Learn how to carry a 10+ lb paddleboard anchor in your pocket! We know, sounds bold, so hear us out.

We have been busy behind the scenes coming up with some exciting new stuff. One of these things is the most durable, no-frills, ultra-portable, super-light, super-heavy, mega-rad paddleboard anchor for fishing, yoga, or whenever you find the perfect place to take a break.

We wanted a portable anchor with no corners or sharp edges, very little weight, and a highly portable design that can be easily transported and set up. Moving parts were out of the question as we believe that simplistic designs often offer the most effective solution. That's why we came up with the Micro SUP anchor!

Check out the Product Listing.

When you get one, it's going to arrive looking like this:

Now, how the heck is this thing going to hold your paddleboard in place? It's simple, just fill it with whatever rocks and sands are available to you at your location. 

Once you have your desired weight filled in:

1. Grab the two sides of the plastic buckle and pull them outward

2. Roll the top of the back a couple times (like a bag of chips)

3. Fasten the clip and you're ready to go!

Once the bag fills with water, it will become a significant amount heavier than before it was dropped in the water. 

If you happen to be in the Spokane area this upcoming weekend we encourage you to check out the second annual Spokatopia! We will be there offering product demos, providing tips and information, and will be featuring festival only discounts! www.spokatopia.com

What is it?

"At the 2^nd annual Spokatopia Outdoor Adventure Festival, you can try stand up paddleboarding, rock climbing, kayaking, slacklining, canoeing, geo-caching, SUP yoga, disc golf, mountain biking, yoga and other outdoor activities all while hanging out in a fun, festive atmosphere that includes over 40 outdoor recreation-related exhibitors, live music, a beer garden and food trucks, mountain bike jump jam, free MTB shuttles to the top of Camp Sekani, and the biggest bike demo and sales event of the year. Kick the festival off with the 5k or 1.5 mile Up Chuck Challenge trail run or walk or a free yoga lesson. General admission, bike demos, paddleboard demos and many other activities are free, although there is a cost to sign up for the outdoor adventure clinics offered through Spokane Parks and Recreation. More parking has been added this year, and there’s a free, secure bike corral for those who ride to the festival."

When: Saturday, July 9 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Where: Camp Sekani Park in Spokane, Washington.

Check it out: www.spokatopia.com

The Great American Dream: The ideal of escaping the crime, riff-raff, hustle and bustle, and constant noise of city life. You escape that crowded place and commute home to the comfortable sanctuary that is your suburban neighborhood. Daryl gives you a friendly wave from the cockpit of his lawnmower on your way by, "Howdy!" The smell of Susan's petunias wafts in the window of your chrome-clad Chevy (which is newer than Daryl's, of course) as the deep growl of the engine joins the symphony of birds that gather at your feeder each afternoon. Sparky cocks his head from the porch as he spots you beyond the crisp picket fence line. He bounds across an opulent sprawl of meticulously-cultivated Kentucky Bluegrass to greet you. A white-trimmed tribute to your success, this half-acre is your pride and joy. You made it.

Or did you? Fresh out of an episode of Leave it to Beaver, Americana promoted a post-WWII tidal wave of suburbanization that we are still surfing today. However, preferences of living space are begining to change, and there are a host of new studies advocating alternative lifestyles.

The Case For Moving In:

You might think that moving closer into the city would be a step backward, but consider this: The University of Waterloo has conducted research highlighting an inverse relationship between commute time and overall life satisfaction.

"We found that the longer it takes someone to get to work, the lower their satisfaction with life in general..." -Margo Hilbrecht, Professor of Applied Sciences, Associate Director of Research for the Canadian Index of Wellbeing.

The study found that longer commute times induced feelings of anxiety linked to time constraints and lack of physical exercise. This commute time is linked to weight issues, higher rates of work-related illness, lack of energy, and blood pressure problems to name a few.

The study states that physical activity can help offset these issues (better hit the water!) but the time-crunch commuting causes frequently deters people from making these efforts. Researchers found a positive correlation between leisure time and overall happiness.

Living closer to the city also gives residents more resources within walking distance, increasing fitness levels and the positive mental stimulation that this induces. Mental and emotional health are proven to be closely correlated with physical activity.

When you break it down, moving closer to the city and your workplace can provide many positive lifestyle adjustments.

The Case For Moving Out:

Our favorite option, spending time in nature is proven to increase mental and physical health while being a very effective antidepressant. One of many studies leading to this conclusion, Stanford University found that exposure to nature has positive effects on one's mood and decreases blood flow to parts of the brain linked to depression. It also increases mental clarity and working memory.

Getting closer to nature also makes exhilarating physical activities more accessible! Let's face it, we can all get lazy after a long day at work, but there's no motivation like having nature right outside your door.

Whatever You Prefer, Just Get Some Exercise!

