The best drink holder for most paddle boards is one that slides under your deck bungees, like the Floatsup Cup: there’s nothing to stick on, it fits cans and most bottles, and it floats if it gets knocked off. Suction cup holders work too, but only on a smooth, hard surface, which rules out the grippy deck pad on most boards.
We haven’t tested these holders hands-on. We picked them from manufacturer specs, owner ratings and current availability. Five of the six holders in our 2021 list (including the SUP Buddy and Tacit Logic DrinkSUP) are no longer sold on Amazon, so this is mostly a new list.
Our picks at a glance
- Best overall: Floatsup Cup, tucks under the bungees, fits cans and bottles up to 3 inches, and floats.
- Best for big water bottles: Floatsup JUMBO, sized for 32 oz bottles like Nalgene and Hydro Flask.
- Best budget: 2-in-1 Paddle Board Cup and Phone Holder, bungee-mounted for around $14.
- Best suction cup holder: Lil Sucker, a neoprene suction holder for smooth surfaces.
- Most versatile: SunChaser Bevi Pro, with suction, ground-stake and chair-strap mounts.
Where will it go? Most boards have a bungee net on the nose and sometimes the tail, and that’s the easiest place to mount a drink. Suction cups need smooth, non-porous plastic or PVC, not the textured EVA traction pad you stand on.
Slide it under the bungee and go
Floatsup Cup
The Floatsup Cup is a flexible, cup-shaped holder with a grooved base that tucks under an existing bungee cord. No suction cups, adhesive or tools. It fits skinny cans, standard cans and most water bottles up to 3 inches across, and the maker designed it to float so a knocked-off cup stays on the surface.
It’s made from flexible TPE with some recycled content, and Floatsup offers a lifetime warranty. The deep well also works as a stash spot for sunscreen or a small speaker.
Who it suits: almost anyone with deck bungees: casual paddlers, families and yoga paddlers.
| Spec | Floatsup Cup |
|---|---|
| Mount | Under existing deck bungee |
| Fits | Cans and bottles up to 3 in diameter |
| Material | Flexible TPE (30% recycled) |
| Floats | Yes |
| Warranty | Lifetime (Floatsup) |
| Price | Around $22 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Nothing to install
- Floats if it comes off
- Fits most cans and bottles
Cons
- Needs a bungee in the right spot
- Loose fit by design, so drinks can rattle
Verdict
The easiest, most paddle-board-friendly drink holder we found.
For 32 oz bottles
Floatsup JUMBO Water Bottle Holder
The JUMBO is the bigger version of the Floatsup Cup, with a 3.7-inch interior that fits most 32 oz bottles from Nalgene, Hydro Flask, Yeti and CamelBak. Its flat channel works with a bungee or a flat strap, so it also suits boards and rafts that use webbing instead of bungee cord.
Who it suits: anyone who brings a big insulated water bottle on long paddles (which, in summer heat, you should).
| Spec | Floatsup JUMBO |
|---|---|
| Mount | Under a bungee or flat strap |
| Fits | Bottles up to 3.7 in diameter |
| Material | Flexible TPE (30% recycled) |
| Floats | Yes |
| Price | Around $27 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Fits big insulated bottles
- Works with bungees or flat straps
Cons
- Too big to hold a single can snugly
Verdict
Get this one if water, not soda, is what you carry.
A cheap bungee holder that also holds a phone
2-in-1 Paddle Board Cup and Phone Holder
This budget holder works the same way as the Floatsup (it slides under the bungee) but has a wider base with a suction surface for extra grip, drainage holes, and room for a phone or keys as well as a drink up to 3 inches across. It’s made of TPE and the seller says it floats.
Who it suits: paddlers who want a drink and a phone within reach for not much money.
| Spec | 2-in-1 holder |
|---|---|
| Mount | Under deck bungee, suction base |
| Fits | Cans and bottles up to 3 in, most phones |
| Size | About 4.1 in wide × 4.9 in tall |
| Material | TPE |
| Price | Around $14 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Cheap
- Holds a phone or keys too
- Drainage holes
Cons
- Generic brand, fewer reviews than Floatsup
- A phone in an open holder isn’t protected from a dunk: use a waterproof pouch
Verdict
Good value if you want a bungee holder and don’t mind a no-name brand.
The best-reviewed suction option
Lil Sucker Suction Cup Holder
The Lil Sucker is a holder with a marine-grade neoprene suction base: slide your drink in and press it onto a flat surface. It fits containers up to 3 inches in diameter and has well over a thousand owner ratings.
Suction cups only hold on smooth, flat, non-porous surfaces, so on a paddle board that usually means a smooth PVC area near the nose or tail of an inflatable, or the smooth top of a cooler or dry box. They won’t stick to an EVA deck pad.
Who it suits: paddlers whose board has no bungees but does have a smooth spot, and people who also want a drink holder for a boat or cooler lid.
| Spec | Lil Sucker |
|---|---|
| Mount | Suction cup |
| Fits | Containers up to 3 in diameter |
| Suction base | Marine-grade neoprene |
| Price | Around $35 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Holds the drink itself tightly, so less rattling
- Works on boats and coolers too
- Lots of positive reviews
Cons
- Useless on textured deck pads
- Expensive for a drink holder
Verdict
The suction holder to get if your board has a smooth area to stick it to.
One holder, three mounts
SunChaser Bevi Pro
The Bevi Pro is a general outdoor drink holder rather than a SUP-specific one. It comes with three mounts: a three-prong suction cup, a ground stake for sand or grass, and a strap for chair arms or railings. It holds cans, bottles, tumblers and cups.
On the water, use the suction mount on a smooth surface only (SunChaser says the same). Its real advantage is that it’s also useful on the beach once you land.
Who it suits: beach paddlers who want one holder for the board, the sand and the camp chair.
| Spec | SunChaser Bevi Pro |
|---|---|
| Mounts | 3-prong suction cup, ground stake, chair strap |
| Fits | Cans, bottles, tumblers, cups |
| Price | Around $18 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Three ways to mount it
- Great on the beach as well as the board
Cons
- Suction only works on smooth surfaces
- Taller than bungee cups, so easier to knock
Verdict
A handy all-rounder, especially if your paddle ends on a beach.
