Paddle Boarding vs Kayaking: Which one is right for you?

Key Points:

• Paddleboards and Kayaks are different in their design
• Paddleboards offer more room for continuous movement
• Kayaks are better for longer journeys
• Paddleboards and Kayaks have different Paddles: Kayak paddles are double bladed, whilst paddleboards are single blade, with a longer handle.
• Paddleboarding and Kayaking can both be learnt in a couple of hours
• Paddleboarding requires a great deal of balance and is a good way to get fit
• Speed of Kayaks and paddleboards is similar, but depends on the person
• Kayaks have better storage due to their construction

If you can’t decide on whether you want to start paddle boarding or kayaking, then this blog post will help you make that decision.

In this post I will provide the arguments for and against paddleboards and kayaks, so you can make your own decision about which one you would like to pursue as your new hobby. (Who knows, maybe you’ll choose both!)

If you are unfamiliar of the differences between Kayaks and paddleboards, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I will run through the differences right now.

So what are the key differences between Kayaks and Paddleboards?

The most obvious difference between the two vessels is the hollow body of the kayak which you sit in, compared to the more traditional solid body (or sometimes inflatable) of the paddle board which you typically stand on.

This is likely to be the key deciding factor for most people as the paddleboard straight away offers more options for movement than the kayak’s single seating position.

With a Kayak you sit within in it with legs stretched out in front of you, but with a Paddleboard you can lie, sit, stand or whatever you want to do on the board itself.

(Some people also try Yoga on their SUPs! Check out the video below for some of the best beginner yoga moves you can do on a paddleboard).

If you are the type of person that likes to move around and change position a lot, a paddleboard may be a better choice for you than a kayak. (After all, you can’t do Yoga in a Kayak that easily)!

It seems clear that the paddleboard offers more options in terms of changing position on the vessel, but how does it compare in terms of one of they key accessories: the paddles?

The Paddles are different for Kayaks and Paddleboards

As we have already alluded to, one of the other key physical differences between Kayaks and Paddleboards comes in the form of the paddle.

With a Kayak you have a double ended dual blade paddle.

With a paddleboard it is a much simpler affair with one longer single blade paddle.

Some people prefer the simplicity of the single blade paddle, while others prefer to efficiency of the double blade. Both paddles are suited to each activity.

Are Kayaks or Paddleboard fast? Which one is the fastest?

Most people would agree that kayaks outperform paddleboards in many situations in terms of speed.

This is not to say that paddleboards are slow though, it’s an indication that if you are looking for speed on its own then a paddleboard may not (always) be the best choice for you.

So what speeds can you expect with a paddleboard?

With a paddleboard you can expect to get around 3-4 knots (about 3 mph).

Which is faster to learn? Kayaking or Paddleboarding?

You can pick up both Kayaking and paddleboarding in a few hours of training.

Both are relatively easy to pick up and once you know the basics then you just have to learn to apply it on the water.

Paddleboarding may take a little longer to learn for some people if they wish to do other activities on the board such as Yoga, Fishing or they want to change from a sitting position to standing regularly.

Why do People like SUPs?

Mobility and freedom to move around

Some people like a SUP for their the mobility. For example if you can’t sit for long periods of time then you may find a Kayak is not the right choice for you, in this way the Paddleboard wins every time, if you want to move about them.

Ability to get in the water easily… if you want to!

Getting into the water from a kayak is certainly not the easiest thing to do.

This is where paddleboards can really excel as you can jump in the water for a quick swim and then return to your paddleboard afterwards.

Some SUPs can have chair mounts

If you are looking for a seated position on a paddleboard, then you can actually get a chair mount for some paddleboards which will enable you to sit on a paddleboard in a similar way to which you would do with a kayak.

This really means that you can almost get the best of both worlds with a paddleboard.

Balancing act

If you are travelling long periods on a paddleboard you may find it can be an amazing workout just to balance on the paddleboard for that period of time.

With Kayaks however, they are more suited to longer trips as they don’t require the same degree of balance meaning you don’t get as tired as quickly and you don’t get the same workout.

Why do people like Kayaks?

Protected from the Water, but close to it

With a Kayak you are relatively protected from the water, but while be close to it at the same time.

Some people may prefer this to a paddleboard where you are not as well protected from the water.

Storage

Kayaks also have the benefit of allowing you to store a certain amount of cargo within the vessel itself.

You can store things on a paddleboard, but just not to the same extent.

Better for longer trips

If you are not the fittest person, then you may find that for longer trips it may be more suitable for you to travel in a kayak.

Paddleboarding can be intense over long periods of time as it requires considerable core strength to keep balance on the water.

If the weather conditions in your country have a habit of changing suddenly as well, a Kayak would also be a better option in this case as traditionally paddleboards are seen as been suited to more calmer waters.

Cover Photo by Alyssa Moore on Unsplash