Facts You Should Know About the Different Styles of SUPs

By Jodie Palmer


If you are looking to get into the sport of paddleboarding, you have probably explored buying equipment. Having your own board can be costly to purchase, but will wind up costing less in the long run since you can prevent high equipment rental costs.

There are several various paddleboard styles you can buy, one of which is inflatable. Inflatable boards provide several advantages, however, there are a couple of downsides too. These kinds of boards are created with a certain person in mind who will value the benefits and not care about the downsides. Let's have a look at how they are different.

Portability

Inflatable SUPs can be deflated and delivered in a medium sized bag. This means that people don't need to load a big board on the top of their cars. They can additionally be carried on airplanes without requiring a significant fee generally charged for oversized baggage.

Because they can be rolled up into a smaller, more compact size, these boards can be easily secured in a car, transported on one's back and stowed without using up much area. Conventional fiberglass boards do not offer these advantages. Nevertheless, people who have a roof rack on their vehicle, ample storage area and no need to lock their equipment while transporting them, this may not be an issue.

Time Needed to Pump up the Board

Inflatable boards typically need a manual hand pump to be pumped up. This can take between 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the power of the individual doing the inflating. Pumping air into a paddleboard takes work, and for some small ladies, it can be a chore. Fiberglass boards naturally do not require this added work, and some people prefer the convenience of not having to constantly pump up and deflate their equipment.

Maneuverability

The firmness of inflatable boards varies. In general, the cheaper boards have a lower psi inflation, and for that reason are less firm. This means that they can bounce more in rough water or surf. For newbies, this can feel more unstable. For people paddling on lakes or various other flat water places, they might not be able to tell a distinction and as a result not care.

Traditional boards can offer a more easy trip and increased maneuverability. Paddlers wanting a fast board that is simpler to turn and move (ie those who wish to race or do a significant amount of workouts) are more likely to choose a fiberglass board instead of the inflatable kind, which are more tailored towards the recreational paddler or somebody thinking about yoga paddleboard classes.

From my experience and research, inflatable paddleboards do not leak air very often. That said, many models come with a patch kit just in case. These boards appear and feel like a hard board to people not familiar with the various types of boards, and a lot of newbie buyers are more than satisfied at how they do.

When shopping, it is a good idea to compare the features of different items along with costs, so you can get an SUP that you enjoy.




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