The 10 Best Paddle Boards For Dogs Of 2024 Helpful Guide

Updated August 24th, 2024

Stand up paddle boarding is a lot of fun and a great way to spend time on the water. If you’re a dog owner it is a perfect water sport to share with your furry friend. To have a good time with your SUP pup you should look for a board that will be fun for you and your dog. You need a board that is stable and large enough to hold you and your dog.

The 10 best paddle boards for dogs Of 2024

OVERALL BEST: Bluefin Cruise Carbon 12′

TOP PICK: iRocker All Around 11

BEST VALUE: Bluefin Cruise

Blackfin XL Ultra 11’6″

THURSO SURF Max

Blackfin Model X & Model XL

BOTE HD Aero Full Trax 11′6″

Nixy Monterey G4

GILI KOMODO 10’6″

ISLE Explorer 2.0

1 – Bluefin Cruise Carbon

☆ Overall Best ☆

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What we liked:

Bluefin offers a 5 year warranty on their inflatable paddleboards

The board is very stiff for an inflatable paddleboard allowing for hard and aggressive paddling

Good on water performance for heavier over 300 lb paddlers

Comes with a kayak seat and extra paddle blade

The backpack straps can be stowed away on the bag.

What we didn’t like:

The clamps on the paddle need to be tightened before using

The bag doesn’t have a handle on both sides

The kick pad is too far rearward on the board to be useful

The board is on the heavier side at almost 35 lbs

Summary

The Bluefin Carbon Cruise is one of the best paddleboards available for larger paddlers. It has a published weight capacity of 386 lbs. It is available in both a 10’8″ and 12′ long versions. The 12′ is a large board at 12′ x 32″. It’s made from high density drop stitch with dual air chambers making it very stiff. The second air chamber adds an extra measure of safety when paddling away from shore. This is one of the best boards available for larger size paddlers or taking a dog out with you. It is designed with tons of accessory mounts for fishing or other adventures.

Accessories

The board comes with high quality Bluefin accessories. The bag is well made and has wheels. It easily fits everything in it without much challenge to get the zipper closed. The paddle has a carbon shaft and nylon reinforced blade. The pump is triple action and can inflate or deflate.

Bluefin includes an extra paddle blade and kayak seat so you can convert the board into a kayak. The 12′ version of the board could easily work as a tandem if you got one more seat and paddle.

On the water performance

On the water, the Cruise Carbon handles larger paddlers very well. It has decent speed thanks to its length and narrow nose and tail. Beginners love it because of its stability. It’s so easy to stand up on for any size paddler. The Cruise Carbon won’t be as fast as a narrower touring board. It will be a very stable platform for fishing or any other activity you want to do on it.

Review

See our review of the Bluefin Cruise Carbon 12 to learn more.

Specifications

Size – 12′ x 32″ x 6″

Weight Capacity – 386 lbs

Board Weight – 34.86 lbs

Construction – ESL Fused PVC with high density drop stitch and carbon reinforced rails

D-Rings – 20

Paddle – 3 piece carbon fiber

Pump – Triple action double barrel

Get up to 50% OFF during Bluefin End of Season Sale

View at BLUEFIN View at Amazon

2 – iRocker All Around 11

☆ Top Pick ☆

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Overall Score

Stiffness9.0

Stability8.0

Speed Performance7.5

Tracking9.0

Accessories8.0

Portability8.0

What we liked:

Deck pad covers all but the front bungee area of the board

Very stable board

Good glide and speed

Stiff and durable 3 layer construction

Lots of D-rings, action mounts and bungees for storage

Carbon paddle

What we didn’t like:

Board can be difficult to get back into it’s bag

The tripe action pump can’t deflate

Durability of the bag material

Summary

The iRocker All Around 11 is one of our favorite all purpose boards. There really isn’t much to dislike about it. It has stiff and durable 3 layer construction. It is wide enough to be stable for beginner paddlers. You won’t risk dumping your dog in the water. It comes with a nice carbon paddle. It’s one of the boards we use the most when going on group paddles because everyone always wants to use it.

Accessories

The All Around 11 comes with a 3 piece carbon paddle, roller bag and triple action pump. The paddle is one of the nicer ones we have seen included in a package. The sliding pin mechanism is good for adjusting length and keeps the handle aligned.

The bag has rollers. The materials are a little on the thin side compared to what we have seen on other boards. Ours has a few wear spots after a year of regular use.

The triple action pump works well for inflating boards. The only downside is that it can’t be used to deflate. This makes it more difficult to get the AA11 back into it’s bag.

