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SUP instructor / paddleboard coach – how do I find my nearest one?

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SUP instructor or paddleboard coach lessons are super valuable. getting a lesson can fast track your learning and help you glean essential info much quicker. But where to get a lesson or lessons? Where to go for SUP instructor coaching and paddleboard lessons? SUP instructor lessons are the best route – especially if you’re new […]

Gong hei fat choy – Year of the rabbit

Celebrate year of the rabbit with a surfing rabbit

Gong hei fat choy! Happy Chinese New Year to all of our Chinese friends and partners, and we hope you’re enjoying your long winter holiday this year. 2023 is the year of the water rabbit, ending on 9th February 2024, and the rabbit is a sign of peace, longevity and hope. And according to Chinese […]

Paddle Up Argyll giveaway | Start the new year with a splash

Start the new year with a splash! At McConks, we’re teaming up with our friends at Argyll Holidays and Wild about Argyll to give ONE luck winner the chance to unlock their freedom with this ultimate paddleboard package worth over £1200! The competition will run from January 16th to February 17th 2023, and to be in with a […]

McConks awesomeness SUP pics – summer sizzler edition.

McConks awesomeness SUP pics summer sizzler edition.

It’s no secret the UK’s weather has been sizzling hot of late. And we’ve been bang on keeping you up to date with heads up pots regarding conditions and how that could potentially affect your paddling. Everyone loves a bit of fair weather for SUP. Granted some days recently may have been too warm. But […]

5 summery SUP things to do with your paddle board.

5 summery SUP things to do with your paddle board.

Owning a paddle board gives you chance to literally go anywhere and do a whole heap of things on the water. With UK summer in full effect getting afloat is a must. But SUP isn’t just confined to floating mere yards from shore. Here are five easy things to tick off your SUP bucket list […]

McConks awesome SUP partner salute #6 the Rapid Skills crew.

McConks awesome SUP partner salute 6 the Rapid Skills crew.

Team Rapid Skills is made up of Joshua Telling, Tom Botterill and Holly Marshall. They’ve been an awesome McConks SUP partner for a while. Specialising in multiple paddle sports the group not only coaches paddle boarding they’re also dabbing hands at kayaking and, in fact, if it’s paddle sports we’re talking Rapid Skills are most […]

Win Gumbies flip flops & a McConks paddleboard

Gumbies x McConks competition

We’ve partnered with @gumbiesuk to give away the ultimate adventure accessories! Enter below to be in with a chance of winning a McConks Paddleboard, 2 pairs of Gumbies Flip-Flops & all other essentials to get you going in the water ?‍♂️ Bundle includes ? ?Paddleboard, Bag, Leash, Quick Release Waist Belt, Paddle & Pump.It’s time to get […]

Enter our charity competition to win a paddleboard package

McConks spring raffle

Enter our raffle to win some great prizes. PRIZES FIRST PRIZE (one): McConks Go Anywhere 11’4i inflatable paddleboard package with everything you need to get on the water including premium quality board, premium quality wheeled rucksack, double action pump, leash and quick release waist belt, Restube buoyancy aid, and carbon three piece paddle SECOND PRIZE (one): McConks explorer […]

International SUP backyards: the Greek Ionian region.

International SUP backyards the Greek Ionian region.

SUP backyards takes in the Ionian region of Greece for this instalment. Sitting west of the Greek mainland the whole Ionian Sea area is vast. It’s been a yachting haven for years, with many a flotilla holiday taking place here. With reliable afternoon winds, calm mornings and hot, sunny summers it’s no wonder this has […]

McConks awesomeness pics (and vids) – eFoil edition.

