What’s Up in the World of Inflatable SUPs?

Getting yourself an inflatable outdoor stand-up paddle-board (SUP) is a great idea if you’re a beginner, intermediate SUPer or you just want to try out a few different disciplines and have some fun. These boards are super easy to use as inflation takes no more than 5 minutes and deflation is even quicker. In fact, compared to solid boards, you’ll actually be ready in less time with an inflatable one as detaching a solid board from a roof rack takes more time.

Another thing that makes these outdoor inflatables convenient is the fact that they can be rolled up to the size of a sleeping bag which means that they can easily be stored anywhere and you can easily take one with you when going on a trip. Price wise, even the high end, advanced SUPs are generally cheaper than conventional hard boards. The fact that you can find high-quality outdoor inflatables of this type (for about a few hundred dollars) renders this hobby very affordable, yet, so much fun.

Now that you know a little bit more about these boards in general, let’s go into more detail regarding the different features and types. There different size option available depending on what exactly the board will be used for and the height and weight of the user.
The basic SUPs intended for beginners have a fairly wide, flat profile. They are also called planning boards and are intended for gentle paddling.

Boards that are meant for more experienced users feature a narrow tail and a wide nose and are able to provide a smooth and stable ride over waves. As they have more fins compared to flat water SUPs, you’ll need more skill in order to control one of these boards.

The inflatable SUPs used for yoga, are long, wide and thick. They offer a large surface area which renders them very stable. Since they are specifically designed for performing challenging yoga poses on them, they are fitted with anti-slip traction pads.

The racer SUPs are designed for speed. That is precisely why they are quite light and nimble – this way they can cut through the water easily and the user can handle them with ease. They don’t provide a high level of stability as other types so don’t consider them as a starting point.

The fishing SUPs offer plenty of space so that the user can secure their tackle, rods and fishing gear. Stability over speed is the motto of these boards. An alternative would be the inflatable fishing kayaks.