Inflatable paddleboards may seem like simple devices – and in the case of the ultra-cheap options available from Amazon and other big-box stores you aren’t too far off. While these SUPs may be simple, it may surprise you to learn the differences in how high quality inflatable paddle boards are made.
Brands will often throw around their own terms, marketing buzzwords, and other slang to try and make their product stand out – often times without any actual difference in the board compared to others. It can be difficult to decipher what is important and what is fluff or jargon.
If you’ve read through our Simple Guide to Choosing Your First iSUP and want more detail on what to look for, or you just want to learn more about what inflatable paddleboards are made of, then grab a glass of water (or a beer) and buckle up, cause we’re diving deep.
Table of Contents
The Basics of Inflatable Paddleboard (iSUP) Construction
All Inflatable Stand-Up Paddleboards have three basic parts – the inner core, the outer shell, and the rail/seam. These three parts make up the board itself. From there, everything else is glued to the exterior of the paddleboard.
iSUP Inner Core
The inner core of an inflatable paddleboard is made with what the industry calls a Double-Wall Drop Stitch Fabric. Also known as Double Wall Fabric (DWF) or Drop Stitch. This Drop Stitch core has two layers of fabric (usually polyester) that are stitched together with thousands of threads (also usually polyester). These threads are sewn through at a specific length to set the board thickness when inflated. When you see the thickness of an iSUP listed as 4.7″, 6″ or anything else, this number relates to the length of the drop stitch threads.
- This is not a unique structure to any brand – all iSUPs have a drop stitch core.
This core is what keeps the paddleboard flat when it is inflated. Without it, the board would into a cylinder. Some brands will then throw a ton of made-up marketing buzzwords into the description that don’t actually mean anything. But, there are different variations of this core that we’ll get into later. For now, just remember that all iSUPs have this same basic structure inside them.
iSUP Outer Shell
On its own the drop stitch core is not air tight nor rigid. The outer shell of the board is what makes the board air tight. This shell is usually made from PVC (PolyVinyl Chloride), but a few boards out there are made with TPU (Thermoplastic PolyUrethane). How the PVC shell is bonded to the inner core can make a huge difference. Again, we’ll get into it in a bit.
- All iSUPs have either a PVC or TPU outer shell.
The outer shell of an inflatable paddleboard can be made with one or multiple layers of materials. Generally the outer shell is between 0.5mm and 2.0mm thick depending on the number and type of layers used and how they are bonded together. In the picture above you can see the fabric wall layer (white), then a layer of PVC tarpaulin material (blue) that has white and black printing on the surface of this section of the board.
iSUP Rails / Seams
The last component shared by all iSUPs is the rail, also sometimes referred to as the seam. “Rail” is the technical term for the side of a SUP or surfboard. “Seam” refers to the point where materials are actually joined. On an iSUP the Seam is formed by the Rail material(s). But how those materials are bonded and what they are made of can vary greatly.
- All iSUPs have a seam that runs around the edge of the board that is sealed up by the Rail.
In the image above you can see the top and bottom layers of the inner core with the drop stitching cut away (white), joined together by a section of PVC tarpaulin (gray) that makes the initial rail layer and seam connection. The rail layer / seam connection can be either glued or welded.
All of these elements have different variations available to brands. Some brands even create their own unique materials and building methods for these pieces. The choices a brand makes in the construction phase of an iSUP will have significant impact on durability, longevity, and performance.
Inflatable Paddleboard Materials
All inflatable paddleboards have these three basic elements, but what materials a brand chooses can make a big impact on weight, durability, rigidity and performance.
The downside here is that it can be nearly impossible to determine what a brand is actually using. Some brands are great at explaining their materials. Others may throw a few clues into their product descriptions. Low quality brands will either leave this information out entirely, use a bunch of buzzwords that have no real meaning, or copy and paste any description given to them by their factory. Low quality iSUP brands generally have no idea what is actually being used. They’ve simply ordered a shape, size, and color from a factory catalog.