On the water

The All Around 11 is one of the more fun boards we have tried. It’s 32inch width makes it stable. It’s 11′ length gives it good glide and tracking. It is a nice stable board with no real bad habits. It is easy enough to use that your dog can walk around without instantly tossing you into the water. It is the most requested board by beginners in our paddling meetup.

Review

See our review of the iRocker All Around 11 to learn more.

Specifications

Size – 11′ x 32″ x 6″

Weight Capacity – 435 lbs

Board Weight – 26 lbs

Construction – 3 Layer

D-Rings – 22

Paddle – 3 piece carbon

Pump – triple action hand pump

View at iRocker

3 – Bluefin Cruise SUP

☆ Best Value ☆

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What we liked:

The board is very stable and would be a great beginner board

Bluefin offers a 5 year warranty on their inflatable paddleboards

The paddle with 2 clamps has less rattle than other aluminum paddles

The kick pad at the rear of the board makes step turns easier

What we didn’t like:

The bag doesn’t have wheels or a handle on both sides

The board doesn’t have a rear bungee

Summary

The Bluefin Cruise 10’8″ Paddleboard is a very stiff sturdy board that comes in a very complete package. It includes everything you need to paddleboard. It’s design is stiff and stable making it perfect for paddle boarding with your doggy.

This board is one of the stiffest inflatable boards available adding to it’s stability. Bluefin claims they use the highest thread density in their drop stitch available from any board maker. They use a very thick 2 layer laminate construction. The board feels noticeably thicker and heavier when you roll it out to inflate it. The extra thick material will make it stand up to scratches from your dog’s claws. This board weighs in at 29 lbs making it one of the heavier inflatable SUP boards.

Like most inflatable boards, it has a short deck pad that doesn’t extend to the front. Consider adding more EVA traction pad to the front for your dog to sit on.

Overall this is a great package for a paddle boarder and dog owner.

Accessories

The board has 10 D-ring attachments. It has a carry straps at the middle, front and back. Because the board is on the heavy side, the extra handles really make it easy for someone to help you carry it. It has D-Rings at the center for mounting a kayak seat. No seat or extra blade is included. The paddle has a 2 piece aluminum shaft.

A padded bag is included that easily fits everything in the package. It doesn’t have wheels but it has heavy-duty construction with thick comfortable straps. The included paddle has a 2 piece aluminum shaft. For the price, we would have really liked to see at least a fiberglass shaft.

On the water performance

The board is 10′ 8″ by 32.5 inch wide. This gives enough width to be stable and a little better tracking than a 10′ board. It is still easy to maneuver and suitable for taking your dog along as a passenger.

Review

See our review of the Bluefin Cruise 10’8″ to learn more.

Specifications

Size – 10′ 8″ x 32.6″ x 6″

Weight Capacity – 330 lbs

Board Weight – 24.8 lbs

Construction – 2 Layer

D-Rings – 10

Paddle – 3 piece aluminum

Pump – Double action hand pump

View at Bluefin SUP View at Amazon

4 – Blackfin XL Ultra 11’6″

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What we liked:

Very compact bag that is easy to travel with and store

Comes with a fast electric pump

Very stiff board construction

High quality 5 piece carbon paddle

Very stable board on the water

Has fishing rack attachments along with seat attachments

What we didn’t like:

No wheels on the carry bag

Folding the board so that it fits in the bag takes a little practice

Summary

The Blackfin XL Ultra 11’6″ is their new compact version of their popular Model XL board. The XL is a larger board designed for SUP fishing. It is a big fat wide stable board that can haul a lot of gear. The Ultra retains almost everything good about the original while fitting into a much smaller and lighter bag. The XL Ultra has a lot of deck space for a dog to sit. It’s 360 lb weight capacity will work well for large dogs as well.

Accessories

The Blackfin XL Ultra comes complete with a 5 piece carbon paddle, electric pump, ankle leash and compact bag.

The backpack is about half the size of a normal SUP carrying bag. It shaves a few pounds off the weight of the original XL package. It has heavy duty feeling construction. It comes with a small accessory bag for holding the fins and pump.

A 5 piece carbon paddle is included. It is small enough to fit in the compact bag. Some people find that the paddle is a bit clunky with so many joints in it.

The popular iRocker electric pump is included. This is still the fastest electric pump we have tried and one of our favorites.

On the water performance

The Blackfin XL Ultra is a big wide board at 11’6″ x 34″ wide. It is not the fastest board out there. It’s one of the most stable. It tracks well. It does take some extra effort to paddle into waves and surf. It is more than stable enough for new paddlers or those wanting to paddle with a dog.

