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Best Inflatable Paddle Boards Reviewed
If you haven’t given paddle boarding a try you are seriously missing out on one of the most pleasurable and fun water activities to date. When you try it, you’ll realize exactly why it is becoming one of the most popular water sport activities around the world.
If you have experienced paddle boarding, and fallen in love with like our team has, then we trust that you’ll find the right paddle board for you here! Along with providing great exercise, paddle boarding is also super addictive outdoor fun.
While stand-up paddle boards, or SUP’s, are more than a little addictive, they are anything but little in size. We’re talking over ten feet of paddle board that needs to be transported to and from the water, and secure storage can be a real issue at home.
Thankfully there is a great solution: purchasing an inflatable SUP board.
When you are searching for the best inflatable stand up paddle board for your next adventure it’s important that you get an SUP that will meet your expectations. Inflatable SUP boards make transporting and storing your paddle board really easy, but there are other features worth considering before you invest your hard-earned dollars.
Finding a balance between utility, durability, and ease of transport is really important. No one wants their inflatable SUP to fail unexpectedly, so obviously reliable build quality is crucial. In the long run, investing a little more into a quality product is going to save you from making a second purchase sooner than you’d like.
Check out our favorite inflatable paddle board
That’s why we reviewed 5 of today’s best inflatable stand up paddle boards. For all the important details, check out our full paddle board review below. And to help you find the best paddle board for your application, we assembled a list of important considerations. There is also a helpful comparison chart below if you want quick answers and information that is easy to digest.
Top Inflatable Paddle Board Comparison Chart
Best Inflatable Paddle Board
1. Roc Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board
Roc Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board
The Roc inflatable stand up paddle board has a striking design that comes in four distinct colors. This makes it a great choice for groups and families, or anyone that enjoys being able to pick the color of their board.
It’s incredible the amount added accessories come with this board and just one of the reasons why it is our top pick. These added items include a durable carry bag, sturdy paddle, removable tracking fin, and air pump. This whole set is easily storable and doesn’t take up much space.
When inflated, the board is surprisingly rigid, and holds up incredibly well with very little of the board going beneath the surface of the water. Despite that fact, it’s also extremely light and can easily be carried under a single arm to the water.
Paddling on the board is effortless and it manages to hold a surprising amount of weight while still remaining stable. The included accessories are also perfectly usable and the pump is surprisingly good as an included freebie.
The board is fantastic in the water and the accessories are great, making this a brilliant set for any beginner that wants to get into paddle boarding. The one minor complaint that we do have is with the included bag. For such a well-known brand, it’s not the most rugged carrying sack. You may want to consider a replacement carrying bag in the future if you’re worried about it.
It’s incredibly unusual to see reviewers consistently give any product a 5-star rating, particularly after thousands of reviews. But the ROC iSUP gets some of the best reviews on the internet, with solid ratings time and time again. Overall, we highly recommend this iSUP for anyone in the market.
2. TOWER Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board
TOWER Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board
The set also comes in three different colors, perfect if you want to coordinate it with your beachwear or if you want to get several for friends and family members. Unlike many cheaper kits (and even alternatives on this list) the pump is actually superb and works extremely well. We found ourselves using the manual pump instead of bringing out an electric one, making it incredibly convenient to inflate at the beach or near the water away from an outlet.
In terms of the board itself, the TOWER board is known by many as the “hard board mimicker” due to its sturdy construction that actually feels like a hard board. Of course, this is mostly advertising jargon but there is a little truth to the claims.
Obviously, an inflatable board isn’t going to feel exactly like a hard board. However, the TOWER does manage to hold an incredible amount of weight while still remaining balanced on the water. It’s even possible to surf on the TOWER paddle board, even if it might be a little difficult due to how strongly it sticks to the water.
Overall, the TOWER paddle board set ticks all the right boxes. The board itself is sturdy and durable, it rides extremely well on the water and the included accessories are top-notch. There’s little more that you could ask for given the asking price and any beginner or novice would be thrilled to use it.
3. Peak Expedition Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board Package
Peak Expedition Stand Up Paddle Board
When the SUP is deflated, the kit really allows for easy transportation of the entire set, making it easy to carry from your car to the water. And it only takes a couple of minutes to inflate. The accessories all match as well which is a nice added bonus!
