Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Factors You Should Know About the Different Types of SUPs

By Carole Jackson


If you want to get into the sport of paddleboarding, you have probably explored buying gear. Having your very own board can be expensive to purchase, but will end up costing less over time because you can prevent high equipment rental charges.

There are a variety of various paddleboard types you can purchase, including inflatable. Boards that are inflated have numerous advantages, but there are a couple of downsides. These kinds of boards are made with a particular person in mind who will value the advantages and not care about the drawbacks. Let's have a look at how they vary.

Portability

Inflatable SUPs can be deflated and delivered in a medium sized bag. This means that paddlers don't need to load a huge board on the top of their cars. They can additionally be carried on planes without requiring a significant fee usually charged for large travel luggage.

Since they can be rolled up into a smaller, more compact size, these boards can be conveniently secured in a car, transported on one's back and stowed without using up much space. Traditional fiberglass boards do not provide these advantages. People who have a board rack on their car, adequate storage area and no need to secure their boards while transporting them, this might not cause an issue.

Time Required to Inflate the Board

Inflatable boards normally require a manual hand pump to be inflated. This can take from 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the strength of the individual doing the inflating. Pumping air into a paddleboard takes work, and for some small women, it can be a workout. Fiberglass boards naturally do not require this added work, and some people prefer the convenience of not having to constantly inflate and deflate their equipment.

Maneuverability

The firmness of inflatable boards varies. In general, the less expensive boards have a lower psi inflation, and as a result are less firm. This means that they can bounce more in choppy water or waves. For novices, this can feel more unsteady. For people paddling on lakes or other flat water places, they may not be able to tell a distinction and therefore not care.

Typical boards can provide a more easy ride and increased maneuverability. Paddlers wanting a fast board that is much easier to turn and move (ie those who want to race or do a significant amount of workouts) are more likely to opt for a fiberglass board rather than the inflatable type, which are more designed to the recreational paddler or somebody thinking about yoga paddleboarding.

From my experience and research, inflatable paddleboards do not leak air frequently. That said, many models come with a patch kit just in case. These boards look and feel like a fiberglass board to people not knowledgeable about the different styles of boards, and many newbie buyers are more than satisfied at their performance.

When shopping, it is a good idea to compare the features of different equipment as well as costs, so you can get a board that you like.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment