stand-up-paddling.org

What stand-up-paddling.org does

stand-up-paddling.org is a privately held German-language content and affiliate media property focused on Stand-Up Paddling (SUP), founded in 2016 by Max Kuch in Berlin. The company operates a WordPress-based publishing platform that delivers independent-style SUP board and accessory reviews, buying guides, regulatory overviews, and location spot guides aimed at German-speaking paddlers ranging from first-time buyers to enthusiasts. Core editorial outputs include annual SUP board tests (the 2025 edition ranking eleven boards and over 100 boards tested cumulatively since founding), a dedicated electric SUP pump test of 15+ units, and a deep library of articles covering all sixteen German federal states plus broader European destinations.

The product surface combines four elements: free informational content, a personalized 1:1 SUP consulting service, a YouTube channel with 4,000+ subscribers, and a relatively minimal Shop subdomain for first-party e-commerce. Audience reach is positioned at more than 1,000,000 readers per year, with the company self-styling as the #1 SUP page in Germany. The team is five people including founder Max Kuch, editors Benjamin Hagg, Alana Diebitsch, and David Restle, and tester Wietse de Boer based in Friesland, Netherlands.

Monetization is anchored on affiliate referral revenue generated when readers purchase tested products from partner retailers such as Bluefin, Decathlon Itiwit, Aqua Marina, Fanatic, and Red Paddle; the consulting service and editorial content are provided free of charge. The business is bootstrapped and founder-operated, with no external funding, parent company, or public financial disclosure; revenue figures are not publicly shared. Distribution is entirely digital, weighted toward organic SEO and direct site traffic, with video and email as secondary channels, and the operating geography is concentrated in DACH with limited Netherlands footprint through de Boer and an early English-language subdomain.

Name

stand-up-paddling.org

Legal name

stand-up-paddling.org

Website

https://stand-up-paddling.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

stand-up-paddling.org is a privately held, founder-led German-language content and affiliate media property founded in 2016, publishing independent-style SUP board and accessory reviews, buying guides, and location spot content for consumers across DACH, monetized primarily through retailer affiliate commissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Sports Content & Reviews

NAICS

Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (519290)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB), White-Label Booking Engine Platforms (SaaS/Widget) (THALADAN)

Keywords

• SUP board reviews
• Water sports content
• Paddling equipment guides
• Outdoor recreation blog
• Consumer product testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Affiliate Marketing: Site earns commissions through affiliate links to SUP boards and accessories retailers. Footer notes '* = Affiliatelink' indicating standard affiliate arrangement. Promotes Bluefin special offers and other products with tracking links.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

stand-up-paddling.org operates Germany's largest independent content platform dedicated to stand-up paddling (SUP). The site publishes comprehensive reviews, hands-on tests and buying guides for SUP boards and accessories (over 100 boards tested since 2016, 300+ boards presented), location guides covering paddling spots across all 16 German states and major European destinations, and a personalized board recommendation consulting service. Revenue is generated primarily through affiliate marketing commissions on tracked links to third-party SUP retailers such as Bluefin, supplemented by a small direct shop subdomain.

Product overview

stand-up-paddling.org is Germany's largest SUP content platform and blog offering comprehensive SUP board and accessory testing, reviews, and comparisons. The site features an annual SUP Board Test ranking the best 11 SUP boards for 2025, tests over 15 electric SUP pumps, and provides personalized purchasing consultation services. The platform also operates an e-commerce shop for SUP boards and accessories, and offers location-based content covering SUP tours and spots across Europe. The content portfolio includes SUP board tests (100+ boards tested since 2016), accessory reviews, regulatory guides, and expert buying advice for beginners through professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individuelle SUP Beratung (Individual SUP Consulting) Personalized SUP purchasing consultation service where team members Benjamin and Max help individual consumers identify the right SUP board based on their weight, height, intended use case and budget. Delivered through the blog comments section.
• SUP Board Shop Online shop subdomain at shop.stand-up-paddling.org featuring SUP boards and accessories for direct consumer purchase, including Bluefin products and other partner brands.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bluefin SUP BoardscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProminent partnership featuring regular Bluefin special offers and exclusive deals prominently displayed on the site. Bluefin Cruise boards are among the most frequently tested and recommended products. The site directs readers to bluefinsupboards.de for purchases with affiliate tracking.
• WellenliebeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a partner/source in the 'known from' section of the homepage, indicating media or content partnership.
• Various SUP Retailers (Decathlon Itiwit, Aqua Marina, Fanatic, etc.)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSite provides detailed tests and comparisons of products from major SUP brands including Decathlon Itiwit, Aqua Marina, Fanatic, Red Paddle, and many others. Affiliate revenue generated when readers purchase through featured product links.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Fanatic SUP: Established paddle sports and windsurfing brand with a SUP lineup. Comparable as a tested/affiliated brand on the site and as an incumbent manufacturer with its own brand-direct marketing channels.
• Aqua Marina: Global inflatable SUP and water sports equipment brand. Comparable as a product supplier covered by stand-up-paddling.org's affiliate and review content, with growing direct-to-consumer content of its own.
• Red Paddle Co: Premium inflatable SUP brand with strong direct-to-consumer content and storytelling. Comparable as a covered/affiliated brand and a competitor that can invest heavily in branded content to capture converting traffic.
• Bluefin SUP Boards: Major SUP manufacturer and direct-to-consumer retailer. Acts as both a core affiliate partner and an incumbent that could vertically integrate content/SEO to bypass affiliate intermediaries.
• Decathlon (Itiwit SUP): Mass-market sporting goods retailer with its own Itiwit SUP brand. Represents both an affiliate revenue source and a competitor with internal content capabilities and pricing power that could compress commissions.

Direct peers

• supboarder: Stand Up Paddling magazine and review platform covering boards, paddles, and gear. Direct competitor in the European SUP content market with similar testing and affiliate monetization approach.
• SUP Board Guide: English-language SUP review site with comprehensive board comparisons and buying guides. Direct peer in paddle sports affiliate-driven content targeting beginner to advanced paddlers.
• Wellenliebe: German water-sports and outdoor lifestyle blog covering SUP, surf, and related activities. Listed as a 'known from' partner on stand-up-paddling.org, indicating direct audience overlap and comparable content/affiliate model.
• SUP-Magazin: German-language SUP-focused media site covering boards, accessories, spots, and gear. Directly competes with stand-up-paddling.org for the same German paddler audience with overlapping product reviews and how-to content.

Emerging players

• Kanu Magazin / Kanu.de: German paddlesports publication covering kayaking, canoeing, and adjacent paddle disciplines. Emerging partial-overlap peer whose broader paddle coverage could be expanded to absorb SUP traffic.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqXnV8m6K5V5e5L5L5L5L5A
• Facebookfacebook.com/SUPorgMagazin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/73980425

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 stand-up-paddling.org