Wing Boards

  • a wide, high volume board will accelerate learning in the early stages
  • a person coming from another water sports discipline may start on a board 20-25L above their weight in Kg, whereas someone with no experience will use a board 30-40L above weight
  • a progressing rider will move to a board closer to body weight
  • long, narrow boards generate greater speed more quickly than short wide boards
  • longer boards suit freeriding style whereas shorter boards are better suited to carving
Pickle 5’3 82L, Toothpick 6’0 85L, and Dart 7’4 125L (credit: Admin)

Board Types

  • a Dart style board is a good all-round option for Darwin; also known as SUP downwind crossover style i.e. SUP downwind and SUP surf
  • downwind SUP race boards are long and skinny (17″-20″) which makes them difficult to balance on
  • longer boards are easier to start in light wind but get pushed around by chop; although the extra length does add stability
  • midlength boards like the Toothpick (5’6″ to 7′) are slightly wider than downwind race boards but still difficult to start in light wind and chop
  • the Toothpick style is a Wing /Prone crossover
  • the Pickle style is a dedicated wing, or wing/SUP surf shape, which gains stability due to increased width; this is a good Darwin option
  • sinker boards need very strong winds and advanced technique to get on foil
  • footstraps assist in controlling the board’s direction and keep you connented when taxiing out through whitewater
  • The Inertia 2025 board review lists some excellent boards and their qualities; the biggest sizes will work in Darwin