In July, when I reviewed the new version of Patagonia’s R1 wetsuits, I talked about how there is often a compromise between a product’s eco-friendliness and its performance, but Patagonia’s suit finally managed to score high marks in both. A month later, Billabong said, “Hold my beer.” The company’s new wetsuit performs even better on both fronts. Not only is it the most sustainable wetsuit currently available, but it’s also the most comfortable one I’ve ever worn. Plus, it cost less, too.

Billabong ČѱđČÔ’s 3/2mm Furnace Natural Upcycler Chest Zip Wetsuit

Sizing: S-XXL (men’s), XS-XXL (women’s)
Materials: 85% Natural Rubber and 15% synthetic ingredients, including Bolder Black, Oyster shell powder and Soybean oil
Models: 2/2, 3/2, 4/3, 5/4, and 6/5 millimeter thicknesses, some with optional hoods, some sleeveless

Pros and Cons
⊕ Excellent flexibility
⊕ Comfortable
⊕ Easy entry/exit
⊕ Extremely eco-friendly
⊕ Materials dry quickly
⊗ Lack of silicone inside wrist and ankle cuffs allows some water to get in
⊗ Not quite as warm as the slightly thicker Patagonia R1

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Unparalleled Sustainability

The most notable change that Billabong makes from traditional wetsuit construction is switching from neoprene to natural rubber for the foam material that makes up the bulk of the wetsuit. Unlike traditional neoprene, which uses rubber derived from fossil fuels or limestone, this rubber comes from sustainable, FSC-certified, organic hevea rubber trees in Guatemala, grown in a plantation that has existed since the 1940s. The rubber it produces is of exceptionally high quality, and it meets , , and compliance for environmental standards.

The rubber foam (think “neoprene,” but a natural version) contains 85 percent natural rubber, with the other 15 percent stabilizers typically called carbon black. While most companies still use petroleum-based carbon-black stabilizers, Billabong has partnered with Colorado-based Bolder Industries to incorporate its flagship product . Bolder Black is a very high-quality carbon black, but it’s made entirely of post-consumer recycled wetsuits (supplied by Billabong) and other used rubber products like tires. These stabilizers give the rubber its strength, increase elasticity, add pigment for UV resistance, and allow it to be blown into the stretchy foam that we know and love.

To make the other major components of wetsuits, the jerseys, and liners that cover the outside, Billabong has now switched to 100 percent post-consumer recycled textiles, keeping a lot of unwanted clothes out of landfills. Graphene panels, which are made of a combination of recycled textiles infused with Graphene, are added to keep you warmer, and Billabong claims that all of this feel-good eco-friendly stuff doesn’t sacrifice performance. Much to my surprise, I agree.

How It Tested

I spent the last couple of months testing the Furnace Natural Upcycler ($380), and can attest that the suit is sublimely comfortable. Thanks to the incredibly soft and flexible rubber, it’s easier to get on and off than any other suit I’ve worn. It’s so stretchy that I feel effectively no resistance when paddling, and I move about as freely as I do in boardshorts. The kneepads (made from natural rubber laminated with an abrasion-resistant recycled nylon jersey called Supratex) are resilient, providing ample protection when duck diving, and the inner seams haven’t chafed me at all. The liner has a nice cozy loft to it also. The zipper is high-quality: I haven’t had any issues with snagging like I did in the Patagonia wetsuit.

I’ve experienced no paddle fatigue in the suit, even during long sessions. It dries at least as quickly as any of my other suits, and it’s held up well, surviving the odd encounter with a rock or a fin without showing a scratch.

How It Compares to the Patagonia R1

The Furnace Natural is noticeably more comfortable than the fall 2023 (the next version of the R1 will likely be out in 2025). It feels lighter, it has more stretch, and it doesn’t have any zipper issues. It isn’t quite as warm as the R1, but that makes sense, considering the R1 is a 3/2.5-millimeter suit, not a 3/2-millimeter (Patagonia is one of the rare manufacturers that uses half-millimeter sizes).

The Furnace is also significantly cheaper, coming in at $380 versus $479 for the R1. You can even get a 3/2 Absolute Natural Upcycler (Billabong’s mid-range version) for as little as $269. This cheaper version has all the same eco updates, though it loses some of the higher-end bells and whistles (like the Airlite 4D jersey, the graphene lining, and the improved seam sealing). Patagonia doesn’t have a cheaper version, unfortunately.

While the Patagonia suit is very sustainable, Billabong has edged it out here by being the first company to produce a fully-functioning wetsuit available to the public with Bolder Black stabilizers, making the Natural Upcycler wetsuits derived by a vast majority from natural rubber or post-consumer recycled products. Patagonia won’t disclose where the stabilizers in its current suits come from, which, like in the Billabong, make up 15 percent of the foam rubber. Patagonia has announced, however, that it will also be using Bolder Black in its next iteration of wetsuits.

Downsides

The only ding on the Furnace Natural Upcycler is that I wish it had a silicone seal on the inside of the wrist and ankle cuffs. Because the rubber is so soft and malleable, I’ve had the sleeves or legs roll up on me a bit when wiping out (and once when paddling hard to get over a large approaching set). It’s a minor gripe, but it would be nice if that could be prevented.

Final Thoughts

The 3/2 Furnace Natural is fantastic for Southern California in the late spring, summer, and fall, but having spent time in it, I might opt for a 4/3 instead. This suit breathes well, and I’d like to be able to wear it during the colder months. Also, I prefer to be a little too warm than a little too cold. That said, I know plenty of people that feel the opposite.

At the end of the day, this is my new favorite wetsuit. All of the eco-forward features give me peace of mind, and I like that I’m not covering my entire epidermis in potentially cancer-causing materials. Apart from that, I wouldn’t know that it was an eco-forward suit if you didn’t tell me: this is a full-on performance wetsuit without sacrifice.

The Billabong Furnace Natural Upcycler suits are now available in and and in a variety of thicknesses and styles.

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The beach is good; the sun is bad. That’s an oversimplification, but it’s how I approach my days on the coast. I like to spend all day on the beach—surfing in the morning before the wind kicks up, then lounging in the afternoons. WithÌęthis sort of attitude, shade becomes extremely important, especially when I’m forcing my wife and children to follow the same “all-day beach day” philosophy.

When I was younger, I simply draped a beach towel over my head and shoulders. As I matured, I used umbrellas that anchored into the sand but found that those only offered a small circle of shade, and if the wind kicked up, they blew away. So I progressed to tailgate tents, trying to anchor the legs in the sand with stakes, but again, these square tents became sails in the wind, and we had to station people at each corner to hold down the fort. I’ve tried using camping tarps and oversized baby shades—most of them are difficult to erect, and as soon as the wind kicks up, they fail miserably.

A few years ago, I discovered the ($275). It is, without a doubt, the best beach shade because it actually performs better in the wind. The secret is the simple design: a single tent pole runs through a fabric channel on the front of the poly canopy, bending and anchoring into the sand at each end, providing shape to the cover, and then the fabric is allowed to float free above you, like a kite dancing in the wind. The more the wind blows, the more shade the Shibumi provides. It’s one of those products that’s so practical and so useful that it makes you kick yourself for not thinking of it first.

Shibumi Beach Shade Classic with Quiet Canopy

I bought my first Shibumi beach shade five years ago, and in that time I’ve seen the popularity of these shades grow. For a year or two, my family had the only Shibumi on our favorite barrier island in South Carolina. Other dads would approach me and ask about my shade. It gave me instant street cred. Now, that same beach is covered with Shibumis as far as the eye can see.

It’s become so popular for a number of reasons.

Not only does the Shibumi work well in the wind, it throws a lot of shade—150 square feet—which is big enough for six people if you’re friendly with each other. Four if you need more personal space. There’s also a ($195) built for two with 75 square feet of shade.

Second, it’s easy to set up. Slide the tent pole through the front channel, stick both ends of that pole in the sand, then plant the front tension cord, which is attached to a sack full of sand, tight in front of the pole. That’s it. I can do it solo in just a couple of minutes. You need two hands, so you have to set your beer down, but it’s a fast enough process that the beer doesn’t get warm.

The Shibumi is also easy to rearrange as the sun moves across the sky, or the wind shifts, so you can maximize your shade throughout the day without employing an army to move tent legs in unison.

The Downsides

That’s not to say the original Shibumi is perfect. For one, you have to have at least a little breeze to float the fabric. No wind, and the Shibumi hangs like a curtain. It’s rare that there’s no wind at the beaches I visit on the east coast, but it has happened occasionally. More troubling, the original Shibumi is loud in a high wind. The faster the breeze, the more the fabric flaps, making a snapping noise that can be so raucous, it’s hard to have a conversation under it.

Fortunately, the makers of the Shibumi recently released a of their shade made from a softer fabric with more stretch, which helps reduce the flapping sound in high winds. I tried out the new Shibumi on the coast of North Carolina, and found it much quieter. Same easy set up, same big patch of shade, but way less noise. It’s not completely silent, but in a stiff wind, I had no problem holding a conversation.

The company has also released a accessory, which anchors the rear corners of the Shibumi fabric with cords and sand bags, giving the fabric structure without the need for a breeze, but I haven’t had the conditions to test it out yet. Both new developments have made a good product better, and more importantly, made it easier to hunker down from the sun as my family and I soak up these last days of summer. Beach day, all day.

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The main reason to buy a custom surfboard is because you can’t find the board you want on a shelf. A custom surfboard is a big step in a surfer’s journey, and it can bring noticeable, tangible benefits to the way you surf and how much fun you have. Ideally, you’ll end up with a board that is a sublime match for your body, style, goals, and the waves you frequent. But it can also be an overwhelming experience (and a not-insignificant investment in time and money), so you want to get it right.

Luckily for you, we’ve got it covered. I worked with two legendary shapers—Britt Merrick and Guy Okazaki—and went through the custom shaping process (twice), in order to bring you this comprehensive guide to ordering a custom surfboard—complete with what to expect, the questions to ask, the information you’ll need, and the pitfalls to avoid.

Step One: Do Your Research

The first step is to try as many different boards as you can. Your local surf shop, OfferUp, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace are all great resources for this. I spent $350 on a used surfboard from Craigslist, rode it for a little while, then sold it to someone else for $350, and bought something else to play with. Used boards can hold their value well if you don’t damage them. Also, look for demo days at your local surf shop.

“I have a friend who’s a really good surfer, and for the last few years, he’s just been buying the most random boards off Craigslist,” up-and-coming Venice pro surfer told me. “But now he’s in this phase where he knows exactly what he wants because he’s tried so many boards. So now when he goes to a shaper, he has all this knowledge to pull from.”

The next phase of your research should be to talk to other surfers. Look for surfers right around your size and ability level at your local breaks and ask them what they’re on and how they like it. If you can afford it, hire an experienced coach for a session or two, and see what suggestions they might have for your next surfboard. The web is also a great resource. Both the Pyzel and Channel Islands websites have live chats with actual humans on the other end, and they are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. They can help you get a better handle on what might, and what might not work for you (just be respectful of their time).

Step Two: Pick Your Surfboard Shaper

Find a shaper who will take the time to understand where you’re at and where you want to go and ensure they have the skills to make the right board for the job. A good shaper carries a wealth of knowledge about surfboard design and surfing in general. It may also give you an opportunity to work with a local who has deep insights about the waves you’ll be surfing the most, and you get to support the local surf economy.

I went into this quest knowing that I wanted two boards: A point-break specialist for some of my favorite spots in Malibu and Ventura, and a hyper-local board for the beach break I surf in Venice 80 percent of the time. After months of research, I found my two dream shapers.

Britt Merrick,

Britt was literally raised in a surfboard factory, as the son of world renown shaper and founder of Channel Islands Surfboards, Al Merrick. He would grow up to become an iconic shaper in his own right, making award-winning surfboards (including several winners) for WSL Championship Tour event winners and average joes alike. Channel Islands is based in Santa Barbara, home to legendary point breaks like Rincon, and considering how many boards he’s made for people who compete at places Jeffreys Bay and Snapper Rocks, I figured he’d be the perfect person to make my point break killer. Note: anyone can request a board from Britt, but it will most likely take months longer than usual because he has a massive queue.