Specifications

Size – 11′ 6″ x 34″ x 6″

Weight Capacity – 360 lbs

Board Weight – 23 lbs

Bag Size – Bag Size – 10″ x 16″ x 21″

Bag Weight – 37 lbs

Construction – 2 Layer Woven PVC with carbon rails

Paddle – 5 piece Carbon

Pump – Electric pump

View at iRocker

5 – THURSO SURF Max

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Overall Score

Stiffness10.0

Stability10.0

Speed Performance7.5

Tracking9.0

Accessories9.0

Portability8.0

What we liked:

Very large and stable board

Good platform to do things like paddle with a dog, fish, or yoga

Removable handles to make a more clear deck

Full length deck pad that covers the entire board

Easy to use fin system that uses standard US Fin Box for center fin

Carbon paddle with quick release clamp for lower connection

Fast triple action hand pump

Bag with wheels

Paddle holders on both sides of the board

What we didn’t like:

Bag has no padding where it’s worn as a backpack

No second side handle on the bag

Not as many action mounts as other fishing SUPs and no Scotty mounts

Summary

The THURSO SURF Max is the SUV of paddleboards. It’s big and can hold a lot of weight. It has a lot of features like handles, action mounts, and paddle holders. It has a deck pad that extends the full length of the board that is perfect for your dog to sit on. It has a ruler printed on the deck pad for fishing. It’s got a GoPro mount built into the nose to capture all your adventures with your dog. It’s built with 2 layer woven construction with carbon fiber reinforcements in the rails. This board is designed to handle any adventure and any size dog.

Accessories

Thurso packaged the Max with a triple action, double chamber hand pump, carbon paddle, leash, repair kit, and roller backpack. The paddle is one of the better carbon fiber SUP package paddles. It’s stiff and feels good on the water. The double barrel pump makes inflating it by hand easier. The roller backpack has enough handles and pockets to handle your accessory gear.

On the water

The Max is a long wider board. It is very stable. You can concentrate on your dog and sightseeing and not focus on staying upright. It would work well for larger beginner paddlers. It’s long enough to have good glide and tracking on flat water. It will handle waves and chop well thanks to its stability. It will take some effort to push through the chop.

Review

See our review of the Thurso Surf Max to learn more.

Specifications

Size – 11′ 6″ x 34″ x 6″

Weight Capacity – 300 lbs

Board Weight – 31 lbs

Construction – 2 Layer Woven with Carbon Rails

D-Rings – 17

Paddle – 3 piece carbon

Pump – Triple action, double chamber

View at THURSO SURF

6 – Blackfin Model X & Model XL

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Overall Score

Stiffness10.0

Stability10.0

Speed Performance7.0

Tracking8.0

Accessories8.0

Portability8.5

What we liked:

Very stiff 3 layer construction with carbon reinforcements

Ala carte shopping menu that lets you customize your package

Very stable wide board great for dogs, beginners, or larger paddlers

Good tracking

Fin tethers to keep you from losing a fin

Lots of D-Rings and accessory mounts

Available accessories such as fishing racks

What we didn’t like:

Not the fastest board especially in choppy water

Higher cost

Summary

The Blackfin Model X has a new upgraded design for 2023 with improvements to the construction after last year’s recall. It still has 3 layer construction with carbon reinforced rails. They enlarged the seems a bit and changed the location of some of the D-Rings. The fins now have tethers in addition to flip locks to help prevent fin loss.

The Model X is the shortest and widest of the Blackfin Model X, XL, and V boards. The V is one of our favorite inflatable touring boards. The XL is great for larger paddlers. The Model X is a standard 10’6″ all around board that is extra wide at 35 inches. It can still hold a lot of weight with a capacity up to 450 lbs. The Model X is great for people that want a very stable and easy to turn board and aren’t that concerned with speed.

The Model X is perfect for taking out dogs that don’t need the space of a larger paddleboard or for other activities such as Yoga.

Accessories

The Blackfin Model X is available with a wide range of accessories. iRocker now lets you choose your package so you can pick any pump, bag, or paddle to go with the board or just get a bare board by itself. The downside to this flexibility is that the package cost is now more expensive.

On the water performance

The Model X is not going to win any races with it’s speed and glide. It will carry a lot of weight and it is a perfect beginner board thanks to it’s width and stability. The X is perfect for people that aren’t that comfortable standing on other less stable boards. It gives you that extra bit of comfort for taking your dog out without worrying that you will dump them in the water. The 3 fin design does track decently well making it easy to paddle.

The extra width of the board does mean you will have to work a little harder in choppy water to push the board through the chop. It’s a great board for calm days when you want to enjoy a paddle with your dog.

