Paddle boards have been around for a while, but they’ve only been picking up mainstream popularity over the last few years. So, a lot of people automatically go for solid material options that are costly, somewhat heavy, and require a bit of love and care. After all, the word “inflatable” usually makes people think of low-quality balloons.

Rest assured, that’s not the case with inflatable paddle boards. In fact, they not only match traditional options extremely well in performance, but they also have several key benefits a lot of sup enthusiasts don’t know about.

Let’s go over why you should keep an inflatable paddle board on your shortlist.

1: Price

Inflatable paddle boards are less expensive than ones made of bamboo or polymer. They require less material, and it’s easier to manufacture them. However, that doesn’t mean they’re cheap or unreliable. In fact, modern materials make them just as trustworthy as any other option when you purchase them from a reputable supplier.

2: Portability

Most sups are more than ten feet long. Unless you have an SUV or other vehicle meant for transporting sporting equipment, that can be a problem. Can you imagine strapping a 10’6” board to the roof of your tiny Mazda?

Inflatable paddle boards can be deflated, rolled up, easily stored in any vehicle, and then reinflated when you get to the water. This means that whether you drive a big truck, a tiny two-seater, or even if you take the bus, you can transport your inflatable sup without any problems.

This also makes them extremely lightweight. Deflated, these sups are comparable to a backpack of basic camping supplies when it comes to weight. So, even people who aren’t sporting bodybuilder muscles can carry them long distances.

Beyond that, they can fit into carrying bags that are much easier to carry down hills, over rocks, and through wooded areas than solid models.

3: Grippy Surface

Most solid models rely on wax or other consumables to keep their tops from being too slippery. Even with a proper wax job, a beginner might feel like they’re ice skating.

Inflatable paddle boards are naturally a lot grippier because of the rubber they’re made out of. It’s like walking on an air mattress, but the material is a lot more durable.

4: Beginner Friendly

All of these traits come together to create the most noteworthy benefit of inflatable paddle boards; they’re beginner-friendly. The price of even the highest quality inflatable paddle boards makes it a low-commitment purchase in case beginners lose interest, they’re far more portable than other options, and they’re a bit grippier.

For someone just getting into using a sup, inflatable paddle boards are the best option out there, and they’re great options for experienced riders, too. Since they’re cost-effective, reliable, and highly portable, they make awesome backup boards for when transporting a solid board isn’t a possibility.

Buy the Best

Of course, none of these benefits matter if you buy something that’s not high-quality. Luckily, with inflatable paddle boards, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good one. You just need a reputable supplier.