Inflatable stand up paddle boarding is one of the sports that have known a major appeal in the last decade. People of all ages and backgrounds can easily pick this friendly water sport and get themselves everything they need to hit the water in no time since inflatable SUPs come in some great all-inclusive packages.
The thing about these inflatable standup paddle boards is that they are more versatile than any hard board could ever dream to be. Not only that, they also come in every imaginable shape and size to suit different skill levels and water activities.
In this review today, we’re going to introduce a list of the best inflatable SUP for surfing that we like and appreciate the most.
So if you’re looking for a good surfing SUP board, you’re pretty much in the right place.
Best Inflatable SUP for Surfing Reviews
Six might seem a little limited given the number of SUPs out there under tens or maybe hundreds of brand names. However, that’s not the point; these 6 boards which will talk about in this review happen to be super popular and highly praised by the majority of surfing enthusiasts who have tried them.
Now without further ado; let’s get started with our first Surfing iSUP on the list.
Red Paddle Co Whip 8’10” iSUP
This is a brand that doesn’t need to be introduced. We can confidently say that the Red Paddle Co is one of the best and most prestigious brands ever. They showed an unbelievable dedication and innovation during this last decade and they were able to make some of the most outstanding SUPs in the market.
For this review, we’re going to introduce two surfing boards by the Red Paddle Co; the Whip as the title suggests and the Ride which we’ll see next. Now the Whip is 8 feet and 10 inches long, 29 inches wide and almost 4 inches thick. To make things clear, this board is an inflatable one unlike the previous board by BIC Sport. The Whip is built to be easily transported and carried around with users who like to travel a lot kept in mind. Also, it is meant for light weight riders with whatever skill level they got because this surfing board is an actual bliss being so easy to control and maneuver.
The Whip is a total badass regardless of its small size. The fact that Red Paddle Co wanted to make a transportable board doesn’t mean in any way that quality or durability could be compromised.
On the contrary, the Whip is built using heavy duty PVC material that made it extremely tough. Red Paddle Co promises that a truck or tractor can ran over their boards without leaving a scratch behind them and that’s actually true. These boards are very strong and resilient given the fact that they’re inflatable.
Not only that; there is the patented RSS batten system that helps making Red Paddle Co’s boards super-stiff for maximum maneuverability. And if you add the rounded nose to this equation, you’ll get a board that can conquer white waters, flat waters and waves.
Moving on to features and packaging, the Red Paddle Co Whip is given one removable large fin, 2 D-rings, a central carry handle, an embossed deck pad and a raised kick pad. These are the main features given to pretty much any inflatable board; the only difference here is that Red Paddle Co is too good when it comes to the quality of details; everything is sharp with a super high end production.
Last but not least, the Whip’s package includes an awesome wheeled backpack, a repair kit, an HP hand pump, a water-resistant phone case, a fin and RSS battens.
Red Paddle Co Ride 9’8” iSUP
The name Ride is an actual boards’ line with 3 different sizes, and the 9’8” is the smallest which makes it best suited for light weight riders. The Ride is 31 inches wide and 4 inches thick with 210 lbs for weight capacity.
This is another great surfing paddle board by Red Paddle Co and users agreed that it’s one hell of a versatile board that can take on different water conditions and circumstances. It’s a stable board that’ll offer a great deal of control and maneuvering ability as it could be one of the best surfing SUP boards for entry level paddlers.
The features on this surfing board are similar to the rest of inflatable standup paddle boards; they include a nice front storage area with 6 D-rings and a bungee cord, a D-ring on the tail for leash attachment and another D-ring on the nose for toeing. Also, there is Red Paddle Co’s embossed traction pad that’s raised at the end to make taking quick step back turns and maneuvers more fun.
Moreover, the Ride is featured with a trio-fin system where all the fins are molded into the board. These fins are flexible and not easy to damage as they won’t cause you any trouble while packing the deflated board. Furthermore, they’re built in a way to prevent breaking in case of collision with rocks in shallow waters.
The material used to build the Ride is as good and durable as mentioned earlier while speaking about the Whip. It’s only logical when you find that all Red Paddle Co boards’ owners are happy with their boards and their performance. The Ride could last you years and years of intensive use keeping its shape and rugged feel. And to make the Ride even stiffer and tougher, this one too comes with the innovational RSS battens to match the rest of Red Paddle Co’s board.
