King's Paddle Sports

What King's Paddle Sports does

King's Paddle Sports is a private, family-owned manufacturer of high-performance stand-up paddleboards (SUP) headquartered in Carlsbad, California, with its single factory located three miles from the Pacific coast. Founded and operated by master shaper Dave Daum, who has been hand-shaping boards since 1972, the company produces surf SUPs, race boards, prone paddleboards, downwind boards, hydrofoil boards (under the Excalibur sub-brand), wave-skis, and lifeguard rescue boards using proprietary carbon fiber vacuum bagging techniques that achieve 40-50% fiber-to-resin ratios and CNC-machined EPS foam cores. The product portfolio is priced from $1,595 to $3,995, and more than 80% of customers use a distinctive real-time 3D CAD custom design service to co-design boards live with Dave Daum via phone and video conference before purchase.

The business operates as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer through its Shopify storefront (kingspaddlesports.com) with global shipping and no intermediary distribution. Revenue is generated entirely through one-time hardware sales of boards, paddles (QuickBlade brand), deck pads, and foils; there is no subscription or recurring revenue component. Customer segments span recreational paddleboarders, competitive racers, adaptive surf athletes, youth paddlers, lifeguard agencies, and sponsored professional team riders including world champions such as Ian Cairns, Daniel Hughes, and Grace Van Der Byl. Marketing is conducted through organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), team rider endorsements, customer testimonials, and a phone-based custom design consultation service.

The company maintains a competitive position anchored in master craftsmanship, athlete-driven product development, and rapid in-house iteration cycles that the company states compress design-to-water feedback from months to hours. With no disclosed financials, institutional backing, or third-party distribution, King's operates as an independent lifestyle brand serving a niche but global market of performance-oriented paddleboarders.

Name

King's Paddle Sports

Legal name

King's Paddle Sports

Website

https://kingspaddlesports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

King's Paddle Sports is a private, family-owned Carlsbad, California manufacturer of high-performance stand-up paddleboards sold direct-to-consumer globally, with over 80% of boards custom-designed via a real-time 3D CAD service run by master shaper Dave Daum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Stand-Up Paddleboard Manufacturing

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992)

akta.pro primary industry

Paddle Sports Retail (Kayak, Canoe, SUP, Paddles) (CRAMAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories) (CRAMABAI), Surf & Beach Sports Retail (Surfboards, Bodyboards, Skimboards) (CRAMAIAE)

Keywords

• Custom stand up paddleboards
• SUP surf boards
• SUP race boards
• Downwind foil boards
• Lifeguard rescue boards

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlsbad

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Paddleboard Sales: One-time purchase of custom and stock paddleboards. Boards are sold at fixed price points ranging from $1,595 to $3,995 depending on model, size, and construction (fiberglass vs. carbon fiber). No subscription component.
2. Accessories and Paddles Sales: Sale of complementary products including paddles (QuickBlade brand), deck pads, foils, and accessories. One-time purchase model at varying price points.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

King's Paddle Sports designs, manufactures, and sells high-performance custom and stock stand-up paddleboards (SUP) including surf, race, prone, downwind, hydrofoil, wave-ski, and lifeguard rescue boards. Products are built in Carlsbad, California using CNC-machined EPS foam cores, fiberglass and carbon fiber laminates with proprietary vacuum bagging techniques. Customers can purchase directly online or schedule real-time 3D CAD co-design sessions with master shaper Dave Daum for personalized boards.

Product overview

King's Paddle Sports is a Made-in-USA manufacturer of high-performance stand up paddle boards (SUP) headquartered in Carlsbad, California. Their product portfolio includes SUP Surf boards (WCT, Wedge, Simmons, Super Simmons, Sidewinder, Laser), Race boards (AC-Elite, Racer X, Unlimited), Prone Paddle Boards, Downwind Boards, Downwind Foil Boards (Excalibur), Wave-Ski Design Models, and Lifeguard Rescue Boards (The Guardian). The company operates a Custom Shop service enabling customers to design boards in real-time 3D with Master Designer Dave Daum. Supporting products include Deck Pads, Paddles (QuickBlade), and Foils. The company leverages athlete feedback and virtual modeling technology for rapid product development, with most clients ordering custom-made boards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Excalibur: Multipurpose hydrofoil board for wing foiling, downwind foiling, and surf foiling.

Products and services

• SUP Surf Boards
• Race Boards

Quantifiable outcome

• Design iteration cycle measured in hours vs. months compared to competitors
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Surftech: Surf and SUP manufacturer using proprietary composite construction (including epoxy/fiberglass/carbon layups similar to King's vacuum-bagging approach). Competes in performance surf and SUP categories and serves surf shops globally.
• Tower Paddle Boards: Direct-to-consumer paddleboard brand selling boards online at price points below King's. Operates in the same DTC e-commerce motion as King's and competes for the same consumer paddleboard customer, though with a more mass-market positioning.
• Sunova: Premium boutique SUP and surf brand focused on custom-shaped boards using advanced construction techniques. Closely mirrors King's positioning as a craft-driven, performance-oriented brand with a custom shop offering.
• Riviera Paddlesurf: Boutique California-based paddleboard manufacturer focused on high-performance custom SUPs with carbon fiber construction. Closely comparable to King's craft-driven, athlete-validated premium positioning.
• Naish: One of the most established global SUP and water sports brands, offering a full line of surf, race, and foil paddleboards. Directly competes with King's across nearly every product category, including custom and stock boards, but at much broader distribution and scale.
• SIC Maui: Hawaii-based paddleboard manufacturer with deep racing heritage and global race team presence. Directly comparable to King's in race, surf, and foil categories and similarly focused on high-performance custom construction.
• Starboard: Premium Thai-based SUP and water sports manufacturer with strong racing pedigree and global distribution. Competes directly with King's in race, surf, and foil categories and is known for athlete-driven design like King's.
• Fanatic: German water sports brand with broad SUP, foil, and windsurfing product lines. Overlaps with King's in race and surf SUP, with comparable performance positioning and athlete sponsorship.

Broad incumbents

• BIC Sport: Large diversified water sports manufacturer with broad product portfolio in SUP, surf, kayak, and windsurfing. Competes with King's across SUP categories but operates at a much larger scale and through mass-market retail channels.

Others

• Quickblade Paddles: Premium paddle brand whose products King's resells alongside its own boards. Quickblade is an ecosystem partner/supplier rather than a direct board competitor, but occupies the same high-performance paddling customer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-GhDpCGiP7aLZeez4Nolpg
• Facebookfacebook.com/kingspaddlesports
• Instagraminstagram.com/kingspaddlesports
• Xx.com/kingspaddles

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about King's Paddle Sports