Why stability is so important in SUP

Stability For Performance™ - Unique design process that makes SUP boards perform better

What is the “Kona feel” and why do Kona SUP boards work and perform so well ? 

First and foremost , what makes Kona's SUP boards for training and competition so unique is that they are designed based on the new efficient paddling technique , the so-called Nordic stroke . This scientifically developed paddling technique for SUP, among other things, from the double-stakes technique of cross-country skiing and where we mostly use our body weight to propel the SUP board . 

The prerequisite for us to be able to propel a SUP board using our body weight and gravity is that the board has the right width in relation to our own body length. When we paddle a board with the right individual width so we will also get a more ergonomic and powerful paddle stroke . 

Stability For Performance ™  

We at Kona realized early on that how stable a SUP board felt was crucial to how fast it could be paddled . Because we want the board to be be able to paddle as efficiently as possible so that we can do not build stability solely based on the width of the board , as a board that is too wide in relation to our body length will be very difficult to paddle and in the worst case can lead to injuries . 

A large part of our R& D work is about therefore continue to design SUP boards that are narrow enough so that everyone can paddle them with the most ergonomic and therefore efficient paddle stroke possible , without worrying about balance .

“ Nordic stroke ” 

The new and effective paddling technique for SUP , “Nordic stroke” which is developed by our expert and elite trainer Magnus R Lindstedt , is based on the fact that each so-called paddling cycle, i.e. from the time the paddle blade is put in the water until it is put in the water again , is divided into five different phases between which our body center of gravity is continuously moved . In Kona's own unique design process, we can calculate what shape the boards need to provide optimal stability and glide in each individual phase. 

That we at Kona have succeeded Constructing such functional SUP boards is about our extensive design process where our development team Through advanced naval architectural modeling programs, we can calculate basically everything we want to know about a board's properties even before the first prototype is built . When the first prototype is made It undergoes rigorous functional and durability tests on the water here in Sweden to ensure that the board meets all the requirements that we believe a SUP board should meet . 

“The Kona feeling” 

What we discovered during our extensive testing of different prototypes, board brands and models was that when we stood on a Kona board again, the same feeling always came back, a feeling of stability and response . A feeling that we now also strive to find before launching a new SUP board - the “Kona feeling”. A feeling that we are convinced that you too will seek as soon as you have paddled a SUP board from Kona Sports. 

Every SUP board from Kona is designed in the same way so that we can ensure that our products keep what we promise and that you get the very best SUP experience, therefore we will never be the cheapest but instead we always strive to have the best products. 

From 2020 , all our SUP boards are designed according to the Stability For Performance ™ principle .