Surfboard shaper Guy Okazaki at work (Photo: Courtesy Guy Okazaki)

Guy Okazaki,

When it came to finding a shaper for my Venice beach break board, I knew exactly who I hoped would make it. It seemed like 20 percent of the boards I would see at my favorite spot had a big “GOS” stamped on the deck. Plus, Okazaki has been surfing here since the 1950s, so not many people know the wave better. Okazaki was born in Hawaii, where he first learned to shape surfboards from his dad and legends of the sport, including Rabbit Kekai. He would go on to travel and surf with world champions, and he’s been shaping boards in his garage in Venice for more than 30 years. For my usual spot, Guy is as local as it gets, and every surfer I talked to raved about his boards.

This brings up an important point: You want to pick your shaper based on their strengths and based on what you’re looking for. I determined that Merrick and Okazaki were likely the best fit for my specific criteria, but if I wanted a surfboard for Hawaii, then maybe Wade Tokoro or John Pyzel would be the move.

Step 3: Talk with Your Shaper

Set up a phone call (or an in-person meeting if you can) with the shaper to discuss the board. You should familiarize yourself with the boards they make because chances are high that they will be using one of those models as a starting point.

Typically, shapers will first ask about your height and weight. Then they’ll likely ask your age and how often you surf to determine how much board you need. Next, all that time you spent trying different boards will come in handy when they ask you what you have been riding and how they worked (or didn’t work) for you.

When I asked Merrick and Okazaki what the most important factor is for determining the right board, they had the same answer: it depends on where and how you surf now, and where and how you’re hoping to in the near future.

The “where” questions to ask yourself: Are you mostly going to be surfing beach breaks, point breaks, or reef breaks? This is where a shaper with knowledge of your preferred breaks can come in handy. And what size waves will you be on, realistically?

The “how” is a bit harder to quantify. What do you want to do on the wave? What do you enjoy now, and where would you like to get in in the next few years? For example, I told the shapers that I really want to improve my carving, work on speed generation, and build confidence in steeper barreling waves. For me, these are modest but realistic goals for where I am in my evolution as a surfer.

Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Don’t let your ego get in the way. I get it—nobody wants to seem like a kook, but you have to avoid over-inflating your skills. “That’s the most common mistake people make,” Merrick told me. “If they don’t have realistic expectations and goals, then they tend to get the wrong board altogether. Usually, that means not getting enough surfboard. Especially with beginners, they get small boards like the pros, and they don’t have the paddling power, so they miss a ton of waves. You’ve also got to start making adjustments for your physicality, and age.”
2. Don’t forget to be specific. Terms like Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert, are extremely nebulous. Tell your shaper the things you feel like you’re doing well, and tell them the things you’re struggling with. Video clips can tell a shaper a lot about where you’re at, and their experienced eyes will likely spot things in your surfing that you don’t even know to look for. Get a friend to film you from shore, and show them a mix of your best and worst waves to give them the most accurate picture.
3. Don’t fall into the current obsession with surfboard volume. It’s not that volume isn’t important, but it’s not that helpful on its own. Okazaki broke it down: “Over the last few years, the first metric out of someone’s mouth has been volume, and I always chuckle, ‘Well, where do you want that volume? Do you want it in the middle, in the nose, in the tail, distributed uniformly? Do you want it on the rails or more in the center?’ And they realize that they hadn’t given that a thought. Where that volume is is really more important than what the volume is.”

Step 4: Finishing Touches

While you and your shaper talk, they’ll be taking down your decisions in an order form. This is also where you’ll make choices about which type of fin-boxes you want, and how many. You’ll decide whether you want a traditional foam or EPS, what type of fiberglass (or carbon fiber), how heavy, and whether you’d like to use polyurethane resin or epoxy. Each of these things will affect the way your board performs to different degrees, and while whole articles have been written about each of those categories, again, talk to your shaper about what they think would work best for the design you’ve agreed on.

This is also where you’ll make a decision about art. Do you want to leave the board white, or add a tint to the resin? Or a swirl? Do you have some art you would like laminated onto the deck? These things are a personal touch that make the board feel more uniquely yours, but each one of them will add to the overall cost.

Once everything is agreed on, you will plunk down a deposit (typically $100-200, though some want full payment upfront), and they will get to work making your board. Your shaper will give you a rough timeline when you finalize the details. It could be just a few weeks if they’re not too busy, or it could be three months. Resist the urge to bug them until after the due date has passed. There is no question a shaper hates more than, “Is it ready yet?”

My Custom Boards

For my Channel Islands point-break board, Merrick steered me toward his Ìęa board that was designed to paddle and catch waves like a much longer board, but surf more like a shortboard. My only reservation was that I wanted something that could handle bigger, steeper, barreling waves (dare to dream). He said no problem and borrowed the thinner rails from his , which are a bit more refined and would also help with my turns.

Merrick recommended a 6-foot, 8-inch board, which would be my biggest board in years, but promised it wouldn’t surf that way. I had him add five fin-boxes instead of the standard three, so I could ride it as a thruster, a quad, or a twin (i.e. a three-fin, a four-fin, or a two-fin configuration), depending on the day. I also had the board made with (Varial just recently, tragically, went out of business due to a supply-chain interruption, when they were priced out of their foam by the aerospace industry), glassed with epoxy resin tinted Creamsicle orange, and I had a rose emblazoned on the deck.

For my Venice board, I came to Okazaki with a laundry list of what I wanted the board to do. After hearing my thoughts and watching my flailing surf videos, he thought would be a good place to start, or the as he would come to call this latest iteration of a board he’s been evolving for 22 years.

Okazaki planned to throw in a fairly moderate double concave through the tail, and a single concave around where my front foot would be. That should enhance rail-to-rail transitions, give it a little more pop, and hopefully increase speed out of turns. Guy advocated for a swallow-tail with a prominent double-wing just ahead of it, which would allow for very straight rails for speed, but then give it a nice break to pivot off of for turns. He suggested we go with a 6-foot, 2-inch, with standard polyurethane (PU) foam blank and lightweight four-ounce PU glassing. I had him throw on the same rose I put on my CI board, plus a five-fin-box setup, and picked a Pantone color that looked like bubblegum.

The Results

A few months later, both boards have exceeded my wildest expectations.

I’ve taken my Merrick CI board to point breaks up and down the California coast, in everything from waist-high waves to well overhead. The board has allowed me to get into waves early, then pump down the line, and really sink into my carves like I’d hoped. In the few months that I’ve had it, I’ve probably caught four of the top five longest and most memorable waves of my life.

For my Okazaki board, I gave Guy such a long list of things I wanted it to do—some of which seemed at odds with each other—and somehow he did it. It has great paddle power, but I can still duck-dive it. The board can make steep, late drops, but it also has great speed down the line. Trimming around flat sections is easy, but then it turns on a dime with very little effort and takes off again. I’m riding this board at the local spot I’ve been walking to several times a week for the last three years, and I’m having more fun out there than I ever have. What’s more important than that?

Last Advice from the Shapers

“I recommend trying to stay as local as you can,” Okazaki told me. “And that’s more than just for the shaper.” One of Okazaki’s greatest concerns is the increasing acidification of our oceans. That’s one of the reasons he uses U.S. Blanks for his foam, because they operate in Los Angeles, and because of that they’re subject to the most stringent environmental standards in the nation. It’s just a 20-minute drive from Okazaki’s shop to their factory, so the carbon footprint to get a blank from them is as minimal as it gets, and they’re fully solar-powered, too. Okazaki also works with local glassers (which most shapers usually do), which again requires minimal transport, and feeds money directly into the local surf economy.

“It’s rare these days that you get a product that’s all hand-made by skilled craftsmen and women,” Merrick mused. “It’s not your tennis racket, golf club, snowboard, or basketball that just gets pumped out by machines. People should approach it with an appreciation for the art and the craftsmanship. Once people start to appreciate that they’ll appreciate surfing as a whole even more.”

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In its 2021 Olympic debut in Japan, surfing took place at a nice little beach break, and it made for a fun watch. 2024 has been an entirely different animal. Held at Tahiti’s infamous Teahupoʻo, a storm brought thick, house-sized barrels detonating onto razor-sharp coral reef while the world’s best surfers deliberately put themselves in harm’s way in the quest for gold. But medals weren’t the only hardware on display.

If you’ve been watching the competition, this is likely the first time you’ve seen surfers wearing helmets. Even if you spend a lot of time at the beach, you’ve probably never seen them on surfers before. In round one of the Olympic surf competition, a whopping 17 out of 24 female surfers wore a helmet, and five of the men did, too.

We didn’t have to wait long to see why helmets were so popular. Early in the contest, France’s started without a helmet, then wiped out on her first wave and went headfirst into the reef, splitting her forehead open. She immediately requested a helmet, which staff delivered to her via jet ski and put onto her still-bleeding head. She would later require four stitches, but she was extremely lucky that the impact wasn’t worse. Not everybody has been so fortunate recently.

Check out our coverage of the winning mountain bikes and the at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

A Brief Helmet History

I reached out to team (Lenny is arguably the best big wave surfer in the world), who has some experience with this subject. Earlier this year Lenny went down on a seemingly innocuous wave at Oahu’s famous Pipeline. It was one of the first times he wore a helmet surfing, but something that morning told him it was a good idea.Ìę He ended up driven into the reef with so much force that the impact split his helmet in half. Lenny was somehow able to get himself to shore, but he was badly concussed, and has virtually no memory of the incident. He spent months recovering and dealing with all of the nightmarish brain-injury symptoms you hear about from NFL players. It’s almost certain that and the debate about wearing a surf helmet has picked up since then.

That said, surf helmets aren’t actually all that new. Surfers have been wearing them at hard-bottom breaks since at least the early ‘90s. Australia’s Tom Carroll famously wore a helmet during his dominant performance at the 1991 Pipeline Masters contest. Takayuki Wakita, Naohisa Ogawa, and Atsushi Imamura were a trio of legendary Japanese chargers who all donned helmets. Even more recently, France’s Jeremey Flores and Australia’s Owen Wright each won first place while wearing helmets in the Tahiti Pro (also held at Teahupoʻo) in 2015 and 2019, respectively. So, surf helmet use is by no means unprecedented, but it’s never been common, which is why seeing nearly half of the surfers at the Olympics feels like something of a sea change moment.

The Gath Eva Hat helmet ($169) (Photo: Courtesy Gath)

Anatomy of a Surf Helmet

Broadly speaking, there are two types of surf helmets: Soft and hard-shell. As the name suggests, hard helmets have a plastic shell on the outside with a layer (or multiple layers) of foam underneath. These are more akin to bike helmets and ski/snowboard helmets. Most are uniform round shells for less drag in the water, with significant ports around the ears to prevent water from accumulating there. The soft helmets look a bit more like something you’d see in a martial arts competition. While they’re lighter and more comfortable, they also don’t offer quite as much protection. As far as I could tell, everybody in the Olympics contest was wearing variations of the hard-shell design.

The three biggest players in the surf helmet game are and hard shells, and . Gath helmets look not-unlike bowling balls, with bits of ventilation here and there, and they typically go for $170-$190, depending on the model. They offer solid protection for the top, back, and sides of your head. Simba helmets go a bit further, with helmets that stretch downward from the sides to cover more of the sensitive jawline, which gives them more of an intense gladiator look. They go for about $200. ($79) offers the least protection, but it’s made with a soft, non-absorbent foam to keep it from getting waterlogged. It’s also the lightest and one of the cheapest options.

There are other brands that make surf helmets as well, and it’s not unusual to see kayak-helmets used for surf. Kai Lenny is now developing his own surf helmet, which will have carbon fiber. Like bike helmets, plastic surf helmets are actually designed to break on impact to help diffuse the energy of the blow. Carbon fiber breaks, too, but as it does it distributes the force more evenly around the entire shell, theoretically decreasing the energy transferred to your skull and brain. There’s no word yet on the timing of its release or how much it will cost.