Paddle boarding isn’t the toughest sport around but having a high-quality inflatable paddle board certainly makes the learning process easier. The board itself is surprisingly well-built, made from a tough 6” military grade PVC construction. The design is also very easy on the others and it’s easy to assemble.
Even when it’s inflated, you’ll find that the weight of the board is easy to carry under a single arm and the tether ropes are sturdy enough to keep all of your things in place. The board is even guaranteed for 30 days and Peak offers a 1-year warranty on materials. This gives you extra peace of mind should you want to push this board to its limits.
This paddle board is made for exploring! While it isn’t the most durable board on the list, it will go just about anywhere with a rugged landscape. It’s sleek grey base is offset with olive trim and logo which makes it the majority of our team’s favorite color scheme. Trust us when we say that this board is going to pop out on your Instagram feed.
4. SereneLife Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board
SereneLife Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board
The board has a high-quality non-slip deck that makes it very easy to stand and balance on. This makes it a great choice for anyone that is new to paddle boarding or for younger paddle boarders.
It’s surprisingly stable on the water even when you have a lot of weight on the board, making it suitable for all-around use such as fishing or even surfing. It also means that you could fit multiple people on the board thanks to its wide base.
The bungee cords are also great for holding down any items that you wish to take with you onto the water.
The SereneLife inflatable stand up board has been an excellent beginner’s pick for a long time, but the design does look a little outdated and boring compared to others. The included paddle is also a little heavy and feels unbalanced, so you likely won’t be using it very much.
Overall, we would recommend that you look for another paddle if you plan to use your SUP with any frequency. Besides that one minor weakness, it’s a brilliant paddle board set that you can easily improve with a couple of accessories such as the aforementioned paddle and an electric pump to take the work out of manually inflating it.
5. FB Sport Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard
FB Sport Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard
You’ll also get the standard accessory kit of a paddle, tracking fin, a manual pump and ankle leash. However, something to note with this paddle board kit is that the paddle is made of a lightweight alloy and it floats. This is actually a big positive given that most of the included paddles with these paddle board kits are somewhat heavy, unbalanced and difficult to use. The one with the FB Sport feels more akin to an expensive paddle, making it a fantastic included accessory.
The board itself sits really well on the water. It’s sturdy, balanced and can hold a surprising amount of weight for its size.
You also get a lot of bungee cords to hold your items and the grippy surface works surprisingly well. The fins are easy to attach and provide added stability on rough waters, and the board is surprisingly light which makes it easy to handle.
Many people have likened the board to a hard board when inflated correctly. We wouldn’t go as far to say it compares with a hard board, but we will admit that it’s one of the sturdier stand up paddleboards available.
The only minor issue we have is that the pump isn’t very good. This can easily be exchanged for a fast electric pump, so it’s not a deal-breaker. But if you’re expecting to just buy this set and take it out to the water, then be prepared for a workout when inflating the board. Otherwise, this set is perfect and we can’t find any glaring faults.
Top Inflatable Paddle Board Features To Consider
- Safety – Inflatable stand up paddle boards hold a distinct edge in the safety department when compared to their rigid counterparts. Eventually everyone falls while using a SUP at some point. Though inflatable SUP’s are very firm when properly inflated, they are much less prone to cause injury during a fall.
- Stability – Standing and paddling requires a fair amount of stability and balance, particularly on choppy or moving water. A wider ISUP is going to be more stable compared to a narrow paddle board.
- Tracking – Tracking with any SUP board just refers to the boat’s ability to stay on a straight line while paddling. Poor tracking means a lot of zig-zagging across the water. Paddle boards remedy this issue with the addition of one or more tracking fins on the belly of your SUP. More tracking fins translates into better tracking, so three is better than one. And don’t worry about packing away your inflatable SUP because nearly all ISUP’s feature removable tracking fins.
- Accessories – We highly recommend getting a SUP kit with all the included accessories rather than buying everything separately. You save money in the long run and have everything you need as soon as you hit the water. Not every kit is equal. Some paddles are lighter and better quality than others, so it is worthwhile to look over some of the details before you buy. Depending on how you plan on using your inflatable paddle board, some accessories and features might provide more benefit in your applications than others.