10 Must Have Paddle Board Accessories For Summertime
Although we have short summers here in the UK, temperatures in London hit a crazy 30°C in 2022. July temperatures average a daily high of 21 degrees Celsius.
So with so many SUP newbies hitting the water, we thought we’d share with you some of our favorite and eco-friendly bits of kit and accessories that really are worth the money, could save your life, and even the world!
Waterproof Phone Case
First and foremost, safety! Your safety equipment should be the most important purchase when gathering your SUP accessories. Here is where to invest your money. We love the brand Aquapac - they’re UK born and bred and are considered to be the crème de la crème of waterproof phone cases. Producing phone cases for over 35 years, their budget case works perfectly.
Fits iPhone 6, 7, 8, X, XR and XS and similar size phones
Touchscreens will work normally so you can make phone calls and take photos of your awesome SUP adventures
Aquapac Budget Waterproof Phone Case £13
If you find yourself without a waterproof phone case and you are about to head out for a paddle, take a visit to the lifeguard/harbour master/lock keeper/local SUP school and ask if they have any spare. The RNLI have plenty and are more than happy to hand them out for free.
Buoyancy Aid - different to a life jacket*
We are firm believers of wearing buoyancy aids or a personal floatation device (PFD). Running Paddle Up, buoyancy aids are mandatory and we have an array of them, but by far our favorite is the Palm Quest. It has a slimline cut for comfort and function, great colour (comes in Red also) with reflective details and adjustable straps. Palm products can be pretty pricey, but the Palm Quest is pretty good value for money - if you can find one in stock in your size! Again, when it comes to safety this isn't something to scrimp on. HOWEVER, something is better than nothing.
Front zip
Anti ride-up waistbelt
Palm Quest £50
*Buoyancy aids are designed to help you swim if you capsize for example, whereas a life jacket is designed to keep a person afloat without the need to swim. Want to know the difference between a life jacket, & PFD? Check out this blog by RED here.
Cleaning Products
You’ve probably just spent a small fortune on your SUP so i’m guessing want to keep it nice and clean. There is a great little company called SUP Scrub who have made an eco-friendly paddle board cleaner - which can also be used for your paddle, kayaks, canoes, surfboards etc.
I like that the bottle is made from a reusable recyclable plastic, but I loooove that they have just introduced a refill pouch so you don’t have to purchase the bottle again. I feel it’s super important to use an environmentally friendly wash on your paddle board, as some of the solution can make it’s way back into the ocean/river.
You can also purchase other cleaning accessories from them such as bamboo brushes and bamboo fibre cleaning cloths (which are unbelievably soft) The key is to use a soft bristle brush and scrub in circular motions, rinse and dry.
Let’s be honest, SUP Scrub isn't the cheapest cleaning solution on the market, but I do feel we should support small businesses where we can. This company appears to put a lot of TLC into what they do and this comes through in the packaging, customer service, and collaborations with other local and sustainable businesses.
SUP Scrub 750ml £24.99
Sunscreen
Keep your gorgeous skin gorgeous! I am forever slapping suncream on Joshua’s face when he’s not looking. We are protecting ourselves from skin cancer here guys so please take this seriously. We should all be wearing SPF daily, but if you’re not then please please please make sure you at least wear it whilst out on the water. Being around water can increase sunburn potential because the reflection from the water makes the sun's rays stronger.
I keep this lovely little tin of SHADE in my bag, but I also sometimes apply a strong kids SPF 50 that’s extra water resistant - just it’s not very environmentally friendly and I don’t particularly want to spread it into the river. The SHADE’S formula is free from chemicals and harsh ingredients, such as parabens, SLS, phthalates and is also completely biodegradable because it’s completely free from microbeads.
SHADE 100ml £7.80
Glue
Most inflatable paddle boards come with a repair kit which normally includes PVC patches, glue, and a valve tool. However we have come across some iSUP’s that don’t include glue in their repair kits. If your board doesn't come with a repair kit at all, it’s time to be concerned.
If your iSUP has taken a real beating then you may want some stronger glue. We’ve found Polymarine inflatable repair glue to be the best and a lot stronger. It’s a 2 part PVC adhesive originally used for inflatable boats, but works great on iSUP’s too. It is important to follow the instructions when applying as it isn't as simple as slapping it on like you do with the glue in your repair kit.
Top tips:
Apply with cheap paint brushes
Clean the area with acetone/nail polish remove with acetone
Make sure patches are circular or have rounded corners to stop corners from flicking up
Polymarine Inflatable Repair PVC -2 PART- Adhesive 250ml TIN £15.27
Bags
Drybag
A dry bag is an absolute essential. Whether you’re taking out snacks, a jumper, keys, wallet, suncream, first aid kit, repair kit, rope, a drink ect. There’s rarely a time where you go SUP’n with absolutely nothing on you.
