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Q. What paddleboards do you have in stock right now?
If you want to see what’s in stock, what’s on preorder, and what’s out of stock, or not being replenished, this table will help you.
Q. What exactly is included in the box?
Different boards might have additional items, but this will be specified on the product page.
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- ZERO PLASTIC WRAPPING
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- A board that will being you pleasure and joy for well beyond it’s 5 year warranty;
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- The renowned McConks SUP sack – easy to pull or carry, and with plenty of space for the board plus lots of paddling gear;
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- The right fins to get you going;
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- An 8ft coiled or slimline extendable leash and a Panda Board Sports Quick release belt;
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- A repair kit containing patches of vinyl, the finbolt, and the valve wrench.
Q. I already have the accessories that come with the board. Can I buy the board only?
Yes. The basic package is a board, bag, fins and repair kit. And then you select from our range of paddles and pumps, and choose whether you want a SUP seat, or additional fins. Maximum flexibility, and you only pay for what you need and want.
Q. Does my inflatable paddleboard package come with a paddle?
Yes – But only if you must select one from the package options. The bare bones package DOES NOT come with a paddle – you need to select the paddle you want, and the price automatically adjusts. We have reduced the price of the bare bones package by the package price of the paddle to make sure we still give the same best value to you.
Why do we do it this way? Our very discerning customers told us they wanted a choice of paddles, not just be stuck with a standard paddle. And when the customer asks…
ps. If you have a very specific need for your paddle blade size, and the option you want isn’t available, please select the closest to your desire, then add what you really, really want in the delivery instructions!
Q. Does my McConks SUP come with a pump?
Yes – but only if you select one from the package options. The bare bones package DOES NOT come with a pump – you need to select the pump you want, and the price automatically adjusts.
Most iSUP pumps are cross compatible across most boards. And lots of of our customers are upgrading from cheaper paddleboards, alrady have upgraded from the cheap and inefficient budget pump, and don’t need ANOTHER new pump. So now we let you choose whether to select a double action, triple action, electric, or no pump at all. If you don’t select a pump on the product page, your SUP will come without a pump!
Q. Are the fins included with my McConks paddleboard?
Yes – a complete set of appropriate general purpose fins are provided with every board. You can also add specialist fins for shallow rivers or for touring with some packages.
If you want to understand if you’re likely to need additional fins, then check out this article.
Q: What boards can I use a kayak seat with?
Since 2021, our Go Anywhere, Go Further and Go Explore range of boards are compatible with a kayak seat, available as part of the package. We’re not sure we recommend using a seat with SUPs. And this isn’t due to any misplaced elitism about SUP boards only being used for standup. It’s simply because sitting on a seat on a SUP isn’t very comfortable, and isn’t very good for the lower back. If you want to sit down on a board, then you’d be much better off buying a siton where you have a decent foot/ankle brace to push against. But if you insist, we can provide.
Seats can also be attached to the d-rings on the nose (front) of the board for a second rider to sit on.
Q. Do I need a camera mount?
A camera mount is where you can attach an action cam or other peripherals to your stand up paddle board. McConks boards up to our 2024 range come with an M8 thread mount making it so much more than just a camera mount. The M8 thread allows you to attach the RAM Mounts connection system. At it’s very basic, you can attach an action cam using the mount available on our webshop. But you can buy attachments for phones, for fishing rods, and a whole load more! Our 2024 range comes with an M8 thread, and an adaptor for an M6 thread.
Q. Can I buy a two bladed SUP paddle for use as a kayak paddle
We’re afraid this is something that we don’t recommend. Standup paddle blades are designed to be used as single blades, and the wrong shape and size to be used as a kayak paddle. In fact, doing so runs a serious risk of shoulder and upper body injury. We recommend you buy a cheaper paddle designed to be used as a kayak paddle.
Q. Can I visit a store to see your inflatable paddleboards?
McConks sells directly from our online shop to cut out the middle man, and we only sell online. Therefore we don’t have a physical shop where you can come and look at boards. Although we have a physical storage facility in the Cotswolds, most of our stock is held in a distribution centre in South Wales, rather than at our HQ in the Cotswolds.
However, we understand you might want to feel and touch a McConks board before buying one. So we’ve set up a network of demo locations around the country. Check out this link to find your nearest one.
