A stand up paddleboard is much bigger, wider and more buoyant than a surfboard, so it floats you while you stand still and paddle on flat water. A surfboard is smaller and lighter, built to be paddled lying down and ridden on waves, and it only supports you standing once a wave is moving it.
Quick answer
| Stand up paddleboard (all-around) | Surfboard | |
|---|---|---|
| Main use | Standing and paddling on flat water, rivers, ocean; also waves | Riding waves |
| How you paddle | Standing, with a long single-blade paddle | Lying down, with your arms |
| Typical length | About 10–12 ft | About 5’6”–9’6” |
| Typical width | About 30–34 in | About 18–23 in |
| Volume | Roughly 150–300+ liters | Roughly 25–40 L shortboard, 70–80 L longboard |
| Deck | Soft foam deck pad | Wax or a traction pad on the tail |
| Construction | Hard (epoxy/foam) or inflatable | Hard (foam core, fiberglass or epoxy), or soft-top |
Size and volume: the big difference
Volume (how much space the board takes up, measured in liters) decides how much weight a board can float. It’s the main reason you can’t just stand on a surfboard and paddle away.
Surfboards. Surf shop guides put a performance shortboard for an average adult at around 25–40 liters, and a traditional 9-foot longboard at around 70–80 liters. That’s enough to float you lying down and paddling with your arms. Once you stand up, the wave’s speed keeps the board planing on the surface.
Paddleboards. A SUP has to float you, standing still, with room to spare. All-around boards are typically 150 to 300+ liters, often 4 to 6 inches thick and 30 to 34 inches wide. That’s why they feel so stable. Our Board Fitter works out the volume and size you need for your weight.
Shape and rocker
Rocker is the curve from nose to tail when you look at a board from the side.
- Surfboards have more rocker, so the nose doesn’t dig into a steep wave and the board turns sharply.
- All-around and touring SUPs have a flatter rocker, which helps them glide and go straight on flat water. Surf-specific SUPs are shorter and have more rocker, borrowing from surfboard design.
SUPs also have a wider, rounder nose (or a pointed nose on touring and race boards), and a big single fin or a 2+1 setup for tracking. Surfboards usually have three (thruster) or four (quad) smaller fins, or one long fin on a longboard.
Deck and grip
A SUP has a foam deck pad, so you can stand barefoot all day. A surfboard relies on wax rubbed onto the deck for grip, sometimes with a traction pad at the tail. A SUP also has a carry handle in the middle, and often bungees and D-rings for gear.
Construction
Hard paddleboards and surfboards are built in similar ways, usually a foam core wrapped in fiberglass, epoxy or carbon. Many SUPs, though, are inflatable, made from drop-stitch PVC that rolls up into a backpack. Inflatable surfboards exist but are rare. See what are paddle boards made of.
Price
A paddleboard usually costs more than a surfboard because it’s much bigger and comes with a paddle. Inflatable SUP packages have narrowed that gap. See why are paddle boards so expensive for what drives the price.
Can you use a surfboard as a paddleboard?
Mostly no. A typical surfboard doesn’t have enough volume or width to support an adult standing still. It will sink under you and be very unstable.
The exceptions are small, light paddlers (such as children) on a big longboard or soft-top, and very experienced paddlers on a high-volume longboard in perfectly calm water. Even then it’s hard work. If you want to paddle, get a board made for it. We cover similar questions in can I use a windsurf board as a paddleboard.
Can you use a paddleboard as a surfboard?
Yes, but it’s a different way of surfing. SUP surfing is its own sport: you stand the whole time, paddle into waves with the paddle, and ride them standing up. It started in Hawaii, where surf instructors stood on longboards with canoe paddles.
An all-around SUP can catch small, gentle waves, but it’s big and slow to turn. Dedicated surf SUPs are shorter (often under 10 feet), with more rocker and narrower tails. Be careful in surf: a big board in waves is dangerous to you and to other surfers. Learn on small days, away from crowded breaks. See how to catch a wave on a paddleboard.
Which one should you buy?
- You want to paddle on lakes, bays and calm coastline, exercise, explore, or take a dog or child along: a paddleboard.
- You want to ride waves and are happy to learn lying down first: a surfboard (a soft-top longboard is the usual beginner board).
- You want a bit of both: an all-around SUP will let you paddle flat water and catch small waves.
FAQ
Is paddle boarding easier than surfing?
Yes, for most people. You can stand and paddle on calm water in your first session. Surfing takes much longer to learn because you need to read waves, paddle into them and pop up quickly.
Why are paddle boards so much bigger than surfboards?
They have to float you while you stand still. Surfboards only need to float you lying down, and the moving wave supports you when you stand.
Can you surf a paddle board?
Yes. SUP surfing is a popular sport. Use a surf-specific SUP if you’re serious, and learn in small waves away from crowds.
Is a longboard surfboard the same as a SUP?
No. Even a 9-foot longboard has a fraction of the volume of a typical SUP, and it’s narrower and thinner. It’s far too unstable to stand on and paddle for most adults.