The two suburban alternatives presented above have one thing in common: exercise.

Exercise triggers the release of endorphins and dopamine, the chemicals in our brains responsible for feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. If you ever hear the term "runner's high", it is a real thing and it comes from sustained aerobic exercise. As you may have guessed, these chemicals are highly important to overall happiness.

Research exploring the connection between our health and the natural world is growing as rates of mental health disorders increase and average physical fitness decreases. Dr. Scott Paluska from the Rex Sports Medicine Institute in North Carolina, and Thomas  Schwenk, from the University of Michigan Medical Center, found that physical exercise is a powerful tool to fight depression, anxiety, and panic disorders.

It also boosts confidence and just makes you feel fantastic about yourself in general! Accomplish something difficult, master a new skill, feel good about your body, just enjoy moving around.

If you're feeling up for it, maybe even give paddleboarding a shot!

Getting into a new sport is a commitment. Not only are you committing to being a beginner, which can be frustrating in itself, but it is a financial commitment as well. You don't have the gear and, when you go to buy it, you can worry and maybe even talk yourself out of it. What if I don't like it?

We can assure you that getting into paddleboarding is well worth the time and money, and we think we can do something to take the edge off. Our company was founded on the passion for sharing our love of paddling, as we were born out of the rental business. We recently added our Rent by Mail service.

On our website we currently offer affordable rentals by mail. Complete rental packages are available for as low as $299 for an entire month, and $549 for three months. All rentals include free shipping both ways.

If you end up deciding an inflatable is right for you, we will sell you the board at a discounted price so you never need to give it back. Like you never even rented it.

A rental is a great way to get your friends into the sport, see what all the buzz is about, or save some money and stay entertained while you're at Mom and Dad's for the summer. 

Why not give paddleboarding a try?

In the last decade, yoga and stand up paddleboarding have rapidly grown in popularity alongside one another. Both activities can be enjoyed at any intensity level, from a relaxing evening wind-down to a sweat-inducing, muscle building workout. Both are low impact on the body while providing considerable physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Neither has an age or fitness barriers, and a whole lot to offer once taken up.

It only makes sense that the two activities would combine at some point, becoming the recent SUP yoga phenomenon. In our opinion, this is among the best things to happen to either sport. We have come to embrace this trend and are currently pushing its development in our city, Spokane, Washington.

Why should you give it a try? Well, the same reasons we did!

It's a fantastic workout. You know those muscles you overlook at the gym, the little tiny ones you can't see in the mirror? Well, you're going to need them to master yoga on the water. Your body contains countless tiny muscle groups known as stabilizer muscles. While you can't flex them for that hotty across the gym, strengthening them will increase your athletic performance and prevent injuries. As you probably guessed, being unstable makes you engage these muscles. Some training on the water will improve your yoga form in ways your typical yoga session cannot.

It keeps you aware. Good form on the water means you need to be aware of waves, currents, winds, and edges of your board on top of what your body is doing. Staying in the moment means staying out of the drink, unless you get too warm, of course.

It keeps your movements fluid. Sudden movements mean rocking your board and jeopardizing your center of gravity. 

It's always different. Without the controlled environment of a studio or home, your sessions will never be repetitive again.

It's a ton of fun! Get out there and try something new! Cool off in the water, splash your friends, get some sun, take a nap, whatever you want. Just go for it! We promise you won't regret it!

Exploring rivers is among our favorite activities and we love using the current to our advantage. If you choose to float downriver you can easily cover a number of miles and see more in a shorter period of time than paddling flatwater. 

Doing this conveniently, however, does require a certain amount of logistics. Here's a step-by-step guide to floating downriver without leaving yourselves stranded at the end. Hope you all find this helpful, go try it out!

Inflatable paddleboards? Kinda like an air mattress, right?

One thing we have found over the last few years is that customers unfamiliar with inflatable paddleboards tend to approach them with pool toys in mind; something flimsy, slow, and fragile. 

However, modern materials and manufacturing methods have left our customers pleasantly surprised. Many renter's don't realize that they are on inflatables until we tell them when they get off the water, we like to save the news for the end!

Here at Stillwater Outdoors you are probably not surprised to find that inflatable boards are our preferred vessel. They adapt easily to your needs and constraints. In many circumstances iSUPS make the sport more approachable and more adaptable, here's why we prefer them:

1: Durability. Inflatable paddleboards, or iSUPs, are actually more durable than their hardbody cousins. We prefer them as exploring shallow rivers and lakes, like the one pictured above, is what we love to do most. We spent many hours patching fiberglass before we decided to specialize in inflatables, and we haven't looked back. They bounce off rocks, can slide over debris just under the surface, and can stand getting dropped or tipped over during transportation and storage.