High quality inflatable paddleboard brands will be actively involved at every step of their manufacturing, including selecting specific materials or even developing their own custom materials. Midrange paddleboard brands will often have a general idea and may request better materials from their manufacturers, but it is neither consistent nor easy to find out what is really going on without hands-on experience.
Inflatable Paddleboard Inner Core Materials
The inner drop stitch core of an iSUP comes in three different formats for the vast majority of boards: Knitted, Woven, and Cross-Woven. These terms knitted and woven refer to how the top and bottom fabric layers are made, and cross-woven indicates both a woven fabric and a special orientation of stitching between the materials.
Knitted Core
The first tier of drop stitch core is Knitted. This is the basic material used in all low-quality iSUPs, but it can be effectively used in midrange boards as well depending on other materials and methods used. You can see an example of a knitted fabric base layer in the photo above. The fabric has the characteristic knitted texture that makes the warp and weft yarns zig-zag in alternating directions, just like a knitted sweater or sock.
All knitted drop stitch cores utilize a basic V-pattern stitching between the layers. The stitching threads are sewn through the material at a continuous angle. This creates rows of V’s when viewed through the side:
———————- (Top Fabric Layer)
VVVVVVVVVVVVVV (V-Stitching)
———————- (Bottom Fabric Layer)
Woven Core
The next tier of drop stitch core is Woven. This material can be found in midrange and high-end iSUPs, but the extra cost of making this material prohibits it from being used in cheap iSUPs. The top and bottom fabric layers are made by weaving the warp and weft yarns in straight lines over and under each other, just like a woven rug. There are two major benefits to Woven fabrics over Knitted fabrics.
The first benefit is weight. While it may not seam like a big difference, by weaving the yarns straight up/across rather than knitting them back and forth there is a serious reduction in the amount of material used. This translates to several pounds of weight reduction in a finished iSUP.
The second benefit is rigidity. Because the yarns run run straight up/across the fabric there is less slack in each yarn that can be stretched out when under tension. In two boards of otherwise same specs and constructions, the board with woven fabrics will be lighter and more rigid.
A standard Woven Core still uses the same V-shaped stitching pattern as a Knitted Core.
Cross-Woven Core
The current gold-standard in iSUP core material is the Cross-Woven Core. Cross-Woven Cores use woven fabric base layers the same as in a Woven Core. The difference comes in how the drop stitching is angled and patterned. Knitted and Woven Cores uses an alternating 1×1 spacing to create the V-shape drop stitching inside the board. You can see this pattern by looking at the dimples on the deck and hull of the board, especially when it is inflated, in a standard checkerboard pattern.
Cross-Woven Cores use a 2×1 (“twill”) spacing pattern and offset each row’s starting point. This creates an X-shape structure inside the board:
———————- (Top Woven Layer)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (Cross-Woven Stitching)
———————- (Bottom Woven Layer)
The benefit here is the ability to use fewer threads per inch to reduce weight at the same level of rigidity. Secondary to that, having less material inside the board also makes it easier to fold when designing a compact iSUP. The downside is the cost in producing this material drives up the cost of the board.
Key Takeaways:
A brand can use any of these inner core materials and still create a quality, performance inflatable paddleboard with the right selection of other materials and design. However, a brand cannot use higher-end materials like woven and cross-woven cores and still make a cheap board. Similarly, the only way for a brand to make a lightweight iSUP without using a more expensive core is to skimp out on the shell and rail materials and construction (lower rigidity, worse performance, less durability). Brands do also have the ability to choose from, or request custom, drop stitch densities. This lets the brand dial in the weight and rigidity balance to meet the needs of their design (at additional cost).
Both Woven and Cross-Woven Cores are used by the best inflatable paddle board brands today. Cross-woven is typically chosen for weight savings, while standard woven is chosen for cost savings.
Inflatable Paddleboard Outer Shell Materials
Now that we’ve covered material options inside an inflatable paddleboard, let’s talk about the outside. All iSUPs are made with either PVC or TPU outer shells, though TPU is only used in a handful of models worldwide. While TPU is a more environmentally friendly product, it’s mechanical properties – especially stretch – make it less suitable for the high-rigidity needs of an inflatable paddleboard.
