It was the performance of the snapper as an SUP that we were most interested in, and our pint-sized paddler had an absolute blast on the board. We would also like to send you exclusive promotions, competitions and content from The Times and Sunday Times and selected partners.

Although I’m taller and heavier than them, I found I was also able to keep my balance – although it was less stable for me than a 10ft 6in,. In fact, it was the gleaming Solent waters that were the training ground for local hero and five-time Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie; a letter box painted gold in celebration of his achievements can be found at the bottom of the town’s bustling high street. An ankle or waist belt leash is an essential safety feature that will keep you tethered in reach of the board if you fall off.

DIG SPORT inflatable sup board is equipped with a double safety valve to prevent water ingress, reducing the possibility of air leakage and improving the quality of inflation.

The W’s “Got You Covered” all-inclusive deal isn’t the most comprehensive we’ve seen but it does include breakfast, lunch and dinner at the main restaurant, Kitchen, and a good selection of soft drinks and alcohol in all of the bars and restaurants. Extra volume (it inflates to 285 litres) means more buoyancy, so you can easily pack all the kit you need. With waves and weather being so unpredictable, personal floatation devices of any kind can be vital.Available in two lengths (10ft and 11ft), we trialled the 11ft, which suited our tester’s height and was very stable through the water. Most beginners use a 10ft 6in board, which is a good all-rounder that will track well in the water and go where you want it to. It features elastic bungee cords at the front of board, allowing you to easily carry repair kits, cameras, food or any other provisions when you're paddle boarding.

This is a hybrid of paddle boarding and surfing which involves catching and riding waves while standing on the board with your paddle, rather than popping up on a traditional surf board. This multi-award-winning shape offers a perfect blend of stability, manoeuvrability and ease-of-paddling for riders up to 95kg. Thank god i did, spent an hour in the heat attempting to inflate the board for the pump to start loosing air from the top, after lots if fiddling and adjusting, could only get to a max of 5psi for me to then notice it slowly deflates.If you fancy seeing the sea or the lakes at an altogether different pace, we have activities on the water that let you row, row, gently down the stream in stunning locations such as the Welsh Black Mountains and the Brighton coastline. They are a long standing company, which have a fine pedigree in producing and maintaining high quality products.