It’s a fact: water is a source of healing and has been for millennia. Lakes, rivers and oceans have always been places where humans seek sanctuary. Modern times offer us humans a myriad of ways to experience these watery retreats. On any given day prior to this dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, one could look out onto a random body of water near any significant population center and see a handful of stand up paddlers and kayakers. Now, a year into the pandemic, you can look out onto that same body of water and find the number of paddlers is, in many cases, twice what it used to be. And, that number is rising!
Now, a year into the pandemic, you can look out onto that same body of water and find the number of paddlers is, in many cases, twice what it used to be.
With demand for paddle crafts soaring like it is, so many more options are popping up for the consumer. Kayaking overtook canoeing decades ago. It has reigned supreme since then. Today, however, stand up paddle boards (aka “SUP” boards) are quickly gaining steam in this watery race. With this momentum comes innovation. Inflatable technology has improved the industry tremendously. Now, paddlers don’t need a buddy to help them transport their water craft. They can do it all by themselves, and with ease I might add. No need for a pickup truck or a burly roof rack. Demand has increased the options for the consumer. More options and more efficient manufacturing processes have brought down costs. The rise of inflatable SUP boards is here! We’re seeing an entire movement happening right before our eyes!This essay highlights some of the similarities and, more importantly, some of the differences between inflatable SUP boards and new SUP+KAYAK hybrid pontoon boards.
photo: Ryan Bonneau
Inflatable SUP Boards
Inflatable SUP Boards are quickly gaining popularity in the world of paddling. Being inflatable, they’re light-weight and easy to transport from place to place. Gone are the days of trailering your water craft. Just deflate it and stick it in your trunk. Without the extra weight and complexity, they are extremely user-friendly.Drop-stitch technology is becoming the norm when it comes to manufacturing inflatable SUP water crafts. With this innovation they are accommodating a much more broad audience by increasing the weight capacities. Drop stitch technology uses tens of thousands of tough polyester threads tightly woven together under two layers of PVC material. When inflated, these threads become extremely rigid making the platform almost as hard as a solid epoxy board. This wide, sturdy, durable surface allows for a higher weight capacity than many inflatable kayaks. Capacities for these boards can range anywhere from 240 to 300lbs. Larger boards can even exceed 300lbs.While the flat, sturdy platform helps hydrodynamics in some ways, inflatable SUP boards are generally not very fast. Why? It’s all about surface tension. These boards tend to be very wide as well as very long. Their size accommodates a variety of paddlers and experience levels. The more surface area touching and “gripping” the water equates to more drag. More drag means less efficiency when it comes to hydrodynamics—ie. slower speeds.
Standard SUP boards have minimal freeboard. Freeboard is the vertical height from the top edge of the board down to the waterline. Less freeboard means more water splashing onto the paddler. It also means the water conditions required for optimal usage need to be somewhat calm for the majority of paddlers.Inflatable SUP boards can navigate into some pretty shallow water, especially when you detach the main fin. This characteristic refers to draft. Draft is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the board. In this case, the draft includes the fin, just as you’d include the keel of a sailboat. The draft basically corresponds to how shallow the water can get before the board touches the bottom substrate. Again, when you remove the main fin from the bottom of the board, there aren’t many places this type of board can’t go.
photo courtesy of Monica Kinas
Some standard inflatable SUP boards have permanent D-rings stitched or glued in place so that paddlers can attach an adjustable soft seat. Essentially, this turns the board into a makeshift kayak. Unfortunately, the potential for water splash is fairly high with these boards when the paddler is seated, especially when there some wind chop. A seated position does help in many ways. Paddling “kayak-style” can increase your speed due to more paddle strokes as well as decreased wind resistance. A standing paddler is akin to a sail when the wind increases.Standard inflatable SUP boards are relatively inexpensive as compared to other water crafts. Costs range from $250 all the way up to and beyond $1200.
photo: Brock Munson
Inflatable SUP+KAYAK Hybrids
Hybrids take stand up paddling to a whole new level. These types of boards share many of the same qualities as the standard SUP. They’re light-weight, easy to transport, user-friendly and not too complex, generally. And, just like the standard SUP, the deck on these hybrids is made with drop stitch technology providing a comfortable, stable platform for the paddler. However, in addition to the main deck, durable air-filled pontoons are secured to both sides. Similar to a catamaran, these outer pontoons not only provide added structure and safety, they also help to stabilize the board on the water. Flipping this type of water craft over is nearly impossible!
