[Closed] PSA. £199 paddle boards

Will keep an eye out and see if I can get hold of one.

Thanks, I like the look of that 👍

I wouldn’t expect too much from that. 15 psi limit is not a lot so more big bendy lilo than performance craft. I’m sure it’s perfect for noodling round in circles like most sups are used for

Looks similar to the F2
https://www.f2.com/sup/boards.php?L=&da=16386&dk=63&db=13&name=ALLROUND%20AIR%20GREY

Our decathlon tops out at 15 psi and that’s rigid even with my heft on it.

yep, 15psi is plenty - and also a massive effort to get to! over 10psi and the most exercise I get from the whole SUP experience is getting that last 5psi 🙂

Supboardermag tested the Lidl boards when they first came out and they got a v favourable review 👍 my Starboard race board only needs 16psi

Oh.

I thought this was a fetish thread.

Looks similar to the F2

Previous years were apparently F2 boards, this year's is made by Mistral.

Although where it sits in their range I've no idea, looks like a shrunk Elba?

Is this an instore thing? Will I need to prep (our Lidl is out of the way)

Think it is in-store only 🤔

Don't think performance is the main thing in my son's mind, he spends most of the time climbing on then jumping off it. I'm getting another so I actually get to paddle about.

Review here; LINK

That looks actually Ok for anyone wanting to start up.

Jeez how the mighty have fallen.

Mistral only means one thing to me: US1111

Not bad for the dosh from the review.

I loved the ones at Decathlon but we were looking for inflatable kayaks.

And F2 was E11

Thanks that's a good deal, just read the reviews and for 200 quid all in good value.

On the Lidl site that's the starter board there are 2 others for more advanced users, but 100 quid extra for each step up.

Dang I'm tempted

I'm in the industry and those boards are phenomenal value at that price....which is not surprising as they are basically being sold at cost,presumably to sell the other rubbish lidl sells.

How many actually exist to be bought remains to be seen.

I've got one of the previous F2 bords from a couple of years ago, and it's great. Feels equally as good as the decathlon ones.

I've used it on lakes and in the sea, for my pootling about its great fun and kids love it.

How many actually exist to be bought remains to be seen.

It was 3 per store when the F2 ones were being sold.

Thanks for this. Perfect timing.

I remember when Mistral used to be THE premium windsurfing company ...
Do Sports Direct own them now?

Should Lidl not be mentioning that [theoretically!] you need a licence - at least south of the border?

I know the chance of getting asked or checked is pretty miniscule, but here (on the Thames) the number of SUPs last summer did seem to bring more questions from lock keepers....

Does anyone know when they will actually be on the shelves? Is it likely to be from opening on Thursday or some other time?
Ta

@petec I think you are right. Up till now the waterways license has always been used as a last resort for EA officers to get rid of those causing trouble in rubber dinghies, lighting fires, speeding on cheap Ribs etc but with the huge explosion in inland SUP I suspect it won't be long before they start using them as proper income.

Should at least be something to wave in the face of shouty anglers anyway

I've never done the battle of the middle of Lidl before. Do you queue up at opening on Thurs or what?

I’ve just looked up waterway licence as I’ve took delivery of a SUP recently, looks like in Northumberland most rivers you don’t need one.

Should Lidl not be mentioning that [theoretically!] you need a licence – at least south of the border?

I remember when Mistral used to be THE premium windsurfing company …
Do Sports Direct own them now?

There is a company called Boards & More that own the brand rights to many of the big 90's windsurf brands (Fanatic, Mistral, F2, North Sails, Art, Arrows). There is a long story behind how they ended up in one company and it didnt work out well for those behind it or the brands in question. Boards & More are possibly still the biggest name in windsurfing (& kitesurfing), they used the Fanatic / North Sails branding for many years although North Sails was on a license from the yachting company and that has been taken back. They use a new brand Duotone now.

These will be licensed out so nothing to do with the original company.

not work in the sea

when you live 50 miles from the sea, and 300 yards from the river...I know which is easier to use

Most people assume - as I did! - you don't need a licence for unpowered craft on inland waterways. To me, it's like bikes needing a licence; faintly ridiculous.

And where does the difference lie? If I was to take a £2 lilo down, and float serenely downstream, do I need a licence? Or is it anything with a paddle?

