Best Jimmy Styks Paddleboards For 2024

Exciting news, paddlers. After going on a paddleboard production hiatus in 2018, Jimmy Styks is back in the market with their updated line of standup paddleboards and they are looking better than ever for 2024.

Jimmy Styks paddleboards are designed with #adventureforall in mind and a mission to make paddling accessible to people of all experience levels at an affordable price. Whether you’re a rookie, intermediate or expert paddler, Jimmy Styks has designed their range of boards to get you on the water for leisure or adventure paddles, fitness or SUP fishing.

Jimmy Styks produces six inflatable paddleboards, including one that doubles as a kayak, and two solid fiberglass paddleboard options. The paddleboards range from $599 to 799 USD, in both all-around and touring styles, with board lengths ranging from 10 feet to 12.5 feet. The designs have contemporary colorways and eye-catching graphics that look sharp.

The Jimmy Styks brand was founded in California in 2009 by Kyle Reeves and Jeremy Wilkens and was acquired in 2015 by Vista Outdoors. The line of Jimmy Styks paddleboards was carried by many major retailers such as MEC and REI. Unfortunately, manufacturing of Jimmy Styks paddleboards paused in 2018, at the same time as the popularity of paddleboarding continued to grow and more of Jimmy Styks target audience of novice paddlers were entering the market.

The Jimmy Styks name returned to retailers in 2022 following Sport Dimension’s acquisition of licensing rights to manufacture Jimmy Styks paddleboards. Although Jimmy Styks went silent for a few years the relaunch will be complete with added and updated paddleboard models. A brand new website launched in March 2022 and includes education and product videos as well as sizing charts for an easy shopping experience.

Doug Anderson, sales and brand manager at Jimmy Styks, explains that the line focuses on practical design features that customers have been asking for. This includes replacing a previous camera mount at the nose of the board with a handle for ease of moving the board and a section of rubber material under the nose of inflatable paddleboards for protection when landing on a beach. Anderson said that his goal for Jimmy Styks was to have boards that were, “Best in class for features and construction at a reasonable price.”

That reasonable price is reflected in the construction of the Jimmy Styks boards, which aren’t the highest-quality boards on the market, however they do offer fairly durable options at an entry level price. The epoxy boards are made out of an EPS foam core surrounded by a wood-patterned paper inlay and layers of fiberglass. The inflatable paddleboards are dual layer drop stitch, meaning they have good rigidity and won’t have a bouncy feel.

A really cool and useful feature of Jimmy Styks paddleboards is their patented Click ‘N Go keyless fin. The fin doesn’t require any tools to be installed into the paddleboard and does not have a fin screw, thereby eliminating the need for notoriously easy-to-lose equipment.

If you’re liking the sounds of this Jimmy Styks comeback, read on to learn more about all of the models in their lineup and view the selection.

Top picks: Best Jimmy Styks paddleboards for 2024

The following Jimmy Styks paddleboards have received the highest star ratings by reviewers in our Paddling Buyer’s Guide. See and review all Jimmy Styks paddleboards here.

Shop Jimmy Styks paddleboards

Ready to find the right Jimmy Styks paddleboard for you? Whether it’s a light and durable inflatable or an all-around epoxy fiberglass standup paddleboard calling your name, we’ve broken down some categories below to help get you started exploring the options.

The links below will take you to our Paddling Buyer’s Guide where you can find every Jimmy Styks paddleboard on the market, including specs, prices, reviews and where to buy.

Shopping for a used Jimmy Styks paddleboard?

If you are shopping for a used Jimmy Styks paddleboard in 2022 this is your heads-up that any Jimmy Styks paddleboards currently on the used market will be at least a few years old since production of the boards stopped in 2018. This is something to consider if you would prefer to buy a used paddleboard that has only been used for a season or two.

With that being said, it could be in your favor to look for a used model if you are in search of a paddleboard that has a camera mount on the nose, like the previous 11-foot Puffer models. Going forward in the 2022 lineup there will no longer be a camera mount on the front of any of the Jimmy Styks boards.

Be aware that inflatable materials can become compromised and the boards can suffer UV damage if they have been left inflated and exposed to direct sunlight over time. Ensure you ask about how the paddleboard was stored—ideally in a shaded area or board bag. Look the inflatable board over for signs of delamination such as peeling or air bubbles on the surface, especially around the deck pad.

Color fading is a sign of UV degradation as well. Any damage caused by the sun will shorten the useful life of the paddleboard and it might not be worth the investment if you can afford to look elsewhere.

Jimmy Styks models prior to 2018 do not have the proprietary Click ‘N Go keyless fin system. This is one way you will be able to tell if a used Jimmy Styks board is from 2018 or if it is an earlier model. If you would like the keyless fin system then your options for a used Jimmy Styks paddleboard are more limited.

For more tips on what to look for when selecting a used paddleboard, read our article How To Buy A Used Paddleboard.

Jimmy Styks paddleboard buying advice

The 2022 Jimmy Styks line of paddleboards can be separated nicely into the epoxy fiberglass boards and the inflatable paddleboards. Let’s break down all of the models within each of those categories to help you decide on what might best suit what you’re looking for in a standup paddleboard.