To end this part of the review, the Ride comes in a package that includes a repair kit, a titan pump, a water resistant phone case and a wheeled backpack that’s durable and good looking.
NRS Whip iSUP
NRS is one of our favorite brands to be honest; the ideology behind this brand and the way they run things is just something different. Bill Parks, the founder and president of NRS Company, is a passionate outdoors enthusiast who had enough will to start his own company and make the best and perfect inflatable standup paddle board along with other products to fulfill his desire to use a product that’s up to his expectations.
The NRS’s board we chose to feature on our best inflatable surfing SUPs review is the outstanding NRS Whip iSUP which comes in 2 sizes; the Whip 7’.8” and the 8’.4”. The Whip is a strong and rigid surfing board that’s featured with a great traction pad which covers 2 thirds of its back.
On the pad, there are 3 carry handles to help you either transport the board when it’s fully inflated or hold on to it one in the water.
Next, there are 2 D-rings on the NRS Whip; one for safety leash attachment and an additional one to be used as needed. The navigation system is pretty good as well; it consists of 3 Removable, interchangeable, nylon-reinforced plastic fins that’ll let you customize your setup as they’ll absorb impacts without breaking.
And to prevent accidental over-inflation; the NRS Whip is given a pressure relieve valve right next to the Leafield D7 inflation/deflation valve. You can inflate this board up to 20 psi which makes me personally think about how amazing it is to witness a soft piece of PVC material turning almost completely solid you’d have difficulties deciding whether this board is an authentic or inflatable one; it’s thanks to the heavy duty PVC material used to build this boards, the drop stitch technology and the fusing and gluing process that put everything together as one whole piece.
The NRS Whip is a very sporty SUP that’s also a great surfing board that is super popular among whitewater surfers for its rigidity and durability. It’s also super maneuverable given its sizes and shape which will allow even a beginner to get on board easily for the first time. You can do more with this board actually; you can take it with you the water park, play yoga or just chill around on the beach or lake.
Hala Gram iSUP
The Hala Gram looks nothing like the previous SUPs; it’s given an innovative and futuristic nut design that’s fun and very attractive.
As far as the brand is concerned, the Gala Gram believes that inflatables are the future and they want to provide ultimate access to this friendly sport that doesn’t require much but has a lot to offer.
Also, the ideology behind this brand as its founder Peter Hall puts is that water is meant for us to play on it and that standup paddle boarding is worth leaving your desk for couple hours and relax your whole body and mind.
Now enough spirituality and let’s get to what brings you here. The Hala Gram River/Ocean Surfer is a really neat board with a great traction pad that covers the its back almost completely. It’s a super soft and rugged pad which are qualities that every traction pad need to have.
Moreover, the pad has a Foot index that’s a “small, centralized rectangle so you can easily step your foot back to the center of the board without ever taking your eyes off the water”.
Furthermore, the Hala Gram is featured with a 1.5” stomp pad that’ll allow you an accurate control and maneuverability of your board.Next, you’ll find a nice and rigid central carry handle for easy transportation and 2 other ones on each end plus the safety leash attachment D-ring.
The one more feature that we need to talk about is the navigation system which is a game changer when it comes to surfing. The River/Ocean Surfer comes with 5 fins that are all removable and durable; the central fin is an 8” flex fin while the other side ones are 4” bite click fins.
Now what made us put the Hala Gram on this list is the amazing quality and end production it happens to have. This board is made of 2 layers heavy duty PVC material using Core Construction technology where the second layer of liquid PVC material is poured on over the raw drop stitch material to create the smoothest and most resistant outer shell.
Not only that; the slim rails, the swallow tail and the full rocker are all qualities that define a good surfing board and make it a super responsive one which is a huge priority if you’re going to be rocking whitewaters or ocean waves.
Finally, the package of the Hala Gram is a great as the board itself; it includes a super tough backpack, a hand pump, a car pump and a repair it. It’s true that the paddle would’ve been a nice add but the car pump is something you won’t find somewhere else.
Starboard WHOPPER 9’5″ iSUP
This is what you get when a world windsurfing champion designs his own brand; the Starboard. Svein Rasmussen, being an Olympic competitor, simply thought that it’s best if he comes up with a boards’ line that he’ll love and enjoy. He started this project of his back in 1994 and today we have this WHOPPER surfing board to blow our minds along with many others.