Some Olympians, like Defay, were wearing what appeared to be bike helmets in the lineup, with cutouts all over them for ventilation and drainage. They had some ear coverage, too, so I don’t believe they were literally bike helmets, but the point is any protection may be better than nothing if you’re heading into some heavy water.

To Wear or Not to Wear?

There are a few reasons helmets aren’t ubiquitous at the beach, though. While it’s universal that it’s preferable to have a helmet on if you’re going to hit a hard object such as a reef, a rock, a surfboard, or even a hard-packed sand bottom, those are still thankfully rare occasions. What you are almost guaranteed to encounter in every surf session, however, is turbulence when duck-diving or tumbling in the whitewater, and that’s where surf helmets may actually be a disadvantage. Because they increase the relative mass of your head, that means more torque on your neck when it’s being pushed around underwater, which could potentially increase your chances of getting neck-strain or whiplash. That’s one of the reasons you want to make sure you absolutely nail the sizing, and wear it as tightly yet comfortably as you can. The helmet can act like a sea-parachute and pull your neck back if too much water gets inside.

The other reason is the cool factor, or lack thereof. A lot of surfers are afraid that wearing a helmet will make them look like a kook. It’s worth noting, though, that helmets were practically non-existent at ski resorts through the 1990s, yet now they’re everywhere, regularly worn by pros, and nobody thinks twice when they see them. There were so many notable surf-related brain injuries this year that I think we’ll see more influential pro surfers get on board. Jamie O’Brien, Koa Smith, and Kai Lenny are all notable proponents, and as demand grows, the helmets will continue to evolve and improve.

Personally, I’m going to pick one up myself. I probably won’t wear it on smaller days, or at my local beach break, but the next time I paddle out when it’s big and heavy, and there are lots of rocks around, it will give me peace of mind to have my noggin protected. I actually started snowboarding better once I wore a helmet regularly, so who knows—maybe that will happen in the waves, too.

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For those of us who try to spend our dollars on more environmentally-friendly gear, there is an uncomfortable truth that we don’t like admitting: Sometimes, these products don’t perform as well as their planet-killing counterparts. Now, that’s not always the case, but too often we’re faced with a choice between performance and sustainability, and unfortunately, that has long been the case for wetsuits. As a surfer, I’m happy to report that the days of compromise are finally over. Patagonia’s new and improved Regulator wetsuit successfully blends performance and sustainability.

Patagonia, founded by California surfer and environmental activist Yvon Chouinard, has long sought to make wetsuits more eco-friendly by shirking traditional neoprene (traditionally derived from crude oil or limestone) in favor of more sustainable materials. Since 2012, the brand has been predominantly using Yulex, a brand name of natural rubber derived from the sap of sustainably-grown rubber trees, in its Regulator wetsuits.

While Yulex sounded great in theory, the performance has historically left much to be desired. I had a Regulator wetsuit from Patagonia’s previous generation, and it was noticeably stiffer than my traditional neoprene wetsuit. Every paddle stroke I took felt like I was pulling against a resistance band (albeit a light one). It also leaked at the seams in my lower legs, was tougher to get on and off, heavier, and dried slower, too.

The new version of Patagonia’s Regulator wetsuits solved effectively all of those problems. The company spent four years developing and testing the new suits (twice as long as its usual release schedule due to COVID-19 related slowdowns), and that extra time really paid off.

Patagonia Yulex Regulator Wetsuit

Available models: Lite (2 mm) to R5 (6.5 mm/5 mm), in front and back-zip options
Materials: 85% Yulex natural rubber plus recycled fabrics for jersey
Weight: 2.5 lbs (R1); 3.5 lbs for R3
Size range: Men’s S – XXL; Women’s 4-12

Pros and Cons:
⊕ Very flexible, warm, and comfortable
⊕ Improved seams don’t leak and are easily repaired
⊕ Dries quickly
⊕ One of the most eco-friendly wetsuits on the market
⊗ Issues with the zipper engaging
⊗ Issues with flushing and chafe around the neck
⊗ Limited range of sizes for women

When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside.ÌęLearn more.

While Patagonia’s Regulator suits aren’t made entirely with natural rubber—no wetsuit today is—they do incorporate a new mix of 85 percent natural rubber, plus 15 percent of a processed synthetic rubber compound which gives the resulting foam enough stretch, strength, and UV-resistance to withstand the rigors of life as a wetsuit. Patagonia claims the newest version of these suits are 20-percent stretchier than the last. This is partially due to improvements in the foam rubber manufacturing process, and partially because the liners in the new suits have changed from nylon to polyester, with a slightly increased amount of Spandex, too.

I compared the new R1 (what Patagonia calls its 3mm/2.5mm line) to the last version by grabbing the sleeves in the same place and pulling each to the same length. While not perfectly scientific, I would estimate that the new suits did indeed require roughly 20-percent less energy to stretch the same distance, and that puts them right on par with my traditional neoprene suits. Not only does that reduce fatigue while paddling, but it makes getting it on and off easier, too.

Patagonia also redesigned the seams to address the leaking issues in the previous model, moving them slightly from high-wear areas and adding more curves to them so there’s less stress on them when they’re stretched. This simple change has made the new version one of the least leaky wetsuits I’ve ever tested.

When seams do have to be repaired, the job is much easier now. Patagonia removed the external liquid seal in the new Regulator, which had a tendency to crack and wasn’t fully repairable, leaving the company to replace defective wetsuits more often. According to Patagonia, the number of repairs is down a whopping 70-percent year to date.

These are all massive improvements, but the new Regulator still doesn’t get perfect marks across the board. For starters, there’s the zipper. I got the chest-zip version of the suit in both R1 and R3 thicknesses, and for both it was really tough to get the zipper to initially engage properly. This is quite annoying when your hands are cold and the waves are firing. I also found that the neck chafed me a bit more than wetsuits normally do (which made me wonder if it was too tight), yet it was also slightly more prone to flushing at the neck (which made me wonder if it’s too loose). It’s possible that that’s just the way my specific neck fits with the wetsuit, and the chafing didn’t happen every session, but it’s something to note.

While the stretch is immensely improved from the last version, it still isn’t quite on the same level as the super-high-end performance suits out there. At least the ones built with flexibility as the main feature, such as line. That said, for everybody but pros, it is more than flexible enough.

Then there’s the price: These are still some of the most expensive suits on the market. The R1 Regulator (3mm/2.5mm) comes in at $479, while the R3 Regulator (4.5mm/3.5mm) starts at $539. That’s roughly comparable to the high-end offerings from other surf brands ( line comes in at $520 and $540 for comparable thicknesses), but those companies typically have more affordable entry-level suits for people who are just starting out or are on a tighter budget (often under $200), and Patagonia only has the one line.

Also, strangely, these suits are available in ten different sizes for men, but only five different sizes for women. That’s despite women generally having more variation in terms of body-type than men. So if women don’t happen to fit one of those five then they’ll have to look at other brands, which is a shame.

All that said, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the newest Regulator suits to fellow surfers. I spent most of the winter and spring surfing in the R3 then the R1 as it got warmer, logging over 40 days up and down the California coast in water temperatures ranging from 49 to 64 degrees F, and both have lived up to their claimed temperature ratings, performed well, and held up admirably. They’re very comfortable, don’t wear me out like the last version did, and they dry faster, too.

So yes, these wetsuits still cost a premium, but the performance finally lives up to the price, and they’re easier on the planet, too.

The post Patagonia Finally Made a Natural Rubber Wetsuit That Works appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

If a surfboard is a paintbrush and a wave is a canvas, then surfers today have thousands of different tools to make art. Are you a traditionalist, like the Old Masters? Take out a classic longboard. Are you more keen on surrealist style, channeling your inner Salvador Dali? Go for an asymmetrical shape. What about contemporary, akin to Yayoi Kusama? You can’t go wrong with a high-performance shortboard.

But with endless options on the market, all perfectly catered to different surfing styles, abilities, and conditions, deciding which surfboard to ride takes work. Luckily for you, we grabbed seven seasoned surfers last season, set them loose with a variety of currently available boards, and narrowed down the field for a comprehensive report on today’s best of the best.

Be sure to check out our favorite board shorts and women’s swimsuits as well.

At a Glance

• Best Quiver Killer Small-Wave Board:
• Best Classic Long Board:
• Best in Good Surf:
• Best Softboard:
• Best Reliable Shortboard:
• Best Board to Push Your Limits:
• How to Choose a Surfboard
• How We Test
• Meet Our Testers

All gear in this guide was tested by multiple reviewers. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.

Best Small-Wave Boards

Best Quiver-Killer

Album Surf Twinsman

Stock Dimensions: 5’0″ x 18.75″ x 2″ – 6’4″ x 21.5″ x 2.75″

Pros and Cons
⊕ Paddles well for its size
⊗ Needs a good-sized wave to get going

Twin-fin surfboards aren’t what they used to be. What was once a go-to design for cruise-y, mellow surfing, this shape doesn’t sacrifice when it comes to high-performance. It can turn a small-wave session into something much more. Just look at Josh Kerr – he’s pulling massive airs on these boards. And the Twinsman is the pinnacle of that balance between user-friendly and high-performance.

Speaking to that blend of high-performance and classic fish style, tester Charlie Hough noted: “It feels like a responsive fish. Once you get going, it has the performance of a thruster and the speed of a retro fish.” What’s more, Hough added, “If you are looking for a board with X-factor, this is the one. You ride it 4-5 inches shorter than your normal board which gives you more control under your feet. It will bring an extra spark to your day-to-day sessions and will allow you to do surfing you have never done before.”

Best Classic Longboard

Channel Islands CI Log

Dimensions: 9’0” x 22 5/8” x 3” (70.4L) to 10’0″ x 23 1/4” x 3 3/16” (85.5L)

Pros and Cons
⊕ Maneuverability with a classic style
⊗ Not the best board for anything too high-performance

This is the modern longboarder’s longboard. It has all the staples of a classic style, while allowing for contemporary surfing, too. Wanna walk the nose? Go for it. Wanna put it on rail and do some turns? Be our guest. This board was a longtime passion-project from the best minds at Channel Islands, resulting in a longboard that can do it all.

“The funny thing about a good traditional log is that is can work for a beginner to intermediate really well,” said Malibu-based tester Devon Howard. “But if a high-level pro gets on this board, they will be able to unlock features of the design that allow them to tap in and do their best surfing in and around to pocket.” Howard said that that wasn’t a common feature for most of the other boards he tested.

Overall, this board has all the modern perks, but comes in a timeless package. This is the longboard for everyone, from beginners to pros.

Best Alternative Boards

Best in Good Surf

JS Industries Big Baron

Dimensions: 5’10” x 19″ x 2 7/16″ (29L) to 6’4″ x 20 3/4″ x 2 3/4″ (38.7L)

Pros and Cons
⊕ Good for pointbreaks and open-face
⊗ Doesn’t do well in smaller surf

Amongst hardcore rippers, the mid-length gets a bad rap. But the Big Baron is different. It’s not just for beginners. This board is inspired by mid-lengths of generations’ past, and the ones that were ripped to bits on the Gold Coast of Australia’s infamous pointbreaks. The flat rocker holds speed through weaker sections, while a double concave through the fins allows for maximum maneuverability. Plus, it can hold in a variety of wave size.

Laguna Beach-based tester Eli Viszolay said, “I took the board out at Cloudbreak on a stormy day when nobody was around. It was low tide and the waves were head high—barreling down the point. I had finally started to get used to the board and the thing worked like magic. It’s a lot different than a shortboard but when you adapt to it, your speed and flow increases a lot.”

With a flatter rocker, and drawn-out rails, it might just even improve your style. “Probably in between cruise-y and high performance,” Viszolay continued. “The board reminds you to smooth out your turns using the rail.”

Best Softboard

Catch Surf 54 Special

Dimensions: 4’6”

Pros and Cons
⊕ Durability; don’t worry about dinging it
⊗ A bit chunky

Although you might not see John John Florence or Carissa Moore riding them on the Championship Tour, softboards have come a long way in the last decade or so. No longer are they just for beginners at Waikiki or Doheny. Just ask Blair Conklin. The stylish skimboarder and softie surfer enthusiast is doing more progressive surfing on foam boards than many pros on traditional foam and fiberglass. And these days, they work in pretty much all conditions—especially the 54 Special.

