If you can try a SUP brand's standup paddle boards before you buy them, you will have all the more confidence that the board is going to work for you. With a direct to consumer standup paddle boards that you buy online, you can't always do that so you have to rely primarily on paddle board reviews. With a decade old leading SUP brand like Tower Paddle Boards, you can rest assured you are getting quality standup paddle boards, but still it's nice to demo on locally if at all possible.
If you live in San Diego, we have partnered with two great San Diego paddle board rental companies (listed below) where you can demo our standup paddle boards. What's better, if you do a 1-hour rental with them, which usually costs about $20, you can show us your receipt and get that $20 knocked off the purchase price when you come into our SUP boards retail showroom and San Diego waterfront event venue at the Tower Beach Club.
Paddle Board Rental San Diego
Mission Bay Sport Center
1010 Santa Clara Place
San Diego, CA 92109
Phone: 858-488-1004
One of the biggest boat, jet ski, standup paddle boards, kayak, etc. rental operations in all of San Diego is right next door to our SUP board and SUP paddle showroom at the Tower Beach Club. They have all our boards available for rental 7 days a week year round, so stop on by and give standup paddle boards a try. We're on an island in Mission Bay so you can drop right into the water. Check out Mission Bay Sport Center's San Diego paddle board rentals site for more info!
Everyday California
2261 Avenida De La Playa
La Jolla, California 92037
Phone: (858) 454-6195
Email: info@everydaycalifornia.com
This is San Diego paddle board rental location if you want to demo your standup paddle boards in the waves in beautiful La Jolla Shores. The waves of San Diego's La Jolla Shores is where I actually learned to paddle board the first time myself. These guys do tours of the La Jolla caves as well. Check out Everyday California's paddle board rental San Diego location for more information!
Standup Paddle Boards Demos in Other Areas
Of all the ways to get an introduction to standup paddle boards (Paddle board rentals, stand up paddle boarding tours, paddle board lessons), perhaps the best yet also the most elusive, is the standup paddle board demos that SUP manufacturers and retailers put on from time to time. Everyone in the industry agrees that the more people that try the sport of standup paddle boarding, the more people will get hooked. As such, inflatable SUP board manufacturers and standup paddle boards retailers frequently team up to put on demo days. Or you can stop by their local SUP showroom.
As a new (or experienced) standup paddle board rider researching a future SUP purchase, a multi-vendor demo event is an ideal chance to see dozens of different standup paddle boards and SUP paddles of all shapes and sizes from many different brands all at once. We usually demo our inflatable paddle boards as these provide incredible benefits compared to the traditional hardboard. There is nothing to strap to your car, nor anything to carry to the water. All of the boards will be in the water ready for you to hop on and give a 5-10 minute test drive. Usually, you can speak directly with knowledgeable sales reps from the brands or shop owners. It’s a great way to see the differences in stability, feel, and tracking of many different boards at once. It’s also a great way to meet other standup paddle boards enthusiasts in your area. Keep an eye out for SUP demos in your area.
Another type of standup paddle board demo is the individual demo you can do with a local shop that carries SUPs. This is kind of like a rental, but you don’t get the generic (and usually crappy) rental boards. Instead, where available, you get to demo the actual standup paddle boards you’re looking at potentially purchasing. Shop owners that I’ve spoke to say some shoppers demo between 2-4 different boards before they make a purchase decision. Many shops have special demo offers, and often times apply a portion of your demo/rental costs to the purchase of a board. Check your local SUP shop, or better yet check the local shop when you’re on vacation in Hawaii, Southern California, or Florida (where selection is usually broader).
If you ever find yourself in our hometown and want to stand up paddle board San Diego, come by our waterfront Tower Beach Club.
