Today, sapboarding can be considered almost the most popular sport and recreation on the water. Mass events, competitions and festivals on sup-surfing are held not only in summer, but also in winter. Russia hosts interesting events and celebrates the 4th of July – the Sapboarding Day. Thanks to the promotion of this type of recreation in the masses you have the opportunity to spend time in the fresh air and meet new like-minded people. If you are new to SUP-boarding we can help you in our articles to understand the terminology and teach you how to choose the right equipment.
Inflatable, rigid, single-ply, double-ply,…how do they differ from each other? Which board should I choose? If we speak in plain language, following the logic, you can understand that the inflatable board can be blown, folded into a bag and put away for storage, but with hard to do this will not work. Agree to travel with a board that fits in the backpack is much more convenient, to make air travel or throw in the trunk of the car, and if necessary, inflate. As for the rigid board, it will not fit in every car or will require the installation of the trunk for transportation. For such moments, there are inflatable car roof racks, but it is better to drive carefully and not to exceed the speed limit, so that your board does not fly away on its own solo trip down the freeway. We won’t even list a number of inconveniences you’ll have to deal with when transporting a hard board by air, from buying a new travel case to handling oversized luggage.
Many people believe that rigid boards are more maneuverable and faster. Yes, that fact is not to be disputed. However, thanks to the development of technology, modern inflatable boards are not inferior in parameters. On the basis of this, of course, if you do not participate in any world competitions in this discipline, then feel free to take an inflatable SUP-board.
Even among the rocky beaches inflatable SUP-board will show itself better than the hard because of the impact resistant PVC material and the bumper safety, thanks to which it is difficult to puncture. Drawing an analogy with the rigid board, you can leave a chip or dent, just putting it on the asphalt, so these boards are better to use on beaches with sand. As we understood from the previous paragraphs, inflatable boards win in almost every way, so let’s break down the layers.
Single layer SUP board
The so-called insides of a sapboard consist of Drop Stitch material (high pressure chamber). This material is similar to 2 layers of PVC fabric connected by a huge amount of nylon threads, which do not allow the top and bottom parts to inflate into a ball shape, and as the air pressure inside the chamber increases, it becomes more and more rigid, similar to non-inflatable boards. With single layer boards, the high pressure chamber is covered with a single layer of PVC fabric. This makes the board lighter and less rigid. Aqua Marina SUP boards with DROP STITCH LIGHT high pressure chamber technology combined with proprietary high frequency welding technology are the best value for money on the market with the best stiffness and weight on the board.
Single ply boards are great for personal use. If you are planning occasional trips on calm water or in very small waves, single ply boards are great for this purpose. Modern technology allows you to ride on the water on lightweight boards. Aqua Marina’s large line of sup-boards provides a choice of boards for all riders and types of bodies of water.
Double Layer SUP Board
In the case of the double-layer board, the Drop Stitch material is coated with two layers of PVC inside and outside. The technology allows a second layer to be applied by hand on an already inflated board and because of this technology, double layer boards are heavier and stronger than single layer boards.
Double layer boards are ideal for advanced adventure riders who are racing or racing through rough water or for SUP rental shops and SUP schools where boards are used daily and are exposed to a lot of stress.
From this we can conclude that inflatable boards are a versatile way to have fun and relax on the water, regardless of the time of year. Consider your needs before buying a sapboard. If you do not include yourself to the extreme and like a quiet holiday, then you will be fine with a one-ply board. In case you are a risky rider and like active rest, you should pay attention to specialized professional or semi-professional models for your riding style.