“It’s the Swiss Army knife of surfboards,” Conklin said. “Groms love ‘em, experts love ‘em, and they even work great finless. I think I have had the best surf sessions of my life on this board.”

Conklin said that he especially loved the 54 Special’s durability: he didn’t have to worry about dings, and found the board could take a look of abuse. “I have never been able to snap one of these things and I have been in plenty of conditions that probably should have. It has three stringers which makes it rigid, fast, and impossible to break.”

The one downside? Conklin says after riding the 54 Special, you might never want to ride a high-performance shortboard again.

High-Performance Boards

Best Reliable Shortboard

Chili Surfboards Shortie

Dimensions: 5’10” x 18 5/8” x 2 5/16” (26.5L) to 6’2” x 19 3/8” x 2 3/4” (33.9L)

Pros and Cons
⊕ Reliable, responsive, forgiving
⊗ Needs solid surf to really show its strengths

During his final year on the Championship Tour, World Champion Adriano de Souza helped James “Chilli” Cheal develop the Shortie. So, yeah, you could say this board was built for high-performance. But it’s also got a forgiving nature, too; meaning you don’t need to be a World Champ to shred on it. With extra foam in the stringer line, it’s got paddle power and holds speed through flat sections, making it ideal for anyone from pros to average joes.

“It’s high performance,” remarked tester Dane Zaun, a Los Angeles local, “but forgiving enough for anyone looking to ride a shortboard to have fun and improve. That big sweet spot makes it so fun and forgiving.” According to Zaun, some high-performance boards are good when you’re surfing well, but really bad if you mess up. “It’s always nice to click in with a board and feel like it’s an extension of you—that’s what the Shortie does,” said Zaun. “It clicks in good surf, while accentuating your own strengths as a surfer.”

The bottom line? If you want to rip, this board is for you; if you want to learn how to rip, this board is forgiving enough and a good place to start.

Best Board to Push Your Limits

Pyzel Red Tiger

Dimensions: 5’4” x 18 3/8” x 2 1/16” (22.2L) to 6’4” x 20” x 2 3/4” (36.9L)

Pros and Cons
⊕ Fast, extra hold, good turning radius
⊗ Requires a wave with push

Described as their “fastest board yet” with a “fun-formance” philosophy, and a favorite of John John Florence, the Pyzel Red Tiger is a board that moves. Need a little pep in your surfing? Give this board a try. Testers found that the flattened-out rocker allows for extra speed in those slow sections, without compromising for high-performance in steeper waves either. This board works well in gutless waves to pumping, overhead surf alike.

Tester Kevin Meza, a surfer known as the “Baja Koala,” said he loved how well this board did when he was going fast. “I think one of the standout differences I felt on this board, when compared to other popular models on the market today is how well the board responds with so much speed, without losing control due to all that double concave it has in the back-foot area.” According to Meza, the pulled-in tail gives the Red Tiger release and more of a skateboard-like feel. That said, Meza said that his favorite part was that the board didn’t skid out while hitting a powerful section with speed.

All in all, the Pyzel Red Tiger is a high-performance shortboard that doesn’t give out when it’s pushed to its limits.

How to Choose a Surfboard

Go to Your Local Surf Shop

Support your local watering hole by purchasing a board—whether off the rack in standard stock sizes or by submitting a custom order. The shop owner or manager can help you dial in the best dimensions for your height, weight, and experience, and also talk you through the best fin options for your new sled.

And speaking of experience, be honest—with the shop employees and yourself. What level of surfer are you? What kind of waves will you truly be riding on this board? Being humble and speaking truthfully will go a long way toward getting the right equipment so you can catch more waves and have more fun.

Go Straight to the Shaper

If you’re having trouble ordering a specific board through your local surf shop, most of the shapers mentioned above accept direct orders through their websites. You can tinker around with their volume calculators online and decide which board shapes and specs are right for you. If you’re still having trouble, give them a call.

Buy Used

Buying a new surfboard can be a big investment. If you’re not ready to drop a chunk of change on a freshie, or want to try a new shape but aren’t sure if you’ll like it, take some time to peruse Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and OfferUp. Reputable resellers like also have a great inventory of used boards.

How We Test

• Number of Testers: 7
• Number of Products Tested: 21
• Number of Waves Ridden: Countless
• Number of Wipeouts: At least a couple dozen
• Number of Dings Acquired: More than a few

Surfers, for better or worse, have long been associated with exaggerated youth. And give a surfer a bunch of the best surfboards in the world to test ride, well, you might’ve guessed it—they’re like a kid in a candy store. But for this test, the sugar-high of surfboard testing was suppressed and testers thought carefully while documenting data, one wave, one board at a time.

The testers employed in this surfboard survey included a wide array of surfers—from current professionals in the free surf realm, to former professionals on the competitive circuit, to seasoned surf travelers, to average surfers with an above-average knowledge of surfboards. And so, each tester rode a variety of boards, and documented their findings with quantitative results on which ones worked best in specific conditions and for specific surfing styles. We tested waves all over the country—from Laguna Beach in California to Pipeline at Hawaii.

Meet Our Testers

Category Manager: Dashel Pierson

• Age: 32
• Stance: Goofy
• Height: 5’11”
• Weight: 160 lbs

Dashel Pierson is the Associate Editor of Surfer Magazine. When he’s not writing about surfing, he’s in the water, either locally in southern California, or traveling in search of waves in far-flung locations.

Dane Zaun

• Age: 32
• Stance: Goofy
• Height: 5’11”
• Weight: 185 lbs

Hailing from the South Bay of Los Angeles, Dane Zaun is a staple in the City of Angels surf scene. Once a competitor, now a free-surfer and father, Dane can be found in and around LA whenever the waves are good and putting on a clinic for the countless crowds the area is known for.

Elijah Viszolay

• Age: 32
• Stance: Goofy
• Height: 6’0”
• Weight: 185 lbs

A surf nomad, Eli Viszolay is a tough guy to nail down. When he’s not hunting waves in Indonesia, Chile, Hawaii, New Zealand, or any other surf hotspot, he’s at home in Laguna Beach, California. But don’t expect him to stick around long.

Nate Zoller

• Age: 35
• Stance: Regular
• Height: 5’8”
• Weight: 164 lbs

One of the most well-traveled free-surfers in the game, Nate Zoller has scored waves in India, Alaska, Fiji, and more. Not a lot of folks can boast that
or add those stamps to their passports.

Blair Conklin

• Age: 28
• Stance: Regular
• Height: 6’0”
• Weight: 160 lbs

More known as a skimboarder than a surfer, per se, Blair Conklin’s finless finesse has made him one of the best in the world. However, he’s no slouch on a regular surfboard either. And many consider him one of the most stylish in the biz – especially in the air.

Charlie Hough

• Age: 33
• Stance: Regular
• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 180 lbs

A precious metals salesman by trade, Charlie Hough owns more surfboards than the average wave-riding fanatic. (Perhaps to the dismay of his wife.) So, when a new board comes onto the market, you can guarantee Hough will get his mitts on it. Or, at the very least, know all about it.

Devon Howard

• Age: 49
• Stance: Regular
• Height: 6’1”
• Weight: 195 lbs

One of the most stylish longboarders to ever cross-step, Devon Howard can often be found at Malibu – weaving through the crowd, and blending both classic style with modern progression.

Kevin Meza

• Age: 30
• Stance: Regular
• Height: 5’11”
• Weight: 183.5 lbs

Known by some as the “Baja Koala,” Kevin Meza is a force of nature when it comes to shortboard innovation. From pop shuv-its, to fingerflips, Meza’s creative bag of tricks is deeper than a spitting tube at Pipeline.

The post Our Favorite Small-Wave, Alternative, and High-Performance Surfboards appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

From lightweight packrafts that weigh less than some tents to whitewater rigs that can take on the gnarliest rapids, there are hundreds of different types of boats on the market these days. Last year, we tested canoes, kayaks, rafts, and everything in between from Colorado’s rivers to Florida’s estuaries. Below you’ll find a sampling of some of the best paddle craft for hitting the water in 2024.

Be sure to check out our favorite boardshorts and women’s swimsuits as well.

At a Glance

• Best Raft:
• Best Canoe:
• Best Packraft:
• Best Whitewater Kayak:
• Best Recreational Kayak:
• Best Fishing Kayak:
• How to Choose a Boat
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Tester

All gear in this guide was tested by multiple reviewers. If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.

Best Raft

Sotar Rogue Argo

Length: 12 ft
Exterior Width: 68 in
Tube Diameter: 21 to 17 in
Air Chambers: 4 (including thwarts)
Capacity: 675 lbs
Weight: 60 lbs

Pros and Cons
⊕ Nimble enough to get through creeks while also big enough for the biggest rapids
⊕ Diminishing tubes makes it extremely responsive
⊗ The guide position is hard to get used to if you have three people paddling

Taking advantage of the growing small inflatable market, Sotar set out to make the ultimate R2/R3 raft (which means it can carry two or three paddlers) and came up with its new Rogue Argo, a 12-footer that paddles like a paddle cat but has a floor like a raft. The result is a craft that’s small and nimble enough to charge creeks while beefy enough to run meaty Class IV-V rapids, like on the Gauley River in West Virginia. Diminishing tubes in the front (but not the stern), two thwarts, and a weight of only 60 pounds—lighter than some of the 10-footers on the market—are just a few of the features that had our testers sold. It’s so light that it turns your strokes into speed when you need it most and lets you cartop or shoulder-carry it single-handedly. All these features make for a craft that dishes up the same fun as a paddle cat but with a raft’s space and buoyancy.

That said, don’t assume the Rogue Argo is just a shrunken-down expedition raft. The durable RF-welded urethane construction and new design features are built specifically for the category. Perhaps the raft’s most noticeable feature is its diminishing tubes, whose diameters are smaller up front and larger in the stern (17 inches to 21 inches). “It creates additional rocker which lets you go up and over oncoming features while keeping the back buoyant,” said tester Aaron Ball, a Swiftwater Rescue instructor for Colorado’s Southwest Rescue. “It was super responsive for two people, tracked well, and took hits with ease. The Reverse Mullet might have been a better name for it.”

A mesh floor keeps the weight down while draining water quickly, maintaining buoyancy. While water can enter it in wave trains, it sits up high and out of the water most of the time thanks to cam straps securing the mash to the thwarts. It also drains fast—our testers on Colorado’s Animas River found it dryer than expected. “Its mesh was great—it didn’t let much water through and made the boat lighter for an already small craft,” Ball said. His only concern: “With frigid water temps, it could lead to cold feet.”

The two thwarts and grab handles were ideal for holding on when the going got rough. The thwart spacing is adjustable, which made it easier for testers to lock their feet in. “It’s nice that two thwarts are included,” said tester and former international guide Miles DeFeyter. “A lot of rafts don’t have that. And the grab handles are awesome—I held onto them several times—this thing was made to run the gnar.”

The only knock? Paddling it as an R3. “The guide position takes a little getting used to,” added Ball. “Sitting on top of the 21-inch tube feels a bit different than the standard 19-inch of a classic raft. It takes a while to figure out what position feels most comfortable to guide from.”

Best Canoe

Esquif Huron 15

Length: 15 ft.
Width: 35 in.
Weight: 55 lbs.

Pros and Cons
⊕ Durable material so it doesn’t get dings easily
⊗ Can’t be loaded with too much gear, or it becomes sluggish

It’s rare for a new canoe to hit the shelves, but Esquif’s new Huron 15 impressed testers enough last fall to make this year’s cut. It can be paddled solo or in tandem and has a hull based on its popular Prospector design, but trimmed slightly lower from 14.5 inches to 12.5 inches—making it more sporty and less susceptible to wind. It’s designed for cottagers and recreational paddlers who want a solid canoe for calm water and small rivers but don’t need the depth and capacity of the Prospector.

