Date: June 27, 2020
Location: Reservoir within Roosevelt Forest, CO
Distance: 16.5 miles
Group: Solo
Lately, I've been putting in some miles on the stand up paddle board and wanted to share the setup that has worked well for me. No affiliate links here, but I have included links to the items I use, in case it is helpful. Let's start with the board. I use an Isle Explorer and have had this board for several years. As the miles I paddle increase, it may be nice to have a rigid vs inflatable board, but the convenience of storing and transporting the inflatable are just too nice. This board tracks well, is easy to turn/maneuver and has front and back bungees which is convenient for taking bigger loads/trips with the family. I can inflate it in somewhere around 7 minutes if I'm staying after it, but did wimp out and by an electric pump this year that plugs into a cigarette lighter in the car. It is a bit slower than manually inflating the board (about 10 minutes), but sure is nice to save the energy for paddling instead of pumping.
The board came with a not-so awesome paddle (though it looks like the current generation comes with a nicer one). After a few seasons of use, I purchased an Aqua-Bound Challenge 85 paddle. Since my wife refers to this paddle as "your precious," that may tell you what you need to know about it. I absolutely love it. With a carbon fiber shaft, this weighs in at a wispy 21 oz. It is rigid, doesn't flutter when paddling hard, and the 85 square inch blade is the perfect size for me.
Paddling with your core vs just your arms makes such a difference. Red Paddle (a respected brand) put out a series of short videos that can help you improve your technique. I've shared a couple that can help below.
While it shouldn't matter, just knowing the water is over 300 feet deep in the photo below adds to the adventure of the paddle at this reservoir.
As your confidence grows paddling, you can add in a few more techniques/tricks to your paddling. I will admit the nose 360 is still pretty challenging, but a tail 360 is still pretty fun.
One last piece of gear that is a new addition this year is the Pelican G40 waterproof case. This has a divider within it that allows your phone to rest above whatever is below, which in my case is my wallet and keys. I like having my phone on the water so I can listen to music via wireless headphones and track my mileage using Gaia. I haven't really put waterproof nature (30 minutes at a depth of about 5 feet) to a hard test yet, though I did submerge it for a while at home before using it the first time. That said, for the incidental splashes or rogue waves, it has been fantastic.
