Compete kit, ideal for beginners, currently a bargain in the Amazon Black Friday sale

By Ruth Hamilton published 25 November 21

Stand up paddle boarding is the hot sport of the moment. It might not be quite the ideal weather for watersports right now, but if you're thinking of taking to the waves when things warm up, right now you can knock 23% off the price of the Bluefin Cruise SUP Package at Amazon. 

At RRP, Bluefin paddle boards are mid-range models, but with this deal the price is more in line with the cheapest kits you'll find (having tested out a super-cheap paddle board, I'd say it's worth going mid-range if you can). I haven't personally tested out any Bluefin boards but based on features and reviews, it looks like a solid choice, which is why we've picked it out amongst the best Black Friday deals around. 

The board itself has all the usual bits (grippy section to stand on, bungee cords for stashing kit) but there are useful extras too, such as the GoPro mount, kickboard for quick turns, and three handles for easy manouvering when not in use. An unexpected extra is the seat and short paddle, which mean you can turn this into a kayak kind of thing if you fancy a sit-down. 

Bluefin Cruise SUP package 12"| was £699, now £539.99 at Amazon (save £159) This SUP kit packs a lot of appealing features. The board itself is designed to be stable, tough and durable, and it boasts a GoPro mount, 3 handles for manouvering, and a kickboard for quick turns. There's also – surprise! – a seat and extra paddle that you can use to convert it into a kayak. It's one of our best paddle board for beginners picks.

Unless you've got a literal shed-load of storage space and means to transport a solid board, an inflatable paddle board is the way to go. If you've been doing some shopping around – perhaps in our guide to the best inflatable paddle board – you'll know that good boards are a bit of an investment. 

As a sport, stand-up paddleboarding has a lot going for it. It's pretty easy to pick up, not super hard work, and unlike this year's other big water-based trend – wild swimming – doesn't (hopefully) require you to actually get into any cold water. If you fancy gliding gracefully through the local waterways, checking out the views from that nice high vantage point, SUPing is for you. I've done quite a bit of it this year, and I'm a big fan.

Ruth runs T3's Outdoors editor (think camping, hiking, mountain biking and adventure sports) as well as running the site's Wellness channel (covering sleep, relaxation, yoga and general wellbeing). She has tested more mattresses than her small flat can handle, and will talk at length about them to anyone who'll listen.

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