Tester Nick Hinds took it out with his son, Finn, on Washington’s Cottage Lake, putting it through its paces on a quiet morning with glassy water and moody skis. “I could load it by myself—which is hard with most canoes—and I could paddle it solo or with my son,” he said, calling it agile and forgiving. “It seemed like the hull knew where I wanted it to go.” Hinds also prized its efficiency. “Each stroke was felt instantly,” he said. “It carved turns right when needed and tracked when we needed to go straight. And while limiting its use on whitewater, its low sidewall prevents it from being blown off course.”

The only drawback Hind noted was its carrying capacity. “Perfect for mild moving water—as long as it’s not loaded too heavily,” he said, explaining that it was best for two lighter people or one heavy person, and not too much gear. As for outfitting, the webbing seats “were comfortable” and the ash yoke “formed well for one-person carrying.”

Tester Alan Schmidt, who owns eight canoes and has been paddling for 40 years, put it through its paces on Washington’s low-water Class I-II Skykomish with not a child, but his 80-pound Labrador, who had no trouble centering his weight. Schmidt said that despite the Esquif 15’s rock and log dodging, the canoe tracked well, requiring “minimal correction strokes,” and was responsive to sharp turns. He also appreciated the seat height and tumblehome (the inward curve of the hull above the waterline), which “allows for easy and efficient solo paddling.”

Best of all, testers don’t need to worry about dings. It’s made from T-Formex a layered plastic with flotation and abrasion resistance, which has supplanted Royalex. Schmidt loved the material, especially on the unavoidable submerged rocks. “It slid over them easily instead of sticking, as some composite materials do.”

Still, Schmift did manage to flip the Esquif 15 in the tight confines of the canyon, putting him and his dog into the drink. Luckily, they had no trouble getting back in. “The recovery was simple and easy due to the positive buoyancy and the handles on each end,” he said.

Best Pack Raft

Alpacka Refuge

Length: 87 in. (medium)
Width: 34.5 in. (medium)
Weight: 6.7 lbs (medium)

Pros and Cons
⊕ Super lightweight but very river-worthy as well
⊕ Re-rigging time takes just five minutes
⊗ Might replace all your other rafts

Devotees of uber-lightweight backcountry craft with whitewater chops, rejoice: Alpacka’s new 2024 Refuge will have you re-thinking where you can paddle, whether you’re shouldering it to a high-alpine fishing lake, accessing remote rivers, or even bikepacking with it as part of your shuttle.

This packraft combines features of its earlier Refuge and whitewater version into one model, checking all the boxes for exploring wilderness waterways. Already known for its material’s bombproofness, Alpacka upgraded the new version to a beefier 840-denier nylon, along with a 210-denier high-count nylon hull. Now available in medium (7 feet 3 inches long) and large models (7 and a half feet and 5 inches long), it also comes standard with a backband, inflatable whitewater foot brace, and two-point thigh straps to hold you in when the going gets rough.

We tested it on the rivers and lakes of Northwest Colorado, assessing its whitewater mettle and its packability. First off, the weight comes to just 6.7 pounds for the medium (barely more than a three-person tent), making it easy to carry. It’s also fit onto the outside of our daypack easily, with plenty of weight to spare for beer, bread, and Brie. After carrying it into Jonah, Whale, and Martha lakes, we were also impressed with its game-changing cargo fly and airtight zipper that lets you stash gear inside the tubes, keeping it out of the way and your center of gravity low for added stability. “You just have to make sure you load it evenly so it’s not lopsided,” said one tester. Deflating it between lakes, we had the re-rigging time down to just five minutes. Simply roll it out, insert the nozzle of the micro-weight bellows bag, fill ‘er up with a pump, and top it off by blowing.

Another tester took it on the nearby Class II+ Colorado River, sussing out its whitewater cred by assessing the thigh straps, backband, footbrace, and sprayskirt, which attaches to a PVC rim. In the Eye of the Needle rapid, it slipped into the scouting eddy effortlessly and easily punched through the wave train. “It rode up and over the waves like a raft,” he said. “And the skirt kept all the splashes out.” The beefier floor shrugged off all abrasions, including a bottom-dragging landing.

Tester Dan Ransom, a 6’1” packrafter who paddles 60 days a year, took it out on Oregon’s Class II-III Rogue River and appreciated its river worthiness and roominess. “The whitewater rigging makes it a super capable boat for the size and weight,” he said, adding it packs down smaller than comparable whitewater models. “I was impressed by how stable, fast, and nimble it is. A fun little playboat for go-karting around on rivers with easier features. And it’s the easiest-rolling boat Alpacka makes.” Its biggest strength: “A capable boat that’s very light when it’s on your back. Ideal for trips that require a lengthy approach or exit, moderate whitewater, and where weight is at a premium.”

Best Whitewater Kayak

Pyranha Firecracker

Length: 7’11”
Width: 26 in
Weight: 41 lbs

Pros and Cons
⊕ Great for every skill level
⊕ Higher knee placement provides comfortable paddling position
⊗ None

Pyranha’s new Firecracker is plain, well
explosive. With its volume loaded up front for river running and a slicey stern for more playful paddles, the new half-slice lets you whip into micro eddies, snap onto waves, and get vertical wherever you want, all while retaining river runnability, Our testers put it to the task on various sections of Washington’s Skykomish River and the East Coast’s Nolichucky River, and found it extremely capable in both settings.

Whether you’re a pro or an average Joe, you’ll be comfortable running rapids on the Firecracker. The boat’s planing hull keeps it stable, spinnable, and surfable, while its rockered but short bow keeps you dry and relaxed. “A nice balance of playfulness and forgiveness,” said 145-pound tester Judah Harms, who put the medium through its paces on Washington’s Skykomish. “And the volume up front keeps the bow dry when surfing.” He added that playboaters will like how it sprays water away when its surfing.

Wider than many of Pyranha’s other kayaks, the Firecracker’s planing hull also eases into a gentle edge for carving. “It’s just enough to work with but novices won’t find it too aggressive,” said Harms. And the stern, he said, “is super fun—what little volume it has is distributed nicely, which helps it engage.” He found it did really well when he got vertical on rapids, too.

Tester Nick Hinds took it on Washington’s Class III Teton River at low water, ripping up three surf waves and stern squirting eddylines (stern squirting is the kayak-equivalent of doing a wheelie on a bike). “It carves great on a wave, without kicking out from too much rocker,” he said. “It sits in the wave’s sweet spot. I was able to surf until I was sore.” Calling it an “agile little kayak—fast on a wave for its length,” he added that it’s great for catching waves on the fly, making hard cutbacks, and splatting rocks and stern squirting. One demerit: “There’s no drain plug, so don’t forget your sponge.”

Our testers also liked its higher knee placement, providing a comfortable paddling position while freeing up foot room. In particular, Harms calls out the boat’s forgiveness, which lets it accommodate a wide variety of paddlers. “I’d put a beginner in it and recommend it to intermediates wanting to get more playful on their hometown runs, while experts will love it to up their freestyle game.”

Best Recreational Kayak

Old Town Ocean Kayak Malibu Two XL

Length: 13 ft
Width: 35 in
Weight: 90 lbs

Pros and Cons
⊕ High weight capacity
⊗ Not for windy conditions

You’ll look at lakes, bays, and easy-flowing rivers in a new light while paddling the Ocean Kayak Malibu Two XL recreational kayak. Perfect for heading out with your kid, spouse, pooch, or friend, it’s the ultimate family machine that can be paddled solo or tandem, with 491 pounds of weight capacity.

Our testers took it throughout the bays and inland waterways of Florida and found it perfect for the Sunshine State and beyond. “Very dry with a well-planned out deck,” said tester Tony Lai of St. Petersburg, who paddled it in wind with a little chop and touted its built-in seats with backrests, storage hatches, cup holders, molded footwells and cooler spot, and front and rear tank wells. “Plenty of space for whatever you want to bring.” He also relished its higher sitting frame seat (an upgrade) and center deck space for fishing. “Super easy to stand up on and get back down,” he said. “A great poling platform for sight fishing.”

Sarasota’s Ryan Nowakowski took it out with his 70-pound son Jackson,10, on a calm bay with an outgoing tide and winds around seven knots. “Roomy, comfortable, stable and versatile,” he said, acknowledging its tracking ability and AirComfort seats, which have an adjustable backrest and position your knees at a natural bend. “Can handle family beach days, lazy bay paddling, and wind, waves and chop. Not for super long distances, but great for shorter jaunts with stability and comfort.”

Testament came when they were drifting in about three feet of water, and out of nowhere the bow beneath Jackson was hit and launched up in the air by a very startled manatee. “Jackson was scared but the kayak didn’t capsize,” he said.

Nowakowski also applauded the waterproof hatches in front of each seat, which are deeper than those on other models and able to carry phones, wallets, keys, and more, as well as improved scupper locations so any water that gets in drains back out quickly. “You can stuff your accessories right in front of you for easy access, which frees up the tank well for coolers or other items,” he says. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t grab our phone quick enough for the manatee.”

Noting it didn’t want to track as well in windy or up current conditions, we wouldn’t recommend the Malibu Two XL for more serious expeditions.

Best Fishing Kayak

Old Town Sportsman BigWater ePDL+ 132

Length: 13’2”
Width: 36 in
Weight: 143 lbs

Pros and Cons
⊕ E-bike technology makes it easy to go against ocean tides while fishing
⊕ Lifetime hull warranty
⊗ Have to cut off the power to go into reverse, which can waste precious seconds with a fish on the line

The BigWater ePDL+ is Old Town’s most innovative pedal kayak, essentially using what is best described as e-bike technology. In short, its battery-powered pedal-drive lets anglers switch between manual paddle, pedal, power-assist pedal, or fully motorized cruise control, upping the versatility for kayak fishing. The LED screen shows you the mode, speed/assist level, and battery consumption level.

“Very intuitive, not much of a learning curve,” said tester Christi Holmes, who paddled it on lakes and tidal bays in Maine and Florida. “Excelled going against ocean surf and tides when trying to get to my fishing grounds.” She loved that she could take breaks for snacks, photos, and changing lures while the kayak kept cruising. “Liked knowing that if my battery died, I could just pedal back,” she said, adding it was great for trolling and heading against Maine’s powerful tidal rivers. “It works best in tidal areas or areas with strong currents and you need to get somewhere. Less work meant I could go farther and fish longer.”

Tester Bill Sikora used it on the fresh and saltwater of the South Florida canal. “Stable hull and lower speed great for trolling for gamefish and against the tide,” he said, adding that while trolling a small blade bait he hooked into a peacock bass. “I locked the rudder in place and just enjoyed the ride. The drive never felt glitchy and maintained speed even during extended use—and never felt it would die thanks to the power indicator.” The only weakness he noted was that you had to cut the power off to go into reverse. If a hooked fish turns toward a structure on a bank, he said, pedaling backward lets you pull it back out into open water. “With the power-assist engaged, you have to pedal a few times before it kicks off and the drive goes back into manual mode,” he said, which takes up precious seconds when you have a fish on the line.

Other features include a lifetime hull warranty (two years for the ePDL+ drive), a 36-volt lithium-ion battery, EVA foam floor pads for standing, rod and cup holders, a tackle box, full-length accessory tracks for customization, a wide stern tank well, and an offset shallow water anchor mount.

How to Choose a Boat

Generally, there are canoes and sea kayaks for touring lakes and bays, hardshell recreational and inflatable kayaks for user-friendly flatwater paddling (and also inflatable kayaks for Class I-III whitewater), and whitewater rafts and kayaks designed for running rivers. It’s important to decide what kind of paddling you’re most interested in before making any decisions about which boat to buy. Factors should include your proximity to water (and what type of water that is), skill level, and storage access. Below is a quick rundown on the types of crafts you can choose from.

Sit-Inside Kayaks

These are good for folks paddling in cooler climates or taking longer trips, since sitting inside a closed cockpit keeps you drier and more out of the wind. They also offer better in-hull storage for gear, making them better for extended jaunts. Touring models such as sea kayaks are generally longer and narrower, making them faster and better suited for bigger crossings and multi-day trips (most come with a nylon spray skirt to keep splashes at bay). Recreational kayaks cater more to entry-level paddlers and are shorter, wider, and more stable, plus they usually have larger cockpits. The tradeoff is they’re a bit slower and require more effort to paddle long distances.