McConks awesomeness pics (and vids) - eFoil edition.

eFoils are some of the most fun, powered craft on the water. And from a foiling point of view eFoil boards are the easiest to get to grips with. In a small amount of time riders will be up and flying. The handheld throttle control ensures power, speed and momentum are on tap. And it’s […]

Introducing Gloucestershire Bundles

Introducing Gloucestershire Bundles

Introducing Gloucestershire Bundles, our charity of choice for our Winter SUPtacular happening soon. We have supported them periodically as a family for several years, and when we were looking for a charity for McConks to support, they seemed the perfect choice. Gloucestershire Bundles is a charity that provides emergency supplies including toiletries, clothing and equipment to both pregnant […]

Do you want to see more beavers? Have your say

Do you want to see more beavers

We’re keen fans of beavers at McConks. We saw lots of evidence of beavers in Argyll this summer, and actually saw a live beaver through a scope, which was very exciting! But we’d like to see more beavers in the wild in England, and we’ve just responded positively to the Government’s consultation on beaver reintroduction […]

Inflatable innovation unlocked

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If you know anything about McConks, then you will already know that two things underpin our brand: innovation and sustainability. Over the last 18 months we have been working with a number of materials manufacturers from other sectors to develop and innovate the inflatable SUP sector, to improve performance and sustainability. Why have we been […]

McConks preorder delivery update

January 2024   We’ve got very limited stock of our 2022 and 2023 boards left.  Check our outlet and clearance shop for massive bargains on what’s left.We’re currently waiting for our 2024 stock to arrive – due around Easter 2024, and available for preorder now

Can I paddleboard in Lockdown #3 (Jan 2021 – Feb 2021)

Sunrise on the McConks inflatable SUP

Jan 2021: Can I still paddleboard during Lockdown #3? Legally, and according to the letter of the law, and according to the advice given by Sport England on 05 January 2021, the answer is a very clear yes, as long as you can do it on public waterways, and as long as those waterways are […]

Lockdown revisited | Should I still paddle? 01/11/2020.

Lockdown revisited McConks

Am I allowed to still paddle during Lockdown #2? We now know a little bit more about lockdown #2, and what the restrictions are on us in England (apologies to our friends in Scotland and in Wales). Whether one agrees with the lockdown or not, it is now unescapable. So what do we know about […]

McConks eFoil set up guide – preparing for first flights.

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Anyone beady eyed will have noticed of late we’ve been testing a McConks electric hydrofoil prototype. Whilst this might not be for everyone it’s certainly pricked a great deal of interest. If you’re looking to get into eFoiling with the McConks electric hydrofoil board then here’s a handy set up guide that’ll allow you to […]

What’s going on ‘ere then? Drums and stand up paddle boarding?

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Here’s an interesting one we spotted over the weekend. Can anyone tell us what’s going on and why these pics of the McConks Go Free 9’8 crossover SUP and KAT Percussion’s KT-200 electronic drum kit have been snapped? No, us either… What we do know is that our friends at SUP Mag UK do like […]

Making 2021 SUP safety year : Waist belts as standard

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With so many new paddlers taking to the water this year, there have been a few near misses. And things can go wrong for relatively experienced paddlers as the recent tragedy on the Camel Estuary shows. We’ve been talking to a few others in the industry over the last few months about our responsibilities as […]

Honesty is always the best policy…

It’s been a rather busy year hasn’t it? It seems that the world has decided that paddleboarding and biking are the perfect socially distant activities post lockdown. We think we’ve already told you that we were nearly 400% up on the previous year to the end of July. That came on the back of being […]

SUP Mag UK reviews McConks’ Go Fly 5m wingfoil/wingsurf/wing SUP wing.

SUPM reviews the McConks Go Fly 5m wing

SUP Mag UK has helped with impartial feedback during the development process of the McConks Go Fly 5m wing off the back of our R&D programme that ran during the latter part of 2019/early 2020. Having gotten hold of initial versions of the Go Fly (of which they also published a review) the model currently […]

Adventure SUP – McConks style

Adventure SUP McConks style

Adventure paddling can be anything you want. It doesn’t have to mean going all Bear Grylls, eating worms and living feral for days on end. It doesn’t even need to be a long duration. A few hours will often suffice in the right area. Most new stand up paddle board owners will be content during […]

Paddleboards still in stock!