I’ve just looked up waterway licence as I’ve took delivery of a SUP recently, looks like in Northumberland most rivers you don’t need one.

@drac - you don't. But there will be some local access agreements in place.

See here for a good start on both access, key points of note and insight into the access in place: https://gopaddling.info/paddlepoints/

Thanks Matt.

Most people assume – as I did! – you don’t need a licence for unpowered craft on inland waterways. To me, it’s like bikes needing a licence; faintly ridiculous.

The Environment Agency have invested millions of pounds in improved access for small craft, boaters and presumably by extension, SUP craft on the Medway. This comes from general taxation as the revenue from licenses doesn't come close to funding the capital investment. I presume that this is replicated nationally.

If you're getting the benefit it's ok to chuck a bit more in the big pot.

oh indeed. And I do [now....]

Luckily I'm working about 4 miles from Glenrothes' Lidl on Thursday.
I'll be there at 8 am!

Glenrothes’ Lidl

*shudders*

British canoeing membership covers the waterways license. On my local river the lengthsman asks everyone for one. The upkeep has to be paid for somehow so I think it’s fair enough.

The upkeep has to be paid for somehow so I think it’s fair enough.

The upkeep of what?

OTS
I'm hoping the clientele at Lidl Glenrothes won't be into SUP much!

Don't know anything about these, but just noticed SportPursuit have some for £230(ish) (supposedly reduced from £500) Coolsurf (yeah baby) branded.. Delivery is near end of next month.

The upkeep of what?

The waterways

I’m hoping the clientele at Lidl Glenrothes won’t be into SUP much!

Sounds like a reasonable assumption 🏄‍♂️

simondbarnes
Full Member
The upkeep of what?

The waterways

Posted 1 minute ago
REPLY | REPORT

Despite what the bumph says, I'd be surprised if the licence fee covered the admin costs of the licensing system.

So my wife wants one of these and I’m off work on Thursday. Which branch of lidl in Sheffield to I go for... nearest is woodseats, but parson cross may be a better bet? Is it really 3 per store?

Sport Pursuit seem to have some for just over 200. 'Coolsurf' brand, whatever that means. Don't know if they're better or worse than the Lidl one. You won't have to fight someone to the death in Lidl for it, though.

Despite what the bumph says, I’d be surprised if the licence fee covered the admin costs of the licensing system.

I’d be surprised if the admin costs are much more than a few pounds.

You won’t have to fight someone to the death in Lidl for it, though.

You will have to wait until the end May for delivery though.

Damn my invisible posts!

There were over 25,000 new members to british canoeing last year, largely due to sup and inflatable kayaks so to say there is no money in the fee for anything is plain wrong. If you ride your bike volunteer or help pay towards your local trail building and if you paddle on inland waterways pay your fair share.

I was one of those new members. No-one has asked to see my licence but it's nice to know I have one if I ever need to prove it. £45 well spent I reckon.

PSA:

If you're local to a Lidl, and really want one. Check on Wednesday night when the staff are stocking the shelves.

I'm kind of interested. You'd think that having windsurfed for over 30 years I'd be OK at it.
However, last February we went to Costa Rica specially to learn to SUP surf at Playa Avellanas - featured in Endless Summer and I was rubbish. Completely rubbish. I couldn't even stay on in flat water.
My surgeon (who took my spine apart and put it back together properly) reckons that the signals needed for balance weren't getting through fast enough (I wondered why they all frowned when they tapped my knees and nothing happened) but I reckon I'm just rubbish so I won't be wasting my money.

but I reckon I’m just rubbish

Invest £20 in a slackline and see if you can improve balance. I try to spend 15 mins every day on one in the back garden.

Waterways licences: Free flowing natural rivers are different to canalised rivers and canals. Scotland is different altogether.

Canals were dug across private land and so are private. Rivers like the Thames have been modified with weirs and locks, authorised by Act of Parliament. Both of these needs a licence, in England and Wales. The cheapest way to get a licence, and one that covers multiple waterways, is to join British Canoeing if you live in England or Canoe Wales if you live in Wales (both give you a licence for England and Wales).

