Among the 13 types of paddleboards – it is the all-rounder SUP that every single paddle board brand has on their listing.
All-rounder, all-around paddle board, hybrid, cruiser – this type is the most popular that can be used by the largest number of users and skill levels. Best suited to paddle on lakes and calm waters, an all-rounder board has the most casual outline that’s great for beginner and lifelong paddlers alike.
Kinds of paddle boards
All-around / Fishing / Yoga & Cruiser / Touring / Race / Surf / Kids’ & Youth / Folding & Modular / Stand-up Kayak / Tandem / Multi-person / Whitewater
Paddleboard materials
Epoxy / Inflatable / Soft-top
What is the all-rounder SUP best suited for?
An all-around paddle board is one that’s easy to use in above-average weather conditions (calm waters). The majority of paddlers these days just want to get on the water, away from the land – and the all-rounder is designed for that.
- Sunday paddling
- Small wave surfing
- Beginner-friendly outline
- Paddle with pets or kids
Is the all-rounder also known as the all-water paddle board?
Although they can seem similar by name, an all-water paddle board is actually a touring board for all kinds of waters and activities.
What is the average size for an all-around paddle board?
A SUP for all-around purposes excels best in calm waters by recreational paddlers, therefore these boards are designed at the average size by length, width, and thickness.
10’6″ x 32″ x 6″ is the average all-around SUP size.
- Average length – 10’4″ to 10’10”
- Average width – 30″ to 34″
- Average thickness – 6″ (inflatable) 4″ to 6″ (rigid)
*Shorter boards are usually designed for kids, whitewater, surfing, or practicing yoga.
*Longer and wider boards are designed for Touring, Race & Fitness.
*The closest discipline to an all-around board is a Yoga board that’s slightly wider and with the same outline.
All-around SUP Features
Everyday grab & go / Do-it-all SUP / SUP all round
Outline
The outline on the all-around SUP is generally round that’s great for casual paddling. It is easy to turn one and paddle in clean to average condition.
Fin set-up
- Single fin – For increased stability.
- 3-fin – Large single fin with two small side-fins (side-biters) has great traction and stability.
Bungee cords
Most all-around SUP boards have 4 to 6 D-rings on the nose for bungee cords. It is designed to carry some of your belongings in the waterproof bag.
Paddles
All-around paddleboard paddle blades have the most standard blade shape for easy paddling. SUP bundles usually come with a 2-piece or a 3-piece aluminum paddle.
The Good
The all-around board is suitable for the majority who want the board to excel in recreational uses. It is not too long or short, thick or thin, and too wide or overly narrow. The all-around board is an awesome choice for anyone who has paddleboarding as their second or third hobby, or for anyone who would like to do nothing else than just to paddle.
If the all-around paddle board would be a bicycle – it would definitely be a commuter bike – something to get around with.
The all-around inflatable SUP is one of the best-selling products currently on the watersports market due to its compact size, and nearly idenetical performance on the water.
- Suitable for beginners, intermediate and advanced paddlers.
- Affordable.
- Tons of different types to choose from.
- Its got all the basic features needed for everyday paddling.
The Bad
The downsides to an all-rounder board are found only when someone doesn’t know what they want the board in the first place.
While the all-rounder SUP is not going to limit your progression – it can limit the activities compared to other 13 disciplines. Another ‘catch’ for beginner paddlers is the surprisingly low price tag among the inflatable paddle boards on Amazon. You can get one for under $300 which has hundreds of positive feedback, but if you’d like a board to last for years, you must look over the feedback and look for the real quality somewhere else.
While it can be the case that the all-rounder is a great board to use once/twice a month, there’s a big difference between mass-produced and premium SUPs.
- Cheaper boards have no special features regards performance, design, and longevity.
- Many mass-produced cheap boards are not that good in quality – especially cheap inflatable paddle boards.
What is the average air pressure for an inflatable all-around SUP?
- 10 – 15 PSI
- 12 – 15 PSI
How much to pay for an all-around SUP?
Since the all-rounder type has the largest production numbers in the world – they come in all price ranges from $200 all the way up to $1,500. The average price for the all-rounder is from $300 to $1,000 for an inflatable and $800 to $1,200 for a solid all-rounder SUP.
- Amazon’s best-selling iSUPs (with over 10,000 reviews) costs $400
- Premium SUP brand inflatable all-rounders cost around the $1,000 mark
Can you surf with the all-around paddle board?
All-around paddle boards are often used for small-wave surfing, therefore yes – you can surf with an all-around board. BUT, if you want to progress your SUP surf skills and surf in good quality waves – you should look into slightly shorter boards with sharper outlines.
What are the best all-around SUP brands?
Pretty much all the SUP brands make all-around boards, but the 5 best SUP brands that have the largest number of boards and sizes are: Aqua Marina, Stardboard, RED, Hala, NRS. Feel free to read about the 41 Best SUP Brands in 2022.
Read next
What are the average SUP sizes?
Published by:
I created Nulltuul to share my experience, research and analysis with other surf enthusiasts out there. If I'm not surfing on my travels - I like to photograph waves, surfers, and the surf lifestyle in general.