Paddle boards still in stock

So we have limited numbers in stock, but we have another container arriving on 3rd July, and then another arriving in August. So we’ll be keeping levels up this year. These are the SUP boards that are in stock right now! p.s. Unlike some companies, we don’t hold on to your money for weeks before […]

Montenegro or bust | international paddleboarding destinations

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Here at McConks HQ we’ve spent a happy hour reminiscing about our long-ago holiday to Montenegro following a post on SUP Hacks a while back. It was a real adventure, which only came about because it was the location of that year’s Fat Face catalogue and Jen liked the look of it (true story!). Andy […]

Amazing customers and awesome reviews

McConks amazing customers

Lots of brands spend huge amounts of money on influencers to get instagram posts like this. But that’s not our style. Follow Indy_love her on Instagram if you want inspiration! View this post on Instagram 6am SUP ? Sun breaking through the clouds over Brighton this morning. Adore my new @mcconksuk_sup and stunning bamboo/carbon paddle. […]

That was the week that was. SUP gone mad, and Yosemite here we come.

That was the week that was. SUP gone mad, and Yosemite here we come. This year is turning out to be a little bizarre isn’t it? And that’s the understatement of the year! Before lockdown we were desperately trying to get gear out to our SUP schools and partner companies in a timely manner before […]

Buy and Try your McConks stand up paddle board; NO QUIBBLE 28 day return period.

McConks Buy and Try a SUP scheme scaled

Thanks to Kathy Marston who snapped the above pic. Check out her Instagram for more – https://www.instagram.com/happiestwhenoutdoors/?hl=en Can’t decide whether SUP‘s the one for you? Not even sure if you’ll stick with it having purchased your McConks stand up paddle board (even though we know you will!). Maybe there’s an issue surrounding the actual kit […]

A car is just a car right?

A car made in one factory is just the same as a car made in another factory isn’t it? So a Merc is the same as a VW, is the same as a Honda, is the same as a Daewoo right? They’re all made of metal, have engines, steering wheels and tyres, and there’s no […]

PRESS RELEASE: COULD YOU WALK 100km IN 24 HOURS?

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 27/04/2020 Contact: Andy McConkey [Wye Valley, Gloucestershire, 27/04/2020] – Serial charity fundraiser, Stacey Smithson-Grey,is attempting to walk 100km non-stop in 24 hours in May 2020. Stacey is a passionate mental health campaigner, having been impacts by suicides during her job as a Highways England Traffic Officer, therefore is challenging herself to raise […]

I’m alright jack just doesn’t cut it right now

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I’m alright jack just doesn’t cut it right now | what McConks are doing to help So we’ve been happily telling everyone how much we’re enjoying lockdown. Pizzas and camping in the garden, no commute to work, exploring the woods and picking wild garlic, listening to woodpeckers whilst studying wild orchids, and a whole heap […]

A change is gonna come | the perfect song for our times?

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A change is gonna come | the perfect song for our times? Hope you’re well friends. It’s Andy here. I’ve recently been asked to do that social media chain thing – 10 albums that influenced your life, no description etc etc. Being the kind of person that I am, I straight up ignored the rules […]

RNLI #Water Safety Wednesdays – #WaterSafetyWednesdays

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RNLI Water Safety Wednesdays Are you wanting to ensure that your kids stay safe in and around water once this current lockdown is over? And maybe more importantly, are you looking for more informative and fun stuff to keep your offspring busy during lockdown? If so, the RNLI has launched to your rescue! The lifeboatds […]

Win a McConks SUP package in association with SUP Mag UK.