Q. Can I pay over the phone/in cash?
We only offer PayPal (including PayPal credit and PayPal in three), bank transfer or Klarna as standard. You should be able to pay by credit card via PayPal without a PayPal account. If the email address you’re using has previously been linked to a PayPal account, this won’t be possible. If this is true for you, let us know and we can send you a payment link to pay by credit card via Zettle.
Q: How much does shipping cost?
Shipping is free within the UK – and this includes Highlands and Islands. Whilst others might want to punish you for living somewhere so amazing, we disagree!
We ship to the EU and elsewhere by request, and at additional cost.
Q: Can I buy a gift card?
Got a paddler friend and you don’t know what to buy them? We have gift cards of multiple value. And if you want to give a special present (over £200), we will design a bespoke voucher using a photo of your own. Gift cards available here.
Q: How will my order be shipped?
If you’ve ordered a paddleboard, paddleboard package or paddle in the UK or Ireland we use Parcelforce24. You will get notification the day before delivery, and a notification on the day of delivery giving you a one hour delivery slot. Outside of UK and Ireland, we use Parcelforce economy, which can take up to 5 days.
Q. How long will delivery take?
Delivery is most often next day if you order before 10am, but my take as long as 3-5 working days depending where you’re based in the UK. If you’ve got a query about your delivery, please email your query and your order confirmation to in**@mc*****.com.
Q. Will all my items arrive in one box?
Your package should arrive as one complete article with everything arriving at the same time.
Very occasionally you will received two packages from different couriers on the same or consecutive days, but this isn’t normal.
Q: I think there’s a mistake with my order. What do I do?
Please forward your original order notification with a brief description of your issue to in**@mc*****.com
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Choosing the right gear
Q. How do I choose the right paddleboard for me?
Ask, and answer honest questions about your current skill level, where you intend paddling the most, what your ambitions/aspirations are and what you most want to get out of SUP. You can use our SUP selection wizard to narrow down your choices. If you’re still stuck, you can ask the question from the McConks SUP community
Q: What board is best for beginners?
Now there’s a question. It really does depend what that beginner wants to achieve. Most instructors recommend an all round board like our 10’6 or 10’8 go anywhere boards. But unless you intend to surf fairly regularly, you might be better off with a shorter touring board like our 11’4 Go Explore.
Q. How do I decide which paddle is right for me?
Your paddle is arguably more important than the board therefore choose the best you can afford. If you are buying a SUP package, then you have a choice of our standard Carbon 10 paddles, with an indestructible nylon blade and 10% carbon shaft, our three piece fibreglass shaft, or our superlight 100% carbon Carbon100 paddle. If you’re looking to buy a paddle only, then use our Paddle Selection Wizard to pick the right paddle for you.
Q: Which iSUP do you recommend for surfing?
Pretty much any McConks stand up paddle board will catch waves and glide along. If you’re keen to make SUP surf a regular part of your SUP paddling, then check our Go Skate, Go Free, Go Wild 9’3, or Go Anywhere 10’6 are more manoeuvrable and better suited to larger surf.
Check out these articles on SUP Surfing if you want to learn more.
Q: Which board is best for touring?
If you’re planning on adventure SUP and paddling distance a SUP with a longer outline and pointier nose will help. Our Go Explore range of boards are a great place to start!
Our Go Explore 14i is the touring board for larger riders or multi day adventures
Our Go Explore 12’8i is the perfect overnight or middle distance tourer
Our Go Explore 11’4i is the mini adventure board for beginners looking to take their first step up to touring boards
Our Go Explore 10’8i is the touring board for riders under 50kg and for younger riders.
Q. How do I choose a whitewater board?
Depending on the type of whitewater paddling you intend doing will dictate what style of WW iSUP you choose. Maneuvering waves and river surf requires a smaller board whereas touring relies on longer designs. As with all areas of purchasing get in touch with any questions. If you don’t already know what kind of board you want, then you probably should consider a lesson with one of our whitewater SUP partners. Whitewater is not an environment you should even consider without the advice from a very experienced whitewater paddler.
