I do quite a bit of standup paddleboarding (SUP) during the summer months on the Chain of Lakes. It is a great way to get sun and exercise at the same time. Always great for the core, doing planks, etc. When you get tired from paddling across the lake, you can relax and catch some rays while floating. It can take a bit to get used to it, especially if it’s windy out. The key is to have a wider board to add stability. 34" wide seems to be a decent width for stability.
Has anyone else tried standup paddleboarding while thonging?
I’ve always wanted to. I was supposed to meet up with JM_Runs at Sunsplash a few years ago, but I got in way too late and slept through the time I was supposed to meet up with him. He SUPs through all those lovely canals there. I haven’t entertained the idea yet here in AZ, but I’d like to.
I started wearing a thong while paddleboarding at my local county lake last summer. I agree. It’s a great way to work on your tan line and enjoy the outdoors. I usually bring my kindle and take breaks to float and read.
My lake can get crowded with families and young children. I’ve felt slightly out of place in my thong. I love wearing thongs, but I’m not looking to draw attention. When it’s crowded, I wear briefs and give myself a wedgie if I want to work on the tan line.
I’m always in a thong when I paddleboard in Florida. It draws a lot of attention, but it’s mostly smiles and thumbs up from everyone. Children do not care.
Yes, the beauty of it is you can move around and steer away from any areas where you might feel uncomfortable. I wear shorts when paddling between lakes where there is more traffic and remove them when I get into the lakes. Some don’t care and never cover up, though.
I’ve been paddleboarding several times at the lakes nearby in a thong swimsuit. So much fun! I’m not the best at standing up, though, so I normally sit down or kneel. It’s definitely a great activity for getting a little exercise and working on the tan. I highly recommend it. If the lake is quiet, I usually don’t have any issues and feel totally comfortable, but on a busy day or with lots of kids around, I tend to cover up a bit. I’ve only seen one man paddleboarding at the lake I frequent, and several women.
There is also a super busy river nearby that everyone floats down. I tried wearing a thong once, but it got too uncomfortable, so I covered up. So many eyes, lol.
I also kayak. Kayaking is great if you want to get out on the water, enjoy paddling in a thong, but not be totally exposed. I highly recommend that if you want to feel comfortable and enjoy a nice thonging day floating around.
I haven’t tried paddleboarding in a thong (only did it once). However, I kayak in one at least half the time I go out on the water. Many people talk about how a thong makes them feel, but for kayaking, they are the most functional thing you can wear. It is definitely easier to throw your leg over, and most thongs offer some support while allowing your body to flex and move, which happens a lot when kayaking.
In case some of you are unfamiliar with paddleboarding and want to see what it’s all about, here’s one of my recent adventures with Shane Sparks when he came to visit: Thonging with Shane Sparks at Silver Springs.
Yep. The only way to paddleboard in my opinion. You seriously don’t worry about gators in FL? Have you ever paddleboarded in the ocean? Lakes are a perfect setting for it, but would love to try in the ocean sometime.
I have in Negril Jamaica. It was a great feeling, and I got a lot of thumbs up signs when a group of kayakers paddled by. My wife took some pictures and laughed her ass off when the guy running the beach concession tried to avoid looking at my swimwear.
I have done SUP in a speedo but not in a thong. Maybe this summer, I will give it a go.
When I wear a thong at the beach or pool, I rarely walk around much—basically just to and from the water and my chair—so I’m not really “bringing my thong to the public,” if that makes sense.
Before I put my board away for the winter, I had it out on a lake that is not very popular for boaters around here. It’s a pretty good sized lake, but quite shallow so boaters don’t want to ruin props. Because of that, it’s quite popular for paddleboards and kayaks.
On this particular day, I noticed two teenage boys in kayaks coming towards me. I opted to paddle 90 degrees away from the direction they were headed in an effort to avoid them. Being teenage boys, I thought for sure they would laugh or comment (not that it bothers me…I just wanted a quiet, peaceful day on the water). However, they paddled toward me because they noticed I had been fishing and were curious if I had gotten any bites. I said I hadn’t caught anything, but wasn’t really trying very hard either. Neither one of them made any sort of comment or laughed during our brief encounter.
After that, I paddled to the beach and walked past quite a few people to deflate my board. I considered putting my trunks on to walk past, but figured everyone had already seen it anyways. As I walked past, one lady, who had 3 or 4 young kids with her, said, “You’re very brave, and you’re rocking it well!” The great thing about wearing a thong on a paddleboard is that you can be as far or as close to others as you’d like.
Whoo hoo. Here in western AZ (Havasu), it’s finally warming up again. I did a bunch of miles in thong today, Petit Q brand. It was so nice to be back on water.
I typically think of wearing a thong at a beach or a friend’s pool, which limits my opportunities, but the more I read about SUP, I’m thinking this summer I may really put some effort into doing this. Maybe start with just a swim brief, just to get a feel for the vibe at the lakes around me.