SUPM prize draw

Win a McConks SUP package in association with SUP Mag UK. As the saying goes: you’ve got to be in it to win it. We may be facing difficult times as far as stand up paddling goes but when we can head out it’ll be all the sweeter. One way you could potentially bag some […]

McConks Coronavirus GoInspire hardship fund

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GoInspire hardship fund – helping where we can We’ve been really inspired how different companies have stepped up the mark in these times of crisis, and doing all they can to help. From work canteens doing free delivered meals for the vulnerable, to restaurants turning themselves into shops, to some of the amazing things that […]

Coronavirus and McConks SUP | Business continuity

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Coronavirus McConks SUP| Business continuity Changing plans We were meant to be publishing a post right now about how we were going to be helping dozens, if not hundreds, of kids get up running with stand up paddling this summer. A network of SUP instructors around the country willing to give up their time to […]

Win a McConks Go X Wild or Go Explore 12’8

We’ve teamed up with the Paddler eZine and Stand-up Paddle Mag UK to give away an inflatable SUP package. Here’s how to find all the details… New early spring issue of the Paddler magazine… The International magazine for recreational paddlers – Check it out online @…Free tablet and smart phone HTML5 optimised edition: https://paddlerezine.comFree Joomag […]

It’s all about trust: setting up a successful stand up paddle boarding business

Setting up a Successful paddleboarding business

It’s all about trust: setting up a stand up paddle boarding business Stand up paddleboarding, (SUP) is riding the crest of a wave right now. The ever growing popularity of paddleboarding has led to a big growth in the paddle board market, and lots of business opportunities for people looking to escape from their day […]

Let’s talk about sustainability and ethics in the inflatable SUP world

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It’s fashionable to claim to be green and ethical. Everyone is at it these days, with all sorts of claims. So let’s talk about what it really means to be #ethical and #sustainable. ? To us it’s about a whole lot more than planting a few trees, using green energy or doing plastic litter patrols. And being ethical […]

Pros and cons of a Compact lightweight paddleboard

Why don’t you…? Compact inflatable paddleboards SUP The idea of a compact SUP is very alluring. Something light and that fits in cabin baggage seems like a game changer. And in many ways it is exactly what most inflatable paddleboard paddlers want. And we know this because lots of people contact us to ask if […]

The stiffest race ISUP on the market?

McConks Go Race

Typical stiffness of an inflatable SUP board According to SUPboarder reviews, and their published results of inflatable SUP deflection tests*, the stiffest iSUPs on the market have a deflection in the high single number mm – 8 or 9mm. That is, then bend by up to 10mm when a person of 75kg stands on them […]

Breaking the myths | Fatter can be faster | McConks race SUP

McConks 14 Go race

Breaking the myths | Fatter (boards) can be faster | McConks race SUP If you’ve been anywhere near the paddleboard race scene in the last few years, you can’t have helped notice that race boards are getting narrower. And obviously a narrower board has better glide, has less friction, and must be faster right? That’s […]

Trade account

We’ll approve your trade account shortly. Please be patient. Thanks Team McConks

Who actually is the #1 SUP in the UK

There must be at least 6 companies who claim to be #1 SUP in the UK. But have you ever seen any evidence to justify it? Red Paddle claim to be the biggest selling SUP brand in the UK, and that is probably true. But the other companies who claim to be the best, the […]

Beating prejudice and helping dreams come true through SUP.

Beating prejudice and helping dreams come true through SUP.

It’s 2019. We’re meant to live in a modern, liberal, progressive society. But peer pressure, shame and guilt often still play too big a part in this world. People are still held back from achieving what they feel they’ve been born to achieve. Sometimes it’s the individual themselves. Sometimes it’s their family. Sometimes it’s their […]

Be free

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Some pics from my Bruce adventures , sea sup , river fun , doggie sup , Love and freedom

How important is sustainability?

We loved listening to Monbiot on Boyle tonight.   We’ve long been fans of George Monbiot. Andy first met him when working as a policy and campaigns volunteer at Friends of the Earth Cymru years ago.  And listening to the likes of George Monbiot has totally shaped our views on sustainability and environmental protection. Here’s a few […]

Do I need a kids size inflatable SUP?

Do I need a kids inflatable paddleboard?