Our Go Skate board is perfect for park and play river sessions
Our Go Wild 9’3 is the board for intermediate riders who wants an engaged ride
Our Go Wild 9’8 is the beginners whitewater board, which will get anyone down anything
Our Go X Wild 11 is the crossover SUP X & whitewater touring board, suitable for capable riders. Also a good flatwater beginner’s robust touring board.
Q. What fins fit my board?
If you’ve got a McConks inflatable SUP, then any centre fins we sell will fit your board. Also, any aftermarket fins that fit US fin boxes will also fit. Sometimes called Longboard single fins, or track box fins. Andy side fins we sell fit our boards with side fins, and any aftermarket fins with an FCS fitting will also fit our side boxes – make sure you get an FCS key and the grub screws with them.
If you’re enquiring about fins for another brand board, then if the centre fin box says AIR7 inside, our centre fins will fit. If your board has a US fin box, but doesn’t say AIR7 inside, our fins might fit, but you will need to check the length of your box against the box length of the fin. Some brands use shorter, non – standard fin boxes, and our fins are too long for the boxes. We do not sell slide in or smart lock fins sorry.
This article tells you all about our fins.
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Warranty and repairs
Q: What warranty do McConks boards have?
From 2021, new McConks boards come with a 5 year manufacturers defect warranty, and a 2 year fixtures and fittings guarantee. So if a D-ring drops off after 3 years – that’s just life. But if the board starts leaking through a failed seam after 4 years – that’s our lookout!
And you can really trust our warranty. We’re clearly still going to be around in 5 years time, unlike some of the pop up brands operating from a virtual office, selling generic factory boards with no quality assurance, but offering a 6 year guarantee. Check our article on how some warranties have become a marketing game, and aren’t worth the paper they’re written on!
Q: Can I get replacement parts for my SUP and paddle?
You’ve probably heard us say this before, but sustainability underpins everything we do at McConks. Therefore being able to fix your gear as things start to wrong (which inevitably they do over a long enough time) is essential. You can order replacement paddle parts, replacement SUP valves, replacement fins for example from our website, to keep your SUP in tiptop working order well beyond its 5 year warranty.
Specifically for the fins, having all removable fins makes it easy to replace damaged or broken fins. You can order a standard replacement centre fin here, (side fins available here), but why not take the chance to upgrade. Browse all of our fins here.
Q. The pump gauge isn’t registering a reading
The most common solution to this problem is pumping more. The board needs to be really, really stiff before it starts registering pressure. If you’ve been pumping for more than 10 minutes and it’s still not registering a pressure, then the pressure gauge might be broken. However, this needn’t affect your first paddle. It is physically impossible to overinflate a McConks SUP with the pumps we provide. SO keep pumping till you can pump no more, and the board will be somewhere between 13 and 20 PSI, and good to paddle. If the pump gauge doesn’t work, check this article out.
Q. What do I do if I think there’s a problem with my gear?
Please forward your original order email with a brief description of your issue to in**@mc*****.com.
Q: My SUP is losing air
The wrench is the tool that you use to remove the valve if there’s an issue. However, other uses are:
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- Let air out if you’ve got a sticky valve
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- Tighten or reseat the valve if air is escaping around the valve
If your SUP Is losing air, the valve is the first thing to check. Check out this video to see how to release a sticky valve and reseat a leaky valve.
Q: How do I repair a puncture?
If you keep your board away from sharp things, you should be able to avoid punctures. Our boards are double layer fusion which makes it quite difficult to pierce through both layers. But it does happen sometimes, and we have written a whole article on this!
Alternatively, you can get SUP services to repair your board – they are professionals
ps. If you have a leak through a seam, this is a manufacturing defect, not a puncture. And therefore a warranty replacement within warranty. Don’t let anyone try to tell you to repair it – seam repairs are weak unless undertaken by a professional! No matter who the brand is, get it replaced not repaired!
https://mcconks.com/how-to-repair-an-inflatable-stand-up-paddle-board-puncture/
Q: Where’s my repair glue?
Polymarine PVC glue is the best glue for repairing ISUPs. Check out this article if you need to patch your iSUP.
Here’s a video of someone explaining how to fix a leaky seam using Polymarine adhesive. However, if you have a leaky seam from day 1, do not repair it. This is 100% a warranty issue. If it leaks (however slowly) on day 1, or week one, or month one, it will only get worse.