Sit-on-Top Kayaks

These are touring and recreational kayaks that let you sit outside in a self-draining depression in the hull rather than inside a cockpit. They’re great for entry-level paddlers since you can climb back on if you tip over, and are well-suited for warmer climates. In general, wider means more stable, and longer means faster, even though they’re generally slower than their sit-inside brethren.

Inflatable Kayaks

Let’s call them IKs instead of duckies; it sounds better and is more in line with their performance. As with rafts, abrasion-resistant rubber makes inflatable kayaks well-suited for rivers and other rocky environments. What inflatable kayaks lack in hull speed they make up for in stability, durability, and portability—when you’re through paddling, simply roll them up for transport and storage back at home. Available in both single and double models, most also have inflatable self-bailing floors.

Fishing Kayaks

Fishing kayaks are the same as sit-on-tops, but with options to add accessories such as rod holders, bait platforms, anchors, tackle compartments, electronics, and more. They’re generally wider, heavier, and more stable (some let you cast while standing), with large maximum capacities for gear—and fish. Pedal kayaks are propelled via a removable system that drops through the hull in front of your seat (note: you can also use a paddle). They can reach speeds of five miles per hour (faster than you can paddle) and are steered with a hand-operated rudder. While their origins stem from fishing (i.e. they keep your hands free for casting), they’re becoming popular for general recreational use as well, and are good options for birding, sightseeing, exploring, and other uses. Most also come with a forward and reverse mode, which can be handy for retrieving a snagged lure.

Whitewater Kayaks

Whitewater kayaks run the gamut from tiny playboats built specifically for surfing waves to more bulbous creek boats for charging through hydraulics, to well-rounded river runners, built for easy paddling downstream. Determine what kind of water you’ll be paddling before making your decision. “Half-slice” boats are becoming increasingly popular, with a forgiving bow for river running and a flat stern for playing, squirting, and surfing.

Pack Rafts

This burgeoning category consists of uber-lightweight, bathtub-shaped inflatable rafts that are easy to carry into hard-to-reach lakes and other waterways. They come in a variety of shapes, weights, and sizes, from super light (under four pounds) for easy portaging, to more robust models complete with sprayskirts and thigh straps for whitewater.

Whitewater Rafts

These durable boats are generally made for carrying gear and passengers down whitewater rivers. They range from heavy-duty haulers for multi-day trips to light and fast fishing vessels complete with raised seats and casting platforms.

Other Considerations to Ask Yourself

There are a lot of choices when it comes to design and materials. Ask yourself a few questions to narrow your search to the best craft for your needs, such as:

What kind of paddling do I want to do?

The water conditions will greatly affect the type of boat that is right for you. Will you be sticking to flatwater lakes and rivers or tackling whitewater?

How much space do I need?

For longer day trips and overnights, you’ll need room for extra gear, so consider slightly larger, or even tandem models.

What’s my budget?

There’s a wide range of prices depending on size, design, and material, for everything from rec to whitewater kayaks. Decide how high-performance you want to go and what your budget constraints are before narrowing it down.

Do I want a tandem or single?

Many rec and touring kayaks are made in single- and two-person versions. While it is possible to paddle a tandem kayak solo, it’s more difficult, so only get a tandem kayak if you’ll be using it mostly with someone else.

What type of material should I choose?

As with most things, you get what you pay for. Weight and durability are the big variables to watch for. Some higher-end boats are made of fiberglass and composite, making them lighter but more expensive and less durable. The majority of recreational and whitewater kayaks are made from plastic, which is affordable and durable.

How We Test

• Number of testers: 14
• Number of products tested: 19
• Miles paddled: 136
• Cumulative put-ins reached: 24
• Post-paddle PBRs: 36 (minus the one that exploded)
• Cups of coffee: 25
• Hull bumps by manatees: 1

To test boats this season, we assembled a team of expert paddlers from around the country who took some of the newest paddle craft on the market everywhere from the manatee-filled estuaries of Florida to the Rockies and rivers of Washington. The group consisted of guides, retailers, whitewater junkies, fishing aficionados, and more, all sharing a love for being on the water as often as possible. Overall, we got our feet wet on 19 different tester boats, whittling the list down to the above five based on performance, weight, and durability.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Testing manager Eugene Buchanan is the 14-year publisher and editor-in-chief of Paddler magazine and founder of PaddlingLife.com. He’s written about the outdoors for more than 30 years. He’s a former ski patroller, raft, and kayak guide whose passion for paddling has taken him to more than 30 countries on six continents. A Fellow member of the , he was also the recipient of W.L. Gore & Associates’s prestigious Shipton-Tillman grant for a 27-day, white-knuckle whitewater trip down Siberia’s Bashkaus River, a trip he chronicled in one of his five books, .

The post The Best Canoes, Kayaks, and Rafts on the Market appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

The standup paddleboard category is a crowded field, like surfing California’s Old Man’s on a Sunday. But, after extensive testing (woe is us), we managed to narrow it down to a handful of SUPs that stood out amongst the crowd. Whether you’re embracing your inner Laird Hamilton on a wave or cruising around your local lake or bay, we have what you’re looking for right here.

At a Glance

• Best Inflatable Bay Tourer:
• Most Packable:
• Best Beginner Hardboard:Ìę
• Best Inflatable River SUP:
• Best Standup Foil Board:
• How to Choose a Paddleboard
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Tester

Best Inflatable Bay Tourer

Isle Pioneer Pro

Sizes: 9’6” x 32”, 10’6” x 34”, 11’6” x 36”
Volume: 275 L, 375 L, 380L
Thickness: 6”
Weight: 20 lbs, 23 lbs, 26 lbs

Pros and Cons
⊕ Rigidity of a hard board in an inflatable
⊕ Full deck pad
⊕ Ample gear loops
⊗ Addition of carbon fiber reflected in higher price
⊗ No rails for surfing

Isle’s top-selling Pioneer SUP, available in three sizes, gets a high-performance boost for 2024 with the Pro series, which adds Infinity carbon fiber to the board’s already bomber Air-Tech construction to increase glide, rigidity, stability, and efficiency.

How it works: a six-stringer chassis (one on each rail and in the center, mirrored on the bottom) of a proprietary carbon and thermoplastic matrix gives the board, “high flexural modulus,” engineering speak for a beam’s ability to resist bending under pressure. Every time a board flexes it loses energy to the water, so this added rigidity ups the Isle Pioneer Pro’s performance, especially when combined with its six-inch drop stitch construction. But the biggest benefit: You get the glide and stiffness of a rigid board in a portable, lightweight inflatable.

Our testers took the Isle Pioneer Pro from SoCal’s Mission Bay to the salt ponds and estuaries of Rhode Island, all singing its stand-up praises. “It’s incredibly stable,” said East Coast tester Ross Singer. “I’m 200 pounds, and I was able to jump up and down on it with little deflection.”

We also tested out the Isle Pioneer Pro’s new hybrid design, letting it double as a sit-on-top kayak by attaching an inflatable seat ($125) and foot brace ($60) to its Isle-Link attachment system, which allows for endless customization. (Bonus: the breakdown paddle has an extension that turns your SUP handle into a kayak blade.) “I went over huge wakes from a 70-foot wooden yacht and stayed dry,” said tester Tim Sharp, who took it out on a choppy day on Rhode Island’s Point Judith Salt Pond. “And it tracked great in a 15-mile-per-hour wind.”

Other features include a full-coverage deck pad offering comfort and grip for the likes of yoga, pets and kids; a new better-than-bungees gear management system that lets you easily strap on gear via infinite clip-on points; and a nifty carrying handle that lays flush to the board for getting prone (as for yoga). Tech upgrade: on Mission Bay, we turned it into an e-SUP by attaching a Bixpy electric fin motor, tooling around the bay at sunset to the marvel of SoCal motorboat partiers.

Most Packable

Kokopelli Chasm-Lite Inflatable SUP

Sizes: 10’ x 30”
Volume: 290 L
Thickness: 6”
Weight: 12.9 lbs

Pros and Cons
⊕ Ultra-lightweight and packable
⊗ Less stable than other inflatable SUPs
⊗ No deck pad on the tail section

Renowned in the whitewater community for their premium packrafts, Kokopelli’s first foray into stand-up paddling is one of the lightest and most packable inflatable boards ever made. Weighing only 12.9 pounds, the board folds in half (hot-dog style) and then packs down to only 18 inches tall—roughly the size of a regular sleeping bag.

This board can be squirreled away into the tightest of spaces, used as carry-on luggage for plane travel, or hauled into the backcountry to explore remote bodies of water. It fit into a tiny nook in one tester’s Subaru Outback when it was fully loaded for a camping trip, while other inflatables didn’t stand a chance of being stuffed in.

Once pumped up, this 10-foot long, 30-inch-wide board offers a respectable paddling experience, though it makes some sacrifices in the stability department. The combination of a 10-knot wind and one-foot swell at the mouth of the Dana Point Harbor felt sketchy—plus, the lack of a deck pad on the tail did not help matters.

“This is an ideal board for an experienced user looking for a lightweight, minimalist option,” said tester Dave Shively, founding editor of SUP Magazine. “Though the minimalism comes down to the width, there’s not a lot of board.” While the board itself is spartan, Kokopelli includes everything paddlers need including a small pump, four-piece paddle, nine-inch fin, and a repair kit that easily fits inside their waterproof dry bag backpack.

Best Beginner Hardboard

Starboard GO SUP

Sizes: Available in 4 sizes from 10’2” x 29” to 12’ x 34”
Volume: 177 L to 256 L
Thickness: 4.4” to 4.8”
Weight: 23.6 lbs to 35.1 lbs
Pros and Cons
⊕ Beautiful cosmetics
⊕ Great stability
⊗ Big piece of gear to store and travel with

Just starting out? The new Go from hardshell stalwart Starboard makes a great entry level board for those wanting to paddle fast and stay dry. Available in a wide size range from the longer and faster 12-footer to the more maneuverable 10-foot-2-inch board and in a variety of layups, the Go accommodates the whole spectrum of rider weights and abilities (bigger equals wider and more stable, shorter means narrower, better tracking, and increased maneuverability).

Designed for a variety of conditions, from flat water cruising to navigating light wind and chop, its versatility comes from a classic surf shape sporting a concave bottom. A wide tail and nose provide balanced trim for efficient touring, while a deep center channel on the bottom enhances glide and stability (like a catamaran). Its steadiness is augmented by boxy rails, which also limit water flowing onto the deck, keeping feet and gear dry. And you can still step back for a quick snap turn and rely on the nose for added stability in chop. The fin box is also positioned well astern for improved tracking.

Plus, it’s easy to carry to the beach thanks to its two-in-one carry strap and paddle holder, which lets you hang the board on your shoulder and instagram your outing or sip your coffee on the way home.

Our testers took it everywhere from Michigan’s Great Lakes to Newport Beach, California, vouching for its impressive all-around performance. “Fun and stable,” said Midwest-based tester Chris Rosario, who was appreciative of its seam-welded construction that enhanced the board’s stiffness. “Great for beginners or seasoned paddlers, as well as surfers and yogis.”

Two cherries on top: First, the ASAP WS version of this board includes a windsurf-mount attachment and additional mid-fin box, so it doubles as a windsurfer with upwind control. Second, Starboard is a B-corp that buys plastic and carbon offsets for every board sold.

Best Inflatable River SUP

Hala Atcha 86

Sizes: 8’6″ x 34″
Volume: 269 L
Thickness: 6”
Weight: 22.5 lbs

Pros and Cons
⊕ Great maneuverability and surf chops
⊕ Stable in waves
⊗ Not much hull speed on the flats
⊗ Hard to reflip upright

Hitting what it calls the sweet spot where “stability-meets-surf,” Hala’s re-designed Atcha line ups the ante with its new longer, spring-loaded StompBox2 fin, beefing up responsiveness and power. The nine-inch fin, made of tough TPU, is moreÌęrigid in all directions, serving up more drive in deep water and preventing you from supermanning off the board when the going gets shallow.

