Whether you are new to the sport of paddleboarding or you are an experienced surfer or paddler, you have no doubt come across the Wavestorm sup.  Wavestorm has, for ten years, been a sales titan in the world of surf and in fact is the most popular surfboard in America.  With their history and experience it is a no brainer that Wavestorm would make a stand up paddle board that would attempt the same success in the world of supping that it has achieved in the world of surfing.

If you are reading this then you are probably looking for cheap stand up paddle boards, stumbled across the Wavestorm and are wondering if this paddle board has a good enough reputation to sink some money into.  There are unfortunately, not very many reviews of the board online which seems weird because this board is most people’s entry point into the the world of paddle boarding.  Have no fear, because The Wet Life is going to examine this seemingly mysterious board to determine if it is indeed worth it.

Who Makes Wavestorm?

As I said before, Wavestorm has been around for ten years now and makes the best selling surfboard in America.  The reason for this impressive statistic is that most surfers aren’t professionals and don’t need to pay out the nose for professional equipment.  They want to be able to drive to their local Costco and pick up a cheap board that can take some abuse from kids and grandkids.  Well Costco is exactly where you would find the Wavestorm because, just like with their Kirkland brand, Wavestorm has historically sold their products exclusively at Costco.

A company called Agit Global makes the paddle  board for Costco but you can’t buy the board from the company’s website.

But what if you aren’t a Costco member, don’t have a Costco nearby, or just want to have the durn thing delivered?  Well, you are in luck.  My extensive research of this issue has shown me that there are a few other places that are officially licensed to sell the Wavestorm sup, but we are getting ahead of ourselves, because first we need to determine if this paddle board is even worth it.

About The Wavestorm Sup

Like nearly all cheap paddle boards designed for beginners and intermediates, the Wavestorm sup is made of high density EPS foam.  This is the same stuff they make hot tub covers out of.  Making the paddle board out of this high density foam has advantages as well as drawbacks.

Probably the biggest advantage of the foam construction is the durability of the board.  You don’t need to worry about damaging the function of your board like you would if it were made of fiberglass.  This board can be dropped, kicked, bumped into river rocks and tossed on the concrete floor of your garage.  It may show some cosmetic damage but as long as it’s in one piece, it will always float.

Another advantage of the foam, or “soft top”, construction is that it is indeed soft.  There is no need to worry about kids falling and knocking their teeth out on this board.  Also, the soft top is easy on your feet, knees, elbows, or tailbone if you choose to do some “sit down” paddle boarding.

Probably the final advantage of the the foam is that the board is light weight.  At 25 pounds, the Wavestorm paddleboard is easy to carry, especially with the carrying handle that is built right into the board.  If you can carry a 2 year old or a full grown beagle then you can carry the wavestorm.  (If only toddlers came with built in carrying handles…)

Design is always a tradeoff, and making a paddle board out of foam doesn’t come without its disadvantages.  The Wavestorm paddleboard is more flexible and less rigid than fiberglass sups.  The board has three, marine wood stringers that add stiffness to the foam but it still can’t match a hard top.  This means that it isn’t quite as easy to paddle as a rigid board.  It also means that it is a bit less stable and has a lower carrying capacity.  Bigger guys, 250+ pounds, may need to upgrade to a hard, fiberglass paddle board.

The paddle board has a single fin box (the place on the bottom of the board where you put the fin), a plastic fin, a leash to strap around your ankle and a storage strap.  The strap can be used to tie down a life jacket or a dry bag filled with your precious gear.

The storage strap gives the Wavestorm sup a distinct advantage over several other cheap paddle boards made of foam.  Many competitors to the Wavestorm don’t want the added expense and complexity of installing a storage strap, but I love being able to bring my gear with me, securely tied to my board.

The Wavestorm paddle that comes in the package has an aluminum handle which is attached to a plastic blade.  The aluminum makes the paddle fairly lightweight though not nearly as light as a carbon paddle.  The weight of the paddle needs to be taken into consideration.  You might be surprised how tired your arms can get with just a small difference in the weight of the paddle.

The neck of the paddle has a clip so you can easily adjust the length.  You can extend this paddle to a length of up to 82 inches which means that people up to about 6 foot 4 inches should be able to use it.  To adjust the length of the paddle correctly, place the blade of the paddle on the ground next to you as you are standing, and then extend the handle to about six inches over your head.

Is it a good paddle board?

For beginners and intermediates, yes, the Wavestorm paddleboard is a pretty good board.

The board is versatile enough to be used on flat water, rough water, and can even be used for catching waves.  It’s durable enough to drop, kick, and bump around, and can handle fairly heavy weights considering it is made of foam.

The Wavestorm sup lives up to the reputation of the the surfboard and is a good, reliable choice.

Where to buy the Wavestorm sup?

When buyinging a Wavestorm sup pay close attention to the model you are buying.  The adult sized paddle boards come in two lengths: 9 foot 6 inches and 10 foot 6 inches.

10 foot 6 inches has unofficially become the standard length for most paddle boards and anything less than that may have trouble with stability, especially for heavier loads.  If you are more than 180 pounds I would not recommend buying the 9 foot 6 inch board, get the 10 foot 6 instead.

You may see the Wavestorm at Costco for cheap compared to how you see it priced anywhere else, but it is important to make sure you aren’t looking at the 9 foot 6 inch model or even the surfboard!  Call ahead before you go in store to make sure they have the exact one you are looking for if you plan to go in store.

If you can’t (or just don’t want to) buy in store at Costco, then you luckily have a few options.  There are two online stores that sell the Wavestorm sup: Sears and Amazon.com.  The cheapest between the two, and by a good amount is Amazon.  The board sold on Sears’ site is actually sold by a third party, while the one sold on Amazon is actually sold by Amazon.com itself.