Best Yoga Paddle Boards | 2021 Top Fitness SUPs

As inflatable paddle board sales have exploded, one of the most popular activities they are used for –besides recreational paddling — is yoga. In this buyers guide we review the best yoga paddle boards and fitness SUPs in 2021.

What We Look For in Our Yoga SUP Top Picks

While just about any paddle board can be used for yoga in a pinch, for our top picks we were looking for specific features that made workouts on these boards more practical. Here’s what we look for in a the best yoga SUPs:

• Extra Stability: A SUP that is wider, and thus more stable, than your average all-around paddle board to provide a solid platform for balancing.
• Large Deck Pad: The EVA foam deck pad on some SUPs can be fairly small. For a yoga board we want a pad that covers as much of the board as possible and is comfortable for sitting and stretching.
• Few Obstructions: Similarly, as boards have gained more features like action mounts, this hardware can get in the way of a workout. We want as little hardware obstructing the central deck pad area as possible and ideally, the cargo bungees should be removable as well.
• Paddle Holder: While not absolutely necessary, it’s super convenient if a paddle board has a built in mechanism for holding your paddle, ideally along the side.
• Decent Performance & Accessories: Since you’ll likely still be using your paddle board for recreational paddling in addition to yoga, you still want a board that can move OK in the water and has decent accessories, even if it’s not the speediest SUP out there.

Best Yoga Paddle Boards For 2021

	BOARD	DIMENSIONS	WARRANTY	PRICE
nixy-venice	NIXY Venice G4	10'6" x 34" x 6" 23 pounds	2 years, 30-day money back	Read ReviewCheck Price
thurso-tranquility	THURSO Tranquility	10'8" x 34" x 6" 29 pounds	2-years, 30-day money back	Read ReviewRead ReviewCheck Price
gili-komodo	GILI Komodo	10'6" x 33" x 6" 21 pounds	2 years, 60-day money back	Read ReviewRead ReviewCheck Price
bluefin-aura-fit	Bluefin Aura Fit	10'8" x 36" x 6" pounds	5 years, 60-day money back	Read ReviewCheck Price

NIXY Venice G4

10’6″ x 34″ x 6″
Availability: US, Canada

The NIXY Venice G4, was completely reengineered along with all of NIXY’s 4th generation lineup. They all share the same fused woven drop stitch construction and carbon fiber reinforced side rails that make them ultralight, rigid, high performance boards. At 34 inches wide the Venice provides plenty of stability for any yoga practitioner, yet due to its advanced construction the Venice easily out performs many all-around SUPs when it comes to speed and tracking.

The Venice features a comfortable EVA foam deck pad that covers nearly the entire top of the board from nose-to-tail and side-to-side. The front and back cargo bungees also feature a unique toggle that allows them to be adjusted or removed completely, leaving the deck essentially unobstructed. The Venice also includes a bungee paddle holder on the side which, while not quite as convenient as THURSO’s and GILI’s, gets the job done.

All NIXY SUPs come with a top-of-the-line accessory package including a rugged rolling backpack, carbon fiber hybrid travel paddle, three-stage pump, safety leash, and repair kit.

Bottom Line: After the 2021 redesign the NIXY Venice is hands-down the gold standard when it comes to an ideal yoga SUP. If it’s in your price range and you’re in the North America market we think it’s an easy choice. If you’re on a budget or in a different region, read on for more options.

For all complete details read our full hands-on NIXY Venice review.

THURSO Tranquility

10’8″ x 34″ x 6″
Availability: US, Canada, UK, Europe

THURSO’s Tranquility is a perennial yoga SUP favorite. Like NIXY, THURSO has also updated its boards in 2021 to woven drop stitch construction to take advantage of the lighter weight and greater stiffness. Although the Tranquility is also a 34 inch wide board, its blunter nose, square tail and greater weight mean that while its incredibly stable for yoga, its not as nimble as the NIXY Venice when it comes to recreational paddling.

The Tranquility does feature a generous deck pad. While not nose-to-tail it should be long enough for most folks. It also replaces the typical center carry handle with two offset handles giving you a completely unobstructed center area, which is nice. The Tranquility also provides Velcro loop paddle holders along both sides of the board for ultimate convenience.

THURSO’s paddle boards all come with a top-notch line of accessories that include a high quality rolling backpack, carbon hybrid travel paddle, three-stage pump, 10 foot coiled safety leash, and repair kit.

Bottom Line: THURSO’s newly updated yoga SUP is heavier and won’t perform quite as well as an all-around such as our top rated NIXY Venice. However it is very well designed for yoga and fitness applications, comes with fantastic accessories and is available in regions that NIXY is not.

For more information about the Tranquility, see our comparison of the NIXY SUP lineup.

GILI Komodo

10’6″ x 33″ x 6″
Availability: US

A new addition to our list for 2021, the GILI Komodo is something of a lower-cost alternative to the NIXY and THURSO SUPs and shares design similarities with both of them. At only 33 inches wide, it’s the narrowest paddle board on this list, meaning that it will be somewhat less stable than the other boards.

It’s closer in weight and shape to the NIXY Venice, and like that board it also has a full-length deck pad and removable cargo bungees. However, it sports the Velcro paddle holder loops on each side similar to the THURSO Tranquility.

For the most part, the accessories that GILI Sports includes with the Komodo are much more basic that with the previous boards. It come with a fiberglass paddle (there is an option to upgrade to carbon fiber hybrid or carbon fiber), a basic two-stage pump, a 10 foot coiled safety leash, and a repair kit. The one accessory that stands out is a high quality (albeit non-rolling) backpack.

Bottom Line: GILI provides a viable alternative for yoga SUP shoppers who need to watch their budget and don’t mind more basic accessories.

For more information about the Komodo, see our comparison of the GILI SUP lineup.

Bluefin Aura FIT

10’8″ x 36″ x 6″
Availability: US, UK, Europe, Australia

We imagine the Bluefin Aura FIT will appeal to two types of buyers: those who want the most stable board possible and those who need the lowest cost board possible!

At 36 inches wide, the Aura FIT is the widest yoga SUP on our list and it definitely stays nice and solid underneath you on the water. That same width means that its a bit of a slow mover and slower turner when it comes to paddling. Probably fine for some leisurely paddling, but don’t expect to rack up some serious speed or distance on this one.

The Aura Fit does sport a large deck pad and two side carry handles – instead of a center one – like the THURSO Tranquility. Unfortunately there is no paddle holder and the cargo bungee isn’t removeable.

As far as cost goes, the Aura FIT is also the lowest cost board on this list. As you might expect, it comes with a very basic set of accessories – simple backpack, fiberglass paddle, two-stage pump, 10 foot coiled leash, and repair kit.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for the widest (ie. most stable) or lowest cost yoga paddle board that we can recommend, the Bluefin Aura FIT is your board. It also has the benefit of being frequently on sale and being available in a lot of regions.