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We all have a phone and, good or bad, it rarely leaves our side. So if we’re bound to technology anyway, why not use our mobile devices to heighten our paddle board experience?
After all, most apps are free and super easy to install.
Utilizing a SUP app can bring your paddle board trip to a new level of adventure and excitement - from where to paddle board, SUP tips and technique, to wind and weather reporting!
In this article, we’ll discuss the best apps available, what they do, and how you can download them to your phone.
There are many apps developed specifically for SUP enthusiasts. Some can be utilized to track your fitness by recording paddling distance and calorie burn. Others can help find unique routes to explore, safe places to launch, and even locate the closest restaurant.
Weather-related apps can assure you’re not headed into high winds, dangerous water levels, and some even provide pointers on how to maneuver your SUP in tricky terrain.
On the other hand, some apps offer paddle board coaching to fine-tune your technique.
Perhaps you simply want to take a video of the most amazing spot to paddle board and share it with the world. Or simply use one to connect and communicate with other paddle board lovers.
Yes, there’s a paddle board App for everything!
Paddle boarding apps can be broken down into different categories to optimize your paddling adventure. To better assist your choice of app, we’ll review them in the following groups.
Before heading onto an unknown body of water, check the River App. It can give up-to-date water levels and river conditions on more than 20,000 sites in North America and Europe.
It has the capability of sending automatic notifications on changes in river levels. The users can report concerns with a location and share them on the app.
Price: Free
Category: Weather/Environmental
Platform: iOS and Android
High winds can ruin a relaxing day of paddle boarding. With the Wind Alert App, you can assess the wind speed and direction. The app pulls in data from 50,000 wind stations to provide the most accurate data.
Price: Free
Category: Weather/Environmental
Platform: iOS and Android
Weather Radar App is a live radar weather station at your fingertips. Find out the forecast or dodge a storm that’s brewing on the horizon. With real-time information based on your GPS location, you can avoid any weather-related surprises.
Price: Free
Category: Weather/Environmental
Platform: Android
The Windy app is popular with pilots and storm chasers as well as SUP enthusiasts. It provides real-time weather tracking of wind, rain, temperatures, and humidity.
The particular feature that sets the Windy app apart is that it utilizes webcams. You can zone in on your exact location to monitor the weather.
Price: Free
Category: Weather/Environmental
Platform: iOS and Android
Like the above weather apps, the NOAA Weather Radar Live app provides real-time information about weather conditions. It can save locations and includes satellite imagery.
Price: Free
Category: Weather/Environmental
Platform: iOS and Android
The Paddle Monster app provides a unique opportunity to learn SUP technique from an Olympian. Larry Cain is a gold and silver medalist in canoe sprinting. While Paddle Monster is frequented by the racing community, it also provides coaching and goal-setting for amateurs.
Paddle Monster is also a great social networking and communication tool in the watersport community.
Price: $10/month with additional costs for training
Category: Paddle Board Technique
Platform: iOS and Android.
Motionize SUP provides unique feedback to perfect your paddle technique. It connects to a sensor ($99) attached to your paddle to give instant information about your paddle angle and blade position. The data helps you get the most from every stroke. If the sensor is not purchased, it can still provide information on distance, time, and heart rate.
Price: Free app with $99 for the sensor
Category: Paddle Board Technique
Platform: Compatible with iOS and Android
The Paddle Boarding app offers basic and advanced paddle board lessons, as well as other tips to make your adventure safe and fun. It provides video tutorials from coaches and novice paddle boarders to learn everything from basic paddle technique to riding a wave.
Price: Free
Category: Paddle Board Technique
Platform: Android only
SUP International magazine has developed an app to bring interviews, stories, and amazing SUP photographs to your fingertips. Keep up to date on the newest trends in paddle boarding.
Price: Free
Category: Current Events
Platform: iOS and Android
Paddling Magazine contains all things paddling and is available in an app. Keep up with the latest trends and boarding news while enjoying photographs and informative articles.
Price: Free
Category: Current Events
Platform: iOS and Android
The Tonic Mag app links to articles on sports racing, wave riding, and recreational paddling. Access photographs and video coaching of technique by an expert.