Review

See our review of the Blackfin Model X to learn more

Specifications

Size – 10′ 6″ x 35″ x 6″

Weight Capacity – 450 lbs

Board Weight – 23 lbs

Construction – 3 Layer with carbon rails

D-Rings – 18

Paddle – Optional

Pump – Optional

View at iRocker

7 – BOTE HD Aero Full Trax 11′6″

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Overall Score

Stiffness9.0

Stability10.0

Speed Performance7.0

Tracking9.0

Accessories7.0

Portability7.0

What we liked:

Very stable board that anyone can stand on

Heavy feeling stiff construction

Many accessory mounts and D-Rings

Included paddle holder and fishing rack mounts

Good looking board with wood deck appearance

Full length deck pad that is good for dogs or other passengers

What we didn’t like:

No wheels or third handle on the bag

No leash included

Side bite fins are not removable

Board feels a little bouncy on the water

Summary

The BOTE HD Aero Full Trax is a big versatile board with a full length deck pad. It can carry large amounts of weight and has one of the widest selections of available accessories. You can customize the board to make it perfect for almost any activity from fishing to river expeditions. The HD Aero is a larger wider board at 11′ x 34″ giving it good glide and stability on flat water and chop. The longer deck pad means your dog will have good traction everywhere. You won’t risk the dog scratching the hull material. BOTE boards use 2 layer PVC construction and come with composite paddles. If you want to do so something special with your board, check out the full range of optional accessories.

Accessories

Accessorizing is one of the things that makes the BOTE brand special. The HD Aero includes some nice extras such as a paddle holder you can mount on the front of the board. They include the best double action single chamber hand pump we’ve seen. The paddle has a composite shaft and feels stiff and light on the water. The only downside is the travel bag. It doesn’t have wheels which is a miss for a board that weighs 30 lbs. The rubberized material that BOTE uses sticks to the board and can make loading the bag more challenging than it needs to be.

On the water

The HD Aero feels like a larger all around board on the water. It tracks well due to its length and 3 fin setup. It’s very stable so your dog can move around without sending you both into the water. It’s a wider board at 34 inches so you will have to do some work to push it into wind and chop. On flat wider it will glide beautifully.

Review

See our review of the BOTE HD Aero Full Trax 11’6″ to learn more.

Specifications

Size – 11′6″ x 34″ x 6″

Weight Capacity – 300 lbs

Board Weight – 30 lbs

Construction – 2 Layer

D-Rings – 16

Paddle – 3 piece composite

Pump – double action hand pump

View at BOTE

8 – Nixy Monterey G4 Expedition

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Overall Score

Stiffness10.0

Stability10.0

Speed Performance8.0

Tracking9.0

Accessories9.0

Portability8.0

What we liked:

Very stiff rigid lightweight construction

2 air chambers for added safety

Big stable fast board that handles well on the water

Lots of load carrying capacity

Overall high quality feel to board and accessories

One of the best roller bags we have seen

What we didn’t like:

Not as fast as a narrower touring board

It takes some effort to paddle it into wind and chop due to its size

Summary

The Nixy Monterey G4 Expedition is a great paddleboard for spending time with your dog. It is a big stable board with plenty of deck space. The deck pads extend almost to the front and rear of the board. The bungee cords are easily removable making the board very dog friendly.

The board is made from woven PVC construction with carbon rail reinforcements. This makes it very stiff. The board is 11’6″ x 32″ wide making on the bigger side. It is very stable. It still moves okay thanks to the narrow nose and tail sections. The board has 3 fins. Performance can be tuned by leaving off the 2 side fins or substituting a larger center fin.

The board has a ton of action mounts around the board for mounting accessories. This is one of the most versatile boards out there that is good for anything from paddling with dogs, SUP camping or SUP fishing.

Accessories

The Nixy G4 boards come as a complete package with high end accessories. They include a carbon fiber paddle that is light and stiff. The roller backpack has 3 wheels and a ton of MOLLE style loops for attaching things. It is a backpack that is meant for adventure and not just holding a paddleboard.

A double barrel triple action hand pump is included. It is one of the faster and nicer pumps I’ve seen. It can deflate boards. It has removable handles and folding feet to make it more compact.

On the water performance

The Monterey is a very nice handling board on the water. It has been a favorite among beginners who we have let use it. It’s a verys table board thanks to it’s size and width. It moves decently thanks to it’s shape. The 3 fins provide very good tracking. You can take your dog out with confidence on this board that you won’t send them for an unwanted swim.

Review

See our review of the NIXY Monterey G4 to learn more.

