SUP Buyer’s Guide for Cocoa Beach & Florida’s Space Coast

• Posted on 25 September 2025
• By Ryan (Rygo) Goloversic
• Posted in Cocoa Beach, Paddleboard Reviews, Stand-Up Paddleboards, SUP Buyer’s Guide
• 0

Find the right stand-up paddleboard for Cocoa Beach and Florida’s Space Coast with Epic Boardsports’ SUP Buyer’s Guide. Compare beginner, all-round, inflatable, fishing, and surf paddleboards, explore popular models from Starboard, Naish, Fanatic, and BOTE, and learn how to choose the right size, shape, and construction for your experience and budget.

Buying your first paddleboard? Or looking for something different from the board you ride now? Start with where you’ll paddle most and what you want to do there.

We’re Jennifer and Jonathan, the owners of Epic Boardsports in Cocoa Beach. Jennifer paddles and SUP surfs, and together we help people choose equipment for their experience, budget and local water.

You’ll also hear from Brey Sawyer, a surfer and foiler who first came to us for a surf SUP; Nick Reeser, a foiler we support; and Robert Bohacek, an Epic team rider and Code Foils ambassador. Brey shares his SUP buying experience. Nick and Robert share what they’ve experienced through the shop’s advice and support.

SUP means stand-up paddleboard. We’ll explain the other terms as we go.

Which type of paddleboard should you consider?

For relaxed paddling and learning, start with an all-round board sized for you. If you have a more specific goal, such as surfing or carrying fishing gear, look at boards designed around that use.

These are starting points. The right size still depends on you, what you carry and the water you’ll paddle.

Choose a paddleboard for the paddling you’ll do most

Choose for your usual days on the water. A board for relaxed river paddling may be a different choice from one you’ll mainly use to catch ocean waves.

Brey Sawyer came into Epic looking for a SUP after moving to Florida. He wanted to catch more waves and have more days on the water. On days without waves, he could still go for a paddle and get some exercise.

He had already done some research and knew he wanted a board for surfing. Jennifer helped him narrow it down to a Starboard Hypernut. Its shape looked unusual, but Brey remembers thinking:

“This makes sense to ride here, even though it looks really funky.”

If you already own a board, think about what you like and what you’d change. “I want to catch smaller waves” or “I want something easier to carry” gives you a clearer direction than “I want a better board.”

Paddleboard size: look at width and volume as well as length

Your weight, experience and extra load all affect the size you need. Length alone won’t tell you whether a board will feel steady.

Board measurements usually show length × width. A board labelled 10′6″ × 31″ is 10 feet 6 inches long and 31 inches wide.

Volume, measured in litres, describes how much space the board takes up. It helps us understand its flotation, but the number alone doesn’t tell us how easy it will be to balance.

Jennifer’s comparison of the Starboard Spice 7′11″ and Pro 7′10″ shows why. The Spice has 106 litres and the Pro has 104. But the Spice gives you a wider area to stand on and keeps more width toward the nose.

An experienced SUP surfer and a first-time paddler may therefore want different boards, even if they weigh the same.

Include anything else you expect to carry. A child, dog, loaded cooler or fishing gear changes the total load. Also consider whether you can lift the board onto your car and carry it to your launch.

Inflatable or hard paddleboard: think about storage and transport

An inflatable is worth considering when packing space and travel are priorities. If you have room to store and carry a hard board, you can choose from shapes suited to cruising, surfing and other uses.

We regularly hear from people who want to paddle but say, “I have no way to transport it.” Part of helping you choose a board is working out how you’ll get it to the water.

Sometimes an inflatable makes sense. Sometimes soft roof racks give someone a way to carry a hard board. Think through the whole trip, including getting it out of storage and carrying it down to the water.

Fanatic Fly Air Pocket: for compact storage and travel

The Fly Air Pocket is worth considering when being able to pack a board away makes paddling possible in the first place. Jennifer highlights its light, compact design as its main appeal.

She also points out a limit: it doesn’t have a tail pad, so she wouldn’t recommend this model for surfing. The deck pad, which gives your feet grip, is concentrated around the area where you normally stand to paddle.

Think about the setup routine too: unpacking, inflating, drying and packing it away. Choose an option you’ll be happy using regularly.

Read the Fanatic Fly Air Pocket review.

This model may be unavailable. Contact us to check availability or ask about another compact inflatable.

All-round paddleboards: Whopper, Nalu and GO Surf

An all-round paddleboard is designed for a mix of everyday paddling and small waves. This is a useful place to start if you want to explore, get some exercise and try a little surfing.

Starboard Whopper: extra width for a steadier feel

The Whopper 10′0″ × 34″ is worth considering if feeling steady matters more to you than speed. Jennifer points out how its width gives you more room to stand and helps with balance.