Price: Free
Category: Current Events
Platform: iOS and Android
Paddle Logger is one of the most popular SUP apps available. Paddle logger allows you to track your SUP journeys and create a log of your trip. You can include photos, maps, and notes and record them in a digital notebook that can be shared with others. It can even categorize the information into folders for easy access.
Price: Free
Category: SUP Social Networking
Platform: iOS
The GeoSUP app allows tracking of your paddle journeys and the ability to compare performance to other users. It can record your time on the water and analyze your distance and speed. The app allows you to attach photos and share them with other people. GeoSUP can help you discover new routes or even warn others of water hazards.
Price: Free
Category: SUP Social Networking
Platform: iOS
A great way to discover new and exotic locations to paddle board is to use an app.
Go Paddling identifies over 25,000 SUP destinations and ideal launching points. A map with GPS links to Google or Apple maps for directions. Information is provided not only for great locations but also the available facilities, fees, and safety regulations. You can save your favorite locales.
The app is a product of Paddling.com.
Price: Free
Category: Locations to Paddle Board
Platform: iOS and Android
iOverlander can direct you to hidden areas or remote camps to explore. A GPS map highlights unique locations to explore the world. Information is also provided on camping sites, hotels, restaurants, and other amenities.
Price: Free
Category: Locations to Paddle Board
Platform: iOS and Android
Maps.me is an essential tool to use if you might be paddling in a remote area and lose signal. Offline maps with navigation capability will never let you veer off track. Additional information includes trails, campsites, and local conveniences.
Price: Free
Category: Locations to Paddle Board
Platform: iOS and Android
SUP Places was developed as a community project to find great places to SUP. It details launch spots, rentals, or training courses. It can also show where paddle boarding is banned. Anyone can create, edit, or comment.
Price: Free
Category: Locations to Paddle Board
Platform: iOS only
Strava has apps associated with many different sports. It can record routes and also provide maps and training information.
Price: Free
Category: Activity Trackers
Platform: iOS and Android
Under Armour sponsors Map My Fitness. It is an activity tracker but also provides training plans and challenges.
Price: Free
Category: Activity Trackers
Platform: iOS and Android
Runtastic is a fitness app developed by Adidas. In addition to tracking other sports, you can add SUP to track your duration, calories, and distance. There are virtual challenges, and the data is shareable to social media.
Price: Free
Category: Activity Trackers
Platform: iOS and Android
GPS Tracks uses a compass to track your SUP coordinates. You can know the exact distance between points and add waypoints. It has a social function to share with friends.
Price: $3.99
Category: Activity Trackers
Platform: iOS
Developed for cycling but Cyclemeter allows you to add other activities to track your fitness. It Contains GPS mapping, route tracing as well as the ability to export data to share socially.
Price: Free
Category: Activity Trackers
Platform: iOS and Android
With SUP Trotters you can record your SUP sessions, and it can track your distance, time, speed and display the information on a map to share.
Price: Free
Category: Activity Trackers
Platform: iOS
Sponsored by the Canadian Red Cross, the First Aid app contains information to assist with common medical emergencies. It walks you through First Aid techniques, and the information can be accessed without cellular reception. Bonus features include a flashlight, strobe light, and an alarm within the app.
Price: Free
Category: SUP Safety
Platform: iOS and Android
There are a few apps for your iPhone that will give you the best all-around information for a day on the water. GeoSUP would be the best paddle tracking app because of the map interface, the ability to analyze your paddling or track your path, as well as share information with the SUP community. The Go Paddling app is also a great resource. It charts numerous SUP locations on a map to give you exciting new adventures to explore.
Now that we’ve loaded your phone with the best apps to enjoy a day on the water, don’t forget to secure it in a dry and safe location. Consider purchasing a dry bag to store your phone and other SUP accessories. If you mount your phone on the front of your board, you could easily visualize your mapped route and have easy access for photographs.
You now know what the best SUP apps are for paddle boarding. You can avoid bad weather, track a new route through the canyon, access first aid information, and much more with the touch of a button. Simply downloading them to your phone will ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable time on the water.
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