5 Reasons Why Cheap Inflatable Paddle Boards Aren't Worth The Money

Thanks to the huge rise in the popularity of stand up paddle boarding, if you’re looking to buy an inflatable paddle board you now face what seems to be an almost endless choice of boards on the market. And what’s more, a huge range of prices.

At first glance the market can seem a bit bewildering. How can the prices vary so much? Surely a 10’6” foot inflatable paddleboardis a 10’6” foot inflatable paddleboard, right? Wrong!

Whilst it can be very tempting to opt for a cheaper board at the lower end of the market, in this piece we’re going to look at exactly why not all inflatable paddle boards are made equal.

So before you opt for that attractively priced (if not attractively looking) paddleboard here are some reasons it’s worth spending the extra on a quality SUP.

1. CONSTRUCTION & TECHNOLOGY

The majority of paddle boards at the lower end of the market use either single or double layer “dropstitch”, which refers to how the material that forms the top and bottom skin of the board is connected by threads, giving the board it’s shape and structure. Whilst light and easy to handle, single layer dropstitch construction produces a flimsy board with very little stiffness that is unable to be inflated to higher pressures. Double layer dropstitch is more durable and stiffer but with the disadvantage of being much heavier, harder to roll up when deflated and prone to cosmetic blemishes.