A wider board generally takes more effort to move through the water than a comparable narrower board. That may be a trade you’re happy to make while you’re finding your feet.

Jennifer also explains how the tail and rails, the edges of the board, help it turn on a wave. The Whopper gives you room to learn without limiting you to flat water.

It gets plenty of everyday use through our rental fleet too. Asked which SUP goes out most often, the team named it straight away:

“That’s probably the one that goes the most.”

Read the 2025 Starboard Whopper review.

Shop: Starboard Whopper 10′0″ × 34″ Limited. This is the 2026 version; the review covers the 2025 model.

Naish Nalu: for learning, cruising and small waves

The Nalu 10′9″ × 33″ is another option for someone learning to paddle or wanting a comfortable board for cruising. Jennifer highlights its width and the volume carried through the board.

It also has a gentle rocker, the curve from nose to tail. Jennifer describes the Nalu as a crossover board that can handle some small-wave riding as well as flat-water paddling.

If you try one, notice how it feels when you stand, paddle and turn. Can you relax and look around, or are you working hard just to balance?

Read the Naish Nalu 10′9″ GTW review.

Shop: Naish Nalu 10′9″ GTW S28. This listing is the S28 version. Check the specifications with us when comparing it with the board featured in the review.

Starboard GO Surf: mostly paddling, with room to try waves

The GO Surf 10′6″ × 31″ is worth considering if you mainly want to paddle for exercise and also try small waves.

Jennifer points to its flat standing area and bungee storage as useful features for everyday paddling. She also explains how its nose shape, rocker and fin options make it suitable for trying some surfing.

At 31 inches wide, it is narrower than the Whopper and Nalu discussed here. Consider that width alongside your size and experience.

Read the Starboard GO Surf 10′6″ × 31″ review.

This size may be unavailable. Contact us to check availability and discuss similar options.

A paddleboard for fishing and carrying gear: BOTE HD 10′6″

The BOTE HD 10′6″ is worth considering if you want to carry fishing gear, a cooler or supplies for a longer paddle. Check both the total load and how you’ll secure everything.

Jennifer highlights its shaped nose, which helps the board paddle straighter. That’s called tracking: how well the board keeps moving in your intended direction instead of turning from side to side.

The BOTE’s nose shape is called a hybrid displacement nose. Jennifer explains how it helps with tracking and glide, and can reduce the “chatter” of the nose hitting the water when the wind picks up.

You don’t have to fish to find that useful:

“Even if you don’t fish you might like this design.”

There are bungee cords at the front and back, plus a place to secure a cooler behind where you stand.

Include that equipment when discussing board size. Your weight plus a loaded cooler and fishing gear is different from your weight alone.

Read the BOTE HD 10′6″ Gatorshell review.

This model may be unavailable. Call us at 321-406-1964 to check availability and discuss your setup.

Longboard SUPs for small Cocoa Beach waves

A longboard SUP can be a good next board if you’re catching waves on an all-round board and want to develop your surfing. It can also give an experienced rider something to enjoy when the waves are small.

Jennifer keeps a longboard SUP in her own quiver, her collection of boards for different conditions. It helps her:

“Make something out of nothing.”

She’s talking about tiny summer waves when there doesn’t look like much to surf. You’ll also hear her call them peelers: waves that break gradually along their face, giving you a line to follow.

Starboard 9′5″ Longboard: between the nine- and ten-foot boards

Jennifer describes the 9′5″ × 30″ as an option for someone who doesn’t want as much board as the ten-footer but isn’t ready to go down to nine feet.

At 124 litres, it may also work for a smaller rider who wants to split their time between surfing and flat-water paddling. But Jennifer is clear about its main purpose:

“Definitely this board is made to ride waves.”

Being able to paddle a surf board on flat water doesn’t mean it will give every beginner the comfort of a larger all-round board.

Read the Starboard 9′5″ Longboard review.

This size may be unavailable. Contact us to check availability and find the right longboard size for you.

Starboard 10′0″ Longboard: a next step from an all-round SUP

The 10′0″ × 31″ Longboard is a possible next step for someone already riding waves on an all-round SUP. Jennifer describes its appeal as keeping that familiar glide while moving into a shape designed more specifically for surfing.

She has spent summer sessions on a Starboard longboard SUP herself. Beyond catching small waves, she talks about comfort underfoot:

“I find that I can paddle up to a couple hours at a time without too much in the way of foot fatigue.”

If you’re comparing the two sizes, think about what you want to change from your current board. Catching more small waves and wanting less board to turn aren’t necessarily the same goal.

Read the 2025 Starboard 10′0″ × 31″ Longboard review.

Shop: Starboard Longboard 10′0″ × 31″ Limited Series. This is the 2026 Limited Series. The review covers the 2025 Blue Carbon, so both the year and construction differ.

