My Inflatable SUP Review
As I enjoy another wonderful summer paddling on local lakes and floating tranquil rivers, I have to say I continue to love my inflatable stand up paddle board. If I had to pick my absolute favorite gear purchase, it would be this SUP- the FunWater Tiki Paddle Board. If you’ve been thinking about purchasing an inflatable SUP, this post is for you!
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Hello FunWater Tiki Paddle Board!
I originally owned a hard shell touring kayak (affectionately named “Big Blue”- emphasis on “big”) which tracked great on the water but weighed in at about 50 pounds.
I always needed someone (hello hubby!) to help me get it on and off my car’s roof rack. At some point, the inconvenience of its weight and transport resulted in fewer water excursions.
I eventually researched stand up paddle boards with the goal of finding the best beginner inflatable paddle board that wasn’t heavy, was durable, and was more importantly, affordable. And I struck gold with my Amazon purchase of the FunWater Inflatable Ultra-Light Stand Up Paddle Board.
Best Affordable Paddle Board
The FunWater Tiki Paddle Board weighs 17.6 pounds (lightweight- check!) and at the time cost less than $250 (affordable-check!). I bought it in 2021, and it still looks brand new.
Note that as of this writing it’s on sale for $159 on Amazon! It comes with an oversize storage bag, air pump, and paddle.
It takes less than 10 minutes to inflate with the pump that comes with it, it deflates quickly, and it’s easy to store in the oversized bag that holds the pump, board, and paddle.
I can’t recommend it enough. I mostly sit down to paddle with my pup sitting happily at the front of the board, but my daughter stands up and it’s definitely stable enough for beginners.
What To Look For- Size Is Important!
Floating the rivers is super fun!
Since this purchase, I have also purchased an on sale paddle board from a local sports store for my daughter to use. I have not been nearly as happy with it. The main problem is its size. It’s about a foot shorter in length than the FunWater, so it truly only fits one person.
With the FunWater SUP (inflated 10’6" long, 33" wide, 6" thick, maximum capacity is up to 330 lbs), I can easily float or paddle with either my daughter or my pup sitting at the front.
The thickness of the board is also important. The FunWater is 6” thick, so the board easily sits above the water line. With a 4.75” thickness on my other SUP, any wave on the water will wash over the board resulting in soggy bottoms if sitting.
Best SUP for Dogs
Our dog loves paddle boarding too, and the inflatable SUP is durable enough to handle those sharp nails.
It’s a great SUP for dogs. The material on the SUP feels hard and sturdy and doesn’t feel like it will “pop” with the dog’s nails or anything else sharp.
It has ample room for the two of us, and I can easily pull up the dog with her swim vest (Amazon) if she jumps off or falls off the SUP.
It’s also stable enough to accommodate her movements on the board while I’m paddling, although I’m generally sitting with her to paddle rather than standing.
SUP vs Kayak
“What about an inflatable kayak?” you may ask. Well, I purchased one of those too, and I do like it. Just not as much as our SUP. The 2 person kayak is lightweight though heavier than the SUP at 35 pounds and sturdy enough, but it’s a bit more complicated to inflate as it has more than one chamber to fill.
The material on the kayak doesn’t seem as strong as the SUP, so I worry about my dog’s nails on it. (Some people put a yoga pad down on the floor of the kayak, but I haven’t tried that yet.)
My biggest complaint about the kayak is that I simply get too hot paddling around on the water during these warm summer days. It’s hard to get back into the kayak if you leave it to cool off in the water. With the SUP, you can easily dangle your legs in the water to cool off and although not super easy to get back on from the water, it’s very doable.
We purchased the Intex Explorer K2 2-person Kayak from Amazon. If you want to go the kayak route rather than a SUP, it’s a good quality kayak for the price.
Best SUP Electric Pump
Hand pumping to inflate the SUP can be a bit of a workout, but it doesn’t take long (about 10 minutes depending on your pumping speed.)
We also purchased an electric air compressor which plugs into the car, but we only use it occasionally and typically just pump by hand by the water’s edge for simplicity. The electric pump doesn’t seem to be a huge time saver, but it does make it easier. When we do use it, we still have to touch it up with the hand pump.
The one thing I did really like about the other SUP we purchased is that it came with a double action hand pump (Amazon) which means it inflates with both upward and downward movement on the pump handle making each push and pull work towards inflating.
It makes the pumping time go twice as fast. If you don’t go with an electric pump, a double action hand pump with a pressure gauge could be a good alternative if you don’t like the pump that comes with the Tiki Paddle Board.
In Summary- Why We Love Our FunWater Tiki Paddle Board
The FunWater Tiki Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board has been a great purchase for our family, and we’ve enjoyed it immensely. It is lightweight and small enough when deflated to fit into any size car for transport to your favorite body of water.
It’s also tough enough to handle dog nails, and stable enough for beginners. Better yet, it’s super affordable for its quality and has lasted four summers so far while still looking brand new. Gotta say, it’s definitely been one of the best gear purchases we’ve ever made!
In case you were wondering what my other favorite gear purchases (the SUP being #1) have been, I would have to say the JetBoil Camp Stove for camping (instant hot water!) and the Exped Inflatable Camping Mattress (pricey but oh so comfortable!) Both of these were quality of life changers when camping!
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