Paddle Stories: Best Paddleboarding Accessories
The oceans cover over seventy per cent of the Earth’s surface. Humans have always been fascinated by oceans and all that it has to offer. From time immemorial, communities residing in coastal areas have been in close connection with water. From such closeness arose the sport of paddleboarding. Paddleboarding is a popular watersport that witnessed a period of revival in the late 20th century US and gained immense popularity everywhere. Subsequently, standup paddle boarding emerged. Presently, the sport has evolved in several ways and has innovations every day. These include the introduction of the inflatable stand up paddle board, motorized boards, and much more. Here are some exciting accessories that every standup paddleboard enthusiast must consider buying for their collection!
The anchor kit
Even an amateur standup paddle boarder is familiar with the concept of a paddleboard anchor. Not unlike boats and kayaks, a paddleboard also needs an anchor. It enables one to stay still on the board even while performing yoga or other activities. It ensures that the board does not drift away with the ocean current. An anchor kit contains a wire or a rope, an object that provides buoyancy, and a bag to carry the contents.
Ankle leash
While doing standup paddleboarding, it is crucial to fasten the board to one’s ankle. Doing so would ensure that even if one falls, there is support for buoyancy. Ankle leashes guarantee safe paddleboarding for both amateurs and seasoned people alike. The ideal ankle leash must be at least 8 mm in length to provide sufficient mobility for the paddleboarder. A coiled wire instead of a rope would give a springing advantage to the user. An ankle leash also comprises a velcro cuff for tight fastening that is also light and comfortable. With an ankle cuff, one can indulge in the sport without any anxiety.
Paddleboard pump
A paddleboard pump is an essential part of any inflatable board. Since polyester is the primary material of an inflatable board, it is tough to pump with a generic air pump. It needs a high-pressure machine and large volumes of air. A mechanical pump cannot be efficient in such cases. Therefore, it is wise to invest in an electric paddleboard pump. A standard 12v pump takes about 20 minutes to inflate a paddleboard. Since they are electricity-driven, one needs to charge them from time to time for comfortable usage. A pump can also efficiently deflate the board after use, thus simplifying the task.
Bungee wires
It is always wise to keep bungee wire or cords while using a paddleboard. A bungee cord can be helpful when one wants to tie the board to another object. It can be another paddleboard or a bulky item such as a box or carton. To use a bungee cord, one needs to install a D-ring so that the wire can attach to the board. Paddle boarders often attach multiple such rings to the paddleboard’s nose so that more than one object can latch onto the board.
Fresh technology
While paddle boards have been commonplace for many decades now, inflatable paddle boards are a new and fresh breath of air in the watersports world. Most inflatable boards contain hundreds of miniature polyester threads that board makers arrange in an overlapping manner. Such a design gives the board high durability and capacity to stretch without wearing out. Similarly, the paddle board also has several layers. The inner cloth layer presses upon the outer vinyl layer, thus providing maximum sturdiness. Innovations such as the inflatable stand up paddle board assisted considerably in developing the sport of water paddle boarding.
