About Us

The ERS Design Team includes:

- An ACA Level 4 SUP Instructor who founded one of the first SUP instruction programs in DC / Maryland
- An MIT-trained engineer with a background in hydrodynamics and manufacturing technology.
- A commercial designer who has worked with several industry organizations in product design and manufacturing.
- Associated outfitters and paddling schools who advise and serve as a testbed for new products, and are an integral part of our design process.
- Our dedicated ERS Riders who provided insight and feedback on prototype and concept designs.

Since 2012, Earth River SUP has been introducing new paddle board shapes and influencing industry trends. ERS was the first to develop 34” inflatable SUP,  a shape concept that has been adopted since by almost every brand of inflatable SUP and is often regarded as the perfect shape for on-water stability. Likewise, our innovations in inflatable board construction, deck pad enhancements, fin setups, and convenience features have helped lead the way to make inflatable paddle boards a leading category with widely recognized advantages over non-deflatable boards.

We started our business in the Mid Atlantic area because no company was making the product we wanted to use, with the reliability and performance we required. Word spread, and we had paddle boarding schools from around the nation contact us for better solutions to their needs. In 2015 we felt it was time to offer a few boards to the public and the response was incredible. Riders immediately saw the advantages in our product and realized - we really do make better paddle boards!

Everything we do revolves around three core concepts - quality, value, and integrity.

We love stand up paddle boarding and we want every ERS rider to have the same life-changing experience we get when stepping onto the water with great equipment: with the excitement, tranquility, and fitness opportunities that stand up paddling has to offer. We build everything with the best materials and components available, use only ethical and reliable manufacturing partners - and have policies that stand behind our products.

By breaking from the traditional retail business model, we are able to put more features and quality into our boards. We don't have to cut out costs and thus critical production methods to make room for the distributor markups that are built into the prices of other stand up paddle board manufacturers.

Our boards represent the most technologically advanced inflatables on the market. When other manufacturers are cutting corners and inflating their prices for retail markups or greasing the wheels for placed publication reviews and paid for advertorials, we are on the water plying our trade and in the workshop creating cutting edge shapes and designs. No compromises or tradeoffs, we just do what it takes to make a better product and employ a process of continual improvement to stay ahead of the other brands.

Earth River SUP products cannot be found in big box stores or general merchandise retailers, as we continue to stick with our community-based business model and partner with local outfitters and instructors to get the ultimate quality SUP equipment - into the hands of enthusiasts and out on the water. In fact, we have even on occasion sold out of a product before we have even been able to release it, such is the strength and glue of our paddling network. We consider everyone involved with ERS as 'part of the company' and our internal structure has done away with corporate titles and structure - we simply ask ourselves one question at every turn "how do we make this a better experience for our riders?" To learn more about our growing community of SUP enthusiasts visit our social hub and get involved