Do I need a kids size paddleboard? Many column inches have been written elsewhere about why a kids size SUP is essential for young riders. We agree that there are many reasons why a SUP that’s biomechanically designed to fit a kids frame can be important if you want your kids to be the next […]

Tried, tested and trusted | rugged inspiration

McConks iSUP

Tried, tested and trusted | rugged inspiration When you’re looking to buy a new piece of sports kit, who do you take your inspiration from? The very biggest sport brands, whether this be the likes of generalist sports brands like Adidas and Nike, or specialist watersports brands like Fanatic or Starboard, want you to take […]

New for 2019 | McConks SUP

Who makes the best SUP?

We’ve had a few customers ask us what’s changing in 2019. So we thought we should tell you! Heat pressed fusion technology Sound familiar? That’s because we’ve been using fusion technology since we changed to our new high tech factory in 2017. So fusion technology is not anything that’s new to us or our factory.…

Bath SUP and McConks

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Bath paddle board centre runs instruction and tours across the South West. Once you’ve got some experience you can then SuP with our group, Bath SUP. Check out our recent photos!

Chris Freeman SUP photos

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Chris Freeman is one of the most prolific SUP photographers in the west of of England.  He’s also one of the nicest paddlers you’ll meet. Which is good, because if you ever get into difficulties in the Severn Area, Chris is one of the trained volunteers who might come to your rescue with SARA (Severn […]

GoXperience loves McConks

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McConks are now the sole supplier to GoXperience for our Paddle Boards. We love them, so will you. Family Sailing Holidays SUP SAIL YOGA Retreats SUP SAIL ADVENTURE

Champagne River

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Nice cruising Day in Champagne. Alone between fields. sun, birds, great board, what else ? In this part of France, not many folks ride on a SUP – more fool them! Lots of people were surprised 😉

2019 production nearing completion

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2019 production nearing completion Just a few photos from our factory in China. Look how clean it is. Find out how and why cleanliness is so important when you’re making an iSUP by heading over to this link

Team McConks album

Team McConks photowall

Team McConks photowall We get lots of photos sent from our lovely extended family – holiday photos, fun photos, photos of kids growing up.  We love getting them, and we love seeing our kit being used around the world. It makes all the late nights and hard work worth it to see those smiles! But […]

Is this the start of something big?

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Is this the start of a beautiful relationship? McConks are looking for independent instructors, organisations and companies who share our vision and ethics to join us in our mission to get more people on the water. If you already know who we are, how we can help your company grow, and are just after our preorder […]

Deferred gratification

Do you get the most gratification from having what you want, when you want it? Do you get a thrill from being a little impulsive with your money? Or do you get the biggest emotional pick me up from planning wisely, choosing, and then looking forward to something in the future? These two types of […]

When things go wrong

So. We’re finally in France on holidays. Tent’s pitched, new McConks van pride of place, boards pumped up, barbecue lit, cold beer in hand. It should be bliss. We’ve worked damn hard all year to look forward to these two weeks. But all is not as relaxed as it should be. In fact, we’re pretty […]

the good news and the bad news

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An explosion in SUP popularity It’s been a while since we’ve blogged, which gives you an idea how busy this spring and summer has been.  It has been an unbelievably manic year, both for our SUP and accessories sales business mcconks.com and our hire business SUPbyPost.com. Why is everyone sold out of SUP boards? Why […]

WIN, WIN, WIN, WIN, WIN

  Fancy winning an inflatable SUP, or a SUP experience in Cornwall? Or winning a family weekend  SUP hire by post? Lots of prizes to be won, just for spending 10 minutes of your time completing this survey on SUPhubUK. Find out more by visiting SUPhubUK.  

Bigger, better, stiffer, faster, stronger. Masculine words for a male dominated sport?