Surf SUPs: choosing between the Starboard Spice and Pro

In the sizes discussed here, Jennifer describes the Spice as more forgiving in chop and the Pro as a choice for more experienced riders surfing larger waves. Both need to be matched to your size and ability.

A paddler from Puerto Rico called us after seeing Jennifer compare two surf SUPs. He didn’t buy the board featured. Instead, we talked through the boards he already had and what he wanted to do next.

Before choosing an upgrade, think about what you want to feel different on the water.

Starboard Spice 7′11″: more room to balance on a compact surf board

The Spice 7′11″ × 29″ gives you a wider standing area than the Pro 7′10″ × 28″, despite their similar volumes: 106 litres for the Spice and 104 for the Pro.

The Spice also keeps more width toward the nose. Jennifer explains that this makes it more forgiving when wind and chop make the water uneven.

That doesn’t make this small Spice a general beginner board. Jennifer presents it as an option for more advanced riders or smaller paddlers. It offers some extra help with balance while waiting for waves within a compact surf shape.

Read the Starboard Spice 7′11″ × 29″ review.

This size may be unavailable. Contact us to check availability and discuss which Spice size suits you.

Starboard Pro 7′10″: for more experienced SUP surfers

The Pro 7′10″ × 28″ is a more demanding surf shape than the Spice discussed above. Its narrower nose helps it fit into the pocket, the steeper part of the wave close to where it’s breaking.

Jennifer also points out its flatter standing area, which provides some comfort and stability.

Think about both parts of your session: how you want the board to turn on a wave and how comfortable you’ll be paddling and waiting between waves.

Read the Starboard Pro 7′10″ review.

Shop: 2024 Starboard Pro 7′10″ × 28″ Blue Carbon Sandwich. This matches the reviewed version.

Starboard Pro 9′0″: for a larger, experienced SUP surfer

The Pro 9′0″ × 30″ has 144 litres of volume. Jennifer positions it for larger paddlers who already have experience and want to ride larger waves.

The extra size doesn’t make it a beginner board. It’s still designed for someone who already SUP surfs.

Read the Starboard Pro 9′0″ review.

Shop: 2023 Starboard Pro 9′0″ × 30″ Blue Carbon. This matches the reviewed version.

Before stepping down to a smaller surf SUP, think about what makes your sessions difficult. Struggling to balance in chop calls for a different choice from wanting tighter turns once you’re on a wave.

Paddleboard prices: compare the complete setup

Check what’s included before comparing prices. A board-only price and a package with a paddle, pump or other accessories can be very different things.

You may already have some of what you need:

Make that list before spending your whole budget on the board.

Board construction: what changes between versions?

Construction means the materials and the way a board is built. It can affect weight, how the board feels and price, so two boards with the same dimensions aren’t necessarily the same purchase.

Our Starboard 10′0″ Longboard review, for example, covers the 2025 Blue Carbon, while the purchase link is for the 2026 Limited Series.

Tell us what matters to you. Is carrying the board difficult? Are you mainly cruising, or looking for a particular feel on a wave? That helps us explain the differences between the versions you’re considering.

Used or older gear can be the right choice

A used or older board is worth considering if it suits your paddling and is in suitable condition. Ask about repairs, what comes with it and how it compares with your other options.

Nick Reeser has watched Jonathan help customers choose equipment in the shop. Sometimes that means recommending used or older gear, even when it means a smaller sale.

As Nick puts it:

“Sometimes it’s the sales you don’t make that are the most important ones.”

A bargain isn’t much use if you don’t enjoy paddling it.

Try a paddleboard before buying, or talk through your options with us

If you’re near Cocoa Beach, ask about trying a suitable board. Tell us which models interest you so we can check the demo options. If you’re shopping from elsewhere in the USA, we can talk through your needs before you buy online.

What should you notice when trying a paddleboard?

Pay attention to carrying, balance, paddling and turning. Staying upright is only part of finding a board you enjoy.

Can you carry it comfortably? Once you’re standing, can you relax and look around, or are you concentrating on balance the whole time? Does paddling feel comfortable? Can you turn without a struggle?

Tell us what you noticed, even if you don’t know the board terms. “My feet got tired” or “I felt fine until the water got bumpy” gives us something useful to work with.

For Robert Bohacek, being able to try equipment is only part of the value of a local shop. He also values getting help with repairs and talking through which equipment fits his needs. That support matters beyond the day you buy.

What should you tell us when asking for board advice?

You don’t need to have a model picked out. Start with:

- Your height and weight, plus any gear, child or dog you plan to carry.

- Where you’ll paddle most: sheltered water, the ocean or a mix.

- What you’ve ridden before and what felt comfortable or difficult.

-How you’ll transport and store the board.

- Your budget for the complete setup.