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Technology and quality
Q: What technology do you use in your boards? Fusion, dropstitch, double layer?
In simple terms, the very best of the very best. For a full explanation, check out this article.
Q: Will rocks damage my board?
McConks stand up paddle boards are extremely robust but very sharp objects could damage and puncture the board. We use the absolute very best dropstitch and rail technology, and know that our kit is more resistant to punctures than most brands out there. But, that said, the best advice is to keep clear from sharp obstructions where you can!
Q. Do McConks paddles float?
All of our paddles float. Make sure the clasps are always tight (you might need to occasionally tighten the screws), but other than that, yes, they float.
If you can’t find your fin bolt, check inside the repair kit. If you’re still missing a fin screw then we can send one in the post. Or if you’re near a surf shop, you can pick one up for pennies there.
Q. How much do your boards weigh?
Q. I’m confused about the weight of your boards. Can you explain?
The weight listed under additional information is the whole package weight (including bag, fins etc). The weight given in the product description is the weight of the board with standard fins attached. Just to be clear, the board weights for our most popular boards for 2023 are as below (+/- 7%)
Go Anywhere 10’6i – 8.5kg
Go Anywhere 10’8i – 9kg
Go Explore 11’4i – 9.5kg
Go Explore 12’8i – 10kg
Go Further 14i – 11kg
Go X Wild 11i – 10.5kg
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Safe and responsible use
Q: I’ve just received my gear. Where’s the user guide?
To save on paper, we don’t print out a user guide. You should have received an email with a link to the user guide. But if not, you can find it here.
Q: What is the recommended pressure (PSI) rating for my McConks inflatable SUP board?
The recommended pressure for all McConks iSUPs is 15-18 PSI. They are tested at 27PSI, and guaranteed to 25PSI, so you can put more air in if you want extra rigidity. But for most people 18PSI will be perfectly rigid.
Q: How long does it take to inflate my McConks inflatable paddleboard.
How long is a piece of string? It depends on the pump, the person, and the board. But it probably takes longer than you think to start registering pressure on the gauge. If you’ve got a double action pump, it’s going to take at least 7 minutes of very vigorous pumping to get to 15PSI with our 10’6 Go Anywhere board. Bigger boards will take longer. A triple action pump will take a little less time. Our eCheat pumps will inflate a 10’6 Go Anywhere in about 10 minutes (varies depending on output from car battery).
If you think you have a problem with your pressure gauge, then check out this article.
Q. I can’t attach my centre fin – there’s a missing bolt
If you can’t find your fin bolt, check inside the repair kit. If you’re still missing a fin screw then we can send in the post. Or if you’re near a surf shop, you can pick one up for pennies there.
Q. How do I attach my side fins?
If you’re struggling to attach your side fins, please check this article . Please be aware that although the side fins can be screwed in with grub screws, you don’t need to do so. Clicking them in is enough in most cases.
Q. How do I attach my leash/use the Quick Release belt
Check out the video and description in our User Manual
Q. Can I paddleboard with toddlers?
Yes – of course you can. As long as you do it safely. Check out our advice here (we paddled regularly with our toddlers)
Q. Should I attach my child to the board
Absolutely not. This is extremely dangerous. Only one paddler should be leashed to the board. Your child (or second paddler)must not be leashed or attached to the board because this is a serious entrapment hazard if you capsize. The child could be trapped or pinned under the board. The safest thing to do is to make sure they are comfortable and fully buoyant in the water with a buoyancy aid that supports their head our of the water. Much better that they float off safely whilst you recover yourself safely, and then you go and recover them. Making sure your self rescue skills are nailed is just as important.
Q: The paddle is angled. Which way should I hold it?
Your paddle’s blade rake should angle away from you – logo facing forwards. If you want to know why, read this article.
Q: Do I have to wear a lifejacket?
This is not a short FAQ answer!
Have a look at our beginner guide here for and the ten things you should know before you get on the water.
Q: Am I allowed to paddle anywhere?
This is not an easy question to answer.
