Inflatable stand up paddle boards were, until fairly recently, considered to be a second-rate choice — the kind of board someone might buy if they were working with an especially tight budget or weren’t sure if they’d be paddle boarding for the long haul. That’s all changed in the last few years.
Inflatable stand up paddle boards — iSUPs — have become stronger, better, and more versatile. They’re more convenient and flexible than rigid paddle boards in many cases. Are they also just as durable?
Unless you’re buying a cheap inflatable paddle board, in a place like Walmart, you’ll be spending at least $900 to get yourself a serious SUP. For that kind of money, you’ll want to know that your inflatable paddle board will last you. What’s the functional lifespan of semi-pro inflatable paddle boards these days?
Well, that depends on a few factors — the quality of the board, how much use it gets, and how well the inflatable SUP is maintained.
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High-Quality Inflatable SUPs Last Longer
Understanding how the inflatable paddle board you already have, or the iSUP you’re currently toying with buying, works goes a long way toward understanding the factors that impact its lifespan.
Inflatable SUPS are sewn together using dropstitch patterns that essentially create strong netting to hold the top and bottom layers in place, rendering the board strong, firm, and reliable when the user inflates it. To protect these inner workings and ensure that the inflatable stand up paddle board is watertight, layers of plastic (almost always PVC) are added.
The life expectancy of your iSUP partially depends on:
- The quality of the construction.
- The number of PVC layers the SUP has — usually at least two, while high-quality SUPs have three or four PVC layers.
- The quality of the PVC used in the construction of the inflatable paddle board.
- The way in which the PVC layers were applied to the iSUP. Some are glued on, which doesn’t just make the iSUP heavier but also runs the risk that the layers will detach over time, especially when exposed to hotter temperatures. High-quality iSUPs are laminated, which makes the paddle board more durable.
Now, you don’t always get what you pay for; paying more doesn’t automatically mean your iSUP will last longer, or that it’s premium quality. Buying a high-end inflatable SUP from a reputable manufacturer does tend to be associated with durability, though, and if you’re in doubt, check how long the warranty is. Longer warranties mean better SUPs.
Taking Good Care of your iSUP Greatly Impacts its Lifespan
Inflatable stand up paddle boards are just like any other consumer product in this regard, whether we’re talking about cars, tattoos, or stand up mixers. To get a good product that’ll last, you have to choose a reputable manufacturer, which invariably means being willing to pay a premium price. That’ll get you off to a great start, but unless you take great care of your product, it won’t last nearly as long or serve you nearly as well.
The top mistakes that stand up paddle boarders make to send their really good iSUPs to an early grave include:
- Leaving an inflatable SUP inflated for long periods of time, even when they’re not being used. This risks punctures and causes the PVC to deteriorate much more quickly.
- Leaving your iSUP out in the sun is especially bad news.
- Failing to clean your inflatable stand up paddle board after you’re done with it. Dirt and salt water need to be rinsed off to make your inflatable SUP last longer.
- Storing your iSUP when it’s still wet is another common mistake that will cut its lifespan short.
- When you get your inflatable SUP, take the weight limit the manufacturer recommends into account. Going over it is going to make your SUP last far less long.
Using Your iSUP More Often Makes it Wear Out Faster
There’s no surprise here, right? No matter how high quality they may be, the iSUPs in rental shops, which are used intensely on a daily basis, and often by new SUPers, are going to wear out years faster than a high-quality iSUP reserved solely for personal use.
Paddle boarders who use their inflatable SUPs nearly every day may get just as much use out of their SUP as those who paddle board just once a week, but that’s going to unfold over a much shorter time span.
The way in which you use your inflatable SUP plays into this principle as well; flatwater paddling or SUP yoga won’t be as hard on your board as whitewater paddle boarding.
A Final Word: How Long Will Your Inflatable SUP Last?
If you’re buying a high-quality board from a reputable manufacturer, and you take great care of it, you can expect your iSUP to last you at least five years, and perhaps much longer. To get the most out of your inflatable SUP:
- Always clean it, allow it to dry, and deflate your iSUP when you’re done using it.
- Don’t inflate your iSUP to a higher PSI than the manufacturer recommends.
- Don’t exceed the weight limit the manufacturer recommends.
Sticking to flatwater and practicing stationary activities like yoga on your iSUP will make it last longer, as indeed does using your inflatable SUP less often — but we’re not going to tell you to refrain from enjoying your SUP. You’ve got it, so use it. Just take good care of your iSUP, and you’re good to go.
Your average high-quality iSUP can, with average use — meaning once or twice a week, and on calmer and safer waters — last you 10 years, or even more, and only time will tell how long the best inflatable SUPs being manufactured right now can last. Who knows? You may even pass your premium iSUP onto a grandchild one day.
Knowing this, don’t sweat the expected lifespan of your iSUP too much; simply choose the best inflatable paddle board you can get and maintain it meticulously.
If you need some examples, here’s our guide to the best inflatable SUPs.