Similar to a catamaran, these outer pontoons not only provide added structure and safety, they also help to stabilize the watercraft on the water. Flipping this type of water craft over is nearly impossible!
Inflatable kayak/SUP hybrids are ultra fast! The durable side pontoons not only provide structure & stability, they also help with hydrodynamics. This rigid deck is slightly elevated off the water akin to a catamaran’s main deck. This means the pontoons are free to cut through the water with minimal drag which allows the paddler to cover lots of water quickly and efficiently (unlike standard SUP boards). The two pontoon “hulls” also help with tracking efficiency, ie. keeping the water craft moving in a straight line.The rigid, wide deck with the connected pontoons on inflatable kayak/SUP hybrids allows for a greater weight capacity than standard SUP boards. Capacities for these boards can be upwards of 350lbs!
photo: Brock Munson
But what best identifies an inflatable SUP+KAYAK hybrid as a true “hybrid” is the fact that it has the qualities of both a SUP board and a kayak. Users can paddle freely in the standing position just as they can with the standard SUP models. And with the addition of a seat, the paddler can sit comfortably and paddle as they would with any kayak. This, of course, is predicated on the fact that the user has a kayak paddle or a modular 2-in-1 SUP+KAYAK paddle where the T-grip can be replaced by a paddle blade. With the main drop stitch deck set slightly lower than the top of the outer pontoons, the paddler is providing a comfortable and protective paddler box.Freeboard is increased on inflatable SUP+KAYAK hybrids. This increased security prevents excess splash from hitting the paddler. This, essentially, expands the spectrum of optimal water conditions for this water craft. With these boards, a little wind chop won’t get in the way of your comfort and fun on the water.When it comes to draft, there’s nothing that compares to these inflatable SUP+KAYAK hybrids. With the added pontoons increasing the water craft’s buoyancy, the draft on these types of boards is extremely minimal. Remove the main fin from the bottom and these hybrids are the closest thing to hover crafts!Regarding costs, inflatable SUP+KAYAK hybrids generally fall somewhere between standard inflatable SUP boards and standard inflatable kayaks.No matter which style best suits you, both are a ton of fun and will definitely inspire you to get out on the water. The more humans on the water the better—especially in today’s world. Now get out there and paddle!
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For as long as I can remember kayaking and fly fishing have fueled my spirit of adventure on the water. Ever the nomad, my idea of “home” has been an obscure one ever since graduating from Northern Arizona University with a degree in graphic design way back in 1998. Once free of academia, I balanced my time between the San Juan Mountains of Colorado and the island of Maui and worked as a freelance graphic designer. Design would become only one of my many career endeavors. I would eventually spread my wings out into the great outdoors by taking on jobs such as commercial boat captain, expedition leader, whitewater raft guide, outdoor science instructor, photographer and travel writer. My work led me to breathtaking locales such as the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the subtropical waters of Hawaii, the islands of the Salish Sea in Washington and British Columbia and to the massive glaciated fiords of Southeast Alaska. I guess I’ve always had an insatiable thirst for adventure and have been fortunate to have explored many remote places all over the world chasing trophy fish with Chasing Scale these past few years. It’s been fun bringing some of that same energy to the folks at Bird Island!
I am a wife, mother, realtor, active community member and lake-life enthusiast. I adore being on the water and connecting with friends and family. Kayaking, paddling or boating provides the space where you can feel the breeze in your hair and simply let go. Being a part of Bird Island Outfitters makes me even more grateful to live in Austin and have access to so many incredible waterways. Creating a company with like minded individuals who love nature and water, who constantly think of ways to make being on the water easier and fun is absolutely wonderful. I really love that we value the user experience by fostering confidence through simplicity and stability while taking away the fear so that our diverse community can enjoy adventures on the water.
Born in the Ozarks, I went on my first camping trip at 2 weeks old. My parents inspired me to travel, spending all my childhood summers on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas. My brother’s soccer & band career allowed me to travel the majority of Europe at a young age. I graduated with a BA in International Studies and spent years working & traveling between Colorado, Texas, and South America. Based in Ecuador, I did photography for the University of San Francisco’s Art department. My largest mountain excursion was a snow-capped volcano climb to Cotopaxi in the Andes, and I taught myself Spanish by teaching aerobics in Quito, Ecuador. Along with my husband and my two adventurous kids, I spent a year traveling & home-schooling in Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, and Ireland. Lake Travis has been base camp/home for over 22 years now and never ceases to amaze me! Always driven to be close to water, I love to share my passion to transform, heal & connect on the water in Central Texas. I am very grateful to bring this passion to all who feel the desire to reconnect and transform through nature.