Epoxy fiberglass vs inflatable

First, we’ll go over the main differences in the epoxy fiberglass paddleboards and the inflatable paddleboards. The weight of the epoxy fiberglass paddleboards tends toward 30 lbs while the inflatables are around 21–23 lbs.

The inflatables are much more durable and can handle more bumps and bruises as well as can be deflated for easy storage or for stowing away on a boat. Epoxy fiberglass paddleboards tend to cost a bit more than inflatables but feel really nice under your feet and perform better.

The Jimmy Styks epoxy fiberglass paddleboards accessory package comes with an adjustable carbon fiber paddle, a coiled leash, a fin and a rounded board bag. The inflatable paddleboards accessory package includes the same adjustable carbon fiber paddle for the Neptune and Channel models, fin and coiled leash, as well as a dual-action, high pressure pump, a basic iSUP board bag and a repair kit.

The Puffer, Strider and Mutt inflatables come with an adjustable aluminum paddle. Carbon fiber paddles add tremendous value to the accessory kits as do the board bags for the solid board models.

Epoxy fiberglass boards

The two Jimmy Styks solid epoxy fiberglass paddleboard options are the 11-foot Surge (technically, 11-foot, two inches) and the 10-foot Misstyk. They are both an all-around paddleboard with moderate stability, used for leisure paddling, short flatwater adventures, yoga or paddling with dogs and kids.

They have utility tie downs at the front of the board and the traction pads cover a sizable portion of the deck. The rigid Jimmy Styks boards are beautiful-looking standup paddleboards with a nice wooden pattern. The Surge is rated for up to 260 lbs while the Misstyk is rated for 190 lbs.

Inflatable boards

The line of Jimmy Styks inflatables includes six options, with one being a hybrid 2-in-1 iSUP/kayak. The smallest inflatable is the 10.3-foot Mutt, which has a weight capacity of 260 lbs and, as the name suggests, is designed as a bit of a mixed-breed with a combination of touring and all-around shape, good for adventure, fitness, fishing, leisure and yoga.

The Strider is a longer version of the Mutt at 11 feet in length and 320 lbs in weight capacity. The Strider has an additional carry handle at the nose and was named Outside Magazine’s best inflatable for 2018.

Next up, the 11-foot Puffer. Jimmy Styks sales and brand manager Doug Anderson calls the Puffer “the flagship of Jimmy Styks inflatables.” This all-around model is well-loved and carried forward from the previous production line-up. With three fins providing great stability, a 320-pound capacity and more utility tie down storage space, this classic-shaped board is a very popular option for novice paddlers in calm waters.

If you’re in search of a touring model for going further faster, day adventures, or SUP camping, the Channel comes in at 11.5-feet and is rated for 280 lbs while the Neptune model is 12.5-feet and rated for 260 lbs. These boards are less stable and are more appropriate for intermediate and advanced paddlers. The Neptune is also an option for those ready to try out the world of SUP racing.

Last but not least (and new for 2022) is the innovative Portage model, a hybrid 2-in-1 iSUP/kayak at 10.5-feet in length and a weight capacity of 298 lbs. In addition to the standard accessory package, the Portage comes with a detachable kayak seat and footrest and a 2-in-1 adjustable kayak and SUP paddle.

The seat and footrest easily secures to attachment points on the point. The inflatable Portage features additional utility tie downs at the back of the board and makes a great option for people who want to kayak as well as paddleboard or who would prefer to sit every now and then while paddling.

If you like the sounds of one of those models, check out our Paddling Buyer’s Guide to shop Jimmy Styks paddleboards.

• Jimmy Styks paddleboard weight limit

  The weight limit of Jimmy Styks paddleboards ranges from 190 lbs on the 10-foot Misstyk epoxy fiberglass model, to 260 lbs on a few options at the midrange, and 320 lbs on both the 11-foot Puffer and 11-foot Strider inflatable paddleboards.

• Jimmy Styks paddleboard weight

  The Jimmy Styks epoxy fiberglass paddleboards weigh around 30 lbs while the inflatable paddleboards range in weight from 21–23 lbs.

• Jimmy Styks paddleboard price

  The prices of Jimmy Styks paddleboards range from $585 to 799 USD. Jimmy Styks paddleboards are priced for entry-level paddlers to get into the sport of standup paddleboarding with a durable and well-designed board.

• Jimmy Styks paddleboard warranty

  Inflatable Jimmy Styks paddleboards have a 365-day limited warranty from the date of purchase.

• Is Jimmy Styks out of business?

  Although Jimmy Styks stopped manufacturing paddleboards in 2018, the brand is making a comeback in 2022 with two rigid paddleboard options and six inflatable paddleboard options.

• Who makes Jimmy Styks?

  Sport Dimension recently acquired the licensing rights from Vista Outdoors to manufacture the Jimmy Styks line of paddleboards.

Jimmy Styks paddleboard reviews

If you’re the type of person who loves a good review to chew on before investing in a new toy then we’ve got you covered. Get cozy and settle in to mull over the Jimmy Styks paddleboard reviews written by the expert staff at Paddling Magazine.

Coming soon