There’s loads of awesome drybags out there and our favorite is this acid green Aquapac bag with sholderstrap. The bright colour is meant to help the bag keep cooler in the bright sunshine, and can be easily spotted, which could be very useful if an accident were to occur. Most of the time we bung our drybags under the boards bungies, but it’s nice to have the option to wear it also - so the adjustable strap is a nice bonus.
Comes in 7L, 15L and 28L Acid Green or Cool Blue
The key is to get some air into your bag to help it float. Unfortunately I haven't come across any recycled material drybags, if you know of any, holla!
25L Heavyweight Waterproof Drybag With Shoulder Strap £28
Backpack
I am in love with the Panda Board Sports recycled plastic roll top backpack. Love the colour, it’s comfy, and sustainable! It’s pretty water resistant but unfortunately not waterproof. This bag is for the paddle boarder who’s confident that they’re not falling in!
Zipper with reflective details
Padded laptop compartment
Recycled Plastic Roll Top Back Pack Mustard £24.99
But we are also serious fans of the Aquapac 25l Waterproof Backpack. This baby floats with a bit of air inside, is UV resistant, and waterproof with a roll-seal. This bag is so comfy, suited for some serious adventures! There is also a 35l option, big enough to carry a laptop, a change of clothes, jacket and a picnic for one. This is definitely our go to bag, not only for sup’n but for days out also. It’s had a lot of use during this wet and windy May.
The lightweight backpack has an impressive list of features, watch a quick video here. Here's some of my favorites 👇
Waist strap
Waterproof internal pocket (a bag in a bag)
Removable seat
External mesh-pockets that can hold 2 litre water bottles
Aquapac 25L Lightweight Waterproof Backpack – Wet & Dry £75
Litter Picker
Get yourself a folding litter picker and chuck it in your drybag. You'll feel great knowing you’re helping the environment whilst out on your SUP adventures, and you'll be setting a great example to others. And you can pick one up for as little as £7 off amazon.
Did you know plastic water bottles represent almost half of all the drink bottles found in the Thames
Wet wipe products, most of which contain plastic, are by far the most common item recorded on the tidal Thames foreshore in London
Single-use plastic items make up 83% of all counted items on the foreshore
We are the ones responsible for putting it there, and we are the ones responsible for removing it.
There are lots of clean up SUP events for you to join, have a google search, ask your local Facebook groups, Planet Patrol also hosts free clean ups all over the world.
If you want to learn more about plastic pollution in the River Thames, have a read of the Thames 21 survey here.
Folding Aluminum Litter Picker £6.80
Quick Release Belt
Most inflatable paddle boards come with a coiled leash which can help prevent entanglement compared to a straight leash. A straight leash is designed for surfing. If you have a board from Decathlon that came with a straight leash, I'd consider changing that. This statement is now written under each Decathlon boards description: Our experts recommend buying a coiled leash if the board is going to be used on rivers and canals.
However, for fast moving deep water, a quick release belt is a more suitable option. It’s also great for when you’re getting flashy showing off your step back turns, as it wont get tangled between your feet! We have a few quick release belts from Panda Board Sports but I particularly like the hi viz belt. The cuff from your existing ankle leash simply fits through the loop at the back of the belt and the belt works like an airplane seatbelt. Just pull the toggle and the front for emergency release.
The non hi viz costs £13.99
Quick Release SUP Belt (Hi Viz) £18.99
Sunglass Floaties
Floating glasses retainers are great for those who wear glasses and don't wear contact lenses. The first thing people lose when they fall in are their glasses. You may opt for wearing a cheaper pair of sunglasses when out paddling, but these aren't often polarised with good UV protection. Blinding glare caused from light reflecting off the water can seriously affect your vision while out paddling.
These are cheapest you can get from Amazon work just fine.
I hope you’ve found this blog useful, and perhaps I’ve given you a few bits of kit to think about. If you’re going to take away anything from this blog, I hope that it’s to stay safe, and try to shop sustainably.
You don’t have to purchase the most expensive products on the market but when it comes to safety please do your research.
We look forward to seeing you on the water, and as always just drop us a message if you have any questions. Or even better, swing by and have a chat with us. Always here to help.
Thanks,
India
We’re a SUP hire company based on the River Thames in Surrey, offering SUP hire & SUP yoga. We operate from a private jetty on a very quite patch of river, between Chertsey and Shepperton lock. Have a browse on our website and come hang out with us soon!