In short:
Sea and coast – mostly yes, and no licences are needed. However, be aware that the sea can be a dangerous place for beginners. There are some exclusions, such as military firing ranges, which, obviously, you want to avoid if they’re firing
Estuaries and harbours – mostly yes. Some harbours have a harbour master and you need permission or might need a licence. Also be aware of the risk of fast flowing waters in estuaries. Fast flowing waters can kill you if you don’t have the right kind of leash
Navigable rivers and canals – mostly yes, if you have the right navigation licence
Other rivers – access is disputed
Lakes – most lakes are privately owned, and you have no permission to paddle unless expressly given
Read this article to find out more, and to find some exciting places to paddle.
You can also check our bite size travel guides and international bite size travel guides for inspirational places to paddle, and useful information.
Q: What can we do to be more sustainable and responsible?
Leave no trace: Whatever you take with you, take away with you. That includes all waste food. Throwing waste food or drinks (other than water) onto the riverbank or into the river can damage the habitat and cause water quality problems. You can go beyond yleave no trace, and take a bag to collect any litter you see on your way.
Take nothing with you, other than litter: As pretty as the wildflowers look, or the pebbles, or the the shells, they are part of our natural environment, and that’s where they should stay. In some habitats, and for some species, it is an offence to remove them.
Respect nature: never approach wild animals. If they’re curious, let them come to you. But never approach them. Do not walk on river beds – that can disturb sensitive habitat including protected fish spawning grounds – and can be an offence.
Minimise erosion: as much as it might be trying to scrabble up a river bank with your SUP, you might be damaging sensitive bankside habitat, and causing erosion. And erosion leads to siltation which has further knock on problems for navigation.
Use public transport where possible to get to and from your put in.
Respect other water users: be very aware of wild swimmers, kayakers and canoeists. You’ll see them before they’ll see you. On navigable rivers follow the rule of ‘river left’, i.e. pass on the left of vessels coming towards you. If you see a fisherman in front of you, give a friendly hello, and ask which side of the river they want you to pass. If you are confronted by an irate angler/landowner/bailiff, it is safer to turn around unless you know you are in the right. And if you are sure you’re in the right, you already will know how to handle this situation! You should always report any aggression from boat users or anglers to British Canoeing and to the Police by calling 101 (999 if it’s an emergency, for example if they are threatening physical violence or are holding a gun).
Always wash down your kit: to prevent moving INNS (invasive non native species, such as zebra mussels or Cyanobacteria) from affected to non affected areas.
Q: How do I attach a sup seat or kayak seat to my inflatable SUP
We’re not sure that kayak conversions are a good idea. It’s not very good for your posture and back to sit on a SUP on a seat without having something to brace your knees, ankles, or feet against. And so you put in a lot of effort with reduced payback, other than lower back pain.
However, most of our 2023 boards are compatible with kayak seats. Watch this video to see how to tension the straps to make your seat secure.
Q: How do I deflate my McConks SUP board?
To deflate your McConks iSUP depress the valve pin, and then twist to lock open. This will release the air. You might find it’s too difficult to push the pin all the way down to lock down the first time (it’s hard pushing against 18PSI Of pressure!). If that’s the case, keep letting air our by pushing with your thumb until you can push all the way down to twist and lock.
Once you have deflated and rolled up your board, make sure you twist to release the pin back up. This stops the valve plate suctioning to the bottom of the board, and not releasing when you next use the board.
Q: Should I clean my board?
Boards and boats moving between different waterbodies is the biggest risk of spreading non native and damaging plants and animals (INNS) into other waterbodies. Getting into the habit of cleaning your board with mild detergent each and every time you use it reduces this risk. Check out this article by British Canoeing to find out more.
And it’s good for your board as well. Washing it regularly with freshwater or mild detergents will also help prolong its life, and maintain its resale value. Make sure you don’t use any strong chemicals though as these can damage the PVC or PVA deckpad. We recommend Saviour care kit or SUPscrub as an effective and eco board cleaner.
https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/news/2019/non-native-species-keep-a-look-out-for-those-aliens
Q: Can I keep my inflatable SUP inflated for long periods of time?
All McConks iSUPs can remain inflated and they should lose very little, if any, pressure over time. Make sure the board is dry if you’re putting into storage for winter, and maybe cover with a sheet for protection. Ensure you protect the fin boxes from frost, as water getting in them and freezing can make them crack. Fin boxes are replaceable, but it’s an expensive and difficult job!
