they look like fun and more of the way to go in the bop racing style imo. safer and your not going to trash your $2000 plus board

it's a debatable subject inflatables

however, is it worth getting one or waiting till the technology gets better or are they as good as they are going to be now

Recently had the Naish inflatables in Sth Oz for a demo day. Had around 40 paddlers try them in small surf & it was smiles & laughs alround.
Everyone was surprised at the performance level that these boards offered, certainly the way to go for bop style racing if we want to attract more people to the sport.
Would be great to see them in all the clubs around the country. Cheers, Fuzz

Geez lacey I knew you went through some boards. But ease up on your inflatable selling section mate.

Beau was only 30seconds behind all the 14 ft hard boards in the 5 km race here the other day and he was on a 12'6 inflatable! !! I would hate to see the sport go that way though.

I think my next board will be 'The One' Naish 12'6" inflatable.

Is the new pump available yet?

DJ

My Naish One rocks so much so that I bought my lady another one so we don't have to share. We travel with these puppies and 3 piece QB paddles without any hassle. At 11kgs they are very luggage friendly and fit for purpose. IMO ISUPs are evolving so much and I believe they will pick up reasonable market share in years to come cause they are so darn convenient when touring or space constrained.

paul.j said..

Beau was only 30seconds behind all the 14 ft hard boards in the 5 km race here the other day and he was on a 12'6 inflatable! !! I would hate to see the sport go that way though.

As Lacey says, just for BOP and I'd certainly rather see the sport go towards inflatables with the freedom of design and brand rather than a one design format that assumes (incorrectly) that everyone is equal on the same board.

PS. Very close to pulling the trigger on getting one. No, not Naish One, the other one.

Why not amture race inflatable and when you are ready you step in to hard boards for pro division? I still don't like it though.

PTWoody said...
PS. Very close to pulling the trigger on getting one. No, not Naish One, the other one.

Me too. Great for the family too. Starboard for me.

billboard said...

paul.j said...
! I would hate to see the sport go that way though.

Why ? Dont you sell them !

Yep I sell them and have also raced some pretty big races on them which is why I wield hate to see it go that way. It cool but not for all

faito anto said..

It would be great to have an inflatable demo day, where one could demo inflatables of the established mainstream brands (Starboard, Naish, Fanatic etc) and also the premium inflatable specialist brands (Red Paddle Co, Uli etc)

sunny coast sup club has bought 10 inflatables through a grant recently aquired. Naish, starboard, hobie, red paddle co are the brands we have. if you come up to our lake days your welcome to demo.

cheers

DavidJohn said..

husq2100 said..

anyone that thinks the elite guys should be on inflatables as the board class for bop really isnt thinking about the sport as a whole and how appeals to spectatotrs and sponsors.....

DJ, If you have a spare tyre for your car that is easily accessible, you could make up and adaptor to fill the SUP. Just go to the servo and fill your spare up to say 50psi and then dump down to 30psi. Id be happy to put 65psi in my 4x4 spare.

what psi do the inflatables run to?

Hmmm.. not a bad idea..

12-18 psi.. The new Redair boards can go up to 25.

DJ

hmmm, well given the volume, depending on the tyre, you may not get enough "extra" in even under pressure (remember more pressure in the same size cylinder = more volume at a lesser pressure) ....but it isnt hard to find something to fill and set up a regulator and filler....

PTWoody said..

husq2100 said..

anyone that thinks the elite guys should be on inflatables as the board class for bop really isnt thinking about the sport as a whole and how appeals to spectatotrs and sponsors.....

While not necessarily disputing whether the elite end of the sport should or should not be restricted by board construction techniques, I do question how inflatable boards would make a jot of difference to spectators who just want to see action on the water. Smashed carbon doesn't make the event any more appealing but fearless competitive racing does. As far as the sponsors go, who are you referring to here? The board companies or lifestyle brands who choose to associate with the sport?

ill pose a question for you, and try to think about it from a non sup'r perspective.... would you take any other paddle sport as being elite if they were on inflatables craft


image is everything....

husq2100 said..

PTWoody said..

husq2100 said..

anyone that thinks the elite guys should be on inflatables as the board class for bop really isnt thinking about the sport as a whole and how appeals to spectatotrs and sponsors.....

While not necessarily disputing whether the elite end of the sport should or should not be restricted by board construction techniques, I do question how inflatable boards would make a jot of difference to spectators who just want to see action on the water. Smashed carbon doesn't make the event any more appealing but fearless competitive racing does. As far as the sponsors go, who are you referring to here? The board companies or lifestyle brands who choose to associate with the sport?

ill pose a question for you, and try to think about it from a non sup'r perspective.... would you take any other paddle sport as being elite if they were on inflatables craft


image is everything....

White water rafting?

But yeah, look I take your point.

joe blow pro trys to climb a 6' wave but loses it. hardcore amateur is right behind him and cops the board right in the head. splits his melon in two and died instantly.

can't see the spectators and sponsors being interested in that.

the sport can't afford a serious injury little lone a death. just look the surf live saving movement.

i think it has to be for bop style races. the paddles are a weapon enough already.

paddlers are completely zoned in on racing not about what or where the other paddler is. aussie races tend to be in surf

would you want to be the guy or gal who cause a major incident

At our recent state round in Denmark a competitor had fallen off a wave, came up, looked back only to see another competitor at the top of a wave bail shooting their board forward. The board was heading directly for them and there was no way to get out if the way, it was only by a matter of luck they were able to slightly turn and not cop the pointy end of a 14" board directly in the spine. It ended up leaving a very large bruise approx 5cm from their spine and very stiff and sore immediately after and the next day.

SUP WA are now looking into grants similar to those the Sunshine Coast club received to purchase a fleet of inflatable race boards.