Giant SUP

The ‘big beastie’ Mega SUP as it is affectionately known can hold 6 or more paddlers on a giant inflatable board. We have many XL SUP's allowing a great fun team build activity.

Level: Grade 0 - This means it is a flat paddle and should be within most people’s abilities with a few portages

Contact us to book in your school or company for a team building activity
Groups from
From £24.50

Book in your group for our Mega SUP stand up paddle boarding challenges

What's Included

Craft
Buoyancy Aid
Bank Based Briefing
Dry Bag
Paddles
Professional Coaches
Activity Equipment

What else we can provide on request

Waterproofs
Hire of Wetsuits
Hire of Drysuits

The ‘big beastie’ Mega SUP as it is affectionately known can hold 6 or more paddlers on a giant inflatable board. We have many XL SUP's allowing a great fun team build activity.

Please note if a date is unavailable then it is fully booked.

Group Size

Up to 24 participants on mega XL SUP's

Details

We have a variety of Mega XL SUP's offering group challenges and watersports with a tandem, dragon race SUP's holding 4-6 participants and Mega SUP's with 6-8 participants. The giant inflatable SUP's are fantastic as wild swimming platforms for wet sessions, team challenges to paddle a crew craft and learn stand up paddle board skills.

Cost

From £24.50 per participant

Important Information

Canoe Trail was one of the first companies in the country to get a Giant XL SUP and have added a multiple XL boards to the fleet. This allows us to offer head-to-head racing and team games on stand-up paddleboards. Paddling the Giant SUP offers teams a similar team experience as white water rafting as paddlers need to work together to paddle forwards, turn and steer the board. What makes it fun is that the board can be a little wobbly with your teammates paddling and moving as well. Often teams start on their knees and soon are standing up paddling together.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if it rains?

Unless you hear from us then your booking will run on the day agreed. Canoe Trail runs watersports, paddling, and adventurous activities throughout the year with people enjoying the river and our woodland campsite during the different seasons. On rare occasions (it only happens a few times a year) we may move or change your booking. This will be in freak weather conditions such as extremely high river flows in spate or during heavy storms with lightning. You can read our full FAQ here.

What should I wear?

We paddle all the year round and believe the old adage “There is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing”! Participants should wear light (gym style) clothing suitable for getting wet such as tracksuit bottoms or shorts and a top. Jeans are not the best things to wear as they wick water. In simple terms, dress for the weather and check the forecast beforehand. If cold then a thermal top or sweatshirt may also be needed. Hats and gloves are a great way to feel slightly warmer in winter and caps and wide-brimmed hats are also useful in summer to protect you from the sun. You should also bring a change of clothes in the event that you get wet. We do have waterproofs usually available, you can arrange for some courses and trips to hire wetsuits and drysuits.

How does the booking process work?

During the season our hire of canoes, kayaks, and SUPs, and paddle and camp trips are scheduled for customers to book via an automated schedule. Typically Kempston base is open throughout the season 7 days a week whereas Bedford is usually weekends or holidays. At the time of booking you will need to enter medical information, any special requirements and sizes into the booking forms. You will also need to provide contact details and emergency contact details as a contingency. Depending on what you are doing (e.g. camping, expeds, etc), you can book optional extras such as wood (you need to bring your own otherwise), water, grills, tipis and luggage service, or if you're on an exped you can hire hire drysuits. Once you have booked and your information is captured by the system, you will receive an automated email including a QR code and parking information to help you arrive in good time for your booking and get checked in. See our Terms & Conditions - www.canoetrail.co.uk/terms-and-conditions

Why can't I select a date to book?

Our schedules are automated and are linked to the calendar and available resources. We have over 260 craft available (canoes, kayaks and SUP’s) so you can drop us a line if you want a date that you cant see. Our Kempston base is throughout the season every day whereas Bedford is only weekends and holidays. There is a cut off time of 30 mins prior to each time slot, so if you are making a last minute booking then call us and we can help!

What happens if we're late?

You will need to arrive 10 mins before your booking time to allow for registration etc. If you arrive late, please note that you may not be able to do the trip you booked and may have to do an alternative route. In some cases, you may not be able to paddle on that day. If you are running late then please let us know ASAP by calling our mobile number. Please contact us to let us know if you are going to be late. Our staff work on tight schedules to load kit and reset trailers for the day. On expeditions and trips we aim to share our beautiful surroundings, wildlife and vistas with the group and cover the distance. We will travel at the speed of the group so occasionally an injury, participant struggling or inclement weather may affect our finish time. On courses we aim to start on time for the entire group to cover the course syllabus. occasionally an injury, participant struggling or inclement weather may affect our finish time.

What happens if I need to postpone?

When you make a booking you are reserving the equipment and space for your booking , your seat and place (as you would with an airline) and although we have multiple craft (over 300 ) they are not all available at every location. Please do let us know if you are going to have to postpone and in some instances with notice we may be able to move your booking in our calendar with an admin fee. Closer to the booking we are not able to accept a postponement.

How fit do I need to be?

You don’t need to be super fit to paddle, but a bit of stamina helps, especially around locks. Our 1-hour and half-day hires don’t include any locks, so there’s very little lifting. Full-day hires usually involve at least one, where you’ll need to move your craft a short distance on land (they do make great picnic spots though!). All of our routes for hire are considered 'Grade 0' meaning they're a great choice for beginners and we’ll give you plenty of tips before you head out. If you’re unsure, just give us a call. For expeditions then we often use the analogy of walking in the hills for a day with a light rucksack, its not lung busting effort but it does require up to 6-7 hours paddling in the great outdoors. We can provide guidance for customers on building Paddlefit endurance ahead of bigger trips.

Do you take photographs?

We aim to take pictures at the start of your trip and post these to our social media for your ease of access. If you take pictures of your paddling trip please tag them with #canoetrail, @canoetrails (Twitter/Instagram/TikTok), Canoe Trail on Facebook/Trip Adviser.

How to find us. Transport? Parking?

The more rural locations have lay-bys and small car parks available. Please allow time for parking so you are not running late. Parking in Bedford can be more of a challenge but the council does have their own designated parking locations, please have a look online for the closest one to your start point and prices.

How do I protect my valuables?

We offer drybags as part of your hire, these are designed to keep whatever you put in them dry - so it's best to place your valuables (phone, wallets, car keys, etc) inside of them. Drybags are also designed to float by trapping air inside them (if sealed correctly). If you do not wish to use a drybag offered to you, please note we are not liable for any valuables dropped in the river.

Do I need to be able to swim?

Participants should be confident in and around water although they do not need to be swimmers. We will provide all safety briefings and equipment for the day, including a buoyancy aid for all paddlers.

Location

Kempston Outdoor Centre, Bedford Embankment and other locations

Gallery

Giant SUP Fun

View