Q: Winter is here. How do you suggest I store my board?
Why are you packing it away? You can paddle all year round with the right kit! See our article to find out about paddling in winter.
However, we know that winter paddling isn’t for everyone. So if you are going to put it away for winter, you’ve got a number of options
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- store partially inflated. If you’ve got space somewhere dry and out of direct sunlight, this is the best option as you closer to being ready again in the spring
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- store rolled up in the bag. Make sure the board is clean and dry (to prevent mould build up) before rolling up and zipping up in your McConks SUP sack. Then keep it in as dry a place as possible until the Spring.
Q. Can I bring my dog on my inflatable paddleboard?
Of course you can. As long as your dog is comfortable with it.
Our deckpads are made of strong stuff and are pretty resistant to dogs claws. Check out this article about the benefits of SUP for dogs. We strongly recommend a doggy buoyancy aid for your pooch though!
Q. Are McConks inflatable paddleboards good for yoga?
Heck yes. We have a number of Yoga instructors who use our boards for SUP yoga. As long as there is enough volume and width, they are perfect for Yoga practise. Click the image below for our page on SUP yoga.
Q. Can I fit two kayak/SUP seats on one board?
Yes – you can actually. You can have one for a passenger up front, and one for the paddler across the centre of the board! Here’s a video showing how.
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Sustainability and ethics
Q. What makes McConks different?
McConks take great pride in being an ethically sustainable and ‘green’ SUP company. We put great effort into making sure our whole business is run as such.
You can find out more about what makes us tick by watching our video.
Q. What is B-corp?
BCorp is an initiative for businesses that balances profit with people and the planet making for a more sustainable economy. We’re on a mission to be a B-Corp accredited company by 2025. As part of this mission, we’re also committing to be a carbon neutral company by 2030. We’ve made a great start by ensuring that our UK HQ and UK transportation is carbon neutral.
Q. If you’re so right on ethical and green, why don’t you plant a tree with every purchase?
Planting trees is awesome. If they’re the right trees and in the right place. We go beyond just planting trees. Check out this article to find out more
Q. Why don’t you appear in many magazines?
We appear in a select few magazines of our choosing. Many magazines require you to take out advertising before they will let articles including your gear be published, or do ‘independent’ reviews of your gear. This is not a model we support (although we understand it), therefore don’t appear in these magazines.
Q. Why don’t you have ambassadors or influencers?
We really have a problem with the whole influencer thing. Why should you trust someone’s opinion because they’ve been given free kit, or just because they’re a minor celebrity on Instagram, YouTube or TikTok? bit more tricky. We understand why it’s important to support youngsters and help them get into the sport. But we prefer to do this via our GoInspire Initiative rather than giving free boards to people to use and telling them to promote McConks products on every single group and post on social media. They must annoy you as well? For us, impartial support and positive feedback from real world paddlers is much more important.
We have lots of friends and partners who support us and promote our boards, we just don’t call them ambassadors or influencers!
Q. Why don’t you have many reviews on your website?
We don’t incentivise people to provide reviews, we don’t write fake reviews, and we don’t hound people by email, text and facebook weekly until they do leave a review. That makes us different to those brands with thousands of amazing reviews of people who leave reviews on the day they buy they board. That’s all that needs to be said really. If you ask most UK facebook groups, including SUP Hacks, you’ll probably get lots of people recommending us. You can also ask the McConks SUP Community group – who are all owners, and who will give their opinion freely. Also, if you ask most UK instructors, even those affiliated with other brands will normally (begrudgingly) give it good reviews!
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Discounts and voucher codes
Q. Do you have a military/bluelight discount?
Yes. Please email a photo of your ID to sh**@mc*****.com to obtain the 5% discount code. The discount code can only be used with full price, in season orders. They can’t be used for sale items or discounted pre-order sorry.
Q: What discount do you offer for charitable companies?
We put a proportion of our profits into our Charitable Foundation, Go Inspire, and use this to help organisations with aim of getting more people safely on the water, especially where they work with hard to reach or vulnerable communities. You can find out more by going to the article below, or you can email us on in**@mc*****.com for more information.
Other useful resources
https://SUPhubuk.coms
