNESS

• SUP boards with a thickness between 4” or 5” are ideal only for lightweight and small padllers.
• SUP boards with 6″ of thickness are what offer the sweetspot between durability, stability, and rigidity for adults over 225 lbs.

HULL TYPE

• PLANING HULL: These SUP boards keep balance in small waves and are more maneuvrable due to their rounded upward front that makes them ride on top of the water.
• DISPLACEMENT HULL: This type of hulls are what let touring and racing SUPs be fast and smooth by cutting and pushing water to the side.

WEIGHT

To have a perspective, carrying a SUP board weighing below 25 lbs is like carrying a little baby, if not easier, this is why I recommended SUP board weight is 25 lbs, and you can exceed it if you have special use like fishing or racing.

WEIGHT CAPACITY

Speaking of weight capacity, I would recommend you to get a paddleboard with a larger weight capacity if your body weight and what you plan to carry with you is close to the board-listed capacity in order to have better performances.

RECOMMENDE ACCESSORIES

ELECTRIC PUMP

Electric pumps are the first upgrade that most beginners SUP paddlers start with because it saves you time and energy.

BOTE AeroPump Auto Electric Pump II is easy, comfortable to use, and small enough to be stored in your truck when not in use.

Other than inflating, it helps you also with deflating your iSUP in order to pack it down.

If you cant afford it, you still have the option to go with BOTE Aero foot pump in order to save money and be able to use your leg and thighs.

LEASH

The SUP leash is amongst the first items that I recommend you have because it makes sure you do not lose your life or board by keeping it always close to you if you fall into the water.

Bote coiled leash is a good leash to have because it’s comfortable and does not get in the way making you barely know it’s there. Moreover, it offers a cool feature that keeps your key in a safe little pocket.

*Top-page thumbnail: Photo courtesy of Bote

Updated on December 6, 2021 by Ben