How to pick a size › SUP foil
SUP Foil
Board Size
A size chart · 62 SUP foil boards in the atlas
A 75 kg rider wants 125–155 L to learn, 105–125 L once riding, 90–105 L once confident and 75–90 L as an expert. Litres are your weight in kilos plus a margin, which shrinks and then turns negative as you progress.
These are rules of thumb, the ones shops and sizing guides quote, not any brand’s chart. Where a brand publishes its own rider weights, its board page shows them, and they should win.
SUP Foil Size Chart
Volume in litres by rider weight and level · rule of thumb, not a brand’s chart
| Weight | First sessions | Getting there | Confident | Expert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 100–130 | 80–100 | 65–80 | 50–65 |
| 55 kg | 105–135 | 85–105 | 70–85 | 55–70 |
| 60 kg | 110–140 | 90–110 | 75–90 | 60–75 |
| 65 kg | 115–145 | 95–115 | 80–95 | 65–80 |
| 70 kg | 120–150 | 100–120 | 85–100 | 70–85 |
| 75 kg | 125–155 | 105–125 | 90–105 | 75–90 |
| 80 kg | 130–160 | 110–130 | 95–110 | 80–95 |
| 85 kg | 135–165 | 115–135 | 100–115 | 85–100 |
| 90 kg | 140–170 | 120–140 | 105–120 | 90–105 |
| 95 kg | 145–175 | 125–145 | 110–125 | 95–110 |
| 100 kg | 150–180 | 130–150 | 115–130 | 100–115 |
| 105 kg | 155–185 | 135–155 | 120–135 | 105–120 |
| 110 kg | 160–190 | 140–160 | 125–140 | 110–125 |
The rule at each level
- First sessions: your weight in kg + 50 to 80 L.
- Getting there: your weight in kg + 30 to 50 L.
- Confident: your weight in kg + 15 to 30 L.
- Expert: your weight in kg + 0 to 15 L.
Your level
- First sessions: still learning to get up and stay up.
- Getting there: riding, working on turns and transitions.
- Confident: linking runs in most conditions.
- Expert: the smallest board that still gets you going.
Your weight
With your wetsuit on, if you ride in one. Lighter than 50 kg or heavier than 110 kg? The finder works the range out from 35 to 140 kg.
What Fits at 75 kg
First sessions
Getting there
Confident
Across the 242 sizes listed for SUP foil boards in the atlas, the middle 80 % run from 80 to 135 L, and half are under 110 L.
The newest at 105–125 L, for a 75 kg rider getting there
Beyond the Litres
SUP foil boards are much shorter than race or touring SUPs but still very wide and voluminous, because the rider has to stand and paddle before the foil takes over. Starboard's 2017 Hypernut Foil, for example, was 7'4 x 30 in and 106 L. The short length cuts swing weight and inertia once flying, and the extra volume makes kneeling, standing and paddle-up easier. A shop guide suggests 20–60 L over body weight for beginners to intermediates. The longer, narrower downwind boards are the next step for paddlers who want to cover distance.
At the same volume, a wider board is steadier and easier to start on, a narrower one quicker rail to rail; a long board for its width glides and lifts earlier, a short one turns tighter. The finder’s cards say which is which among the boards at your size.
Questions
What size SUP foil board for a beginner?
Your weight in kg + 50 to 80 L: 110–140 L at 60 kg, 125–155 L at 75 kg and 140–170 L at 90 kg. The ranges shrink level by level, so most riders move down a size as they progress.
What size SUP foil board for a 60 kg rider?
110–140 L to learn, 90–110 L once riding, 75–90 L once confident and 60–75 L as an expert.
What size SUP foil board for a 90 kg rider?
140–170 L to learn, 120–140 L once riding, 105–120 L once confident and 90–105 L as an expert.
Should I go by the brand’s size chart?
When it has one, yes: it knows its own rails and thickness. None of the SUP foil boards in the atlas comes with one yet, so the rule of thumb is what there is.
Is volume the only number that matters?
No: width and length change how a board rides at the same volume (above), and thickness and rails change how it floats. Start from the volume, then pick the shape.
Size charts for other sports