How to organize perfect SUP excursions: from equipment to itineraries

Have you recently gotten into SUP and are looking for places where you can go on perfect excursions?

We have good news: you're lucky!

Or rather, we are all lucky … because we live in one of the European countries that best lends itself to this discipline.With an abundance of lakes, rivers, seas, Italy really offers every kind of "playground", giving you magnificent places to explore and discover. It is important, however, not to rush things too much: you would not want to find yourself in unpleasant and overly complicated situations.

Organizing the perfect SUP excursion is not just about finding the best spot, but also about taking the right equipment with you.

SUP EXCURSIONS: WHERE SHOULD YOU GO?

If you are a neophyte, the lake is certainly the ideal place to start riding your board: if you are a mountain lover, Trentino is an excellent destination for SUP excursions - Lake Caldaro and Lake Molveno above all. If you are headed south of the Italian peninsula, you could instead check out the artificial lake of Bilancino in Barberino di Mugello, in the province of Florence, Lake Trasimeno near Perugia, Lake Bracciano and Lake Bolsena in Lazio.

If, however, you have been practicing Stand up Paddle for some time and want to challenge yourself to something a little more adrenaline-filled, a beautiful river is what you need: you could try the largest of all, the Po, which crosses Piedmont, Lombardy and Emilia- Romagna; the Arno in Tuscany; the streams of the Valnerina in Umbria, or the Tiber in Lazio.

Finally, if you consider SUP to be a purely sea-based activity, then it is difficult to give you precise advice on where to go because Italy offers infinite options: generally speaking, the Adriatic Sea is always a great choice, but so too is the Isola d’Elba in Tuscany. If you are after something more advanced, you could definitely try the Sardinian coast, as well as some areas of Sicily such as the mouth of the Belice and the Gulf of Mondello. The latter is also suitable for beginners.

SUP EXCURSIONS: WHAT SHOULD YOU TAKE WITH YOU?

It is always important that you equip yourself with the correct gear when going on an SUP excursion, even if you only do it occasionally.

Let's begin with the equipment necessary for navigation (in addition to the board of course!): the paddle, which is made up of a blade, shaft and handle; the wetsuit, to be chosen based on the season in which you sail, whether summer or winter; the leash - that is, the rope that ties us to the board; the life jacket, essential in case of falling into the water.

To these elements, we must always add fundamental accessories for the maintenance of the board, which contribute to determining the performance of our SUP excursions: we are talking about a protective case for the board and its tip, to avoid damage during transport; a repair kit in case of minor damage due to impacts or falls into water; last but not least, the inflator best suited to your needs, with a choice of pedal, manual or electric.

Which one should you choose?

It's really up to you: pedal and manual solutions are cheaper and easier to transport, while the electric model is the most comfortable and high-performing, but is also more expensive.

If you are still uncertain, you are welcome to clear up some doubts on our website. We at Scoprega have been dedicated to the world of inflators for SUP excursions for over 40 years: if you would like to know more information, do not hesitate to contact us. We will be very happy to assist you!