Land paddling is a new, but fast-growing board sport that can be done by anybody on any smooth surface

In around 2010, paddle boarding took the world by storm as the world’s hottest craze, and the fastest growing water sport. But even though it was growing in popularity, it wasn’t accessible to just anybody. The high cost of gear, bulky, and heavy boards, and a reputation of an “extreme sport” (as many saw it as an offshoot of surfing) were just a few reasons paddleboarding wasn’t for just anybody…

Approximately at the same time, a small Hawaiian company Kahuna Creations introduced its innovative product – Kahuna Creations Big Stick, and a new board sport – land paddling (or as many people call it “Street Stand Up Paddling)!

Inspired by stand up paddleboarding (SUP surfing), land paddling is an exciting, fun, and inclusive physical activity that can be done on any smooth surface.

What is Land Paddling?

In land paddling, a rider uses a land paddle in combination with a longboard. The longboard stick (or “Longboard Land Paddle“) is used to propel the longboarder farther without pumping (pushing a longboard with legs). The longboard paddle is also used to direct the longboarder in the direction they are trying to turn, and can be used as a brake.

Street stand up paddling is the MOST beginner-friendly board sport out there, not to mention it’s a load of fun! Whether you’ve never stood up on any board before, or you’re a seasonal snowboarder, surfer, paddler, wake/kiteboarder, land paddling is a great complementary exercise for your body while fusing your soul with purity and freedom.

facebooktwitterpinterest Photo credit – Kahuna Creations

Best Workout

Land paddling workout engages your entire body (upper, lower, plus all major core muscles!), while at the same time providing a great cardio workout. The best part about a land paddling workout is that you can always adjust the intensity: race/speed up, or casually cruise around. Want to crank up the heat? Go uphill! Land paddling will help you build up your arms, back, core, and legs, as wells as improve your stamina and endurance.

For many people, the most challenging part of learning any board sport is poor balance. Poor balance (or to be exact – the fear of falling down) makes learning any board sport hard, intimidating, and plain dangerous. Not only land paddling is the most beginner-friendly board sport, but it actually does double duty by strengthening your core/lower body muscles, and improving your balance!

After trying out land paddling, most people feel more confidant to try other board sports. As a matter of fact, some people feel more comfortable to try out land paddling before paddleboarding! And once they fall in love with land paddling, they forget why they’d tried it in the first place, and never become paddleboarders.

Land Paddling Boards and Equipment

Another appealing reason why many people get into land paddling instead of paddleboarding is the coast of the gear.

Nowadays, for one-third of the price of a paddleboard, you can buy a longboard, a land paddle, and will even have extra money to buy a helmet!

While there are many companies that make land paddling ( street surfing ) specific boards, any longboard will work. Since land paddling is supposed to mimic stand up paddleboarding, try to look for longer boards. Even though you can use a land paddle with a skateboard (or even penny boards!), longer land paddling boards provide a smoother, faster, and more enjoyable ride.

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The famous Kahuna Creations Bomobora longboard is a tank that handles like a Ferrari! It is specifically designed for stand-up paddling on the street and performs like nothing else on the market.

And if a $200+ price tag might be a bit steep for you, we recommend Krown Sunset City Surf Longboard for a third of Bombora’s price, yet still equally smooth, and well designed. 

Another option to score a cheap longboard is to check your local Craigslist listings. Since about 2009, the prices for longboards (even high-end ones such as Sector 9, Arbor, Bustin Boards, and even Landyachtz longboards) have gone down, and you can always find something under $100.

As for longboard paddle sticks, Kahuna Creations Big Stick still remains the flagship of longboard paddles, recently adding another model – Kahuna Haka Big street paddle.

With the rise of land paddling’s popularity, more companies jump on the bandwagon to produce longboard land paddles.

facebooktwitterpinterest Photo credit – BraapStik

Among one of the most innovative, we’d single out BraapStik land paddle (performance land paddle for longboarding and cross-training). Its super collapsible design makes it a great longboard pole for commuting and easy storage. One of the best features of the BraapStik that sets it apart from the competition is the “spring” design, and how it absorbs shock as well as propels you forward with less effort. 

Even though land paddling derived from stand up paddle surfing, we wouldn’t call it an “extreme sport”.

Yet, just like with any other board sport/outdoor activity, we recommend practicing safety, and caution. If you’re a brand new beginner, wear a helmet, and protective pads. Falling down from a board is always a possibility, that’s why we also recommend wearing padded shorts (a very useful investment if you plan to try other board sports such as snowboarding, longboarding, skateboarding, or kite landboarding).

When we talk about how great land paddling is, we don’t mean “it’s better than paddleboarding/paddle surfing”. On the contrary, we believe that land paddling is a great way to cross-train and stay in shape when landlocked, during colder months, or when access to water is limited.

We encourage you to give land paddling a try, and even if you already have a favorite board sport!