Tester Davide Sartoni took it on dozens of rivers throughout the country, ranging from Class II-IV and low to high water, and was impressed by its balance of skills. “It’s easy to maneuver, has great stability, rides over waves and tracks well across current, and it surfs waves that are not too steep really well,” he said. He also credits the new, longer fin for keeping him upright and in control. “It lets you ride in shallow water, which has always been a problem of river supping,” he reported.

“It’s made to keep you upright,” echoed tester Sady Carelli. “When rocking side to side, it doesn’t flip you off. You can walk up, down, and side-to-side, giving you a chance to save yourself before plunging into the drink.”

Which brings up one demerit. “If you do swim and the board is upside down, it’s hard to flip back upright,” she remarked, crediting the nuisance to its rocker. Still, for overall river running, she concluded it’s a great choice. “It’s fun for riding small wave trains thanks to its rockered nose,” she said. The retractable fin also builds your confidence. “It’s a lifesaver,” she said. “It’s stopped me from several face plants.”

Best Standup Foil Board

KT Ginxu Dragonfly

Sizes: Available in 7 stock sizes, from 6’6” x 18” to 8’4” x 22”
Thickness: 6.5” to 7”

Pros and Cons
⊕ Quick to get up on the foil
⊕ Great stability and glide
⊗ Expensive
⊗ Carbon construction dings easily

Shaped by company namesake Keith Teboul, the Dragonfly downwind SUP foil board—new this year from Maui’s KT—is billed as the “complete downwinder.” Built for light downwind and wing foiling, it’s a performance downwind SUP whose displacement hull makes it quick to get going. The patented Ginxu step on the bottom—an indentation that helps it plane—helps lift it off the water quickly, detaching from the water in front of the foil. It also comes with a beveled tail so you don’t touch when turning.

Who better to attest to its features in these two categories than eight-time world champion Kai and his brother Ridge Lenny, both all-around watermen born and raised on the island. “Its main strength is its stability and glide that make it extremely easy to get up onto foil,” said Kai, whose longest single run was 32 miles in five- to 10-knot winds. “Its length also makes it fantastic for paddling when not on foil.”

Calling it the “best there is out there at the moment” for the category, he appreciated its foot traction—“the deck grip is nice and comfortable, not slippery, and your feet won’t fall asleep”—and its light carbon construction, which he touted as “extremely durable.” While its narrow width can make adjusting from a traditionally wide SUP design somewhat intimidating, he adds it’s great for flatwater pop-ups, small waves, and downwind swells in light to extreme winds.

Brother Ridge, who took it on a five-mile downwinder in 25- to 30-knot winds on a “side shore with good bumps” (what he calls the board’s “ideal conditions”) also sung its praises. “It makes downwind foiling more accessible,” he said.

Want to test the waters? Try learning on a bigger size first and then tone it down a notch.

How to Choose a Paddleboard

Intended Use

First, think about what you want to do with a board, as this will determine the shape and type of board you buy. Do you want to surf? Look for a shorter length and rocker to keep the nose from diving. Cruise around lakes? You’ll want a longer board for maintaining hull speed, with width equaling stability and narrowness enhancing glide. Interested in running whitewater? (Yes, it’s a thing.) You might want an inflatable board for added durability, width for stability, and rocker to ride up and over waves. Planning to race in the ocean? You’ll want a long and narrow board for speed.

Hard Board vs. Inflatable SUP

Inflatable boards are excellent for storage, transportation, and general toughness (it is very hard to put a hole in a well-constructed inflatable board). But they do come with some performance tradeoffs, especially in the surf and race departments. They’re not as fast or rigid as hardboards, compromising speed, and harder to hold an edge on a wave.

Beginner vs. Advanced SUPs

Great beginner dimensions start around eight-foot, six-inches long and at least 30 inches wide, with six inches of thickness (for inflatables) for stability. SUPs for more advanced paddlers are often narrower (depending on intended purpose), meaning better hull speed but compromising stability.

How We Test

• Number of testers:Ìę17
• Number of products tested:Ìę31
• Number of miles paddled:Ìę103-plus (ocean and river)
• Bags of chips eaten:Ìę6
• Flipflops busted: 1
• Board cannonballs: 4

To test SUPs this season, we assembled a team of expert and even not-so-expert stand-up-paddlers from Florida to California, Hood River to Hawaii, and even a few from the Rockies to weigh in on how they handle all forms of water. The group consisted of outdoor reps, shop owners, competitive athletes, and regular Joe paddlers.

Our test crew also included big names like SUP experts Spencer Lacy and Mike Tavares, and Maui-based watermen and foil aficionados Kai and Ridge Lenny. In all, we tested 23 different SUPs from a variety of categories—from rec models for easy touring to high-end foil SUPs for Hawaian downwinders—looking at everything from material and shape to stability, glide, and rigidity.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Eugene Buchanan is the 14-year publisher and editor-in-chief ofÌęPaddlerÌęmagazine and founder of PaddlingLife.com. Writing about the outdoors for more than 30 years, he’s a former ski patroller and raft and kayak guide whose passion for paddling has taken him to more than 30 countries on six continents. A longboarder when it comes to surf, he’s been a SUP connoisseur since the first inflatable was invented by C4 Waterman and his stance on them has never changed: they’re awesome (and regular, not goofy).

Jack Haworth is an avid stand-up paddler who lives in one of the sport’s meccas: Dana Point, California. With ample opportunities for both flatwater paddling and SUP surfing, Haworth put this year’s boards through a classic Southern California gauntlet. Haworth is a former editor of SUP Magazine.

The post The Best Standup Paddleboards for Cruising, Foiling, and River Running appeared first on șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online.

The bad news is trout aren’t getting dumber. More flies on the surface and extra boots in the water mean you have to approach these fish with stealth and finesse. The good news: our 2024 gear selections won’t make the cast or catch a fish for you, but they sure help level the playing field. Last summer and fall, four testers took over 40 items from Idaho to British Columbia to narrow down the very best options for you.

At a Glance

• Rod:
• Luxe Rod:
• Sunglasses:
• Rain Jacket:
• Backpack:
• Waders:
• Wading Boots:
• Fly-Fishing Questions and Answers
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Testers

All gear in this guide was tested by multiple reviewers. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside.ÌęLearn more.

Greys Cruise Fly Rod/Reel Combo 9’ 5-Weight

Weight: 2 lbs

Pros and Cons
⊕ Great beginner rod
⊗ Action makes long casts with heavy flies difficult

Bottom line: This wallet-friendly kit performs well in 90 percent of fly-fishing situations.

If you buy the Cruise kit, it’s for budget reasons. The reel is die-cast instead of machined, and the rod components, guides, wraps, and others are modest compared to higher-end options. That said, this four-piece, medium-action, easy-to-cast rod comes with everything you need to get started—a large-arbor disk-drag reel, backing, a weight-forward floating line, a leader, and a protective tube. It casts dries and small nymphs nicely between 20 and 50 feet; however, with heavier nymphs and streamers—including bead-head and cone-head varieties—our casts often folded at 40 to 60 feet. Still, if you’re buying for a beginning fly-fisher or want an extra stick when your go-to rod fails, you can’t get such decent quality for a better price. Have a kids’ birthday coming up? Make them smile.

Orvis Helios D 9’ 5-Weight Fly Rod

Weight: 3.06 oz
Size: 10’ 4-wt to an 8’5” 14-wt

Pros and Cons
⊕ Extremely accurate
⊕ Made in distance (D) and finesse (F) models
⊗ Pricey

Bottom line: If the most technologically advanced fly rod ever built is your jam, Helios is your rod.

Anglers rarely need to throw an entire fly line—unless there’s a unique fish on the far bank, or they’re showing off. One of our testers is that showoff at the boat ramp; last fall, he threw an entire line with Orvis’ new 9’ 5-weight Helios after having tested the rod for several days on Montana’s broad Missouri River. Nobody asked for his autograph, but a few onlookers did ask him which rod he was using. The Helios is available in distance (D) and finesse (F) options and 29 length and weight combinations. We found that a 9-foot 5-weight is perfect on most trout waters. We chose the finesse model when fishing light tippets for large fish, especially on flat-surfaced spring creeks, tailwaters, and still waters. The distance model was our go-to when throwing most dry flies, along with streamers and nymphs. This rod is highly accurate and fast thanks to its stellar build, which means over-lining it one stop (for instance, using a 6-weight line, versus a 5-weight) might improve its feel if the rod doesn’t load to your liking.

Costa King Tide Sunglasses

Weight: 8-base frame 49g (including side shields and lenses); 6-base frame 48g
Size: L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Pair with any 580 lens
⊕ Removable side shields offer full light blockage
⊕ Adjustable nosepiece allows custom fit and excellent ventilation
⊕ Non-skid material on top of frame
⊕ Available in RX
⊗ Price
⊗ One frame color

Bottom line: This was the most versatile frame we tested with a variety of high-quality lens choices.

I didn’t need Costa’s King Tide shades to see the bluefin tuna off Southern California’s Coronado Island—those breezers often broke the surface within the boat’s casting range. But, I was very grateful for their protection during what, unexpectedly, turned out to bea 16-hour day on the ocean, partly in the glaring sun. The removable side shields offered excellent light and wind protection, and the adjustable nose piece held the frame off my high cheeks and kept the air flowing to prevent any fogging. Their rubber, non-slip pads (located on the top of the shields) held the glasses in place when I set them on various surfaces, even while we were pitching on the Pacific. Word to the wise: if you do remove the side shields, the King Tides slide off surfaces like any other glasses, which risks shattering lenses. The King Tides are available in a variety of 580 lens tints. For testers, Blue Mirror and Green Mirror worked well on the Pacific, and Copper/Silver Mirror and Sunrise/Silver Mirror were solid choices for freshwater.

Patagonia Boulder Fork Rain Jacket

Weight: 3.7 oz
Size: S, M, L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Streamlined
⊕ Low bulk
⊕ Three large pockets
⊕ Longer cut for additional protection
⊗ Longer cut could allow water in hand pockets during deep wades

Bottom line: The multi-activity jacket that served us best in the backcountry fly-fishing arena.

You can get more pockets, zippered ventilation, and neoprene cuffs on fly-fishing-specific jackets, but those extra features add bulk and weight, which doesn’t serve well when hitting off-the-grid waters. This streamlined 3-layer jacket with DWR coating kept us dry and didn’t snag when we crept through the brush and morning dew on northern Idaho’s native cutthroat waters. The jacket packs down to softball size and is easily stuffed into our waistpacks and daypacks. A large fly box fit nicely in the lay-flat chest pocket, which gave us adequate fly choices during full days in the backcountry. Two side pockets held additional gear, such as split shot, gloves, and tippet. An adjustable draw-cord hood fit well, whether we wore a ball cap or stocking hat, and effectively prevented windblown rain from creeping past the collar and down our necks and backs.

Fishpond Wind River Roll-Top Backpack

Weight: 3.6 lbs
Size: 38L; 31” tall unrolled; 24” rolled three times

Pros and Cons
⊕ Keeps gear dry
⊕ Carries two rod tubes
⊕ Removable hip belt
⊗ No exterior side pocket for water and/or bear spray

Bottom line: When critical gear must remain dry, this is our bag.

We carried this soft-sided pack to Alaska, testing it during a challenging week of weather that ranged from light drizzle to full-blown rain and gale-force winds that grounded floatplanes for days. We tossed the Wind River onto the floors of open aluminum skiffs, packed it through the willows and head-high grasses, and the rugged TPCU-coated exterior, combined with roll-top security, kept our gear—including cameras and lenses—dry. The new Wind River offers a thermoformed back panel and an adjustable hip belt that always kept us comfortable. The hip belt is also removable, which allowed this bag to easily slide into overhead compartments on commercial flights and slip, unencumbered, into the piles of gear that ride in a floatplane’s rear fuselage and pontoons. Note: Alaska pilots detest hard-side roller duffels and they’ll tell you as much (they aren’t pliable, take up more space, and are heavier than soft-sided gear). Luckily for us, the Wind River passed the pilot’s soft-sided test for packability. Plastic straps on the front of the bag allowed us to carry two rod tubes at a time.

