Inflatable SUPs are often all-round and therefore ideal for both novice and experienced paddlers. Of course, it is a solution that SUP boards are inflatable, because taking a SUP board on an average bicycle or in an average car is of course not always practical. I (Madelon) have a SUP board for you SEB tested and I share my experiences below.
Also read: What is SUP? † Everything you need to know about Stand Up Paddleboarding
Transport
As I said above, a inflatable SUP Of course, this is only useful because it is inflatable. This results in easy to clean up, easy to transport and you only need to inflate it before use. This board even comes with a backpack, making it easy to start your adventure on foot or by bike.
From experience I can tell you that it easily fits in the bag with all the accessories that you receive as standard with your purchase. Not only does it fit easily, but it also rolls up easily. In addition to the board and bag, you also get a paddle, fin, repair kit, ankle cord and pump! To make it completely ideal, the backpack is large enough to accommodate extra items, such as your GoPro, a towel, a bottle of water and your swimwear. Very pleasant to transport.
To blow up
Once on location, I of course immediately started inflating it. Inflating went much faster than expected and it wasn't hard at all. Then just assemble your paddle (also very easy by the way!) and about ten minutes later you are ready to go on the water.
What was even faster was deflating the board. In less than three minutes I had it completely empty again. Afterwards I dried the board, so that it would be neat and clean to go out the next time.
Appearance
The SEB board is incredibly colorful, which immediately gives the board an active character. I really like the light colors myself. If you don't like a white board, they also have a dark blue version.
It also feels sturdy, but not heavy. Ideal for taking in the water. Once inflated, it is easy to move on your own even on land. A handle halfway up the board allows you to easily move it on its side without dragging the board across the ground.
By the way, this is not the only nice detail on the board. There is also an elastic band at the front where you can put some things under. By putting items underneath, they cannot slide off your board while paddling. In addition, the board also has a very nice ankle cord. The part of the ankle cord that you put around your ankle is firm, but soft at the same time. It is also very stretchable, so if necessary it will stretch and you will not be stuck with an unnecessarily long cord while SUPing.
Specifications
The board I tested is 320 cm long, 81 cm wide and has a thickness of 15 cm. This variant is also referred to as length 10'6. The maximum load is 140 kg. This means you could just fit two people on it, depending of course on the people.
In addition to this board, SEB also has a slightly larger variant (length 11'0). The differences with the slightly smaller board is the length of no less than 335 centimeters. The thickness and width are the same. This does change the maximum load of the board, which is a maximum of 180 kg. Even easier to paddle with two adults on the board!
Paddling
You may be familiar with the image, someone stands on the board and calmly paddles themselves forward while standing. You can of course also do this quickly, but did you know that you can also just sit, or even sit or stand on the board with two people. You have to pay attention to the specifications of how much weight your board can handle, because there are differences.
Besides the fact that you can paddle standing or sitting, you can of course also use the board on the water for a rest break in the sun. You can also practice yoga or fitness exercises on the board. You can improve your balance, strength and endurance with a board.
At the moment I personally stick to paddling itself, because that is already quite difficult. My experience is that it is slightly more difficult to maintain balance on an inflatable sub than on a hard version, but so far I have not made an unwanted dive.
Locations
What I really like about paddling on a SUP board is that it can be done both in cities and in nature. You can do it, so to speak, on the ocean on the other side of the world, but also in the Netherlands in or around cities.
Here are some ideas to take your SUP board with you, but stay in the Netherlands:
- On the canal in Utrecht (location here); Nowadays you can go all the way around again.
- In the Biesbosch (location here) among the greenery and you might even spot a beaver.
- Between the whisper boats in Giethoorn (location here).
- On the Loosdrechtse Plassen (location here), both on the large lake and in smaller canals.
- You can of course also SUP along the entire coastline, but be careful, you need to be a bit practiced here.
Final conclusion
The board of SEB was a nice SUP board to go on the water with. Transporting, inflating, deflating and of course paddling was easy. The fact is that at the time of this writing we are heading towards winter and are in the middle of autumn, but otherwise I would certainly have been there more often. It's wonderful to be on the water and it's really easy with this board!