Natural rivers have had a public right of navigation since the Magna Carta, but there are no recent legal cases confirming that (or disputing it). Most canoeists, kayakers, wild swimmers, etc, now assume it to be the case. Many anglers and landowners disagree. There can be conflict. See riveraccessforall.co.uk Also note that you have no right to cross private land to get to the water.
A few rivers, such as the lower Wye, are clearly defined in recent legislation as public rights of navigation.

Lakes are usually private, but the big ones like Windermere and Coniston are public.

In Scotland, you have freedom of access in most cases provided you respect other users. See Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Unpowered craft are exempt from licences for Scottish canals.

I've made some slight simplifications but that's 99% of it.

Sport Pursuit are doing 10% off site wide, which brings their sup down to almost £200.
So I've gone with that one rather than face the Battle for the Middle of Lidl on Thursday.
I must be getting old.

The SP code is SP-APR21-10

Some decent Osprey packs in their too.

Big pile of similar looking ones for £199 in my local Tesco just now. No queues.

"Similar looking ones"

Like your aunt would say your non-sporty cousin has a bike similar to yours with the same big tyres? Or the eye of someone who owns a SUP or has been scouring the market for one? Just checkin before I rush out.

Any reviews on the Sports Pursuit ones?

Just checkin before I rush out.

no idea, sorry. didnt look in detail.

My local Lidl will have 2. Which is awkward was I've told 2 mates about it and we're all going to be there early. Definitely a fight on the cards... 😬

Got mine!!

Thanks OP and gent up there who said go night before

Paddles Up

Good luck the rest of you

Yep 2 great PSA's, thanks chaps. My local store had 3, it now has 1!

My local store refused to sell me one tonight 😥

They also only have 1 in total to sell, and I have a meeting I can't miss at 8 am tomorrow 😭

pays to check your emails... it's 8am Pacific Time... so 4pm uk time haha. Screws up other plans, but I guess I'll be queueing to get in to Lidl tomorrow morning!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184799182842

Is that the Lidl one? If so, someone wasn't hanging around in trying to make a few quid.

Looks like it.

Greybeard does a good summary. And I’ve had conflict! Including some very angry fishermen wearing body GoPros as we floated down the River Wear just outside Durham. To be honest they were more likely to be told off by the police for the abuse they were giving us if they had handed the footage in; but either way it worked as it made me feel so horribly uncomfortable I never went back. I’ve also had similar suggestions from a fisherman who fishes the Wharfe and at that point I was in a work meeting on Teams!

Anyway good luck SUP shopping. Our experience on lakes in Oregon was amazing, but did remind me I prefer the stability of my kayak. Lol.

😔 out of luck this morning. Should have gone last night!

Success!

My local Lidl had 4. I was number 5 in the queue.

9 in Reading - Whitley this morning, still 4 left.

No joy for us in Dorking....one person bought 4 wrecking it for everybody else. Shame they didn't set a max per person

Just picked up the second to last one at our local Lidl. Wandered in at 8.10. No queues or hassle. From the empty space in the aisle there may have been 6 in all

My local Lidl sold me and a mate the last 2 at 9 last night, they said they had 4 in total and had already sold 2!

We went to the next town and the Lidl superstore had over 10 and hadn’t sold any!

12 in Shrewsbury south, all gone by 8:05 this morning. I managed to get one but everyone was going out with 2.

I could’ve bought more than one but because I’m not a **** I didn’t. God I hate some people.

I already have a Decathlon one so my biggest problem now is having to pump two of these things up 😓

I could’ve bought more than one but because I’m not a * I didn’t. God I hate some people.

I don't think that buying more than one of something necessarily makes you a *. However your post comes across as quite ****y.

First shop (that I checked last night and wouldn't sell me one) had a queue of 2 outside at 7.45, both with a ticket for it - only two in the shop.

Cruised as fast as my ebike with a trailer on would to the next closest lidl and joined their queue at number 4 just before opening. They had 11,so bagged one. They were only letting people take one each, but in the time it took me to strap mine to my trailer, I saw a couple people coming out with their second.

One old woman asked why we were all queueing, then joined the queue for one herself 😅

I've brownie points with the GF now - makes up for nearly killing her dog 😬😬😬 (by accident)

Eh? Surely the folks that are buying two are just buying one for them and one for their partner? Doesn't seem particularly dickish to me.

Only 3 in my local Lidl and I wasn't there quite early enough. There was a mad rush for the centre aisle and an actual 3 way scrap for the last one!!