Thanks for taking time to read this. I’m on a tight budget and about to take up stand up paddle surfing. Is it ok to buy a 10 foot foam soft top (the brand’s name is "Surface") and I’m sure a lot of you are familiar with that beginner surfboard brand. I’m 190 pounds. Will it be enough to surf well.
im not the best sup’er in the world, actually i just got into it in april and love it. i would say that it would probably be a little hard to learn on, especially at your weight. since it is designed as a longboard it may be too narrow to give you the stability you want to have in an sup. it also probably doesnt have the float you would need to really be stable. if the shop your buying from lets you try to take it out on the water and just stand on it. youll want to stand in a prone position (both feet next to each other and facing forward) if it feels really stable under you then you may be able to get away with it. it seems at your weight that the board also may not be strong enough (the surface boards are pretty cheaply made). dont forget to factor in the price of a paddle (about $200 for a decent one). it sucks that its still so expensive to get into. try posting this question on a reputable stand up forum as people on those sites usually have a little more experience than i do. heres one that i read all the time that has some good information on it: http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php
ps- make sure to get a leash when you get the board, i didnt and have spent most of this afternoon fixing the nose of my board because it found the one rock on the shore
i just thought of one more thing, a better cheap option may be a used beginners windsurf board. they are floaty enough and stable enough to stand on. im not sure where exactly to pick one up or the cost, but it should be less than a new sup and be easier to learn on than a longboard designed for normal surfing.