Lowering the Barrier to Entry
- By Chad -
Much like the sport of stand up paddleboarding itself, the inspiration for Chad Has A Paddle comes from Hawaii. While on vacation in Maui, I came to appreciate the simplicity of how the SUP rental businesses operated there. Instead of having a storefront, many businesses simply met their customers where they were, when they wanted a board. It is this delivery model that I want to bring to Edmonton. There can be many obstacles to getting on the water, collecting your equipment shouldn't be one.
After Maui, I decided I wanted formal training, but I quickly discovered that the opportunities for Paddle Canada certified training near Edmonton were very limited. My solution (at that time) was to book a course in Calgary, and no one should have to look outside Edmonton for training. Chad Has A Paddle exists to be part a local solution. I also believe that formal training leads to safer paddlers that have more fun, so free Basic SUP Training is available to anyone who purchases a board from Chad Has a Paddle. More information is available below, and on the SUP Instruction page.
On the topic of purchasing, I'm a firm believer that a paddle board should be tested before you buy; but not every store allows you to test their boards. I've personally driven 9 hours (one way!) just to test a board that I couldn't try locally. Renting with Chad Has a Paddle addresses that problem. If you rent with us, and then decide you'd like to buy, we'll be happy to refund the cost of your rental from the purchase price. Additionally, I'm always open to going for a paddle; if you want to test a board, just contact me. Our current stand up paddleboard offerings are available here.
After Maui, I decided I wanted formal training, but I quickly discovered that the opportunities for Paddle Canada certified training near Edmonton were very limited. My solution (at that time) was to book a course in Calgary, and no one should have to look outside Edmonton for training. Chad Has A Paddle exists to be part a local solution. I also believe that formal training leads to safer paddlers that have more fun, so free Basic SUP Training is available to anyone who purchases a board from Chad Has a Paddle. More information is available below, and on the SUP Instruction page.
On the topic of purchasing, I'm a firm believer that a paddle board should be tested before you buy; but not every store allows you to test their boards. I've personally driven 9 hours (one way!) just to test a board that I couldn't try locally. Renting with Chad Has a Paddle addresses that problem. If you rent with us, and then decide you'd like to buy, we'll be happy to refund the cost of your rental from the purchase price. Additionally, I'm always open to going for a paddle; if you want to test a board, just contact me. Our current stand up paddleboard offerings are available here.
Paddle Canada Certified Instruction
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Chad FremmerlidAdvanced Flatwater SUP InstructorChad bought his first SUP on a whim in 2014 and after a year it became an addiction. When Chad travels now, it is always with a SUP in tow. Chad has paddled in the US, Belize, Laos, Japan, New Zealand and 4 provinces to date. Chad enjoys loading a touring board with camping supplies and heading off into the wilderness, or spending a couple hours running whitewater with friends. He prefers endurance races over sprints, with a long term goal of participating in the Yukon River Quest (715 km).
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