2: Portability. Exploring waterways in the Cascade means we need to be able to hike our boards into mountain lakes. There are certain places where clambering up singletrack trails with a 12 foot board just isn't an option. Additionally, you can throw enough boards in your trunk for all five of your friends to join the adventure as well. They are also light and small enough to check onto flights with no additional fees.

3. Storage: Don't you have enough in the garage already? Are there months during the year when the weather doesn't permit paddling? We don't want anybody to be deterred from the sport by the formidable dimensions of the equipment. Inflatables roll up and can be stored next to your camping gear.

Thanks for reading and, as always, we welcome your feedback.

Paddleboarding has grown rapidly over the past few years as people are coming to realize its flat-water potential. Once reserved for coastal surf, the sport has been migrating inland as enthusiasts-to-be recognize it as an approachable and versatile way to explore and recreate. 

Early on, this left the Coast Guard with an influx of new watercraft, but few tangible ways to regulate use and safety. They have enacted various laws to combat this problem and maintain order on the water, the most notable of which is classifying SUPS as "vessels". This means that, when beyond the limits of a swimming, surfing, or bathing area, federal Navigation Rules apply.

Below we have congregated laws that will keep you and others safe, and free from legal fines as well, when beyond the surf line or designated swimming areas.

• All paddlers 12, or younger, must wear a USCG-approved life-jacket (PFD).
• Paddlers over 12 must have a USCG-approved adult life jacked either on, or fixed to the board and available to use if needed.
• All life jackets must be the proper size for the rider.
• All life jackets must be in "serviceable condition" - no tears or other damage that would impact performance.
• All riders must have a whistle or other audio signaling device.
• If out after sunset, paddlers must have a flashlight or other light signal to warn other boaters of their location.

Conveniently, paddleboards are exempt from registration requirements and hull ID numbers. Always remember to give larger, powered vessels the right of way as well. Follow these laws and consider saving your alcoholic beverages for post-paddle refreshment and you should have a safe and fun summer!

K9 Co-captains: They have their own seat in the car, keep your feet warm while you lounge, clean your plate when you you can't, help keep the jogging pace, and wouldn't have it any other way. Why then would anyone leave them to guard the cooler and hold down the towel during a paddle session? 

Many people cite that their dogs don't like the water, which may be a fair point. However, Sparky didn't like the car when you first adopted him. Probably didn't like the leash either. Now look at Sparky, he can hardly contain himself when the leash comes out and leaps into the back seat with enthusiasm normally reserved only for a darting squirrel.

The fact of the matter is, dogs are creatures of habit and people pleasers to boot. They live for you to get home from work and they always know its coming. You don't tell them you're getting home at 4:00 when you leave, they observe it and always waiting by the window when the time comes. You can't tell them that if they let you attach their leash it's time to go running, they learn because you do it consistantly. 

A paddleboard is the same way. If you try once and your dog is uncomfortable with it, well, so were you the first time. They need to be shown that it is safe, that you enjoy it, and that it is an opportunity to share time together and get outside. That's all they really want. 

Here are a few tips to get you started. Beyond these it's just the routine of getting them out of the house and paddling whenever you have time!

• The more frequently you try, the sooner they'll be comfortable. They understand routine and practice.
• They're keen on how you feel. Make sure you're comfortable first, so they know it's safe. 
• Make sure they can swim
• Get them comfortable with the water, carry them out from shore and let them swim back. This shows them that falling in is ok.
• Store your paddleboard in a space where your dog spends time, so they're used to being around it.
• Sit down on the board with them for a while. They will feel safer with you at eye level. 
• Slowly work your way out from shore, going farther with each session.

For those of you in our neck of the woods, the Spokane area, we discovered a convenient paddle just on the edge of town. It took us about 2.5 hours, but that included a rock-skipping competition and a side-journey through a shallow outlet to search for turtles.

Where to Start:

13026 Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane, WA, 99216

If you drive out to Mirabeau Springs there is a parking lot by the river that is the perfect place to put in. We left one of our cars there.

The Journey:

The paddle is only a few miles and is the perfect distance to kill an extra couple hours after work, that way you don't have to wait for the weekend to roll around to get on your SUP. While it does run near town, it feels surprisingly isolated and is a testament to our area's natural beauty, even near the city. The river is not too intense, so don't worry about running into whitewater, but it is still shallow and fast enough to keep things interesting. On our trip we saw lots of wildlife, most notably a large sturgeon and countless river turtles. There are many opportunities to explore shallow areas where the river breaks off into small streams.

Ending your Journey:

7414 E Upriver Drive, Spokane, WA, 99212

We got off the river at Boulder Beach, where we left our first car waiting for us. There we just rolled up our paddleboards and headed back for the second car before going about our evenings. No better way to transition out of work mode than to go for a quick paddle. 

If you decide to try this out, which we recommend, reach out to us and let us know how it goes! Paddle on!