What size paddle board do I need for my weight

How much volume does my paddle board need?

The minimum volume of a paddle board is your total weight on board in kilograms times a number of liters per kilogram that depends on your level: 2 for beginners, 1.5 once you can stand comfortably, 1.3 for advanced paddlers. That is Starboard's rule: beginners want at least twice their body weight in liters, dropping toward 1.3 to 1.5 times as their balance improves. In pounds, the beginner figure works out to about 0.9 liters per pound.

Whatever you carry counts too: a child sitting up front, the dog, a dry bag with water. Alpkit sizes the board on your weight plus everything else on it, and Starboard asks for rider and gear to fit within the board's weight capacity. The calculator rounds the result up to the next 5 liters.

The board size follows the use and your level. For all-round paddling the starting point is the Red Paddle Co Ride range (10'8" × 34" for beginners, 10'6" × 32" for the rest); above 100 kg (220 lb) on board you move to the 10'8" × 34", which Red rates up to 120 kg (265 lb), with a child or a pet in tow. Touring, race, surf and yoga boards have their own sizes, taken from Starboard and Red guides and boards.

For touring and race the calculator gives no minimum volume: the long boards on sale carry far more than the rule asks for anyway. What matters there is the size and the stated weight capacity, which has to cover at least your total weight on board, gear included.

Your paddle is your height plus 8 inches for all-round and yoga, 10 inches for touring and 6 inches for race and surf, following Aqua-Bound and Paddle North. You can change the liters per kg and the paddle extra in the advanced options.

A worked example

The calculator opens on a 170 lb beginner, 5' 10" tall, on an all-around board with no extra load.

• Volume: 170 lb = 77.1 kg, × 2 = 154.2 L, so at least 155 L
• Board: beginner all-around, 10'8" × 34"
• Stated max load: 170 lb or more
• Paddle: 70 in + 8 in = 78"

Add a 40 lb child and paddle at intermediate level: (170 + 40) lb is 95.3 kg, × 1.5 = 142.9 L, so at least 145 L on a 10'6" × 32".

In metres (UK). At 75 kg and 1.75 m, beginner, all-round: at least 150 L (75 × 2), a 10'8" × 34" board and a 195 cm paddle (1.75 m + 20 cm). As an advanced surfer the same paddler looks for at least 100 L (75 × 1.3 = 97.5) on an 8'0" × 27.75" board, with a 190 cm paddle. For touring at intermediate level with 15 kg of gear, the calculator gives no liters but a 12'6" × 30" board rated for at least 90 kg, and a 200 cm paddle.

Paddle board volume chart by weight

Minimum volume for all-round, surf and yoga, rounded up to the next 5 liters, no extra load.

Weight	Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced
110 lb	100 L	75 L	65 L
130 lb	120 L	90 L	80 L
150 lb	140 L	105 L	90 L
170 lb	155 L	120 L	105 L
190 lb	175 L	130 L	115 L
210 lb	195 L	145 L	125 L

All-round paddle (height + 8"): 72" at 5' 4", 76" at 5' 8", 78" at 5' 10", 80" at 6', 82" at 6' 2". Add 2" for touring, take 2" off for race and surf. In metric: 180 cm at 1.60 m, 190 cm at 1.70 m, 200 cm at 1.80 m, 210 cm at 1.90 m.

Board sizes, volume and weight capacity

Paddle boards are sold in feet and inches in the US, the UK and the rest of Europe: a 10'6" board is 126 inches, or 320 cm, and 34" wide is 86 cm. The common sizes are 10'6" and 10'8" for all-round, 12'6" and 14' for touring and racing, and under 10' for surfing.

All-round inflatables usually carry far more volume than the minimum: Alpkit lists about 235 liters for its 10'6" and 250 for its 10'10". Volume matters most on hard boards and in the surf, where you size down. On an inflatable, check the stated weight capacity: Red gives 90 kg (about 200 lb) for the 10'2" Ride, 100 kg (220 lb) for the 10'6" and 120 kg (265 lb) for the 10'8", and your child's or dog's weight goes on top of yours.

If you are not sure yet how you will paddle, buy an adjustable paddle. It slides a few inches either way, and the whole family can share it.

Common mistakes

• Counting only your own weight. A child, a dog and a backpack all add up: 40 lb on board means about 36 more liters for a beginner.
• Buying a narrow board for speed. Starboard suggests 32-34" for all-round beginners and 30-32" in the surf. A narrow board means a lot of falling in at first.
• Trusting volume over weight capacity. On an inflatable, the maker's stated limit matters more than the liters.
• Sizing down too soon in the surf. Starboard calls going too small too soon the most common mistake surfers make.
• Using one paddle length for every use. Surf paddles are shorter and touring paddles longer; an adjustable one changes at the beach.