Test 2018: Entry-level waveboards

With a bit of luck and, above all, the right conditions, you'll catch your first wave right away. And then the feeling won't let you go, wave SUP is like malaria - once infected, the virus is in you forever. However, the wave virus has no other harmful side effects - apart from the fact that all holiday plans are made in a feverish frenzy from the first infection. And these boards here are the host.

For the test, we chose a size frequently purchased by wave beginners with a body weight of 70 to 85 kilos: Boards with a width of around 31 to 33 inches and a good 140 litres of volume. The longboards are a little out of line - longer and narrower, but similarly "easy" to paddle. Significantly heavier or lighter paddlers take the neighbouring size larger or smaller, which we have also listed in the product descriptions. SUPers with some wave experience - and the prospect of more frequent wave trips - can also try the 30 inch with a volume of 125 to 130 litres.

The board class below 110 litres can then be conquered after a few years, or - with a body weight of 65 kilos or less - a little earlier. But even in this group, which is quite homogeneous in terms of dimensions, the remaining differences are still huge. Experience has shown that the basic characteristics of the boards can then be transferred from these results to the other sizes.

You can find the complete test of all 9 boards in the SUP Magazine 2018, which you can still order below:

• Fanatic AllWave LTD 8'9" x 32"
  JP-Australia Longboard Wood 10'0'' x 29"
  JP-Australia Surf Slate PRO 8'10'' x 31"
  Naish Hokua X32 GT Wood 8'7" x 32"
  Naish Hover 120 Crossover 7'6" x 30"
  Norden SUPer Fish 9'00" x 31' 3/4"
  Quatro Glide PRO 145 8'8" x 33"
  RRD Longsup LTD 9'8" x 30"
  Starboard Wide Point Carbon Balsa 8'10'' x 32"