Tower Fit -vs- The Competition

Don't confuse Tower boards with the commodity "package deal" boards on the market. Tower is kind of the "Anti" package deal brand! We strongly promote and sell some of the most high-end quality brands of boards, paddles, and accessories on the market. We also produce, import, and direct market our own Tower boards, so the price on those boards surprises a lot of people.

We get the question, "Do you have a package deal," a lot on the phone from newbies to the sport because our board price points are in the same ballpark as the "package deals" (humorously, we're better priced a lot of times). That's where the comparison ends, however. Go beyond a superficial look and you'll soon discover that, aside from price, our boards are much closer to high-end performance SUPs. The shape is highly considered, every attention is put into style and design, and there is a full complement of high-end board features. We just happen to only sell direct (we're kind of the Dell of the SUP market), so the price is 30%-50% less than comparable boards you'd buy thru a shop (or anything that goes thru and is priced for the traditional 3 tier distribution channel).

Quite the contrary, the "package deal" board companies sell thru regular retail channels and sell direct at the same price (and in process, often times, earn the ire of their retail partners), and they simply achieve a low price point by pumping out really cheaply made and cheaply considered boards by cutting any corner they can to get the price down, even silly stuff. Quality, style, considered design, high-end features are not on the radar in the "package deal" companies... only price. It's a short-sighted business model, as are their products.

Twice as Good
Thru intelligent SUP design...

Lighter, yet better floatation
Shorter, wider, thicker = more foam volume (the light part) and less surface area (the heavy part)

Shorter, yet more stable
Width = Stability. SUP companies missed this while they were all copying Laird.

Sexier, yet more classic
Stylish, classic, triple-stringer surfboard looks. Not 1980s “windsurferish” flashy.

Maintains beauty with use
Transparent exterior wears (dents & dings) like a surfboard. Doesn’t quickly chip like all epoxy painted boards will.

More comfortable
Comfy high-end diamond grooved deck pads. Not cheapest, crappy pad manufacturer offers.

Far easier to store
Under 10” will fit in an apartment or bedroom. 11’6” plus presents a storage dilemma to many.

Tracks better
Double concave bottom to aid fins with tracking. Not flat bottom because it’s cheaper to manufacturer.

Surfs better
Ample rocker and boxy, rounded outline reminiscent of a really big shortboard. Not an outline resembling a canoe ;)

1/2 the Price
You cut out the middleman & pay roughly what a retailer (REI, the local kayak or surf shop, or Costco even) pays for a comparable SUP.

We stack up well, very well against the competition. By competition, we’re referring to economy priced, all around SUP boards. While we do make a high-quality, very well considered board, we know what we are and what we are not. We don’t make the best SUP boards money can buy. Nor do we make the fastest. We simply make a well conceived, high-quality board, upgraded where it makes sense not where it doesn't. Then we offer it at a very competitive price because we sell it direct. It’s also a bit of a looker!

We know what we are. We know what we're not.
If you want a high-end paddle surfing SUP, we highly recommend Coreban paddle surfing boards, which we carry in our San Diego SUP shop and recommend every day, often times over our Tower boards. For SUP racing, there are a number of specialty (and quite expensive) brands like Bark or SIC (Sandwich Island Composites). We know what we’re not and we’re not afraid to point you in the right direction.

Important attributes to consider when selecting a stand up paddle board.

The Big "3"
By far the most critical attributes to consider when SUP shopping are floatation (volume), board weight, and stability. Because it's easy to quantity and differentiate, uninformed SUP newbies typically zoom in on board length alone and they come to the conclusion that they need to get an 11'-12' board and all will be well. In truth, board length should not even be a primary consideration. Here's what is important:

Riding in Style?
Once you've got the basic necessities covered, you should turn your attention to comfort, style, and durability. If you're looking to get into stand up paddle boarding, it's likely in part because it's a cool new sport that supports an active, healthy lifestyle. Be sure to ride in style and comfort and don't foolishly get a board that will look like complete crap in a year or two.

Practicality
Before you bring home a 12' stand up paddle board, give storage some serious consideration. A 12' board is big, really big. Depending on where you live, storing it may be a huge issue, not to mention transporting it around. Surprisingly, most damage to SUPs happens out of the water.

Adapts to it's Environment?
By definition, all-around SUPs are meant to be flexible enough to be used in many different environments. Ideally, they're supposed to possess the coolness of a surfboard, yet work just fine in a waveless environment. Ask yourself is that really what you're getting?

Shop for a Tower Fit 9'10"