Simms G4Z Stockingfoot Waders

Weight: 47.2 oz
Size: S, M, MK, L, LK, XL, XXL

Pros and Cons
⊕ Sleek and easily adjustable harness/suspender system
⊕ Bonded center zipper more pliable/comfortable than previous stitched-in models
⊕ Two interior, fully submersible zippered pockets
⊗ Pricey
⊗ Hot on warmest summer days

Bottom line: This high-end wader performs flawlessly in all seasons and on all waters.

I never wanted a Cadillac, nor could I have afforded one, but I’ll sure hit the water in Cadillac-quality waders, which is exactly what the SimmsG4Zs are. These waders offer a new sleek harness and suspender system that’s easily adjusted by lockdown clasps, and the excess suspender straps slide into external chest pockets, which makes on-the-water fit adjustments a snap. Simply unlock the clasp, place a hand in a front pocket, pull down on the strap, and re-lock for a secure and custom fit. Simms also extended the wader’s four-layer Gore-Tex Pro Shell fabric to the crotch and seat, making these more robust in the highest wear areas, a design touch we appreciate in an expensive wader. The upper portion of the wader is a three-layer Gore-Tex Pro Shell material, where a front and center zipper is now bonded, rather than stitched, to the fabric.. The result of that three-layer fabric and bonded zipper combination is a more pliable and therefore comfortable feel. We also liked the generous fit that was easier to get in and out of than other waders we tested.

We tested these waders on 80-degree late-summer and fall days, and on winter days with temperatures in the 40s and wind gusts of up to 30 miles an hour. On the warmest days, you’ll get hot under the four-layer fabric and likely need to open the center zipper for ventilation, which works well. Additionally, a new velcro wading belt is easily adjustable and allows for increased interior airflow when needed. On cooler mornings and summer evenings, you can wear multiple layers under the G4Zs and not be restricted in movement. These fit well—not tight, yet we didn’t feel like we were wading in a garbage bag. Two interior waterproof chest pockets open and close with TRU Zip zippers and kept our essentials, like cell phones and licenses, completely dry.

Patagonia Forra Wading Boot

Weight: 41 oz

Pros and Cons
⊕ Lightweight
⊕ Quick drying
⊕ Comfortable enough to hike in
⊗ With no foam backing on the upper they could rub the ankle bone

Bottom line: This high-end wader performs flawlessly in all seasons and on all waters.

There are a few main reasons I would own Forra boots: they are lightweight, they lace tight, offer excellent toe and heel protection, and are perfect for all-day hikes and overnights. The mostly dry upper dries fast and helps keep the weight down, which was nice for backcountry missions, and stuffing them in our duffel for flights.

However, we should all take Patagonia’s marketing verbiage, “super sticky grip” and slime-defying grip,” with a grain of salt. I would not dare wade the Madison, Clearwater, or Lochsa rivers (among others) without studs on these boots. Fortunately, they are available with a ($49), which makes this a non-issue.

Fly-Fishing Questions and Answers

Do I need waders for summer fly-fishing?

This question all depends on air and water temperatures. For instance, in the northern Rockies, even the dog days of summer may begin in the 40-degree range. With an early start, sans a solid base layer and waders, you might whimper back to the rig and wait for the sun to rise high. In Alaska, you might not even see the sun for a couple of days. In addition, waders protect you from stinging/biting insects and thorny vegetation. Wet-wading is a summer treat, but you should always have waders for backup against the weather, including summer thunderstorms that sometimes drop multiple inches of hail, and air temperatures by 20 or 30 degrees Fahrenheit in an hour.

Which dry flies do I need for summer fly-fishing?

You’ll need different flies for the different regions you fish. In general, you’ll cover mayfly, caddis, stonefly, and terrestrial hatches. Below is a quick guide to matching each of the below flies:

• Mayflies (sizes 14, 16, and 18): Parachute Adams’, Purple Hazes, Sparkle Duns, Rusty Spinners, and Quigley Cripples
• Caddis (sizes 12, 14, and 16): Caddis Variant, Cornfed Caddis, Peacock Caddis, and Outrigger Caddis
• Stoneflies (sizes 4, 6, and 8): Stimulators, Water Walker Golden Stones, Rogue Foam Salmonflies, and Morris Fluttering Stones
• Ants (sizes 4, 6, and 8): Amy’s Ant and Ant Acids
• Hoppers (sizes 14 and 16): Parachute Hoppers and Morrish Hoppers

Do I need polarized sunglasses to fly-fish?

Technically, no. However, being able to see contrast and definition under the surface of the water gives an angler a huge advantage. You’ll spook fewer trout, see structures (boulders, logs, matts of grass) that attract fish, and you’ll avoid debris that might cause a stumble and fall in the water. Plus, you have a better shot at seeing fish before they see you.

How We Test

Number of Testers: 4

Number of Products Tested: Over 40

Number of Bodies of Water Tested in: 15

Four avid fly-fishers packed 40-plus items to various rivers and lakes this past year, testing that gear in several challenging locales, including Idaho, Montana, Alaska, California, and British Columbia. We set up and cast fly rods side by side, deep waded with a variety of waders—checking for leakage and comfort—and hung gear in rain, sleet, and snow—for up to 48 straight hours—to test if they could hold out the water. We considered fly lines and reels, rods, emergency equipment, wading boots, belts, staffs, base layers, packs, jackets, and more.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Greg Thomas

Greg Thomas is the owner of Angler’s Tonic and the former editor-in-chief of Fly Rod and Reel and American Angler magazines. He’s the author of Fly Bible: Montana and Fly Fisher’s Guide to Washington and, especially, enjoys time in the backcountry, hiking with his Labrador, Rye, casting to native fish in oft-overlooked places. He lives in Missoula, Montana.

Kelly Klein

Kelly Klein is the associate gear editor at șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű and a beginner at fly-fishing, so she enjoyed testing the products that made the learning curve less steep. Based in Bozeman, Montana, she tested gear on Montana’s upper Madison and Missouri rivers, the Colorado River, and Utah’s Green River.

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I love ski trips—the deep powder, exploring new terrain, making friends on the lift—but my favorite part of any ski trip might be sinking into a hot tub after said skiing. There’s nothing more relaxing than easing my tired body into a bubbling pool of 104-degree water, beer in hand, memories of powder stashes dancing through my head.

That moment is so sublime for me, in fact, that I toyed with purchasing my own spa to recreate the feeling at home. But I was hesitant to pull the trigger—mostly, I balked at the cost (do I really want to drop $5,000 on a bathtub for my backyard?), and I also heard the upkeep can be a nightmare. Would I use it enough to justify the cost and maintenance? And am I even a hot tub guy? “Hot tub guys” wear gold chains and have shag carpet in their basement. “Hot tub guys” always have a blender full of daiquiris on hand and say things like, “bathing suits are optional.” I’m not sure that I fit the mold.

Nevertheless, my wife convinced me to buy an inexpensive, inflatable hot tub as an experiment. If we liked the inflatable version, we’d fork over the cash for a “real” hot tub next fall. So, I spent $450 on a on Amazon during a Black Friday sale, and I’ve been using it for the last two months. Though the results of this experiment were mixed at first, I’m now currently looking for the perfect gold chain to go with the shag carpet I just installed.

Coleman SaluSpa AirJet

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How the SaluSpa AirJet Hot Tub Works

There are a lot of inflatable hot tubs on the market, but I went with the Coleman SaluSpa AirJet because of the price, size, and reputation. At under $500, it’s a fraction of the cost of a “real” hot tub, but it holds 200 gallons of water and fits two to four people. On top of all that, it has insanely good reviews, including a 4.5-star rating on Amazon with more than 10,000 comments.

Upon arrival, the tub itself was easy to set up. The heat pump doubles as an electric air pump, inflating the walls in just a few minutes. I filled the tub with a garden hose, screwed in the filter, and set the temperature to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. I let it warm up overnight, and by the morning it was fully heated.

The Coleman SaluSpa model is a fairly simple system, with an exterior pump that heats the water to up to 104 degrees. You can adjust the temperature and even set a timer days in advance so the tub will be hot when you want to jump in, but it’s a slow-working pump and it takes several hours to increase the temperature of the water significantly. Because of this, I now know to keep the tub set at 102 degrees (unless I know I’m not going to be able to soak for a few days, in which case I’ll drop it to 95).

That said, dialing in the chemicals was not so easy. I’ve never maintained a pool or spa before, so I had to learn on the job about things like alkalinity and PH balance. This is what a lot of hot tub owners complain about, and the upkeep should not be overlooked. You have to be vigilant. It took me the better part of a month to get the system dialed, during which time I barely used the thing because I couldn’t get the balance of chemicals right. That first month with this tub in my backyard, I was convinced it was a waste of money that was destined to become a mosquito breeding ground come summer. But over time, I figured out a steady rhythm of testing the chemical balance, replacing the filter, and keeping an even supply of bromine in the system. Now that I’ve figured out the secret recipe, I’ve changed my tune about the hot tub entirely: I love this thing.

Is the Energy Bill Worth It?

I know I’m supposed to cut my energy consumption at all costs because—you know, the environment—but having this hot tub is worth the extra energy expenditure because I use it significantly more than I expected. I thought I’d enjoy soaking in the tub after a day of skiing or mountain biking, but I find myself using it most often early in the morning. Starting the day with a cup of coffee while watching the sun rise from my inflatable backyard bathtub is absolutely wonderful. Now I fully understand the hot tub hype. Every morning I wake up and congratulate myself for making the purchase. I’ll cut energy use in some other aspect of my life—I’ll play less Xbox and charge my phone less, I swear—but the hot tub stays.

I got the smaller size on purpose, because I was concerned about energy consumption. You can plug this hot tub into a regular 120-volt socket, so you don’t need to add a 240-volt outlet like with a “real” hot tub.Ìę So far, I’ve seen a small bump in my monthly electric bill because of the addition (roughly $20 a month), but it’s nothing more significant than when my teenage kids leave every light on in the house for seven days straight.

The Downsides

Realistically, the inflatable hot tub experience isn’t exactly like soaking in a “real” hot tub. Inflatable hot tubs are the equivalent of above ground pools: They’re considered a little “less than,” bordering on trashy. But I had an above ground pool growing up, and it was way better than not having a pool at all, so I can handle the stigma. Besides, inflatables are hot right now. There are inflatable boats, coolers, Adirondack chairs—I even have an inflatable sleeping platform in the back of my truck. Viva the blow-up revolution!

Another ding: the marketing materials say the Coleman SaluSpa AirJet is big enough for two to four people, but it would have to be four really small people. It’s big enough for two adults that know each other really well and don’t mind body parts touching. My wife and I fit in there just fine, and there’s plenty of room for me to do my early morning stretches when I’m in there solo, but this is not a four-person tub. Beyond the demure size of the Coleman SaluSpa and the overall above ground pool stigma, I have to occasionally top off the air in the tub’s walls to keep them rigid. The lid in particular seems to leak air at a steady clip.

But the biggest difference between a “real” hot tub and this inflatable model is the jets. The Coleman SaluSpa boasts 120 jets, which create tons of bubbles that add ambiance, but they don’t offer the sort of massage that powerful jets in real hot tubs offer. They’re not strong enough or positioned in the right place to massage your lower back or any other body part. The bubbles are just there for show, and when you turn them on, they drop the water temperature by a couple of degrees within a few minutes. If the reason you would consider a hot tub is for the massage, the Coleman SaluSpa might not be the best option for you.

So, Is an Inflatable Hot Tub Worth it?

That said, I have no regrets buying this thing. If this inflatable experiment went well, my wife and I originally thought we would purchase a “real” hot tub next fall, but now I’m wondering if it’s even necessary to level up. Do I need to spend another $5,000 to get a slightly better experience? Maybe I’m not a hot tub guy after all. Maybe I’m just an inflatable hot tub guy.

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