Specifications

Size – 11’6″ x 32″ x 6″

Weight Capacity – 400 lbs

Board Weight – 25 lbs

Construction – 2 Layer Woven PVC with Carbon Rails

D-Rings – 28

Paddle – Triple action double chamber hand pump

Pump – 3 piece carbon

View at NIXY

9 – GILI KOMODO 10’6″

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What we liked:

Gili donates a portion of every board sold to ocean charities

Wide stable board

Good for beginner paddlers

Full length deck pad

Removable bungees so you can have a clean deck for your dog

Higher performance touring fin instead of standard dolphin fin

Lots of D-Rings and mounts

Fiberglass paddle included but carbon option available

Stiff 3 layer construction

What we didn’t like:

Action mounts not part of front bungee D-Rings

Not as fast and nimble as other boards

Bag doesn’t have wheels

Summary

The GILI KOMODO is an all purpose board designed for taking out pets, doing yoga or paddling with passengers. GILI donates a portion of every board sold to charities that help clean up the ocean and protect marine animals. You can feel good about supporting GILI.

The Komodo deck pad covers the entire board and it has removable bungees so your dog can sit anywhere on the board. The KOMODO uses stiff 3 layer construction and has a high 340 lb weight capacity. This makes it good for large dogs and larger paddlers.

The board has a standard 3 fin setup. All 3 fins are removable. The center fin is more of a touring design than the standard dolphin fin most boards come with.

Accessories

The paddle has a fiberglass shaft. They have a carbon paddle option for an extra $50. The fiberglass paddle feels good and is a step up from any aluminum paddle.

A basic double action hand pump is included. It gets the job done. If you don’t like pumping you can upgrade to an electric pump. GILI frequently has a free electric pump on your first order if you sign up for their newsletter.

The bag is nicely padded and has some storage pockets and molle loops. It does not have wheels which is a miss at this price point.

On the water performance

The KOMODO is a nice stable board that has good manners on the water. It’s not the fastest board out there. The 33 inch width gives it good stability for beginner paddlers. It’s stable enough that your dog can move around a bit without tipping the board.

Tracking is good with the 3 fin design. The board performs well without the side fins on flat water thanks to the higher performance center fin. Beginners will appreciate the extra stability and stronger tracking with the side fins.

Specifications

Size – 10’6″ x 33″ x 6″

Weight Capacity – 340 lbs

Board Weight – 21 lbs

Construction – 3 Layer

D-Rings – 18

Paddle – 3 piece fiberglass (carbon option available)

Pump – Double action hand pump

A portion of every GILI Paddleboard goes to charities that support ocean reefs and endangered sea animals

View at GILI View at Amazon

10 – ISLE Explorer 2.0

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What we liked:

Longer medium width board has good speed and tracking but is still stable enough for new paddlers

Paddle holders built into the board

Carbon shaft paddle and nice roller backpack

Plenty of deck pad space for for a dog

What we didn’t like:

The 2 small side fins aren’t removable.

No built in action mounts

Summary

The ISLE Explorer 2.0 is a longer board with good speed and stability. ISLE is one of the most popular SUP brands. They make boards with excellent quality and durability. The Explorer 2.0 is a board for people who want a larger board that can carry weight but don’t want a slow wide board. The Explorer is more of a touring shape than a wide stable all around or fishing SUP. It has enough deck space for a large dog to sit in front of you. This is a good choice for larger paddlers or paddlers with larger dogs that need more room than a 10′ or 10’6″ all around board.

Accessories

The board comes with a carbon paddle, roller bag, ankle leash, repair kit, and double action hand pump. The package includes a double action hand pump. At this price, we would like to see a triple action pump. To make up for it they do include an electric pump. Everything else is high quality and looks like it belongs on this level of SUP package.

On the water performance

The Explorer 2.0 has very good tracking and glide thanks to its length. It is still stable enough for beginner paddlers. You won’t risk dumping your dog in the water due to an unstable board. It doesn’t turn as easily as a shorter board which is the only downside. It moves through chop and small waves easily due to its smaller width.

Specifications

Size – 11′6″ x 32″ x 6″

Weight Capacity – 300 lbs

Board Weight – 24 lbs

Construction – 2 Layer

D-Rings – 13

Paddle – 3 piece carbon

Pump – Double action hand pump

View at ISLE Surf and SUP

Ryan Craig
Co-Founder & Chief Editor

I am a total gear nerd and love learning how things work and thinking about how they could be improved. Nothing excites me more than trying out new gear. I’d rather spend 3 hours taking my bike apart and learning how to change something than go to a bike shop. These days, I reside in Michigan by the Great Lakes and go skiing, biking, and boating as much as possible. Visit our About Us page and learn more.

ryan@lowbudgetadventurer.com