I paddle for equality

We’ve recently been involved in a very passionate online debate. It was about why women are under-represented in the adventurous outdoor activities sector.   As always with online debates, things quickly got out of hand. There was name calling, and abuse. Strong beliefs and opinions made the thread more an argument than a debate, with reasoned […]

Finding your nearest SUP litter pick with SUPhubUK

Find your nearest paddleboard litter pick

Maps and events planner SUPhubUK is a great resource for all things SUP.  Whether it be finding your nearest race, finding the nearest SUP club for your holiday in Scotland, or whether it be finding out when the next SUP retreat is going to happen, SUPhubUK has it covered. And now there is a new […]

British Canoeing SUP working group

British canoeing SUP working group

Supporting a positive future for SUP Just a little something else McConks will be doing to give something back to Stand Up Paddleboarding. Andy is now volunteering his time on the British Canoeing SUP working group. First meeting on 5th Feb. Interesting times ahead.  Read more . This is all part of McConks desire to […]

Standup paddle the source of the Thames

SUP’ing the source of the Thames If you’re into your river SUP adventures, this is one of the most ephemeral or difficult to complete challenges. For most of the year, it’s not possible to SUP England’s most famous river Thames from its source. That’s because for most of every year, and for all of some […]

Facts and figures of 2017

2017 – all about the numbers McConks are not about long celebratory blogs about how great 2017 was.  Or how big 2018 is going to be for us. We could talk about how great our customers are, and what great reviews we’ve received of our inflatable SUP boards.  We could say how we’ve loved being tagged in our […]

The four stages of Santa

So how do paddleboarding Father Christmas’s, Santa SUPs and festive elves fit into the four stages of life? First, you believe in Santa Secondly, you stop believing in Santa Thirdly, you are Santa And finally, you look like Santa. We’re not sure what stage all of these Santas are at.  But they’ve certainly raised eyebrows […]

Talking story – McConks’ Q&A

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Every brand has a ‘face’ behind the scenes. In the case of McConks SUP that’d be Andy and wife Jen. To get more of an insight into the inner workings of this new kid on the SUP company block Andy was recently put on the Q&A grill to find out what makes him tick, what […]

The wait is finally over. It’s here. Brand new for 2018

New for 2018

Be a happier paddler in 2018 Want to buy the very best and newest kit in 2018?  Want new kit that not only helps you SUP better, but actually be a better person, feel happier, and live a more fulfilled life? Scroll down to find out more… Have you been looking longingly at new boards, […]

Boardin Skool & McConks | McConks SUP

McConks sup Boardin akoo?

We asked a few of our bigger customers (number of boards not weight or height of customer) for a couple of words about McConks – why they choose us, if they were happy with our service, with our kit etc.  We were only really expecting people to complain. After all, it’s a given that the […]

Penbryn Sands – Ceredigion

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Cardigan Bay is renowned for it’s marine life, it’s scenery and it’s beaches.  And quite rightly so.  Pretty much anywhere you choose to put in, you’ve got a chance of seeing seals and dolphins (Cardigan Bay was one of the first protected marine zones in the UK thanks to the Bottlenose Dolphin Community), and you will […]

How to choose the right size inflatable SUP board

What type of board

How to choose the right size inflatable SUP board If you’ve decided you want an inflatable SUP board rather than a rigid board, but you don’t know what size board to get, then this article is for you.  If you’re still not sure whether you need a rigid or inflatable board, then check out this article.  And […]

all about the rocker

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We’ve said time and again that spotting good from mediocre, or telling bad from outright dangerous, is a little difficult for those new to the sport. So lot’s of people turn to local shops for advice, which is normally a good choice.  However, some retailers might be more interested in the margin that they make on certain […]

Focus on iSUP bags

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One of the factors that makes iSUP so attractive to so many people, is the ease of transport.  You don’t need a van or roof bars, and it’s much easier to travel on planes, with the weight of whole packages of top end kit (including paddles) being only 15kg. But all of this lugging them […]

Is SUP a sport?

