SUP Inflatables at Southampton Boat show 2021

SUP Inflatables at Southampton Boat show 2021

SUP Inflatables is excited to be at the Southampton Boatshow 2021, with our mission - TO TAKE THE HOT AIR OUT OF CHOOSING A PADDLEBOARD

Come talk to us!
We are very much looking forward to seeing you at the Southampton Boat Show 2021! If you're looking for a great SUP package or just great advice you can find us on stand W054 in the watersports zone on the west quay entrance to the Southampton Boat Show 

SUPInflatables.co.uk is the biggest inflatables paddleboard company in the UK, Holding the largest SUP inflatables stock.
At SUP inflatables we pride ourselves on the highest product knowledge allowing us to offer specific solutions to each individual customer!
Our top USP has always been our advice, offering full advice through our website and guidance over the phone.
We are very excited to be at the boat show to offer this same, great advice in person, We will be at the boat show for the whole of the 10 days with our mission to take the HOT AIR and Myth out of ‘How to choose a great quality paddleboard?’, explaining what dropstitch is! Why thickness and width are key to the weight and heights of riders and really focusing on getting everyone out on the water on great quality, stiff and durable boards.

 

 

What makes a paddleboard 'a paddleboard' not just a paddleboard shape...

 

SUP Inflatables has been selling watersports equipment since 1985 and is Red Paddle Co’s preferred retailer.  About 6 years ago we strove to offer all our customers an opportunity, where all brands on our website were the best.. (Not just OK).. As part of this grading system to allow us to decide which boards make it to our pages and which don’t, all our paddleboard brands have to make a 4.7 / 5 inch thick board in their all-round range, It's one of the ways we assess whether the board brand is high quality with high-density drop stitch. If the board brand only makes 4” & 6” inch thick boards it's a pretty quick way to see that the drop stitch isn’t what we call.. paddleboard dropstitch… so we stay well clear. 

Over the last couple of years, the task for the consumer to feel confident with their purchase has got harder, As the popularity of paddleboarding has sored, quite a few brands are unfortunately starting to exaggerate the truth on the performance and quality so to try to help out this is ....

SUP INFLATABLES -  QUICK TIP GUIDE TO CHOOSING A PADDLEBOARD 

No1. Check the brand is offering a 4.7/5 inch thick all-round board in their range, Check that the rider weight limit is at least 90kg and more like a 100+ and question the brand sales person if they are choosing to place you on a 6 inch thick all round board if you are under 13 stone.

No 2. Check the product can be inflated up to 20psi, If the brand is suggesting they can offer a stiff board at 15 psi and less, this is an exaggeration and the board will bend under a normal rider weight of 10 stone and above. The inflation of 15 psi and under also suggests the brand's confidence in their gluing technology is low.

No 3. Shape - This is just as important as inflation and dropstitch quality, If the widest point of the board is not next to the middle handle (where your feet will be positioned) and is in front (or behind) this means the board will lose stability, It also means the board will not go in a straight line as easily. At SUP inflatables we prefer the classic all-round boards NOT to have a point on the front as this takes the straight rail shape out of the board and often forces an odd design shape whereby the width is in front of the feet.

No 4. Rider height - Rider Height and width of the board are really important to allow riders to gain a straight down paddle stroke which in turn stops 'over reach', which in turn allows a board to go in a straight line and creates stability. This becomes more critical for shorter riders who also really struggle if a board is too wide as they just can't carry it as they don't have enough arm length and the board is shoved too far into their armpit.

We prefer to see riders on all-round and performance all round shapes..

under 5'5 on boards 31inch wide and less.

over 5'5 and up to 6ft+ on 32 wide boards

and riders over 6ft (and heavy riders) on 34 wide board

If a rider is branching into touring shapes we prefer to see riders ...

under 5'5 on boards 30 inch wide and less.

over 5'5 and 6ft+ 30 or 32 wide boards (depending on cargo, kids and dogs)

No 5. Weight of a rider  (and a little bit more detail about all-round shape) - It's super important that a rider under 13 stone is on a 4.7/5 inch thick board in the all-round range, once this rider moves up to a touring shape this does alter a bit but as most riders are entering into the sport with the desire for an easy to manoeuvre, all-round family board, let's stick to discussing this first...

Ideally, At SUP inflatables we would have most riders entering the sport on the classic 10'6 x 32 x 4.7 (5 inch) thick board. The reason? This is the optimum thickness, It allows the rider to have enough buoyancy in the board to be in the waterline but not so much thickness that the board bobs around like a cork, which causes instability when the wind picks up, this is especially important for riders under 12 stone. The 32 width is optimal for most riders to allow stability through the width of the whole board and not so wide that they can't get a straight down paddle stroke and the 10'6 length allows a straight rail without being too short or too long for too much or too little manoeuvrability. In short, the 10'6 x 32 x 4.7/5 inch thick board is perfect for most people and allows the consumer confidence in the brand as this shape consistently points to premium brands who are building high-quality boards.

No 6. kayak seats -  As much as a kayak seat seems like a good idea,  at the moment, the only brands that seem to offer this add on, are brands that use lower grade dropstitch and gluing technology, the kayak seat then becomes useful because the board isn't really designed to be stood on as there is too much flex in the board to allow a rider to stand up confidently for a long period of time without falling in.

Quick Tip Paddleboard Size Guide Chart

SUP inflatables size guide chart, A rough guide that will help most people find the right size board... but if you're still not sure.. Just come and ask the experts on stand W054!

Come talk to us
We are very much looking forward to seeing you at the Southampton Boat Show 2021! If you're looking for a great SUP package or just great advice you can find us on stand W054 in the watersports zone on the west quay entrance to the Southampton Boat Show