5 Myths concerning SUP Boards

Inflatable Stand-Up Paddle Boards (ISUPs) were given a bad reputation right from the start. This bad reputation was created by social media and people who had never set foot on an ISUP before in their lives. We thought it was time to uncover this stigma.

But before we go into the myths of the ISUPs, we want to give you some facts about today’s modern ISUPs. The latest generation of inflatable paddle boards is at the limits of what is possible in terms of construction and design. Nowadays more and more SUP paddlers change from traditional, hard (epoxy, fiberglass and carbon) boards to inflatable boards. The inflatable paddle boards are more realistic and adapt better to the needs and lifestyle of today’s SUP paddlers. They are also more comfortable to your budget.

Myth # 1: Inflatable paddle boards are for beginners only.
It’s true. It’s true. ISUPs can be an excellent choice for beginners. But they are also a good option for advanced paddlers and professionals. Overall, it depends on what you use the SUP for. If you intend to use your SUP exclusively on lakes, bays, the sea, rivers or even white water, then the ISUP is your best choice, no matter what your skill level is.

Myth #2: ISUP are hard to inflate and waste too much time. On average, an ISUP takes no more than 5 minutes to inflate. Here’s all you need to do:

Connect your hand pump or electric pump to the valve.
Inflate it until you reach the PSI recommended for the ISUP.
Close the valve and you can explore the shimmering water!
If you would stop the time it takes someone to load the board into the car until it is actually in the water, you would see that the ISUP always wins.

And here’s the reason: getting ready for the beach:
Just throw a packed ISUP in the trunk or the back seat, it’s no bigger than a sleeping bag, and you’re ready to go.
You first have to carry a hard board to the car, carefully lay it on the roof and then fasten your seat belt. In addition, you have to drive even slower because you have the huge board on the roof. Just the time it takes to strap the SUP to the roof, someone with an ISUP would be 5 – 10 minutes ahead of you. When you arrive at the beach, someone with an ISUP only needs 5 minutes to blow it up and throw it into the water while you’re still unbuckling the board from the roof.

Myth #3: ISUPs aren’t as durable as hard boards, but the fact is that today’s ISUPs are much more durable. They are super durable and can withstand even bigger shocks without damage. An ISUP can be moved as often as you want across the parking lot and will not suffer any real damage. Even if you throw it down from the 20th floor, your ISUP will survive. However, the hard SUP will need some repairs. The same goes for rocks in the water. ISUPs are indestructible!

Myth #4: ISUPs are not success-oriented paddle boards Admittedly, hard SUPs have a greater performance-based capability than ISUPs. We made a speed comparison, ISUP vs. SUP, and in fact found only a 5% difference. But if you go for whitewater paddling performance, the ISUP wins any time. An ISUP does much easier in the waves. You can also fish or do yoga on an ISUP at any time. In summary, an ISUP can do everything a board can do, but both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Myth # 5: ISUPs are more expensive than hard paddle boards. ISUPs are in most cases cheaper than SUPs. On average you can expect a price difference of a few hundred Euros. As a beginner, the ISUP is the right purchase for this reason alone.