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Hands up if you think the answer is yes? By answering yes then maybe you think that stand up paddling has a competitive edge. After all, one of the definitions of the word ‘sport’ according to an online dictionary is: “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against […]

Whitstable SUP & McConks

They say you can you choose your friends but not your family.  So the friends you choose say more about who you are than your family do.  And as a SUP brand, although anyone can buy and use our products, its the companies that we choose to call our partners that say a lot about […]

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.

We’ve just been listening to the back catalogue of an old friend of McConks.  Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. Not a friend as in someone we know personally, but a friend in the sense of someone who we’ve known for a very long time, whose advice we admire, and who makes us smile whenever we […]

Focus on… McConks Carbon SUP paddle

Carbon SUP paddle | Bamboo SUP paddle | 3 piece adjustable SUP paddle

In an ideal world, every paddler would have a whole plethora of paddles. One for racing, one for surf, one for whitewater, one for training, one for travelling etc.  And each would have different size and shape blades, different angles of attack, different amounts of flex in the shaft, and different length shafts.   We’ve […]

Our Story

McConks Story

As a young(ish) couple with a couple of children, we felt that the big brands no longer ‘spoke’ to us.  And from talking to the people we met on beaches and at breaks, on river and in lakes, it became clear that we weren’t the only ones who no longer felt a connection with the […]

“Going training”: SUP speak for paddlers

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People have been using slang, jargon and colloquialisms for many years to reinforce identity and exclude outsiders.  And it still goes on now.  You know that feeling when you listen to a politician or Chief Exec on the news, and despite hearing all the words you still can’t quite understand what they’re saying?  Or when you hear teenagers using words that […]

Are you full of Coastal Spirit?

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Coastal Spirit… You know it when you feel it.  Whether it be the feeling that you get when you see the mist over the sea at sunrise, the adrenalin rush when you nail that session, or the inspiration you feel watching a watery blood red sunset. It’s also the name of a great company in […]

Get your big blue adventure: exploring the world through SUP

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Every now and then, we’re going to let our blog be taken over by a company that inspires us and who’s principles align with ours. This article, by Big Blue Adventures based in Cardiff South Wales, is the first in the takeover series! Thanks to Dan and Heleen for the article. ‘Exploring through adventure’, that is one of the […]

Yoga and SUP

SUP yoga for the soul

As someone who’s always enjoyed adventurous activities, I’ve had my fair share of broken bones, pulls and strains. The most significant of these being a broken shoulder about 8 years ago (dumped on a sand bar at Praar Sands after failing to commit/pop in a double overhead situation), and a broken neck when I was 18. […]

Focus on All round SUP

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There are some people who like following the crowds, who will buy the biggest selling boards because everyone else has bought one. It must be the best if everyone has one right? Nothing to do with marketing or dealer margin eh? There are others who like to do their own thing, who like to create […]

Sad demise of Origin paddleboards: impact on the SUP scene

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It’s been announced in recent days that Origin Paddleboards is no longer trading, and that many of the kickstarter backers have lost their money. First up – to all those of you who’ve lost your investment – that really sucks, and if McConks could afford to give you kit for free to in a small […]

Everyone deserves a chance to SUP

At McConks it’s really important to us to give something back to the community.  And to that end we like to work with charities and groups who work with the disadvantaged in our communities.  Stevie Nelson from Beyond Boundaries East Lothian (BBEL) has written the piece below to share their experience of working with McConks. […]

Big wave surfing: the “Eddie would go” mentality

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22 years ago this week, the 36 year old celebrated big wave surfer Mark Foo flew to the recently discovered big wave spot Mavericks for the first time. It was his last time surfing Mavericks.  And his last wave ever.  After disappearing beneath the behemoth wall of water, he was found two hours later still leashed to […]

5 reasons why experiences make the best gift.

5 reasons why experiences make the best gift.

Economic and behavioural science tells us that having an experience may actually make you more happy than buying the latest new gadget or pair of shoes. I know many aren’t convinced, but the science is seriously solid. Experiences are really where it’s at. 1. We Get More Excited About Future Experiences It turns out that anticipation […]

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