Bird Island Outfitters was inspired by a weekend trip to the Texas Gulf Coast in search of redfish with my old heavy, clunky kayak and a fly rod. I came home from that trip with two ideas: the desire to immediately find a watercraft that could better meet my needs and the desire to share with others the beauty and peace of immersing oneself on the water. I hope that our paddle boards will help our customers gain the confidence and find a community that will assist them in finding the same fulfillment as I do. As a writer and former Army Ranger, I always take a particular pride in helping others along and, from my perspective, developing paddle boards and kayaks that help people is a continuation of that same pride. I look forward to seeing you on the water!
Drop-stitch technology is becoming the norm when it comes to manufacturing inflatable SUP water crafts. With this innovation they are accommodating a much more broad audience by increasing the weight capacities. Drop stitch technology uses tens of thousands of tough polyester threads tightly woven together under two layers of PVC material. When inflated, these threads become extremely rigid making the platform almost as hard as a solid epoxy board. This wide, sturdy, durable surface allows for a higher weight capacity than many inflatable kayaks. Capacities for these boards can range anywhere from 240 to 300lbs. Larger boards can even exceed 300lbs.
While the flat, sturdy platform helps hydrodynamics in some ways, inflatable SUP boards are generally not very fast. Why? It’s all about surface tension. These boards tend to be very wide as well as very long. Their size accommodates a variety of paddlers and experience levels. The more surface area touching and “gripping” the water equates to more drag. More drag means less efficiency when it comes to hydrodynamics—ie. slower speeds.
Standard SUP boards have minimal freeboard. Freeboard is the vertical height from the top edge of the board down to the waterline. Less freeboard means more water splashing onto the paddler. It also means the water conditions required for optimal usage need to be somewhat calm for the majority of paddlers.
Inflatable SUP boards can navigate into some pretty shallow water, especially when you detach the main fin. This characteristic refers to draft. Draft is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the board. In this case, the draft includes the fin, just as you’d include the keel of a sailboat. The draft basically corresponds to how shallow the water can get before the board touches the bottom substrate. Again, when you remove the main fin from the bottom of the board, there aren’t many places this type of board can’t go.
Some standard inflatable SUP boards have permanent D-rings stitched or glued in place so that paddlers can attach an adjustable soft seat. Essentially, this turns the board into a makeshift kayak. Unfortunately, the potential for water splash is fairly high with these boards when the paddler is seated, especially when there some wind chop. A seated position does help in many ways. Paddling “kayak-style” can increase your speed due to more paddle strokes as well as decreased wind resistance. A standing paddler is akin to a sail when the wind increases.
Standard inflatable SUP boards are relatively inexpensive as compared to other water crafts. Costs range from $250 all the way up to and beyond $1200.
But what best identifies an inflatable SUP+KAYAK hybrid as a true “hybrid” is the fact that it has the qualities of both a SUP board and a kayak. Users can paddle freely in the standing position just as they can with the standard SUP models. And with the addition of a seat, the paddler can sit comfortably and paddle as they would with any kayak. This, of course, is predicated on the fact that the user has a kayak paddle or a modular 2-in-1 SUP+KAYAK paddle where the T-grip can be replaced by a paddle blade. With the main drop stitch deck set slightly lower than the top of the outer pontoons, the paddler is providing a comfortable and protective paddler box.
Freeboard is increased on inflatable SUP+KAYAK hybrids. This increased security prevents excess splash from hitting the paddler. This, essentially, expands the spectrum of optimal water conditions for this water craft. With these boards, a little wind chop won’t get in the way of your comfort and fun on the water.
When it comes to draft, there’s nothing that compares to these inflatable SUP+KAYAK hybrids. With the added pontoons increasing the water craft’s buoyancy, the draft on these types of boards is extremely minimal. Remove the main fin from the bottom and these hybrids are the closest thing to hover crafts!
Regarding costs, inflatable SUP+KAYAK hybrids generally fall somewhere between standard inflatable SUP boards and standard inflatable kayaks.
No matter which style best suits you, both are a ton of fun and will definitely inspire you to get out on the water. The more humans on the water the better—especially in today’s world. Now get out there and paddle!
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