Once viewed as a fringe activity, paddle boarding has taken the outdoor recreation industry by storm. The sport’s low barriers to entry make it the fastest way to experience the joy riding a wave, or the tranquility of paddling towards the sunset on a peaceful alpine lake. But the hard bodied style of traditional SUPs can make entry to the sport challenging for many would-be SUP enthusiasts.
The World of Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboarding…
The explosive growth of the paddle boarding market has resulted in an impressive diversity of SUP styles. Long, skinny boards for racers. Wide, sturdy boards for beginners and fisherman – and even boards designed for SUP yoga enthusiasts. This assortment of options ensures that nearly every outdoor enthusiast can find a board that not only fits their performance preference, but their own personal style.
And yet it’s the very design of the traditional SUP board that stands as one of the significant barriers to the world of stand up paddle boarding. Ranging anywhere from 8-12 feet long, the traditional hard bodied SUP boards are not only heavy, but space intensive requiring extra garage space for storage, and special roof racks or even trailers for transport. For adventurous families, the problem is only compounded when confronted with garage already overflowing with camping gear, bicycles and SUVs and Yakima systems.
And this is why the inflatable SUP may be one of the best inventions of the surfing world. Lighter and more compact than regular hard boards, inflatable SUPs are easier to store and transport. Yet their unique construction also makes them extremely rigid ensuring their ability to deliver nearly identical performance to their hard bodied counterparts. With the ability to roll up the size of a sleeping bag, iSUP options can go places their hard bodied counterparts couldn’t even contemplate going.
When we began the in-depth search for our own iSUP, we found ourselves frustrated with some of the information on iSUP options available. So in typical Gumption Gear Review style, we put our editors to the task of seeking out five favorite options that range from family practical to performance oriented. The combination of transportability and performance offered by the following inflatable solutions are the easy answer to the quandaries associated with traditional hard bodied paddle boards.
Airhead SUP NaPali
The NaPali from Airhead SUP offers an authentic SUP experience and not a low quality substitute to the real thing. This versatile performer is a perfect choice for families where lots of different people will be using the board.
Measuring in at an overall length of 10 ft. 6 in., this flagship board for Airhead SUP features a rugged drop stitch construction. Once inflated, attach the three removable fins, get on the water and be rewarded with a ride that’s smooth and impressively stable. When you’re standing upright and earning your miles, a large anti-skid EVA pad provides secure footing and keeps your feet comfortable for hours on end. With the Na Pali, you also get an added dose of versatility courtesy of a removable seat. Extremely user friendly, the Na Pali is a tremendous and affordable choice for a family of riders of different ages and abilities.
Sevylor Tomichi
If you’ve spent anytime on the water in this life, then you have undoubtedly come across the Sevylor brand. Since their founding in 1948, the company has been focussed on producing high-quality, affordable inflatable water sport and recreation products.
With a worthy blend of buoyancy and maneuverability, the Sevylor Tomichi board is a great option for both beginners and experienced paddlers alike. Sevylor designed this board for a rider desiring decent speed and glide to explore waterways with ease, yet versatile enough to endure some light surf. The flat bottom and deck profile along with the 32 inch waist and textured deck pad give you a sturdy platform for a lazy tour around the lake, while the near pintail shape allows for smooth turns on flat water and mild rivers. The 12psi limit make this board best suited for mid-sized paddlers, but the overall design easily makes the Tomichi one of the more stable boards we’ve tested, ensuring greater balance and confidence in the water.
Boardworks Badfish MCIT
You don’t follow the status quo, so why should your paddleboard? The innovative design of the Badfish MCIT makes this inflatable SUP more stable and far more versatile even in conditions in which more traditional designs are challenged. Utilizing Multi Chamber Inflatable Technology with an I-beam stiffening system, the MCIT offers a rigid structure for exceptional stability outstanding performance on flatwater and surf, and even whitewater.
The MCIT Inflatable is the only inflatable SUP with tapered rails which enables it to be stable in the right spots and nimble in the tail for better performance. PVC-coated high-denier polyester offers superb durability and longevity while the hard nose cone increases impact resistance against rocks and floating debris. One of the benefits of choosing a Boardworks product is that you get their proprietary process for the brands cross drop stitch technology, using the strongest and most dense drop stitching fibers per area of volume in the industry. This produces maximum possible rigidity, reliability, and performance in an inflatable SUP.
In back, a 2 + 1 fin setup, also known as thruster setup, provides drive, maneuverability, and stability in a wide range of conditions. The large deck pad reduces foot fatigue and offers a soft surface when you kneel on the board, and the forward deck is rigged with bungee straps secure a cooler or a dry bag. Trust us when we tell you it will change the way you think about paddleboarding.
NRS Imperial 6
The Imperial SUP disproves the theory that no single board can do several things well, making it the perfect all-around SUP for recreational paddlers looking to do a bit of everything. At 10’6” long and 32” wide with a forgiving but capable shape, the Imperial perfectly combines stability with efficiency for excellent performance when fitness paddling, touring or running rivers. The 6-inch sidewalls not only ensure added buoyancy, but make the board incredible stable inspiring additional confidence for larger paddlers.
Like every NRS SUP, the Imperial also features heavy-duty reinforced seams, interchangeable fins, and flexible fin plates for trouble-free rolling. The Imperial 6 also features the proven, rugged and durable C7 Leafield two-piece, one-way valve. For those who want a sure fire, never fail system, the C7 Leafield valve and included pump made this the best inflation system of the group.
Boardworks SHUBU Raven
Designed for speed, glide and stability, the SHUBU (Show Up and Blow Up) Raven is the gazelle of the group. Inspired by Boardworks award winning Raven hardboard model, the 12’6” Raven Inflatable SUP is as smooth and graceful as it is durable and dependable. Designed with the same outline as the Raven hardboard with a tuned up rocker, this is the perfect inflatable SUP for touring, fitness paddling, racing, river running, and all-around cruising.
The pintail shape in the back improves maneuverability making it easy to turn when stepping back on the tail. Constructed with super-durable, extra light, rigid 6 inch dropstitch PVC material the SHUBU Raven is not only smooth in the water, but packs up easily in the included easy travel backpack. At 6 inch thick, you can inflate it anywhere from 14psi to 18psi to perform in the right way depending upon your water fueled adventure of choice. Simply put, the SHUBU Raven will help you fly through the water for years to come.