The Whooper is 9 feet and 5 inches long, 33 inches wide and 4.4 inches thick. It’s a board that can handle up to 100 kg for a rider and it’s a hard one. That being said, the Whopper is made of either high density Balsa heart from Ecuadorian sustainable plantations covers the entire hull for incredible impact resistance and durability over time (BLUE CARBON TECHNOLOGY), multiple layers of fiberglass of different densities and A layer of 0.6mm Australian pine or High-density (STARLITE TECHNOLOGY) or impact-resistant EVA thermoformed foam and high quality fiberglass (ASAP TECHNOLOGY).
These 3 versions of the same board are a reflection of how dedicated the team behind Starboard is. Whatever version you plan on choosing is of super high quality, professionalism and incredible end production. The thing about this Whopper board is that it’s probably the best simulation of an actual surfing SUP board except that you can do a lot more with it. The fact that it’s 30 wide means that it’s not only good or meant for surfing; it would be great for some touring, recreational paddling and of course whitewaters, flat water and more… to sum it up, one can simply say that the Whopper is one of the most versatile SUP boards anyone could lay hands on.
Now the features are pretty basic here; there’s a central carry handle, an awesome traction EVA pad with a neat raise at the end for more control using your foot, plus a D-ring for safety leash attachment.
That’s it for the “basic” part, the rest is all sophisticated and dope. The Whopper’s comes with a nose kick to avoid choppy waves and keep the smooth glide.
Also, there is the configuration of fins with 2 side fins being fixed and the central one being large and removable. The back here is wide and rounded while the front is given a flat bridge where the rider is standing and both these features are meant to improve stability.
The rails as well are made fine and sharp to get you through the waves nicely and easily with REAR V for more reactivity when turning in pivot support on the back of the board. Basically and frankly; the Starboard left us nothing to complain about and we’re so glad that this is how we close our Best SUPs for surfing Review.
We’re aware that they’re other surfing iSUPs/SUPs that are worth mentioning but maybe till next time. As for now, thank you for reading and we’re sure to keep you updated whenever we get our hands on more great boards.
BIC Sport Performer Tough 9’2″ SUP
You guessed right! This is the same famous pen brand that’s been around for decades. The name BIC is from the family’s name Bich who were passionate enough about water sports to create their own brand; the BIC Sport. Starting in 1979; BIC Sport have known a tremendous growth over the years and it became the world leader in windsurf manufacture in the late 80’s. Later on, the company took on new projects that included surf, kayak, junior racing dinghies and most recently, Stand Up Paddle boarding (SUP).
The surfing board we chose for this review is the Performer Tough that’s 9 feet and 2 inches long, 31 inches wide and 4.3 inches thick. This board is meant for one rider only and it can handle up to 180 lbs. Now if you look at the nose you’ll notice that the board becomes thinner at that area and that’s the best way to make it sharp and reduce water resistance for the smoothest surfing experience possible.
The Performer Tough is featured with 5 fins; one of which is large and central while the remaining 4 are smaller as they’re all removable. Such a navigation system will improve your board’s performance immensely and make it track super straight and smooth.
Another feature is the traction pad which is an iconic aspect when it comes to this friendly water sport. The pad here is an embossed EVA pad that covers more than half the board’s back and it’s very grippy and soft at the same time for a safe and comfortable ride where everything is under control.
Next, there is a central molded handle that’ll allow you to carry the board around single handedly and you’ll also find a D-ring on the board’s tail for safety leash attachment. Moreover, BIC Sport didn’t forget to dedicate a little front area for storage with 2 molded attachment points and a bungee cord to secure your belongings.
Now what really matters is the build quality and durability of this board. BIC Sports built the Performer using Tough-Tech Construction which is a technology meant to create a board with maximum durability levels. The Performer is a molded SUP board that’s light weight thanks to the watertight EPS foam core which is known for its stiffness and resilience.
On the outside, the Performer is given a polyethylene shell that’ll resist extreme impact and shocks with an integrated rail guard for added durability.
This is obviously not an inflatable SUP but it’s a great board for surfing and that’s the point behind this review. One more last thing is that the Performer Tough by BIC Sport is designed with beginners and first timers in mind. If you’re more experienced you could get yourself the same board but larger and more suited for advanced kill levels.
