Stand Up Paddling Product Reviews

Stand Up Paddling (aka.SUP) is the fastest growing on water sport our nation has seen. SUP is part paddling, part balancing, and part surfing. In small swells, you can easily paddle into and ride the waves without worrying about how to stand up and surf. You already are standing up. No waves, no problem. On any body of flat water, you can cruise and glide while touring the local sites efficiently and while enjoying a great vantage point for aquatic wildlife and other vistas. It is quite easy and involves a very small learning curve. SUP Boards have a myriad of uses available to anyone one who likes being on the water.

It’s ease of learning, incredible diversity, and great core workout attracts water enthusiasts of all types to give it a try. Many fans are not looking back and making SUP their first priority for recreation. All you need is
water and a little time. Kids love it, parents can’t get enough. It will become be part of your daily routine to stay active and fit. If you have not given it a try, now is the time. CKS offers easy to transport and simple to
use inflatable boats and 2 pc. paddles making you next or first SUP adventure a breeze.

CKS is currently selling 2 brands of stand up boards. The Kona Inflatable Stand Up Board, and ULI boards. The Kona is a recreational board, which performs well in a variety of conditions. It is priced very competitively.  The ULI boards are built with performance in mind.

Click on the links below to read detailed reviews on SUP’s:

The Kona inflatable SUP

Uli inflatable SUP’s (10′0″ Steamroller and 11′0″ SUP)

Stand Up Board's can be used in all types of water.....Not just the ocean.

For an even better workout, bring your children along. Spend the money that you didn't give to the baby sitter on a trip to your favorite lake, river or ocean.

Jenn has big muscles from Stand Up Paddling.

Dan Gavere's showing us how it's done....Pro style. This guy paddles 15+ miles at a time on flat water, and then charges whitewater and ocean surf too.

CKS staff member SUP'ing here is Buena Vista.

SUP'ing at the Buena Vista River Park. Come on by this spring and try one!

The great thing about an inflatable Stand Up Board is that you can bring it with you to almost any location without the hassle of paying for oversize luggage at the airport. They are small and compact when deflated. Pump it up and you're ready to roll.

“I want to start boating in the colder seasons. What should I wear to keep me safe?” It’s a complex question – with no magic formulas or easy answers.
The questions you need to answer are: “What water temperature will you be boating in, do you get cold easily, what’s your experience level, will you be on rivers or large open water, day trips or multi-day, your ability to self rescue…?” So many different combinations of conditions, so many choices.
The last few years have brought an explosion of choices in boating apparel. Innovations in materials, fabrics and manufacturing techniques have brought us the ability to stay warm in the most extreme conditions. The “trick” is coming up with the right combination of gear for your boating adventures.
“Combination” is a good word. As with any outdoor activity, the secret to staying comfortable on the water is to have a variety of layers in your gear bag. Add a layer, take off a layer, to adjust to changing conditions.
These layers fall into three basic categories – base layers, insulating layers and outer layers. The base layer, of polyester, nylon or polypropylene, doesn’t absorb water and wicks moisture from your skin. No cotton, please. NRS products like HydroSilk and WaveLite are good examples.
Your insulating layers provide air spaces to hold in your body’s heat. They can be heavier synthetic fabric pieces like WaveLite XT or neoprene garments like HydroSkin or thicker wetsuits.
Wind and waterproof outer garments round out your protective system. For most comfort, choose breathable fabrics that allow perspiration moisture to pass out, keeping your inner layers dry. Splashwear sheds spray and rain but lets water in if you swim. Drywear, like dry tops and dry suits, have latex or neoprene gaskets at the openings to block water.
Don’t forget to cover the extremities. You lose a lot of heat from your head and neck; wool and neoprene helmet liners and hoods belong in every cold weather boater’s gear bag. Neoprene gloves, socks and booties protect your digits.
In warm weather, all you may need is shelter from the sun; with sun protective fabrics like MicroLite and HydroSilk. Or perhaps add a paddling top and splash pants. As the weather gets cooler, HydroSkin and Mystery pieces, WaveLite and semi-dry tops get added to the mix.
In the colder months, your choices get even more extensive, falling into two main categories – wetsuits and dry wear. A wetsuit can be layered with a HydroSkinn top for more body core warmth. Any wetsuit combo is made warmer by wearing splashwear over it to minimize evaporative cooling.

For more information on NRS products, visit the CKS Website or click on the product review links below:
Thermal Layers:
NRS HydroSilk
NRS HydroSkin
NRS Mystery Layer
NRS WaveLite and WaveLite XT

Gloves:
NRS Boaters Gloves
NRS Reactor Gloves
NRS Navigator Gloves
NRS Black Mamba Pogies