PVC can be added to the board in one of two ways. It can be applied as a liquid directly onto the drop stitch core, or it can be applied as a solid tarpaulin layer. PVC Tarpaulin is made by applying liquid PVC to a separate fabric scrim material (like a screen window) and allowing the PVC to cool and solidify.
It can be very difficult to fully know what is going on with the outer shell material based solely on product descriptions from brands. Their use of marketing terms, jargon, and, in some cases, not actually knowing what is they are talking about (or have on their boards) can be confusing. There are also different formulations of PVC and other technical factors that are available from a materials perspective (though only a few brands seek out these alternate materials). Depending on what materials and constructions are used, the outer shell can be anywhere from 0.5-3.0mm thick, but unfortunately the only way to really know that is to cut open your board.
Liquid PVC / “Single Layer” Shells
Inside the paddleboard industry, “Single Layer”, when used appropriately, references boards made by applying a single layer of Liquid PVC directly to the drop stitch fabric and calling it a day. This method typically applies a 0.5mm thick layer of PVC to the fabric.
This liquid PVC single layer construction is the lowest quality, lowest rigidity, and lowest durability option available. It’s what gave iSUPs a bad name 20 years ago when inflatable paddleboards first hit the market. Unfortunately it is still in use today, but is thankfully relegated to the cheapest boards on the market – the ones you find on Amazon or Walmart for under $300.
But, it is important to note that this liquid PVC/”Single Layer” is the basis of other materials that are quite excellent.
Traditional Double Layer Shells
If you start with a liquid PVC single layer shell and add a second layer of PVC tarpaulin, then you’ve created a traditional Double Layer PVC shell. This second layer is hand-glued to the first PVC layer. The glue and the material add significant weight and rigidity to the board. For many years Double Layer shells were the gold standard for high-end inflatable paddle boards. The downside is that the construction was only reliable as the glue and application of it – more on that in the Construction section below. Traditional double layer materials are often around 2mm in thickness.
Alternately some brands in the past have forgone the initial liquid layer and instead hand-glued two layers of PVC tarpaulin to the core. This creates ultra-rigid and durable boards, but makes them extremely heavy and prone to delamination failures. To our knowledge, no brand does this today. These materials could be up to 3mm thick.
Single Layer Fusion
Single Layer Fusion outer shells, not to be confused with liquid PVC single layer shells, are frequently used today by midrange and some high-end brands. A Single Layer Fusion shell uses one layer of PVC Tarpaulin (not liquid PVC) and fuses it to the inner core with heat and pressure. This essentially turns the fabric layer of the core and the tarpaulin into one piece of material. Single Layer Fusion inflatable paddleboards are typically lightweight with good rigidity. These materials are usually between 0.7-1.2mm thick.
Double Layer Fusion
Double Layer Fusion is currently the gold-standard material for high-quality inflatable paddleboards where rigidity is paramount for performance. Start with a liquid PVC single layer then add a Single Layer Fusion tarpaulin and you’ve got Double Layer Fusion. You get an additional layer of PVC for extra rigidity and durability without adding the weight and pitfalls of a traditional glued double layer. The dual layer fusion composite is generally between 1.4-1.8mm thick.
MSL Fusion / 1.5 Layer
MSL, or Monocoque Structural Laminate, is a trademarked name by Red Paddle Co to describe their specific material and construction combination. The MSL material is very similar to a double layer fusion board except that instead of an initial layer of liquid PVC, Red uses their own special adhesive to bond the outer PVC tarpaulin layer to the core. There’s more to MSL than that, but from a materials perspective, that’s about it. Red has also referred to this as a “1.5 Layer” PVC shell in previous marketing materials.
If you see a brand other than Red Paddle Co claiming to have “MSL” or “MSL Fusion” construction, they are lying – but probably because they don’t know any better. Factories will often try to advertise that they build “MSL” inflatable paddle boards, but it’s not true. Red is currently the only iSUP brand that uses their own factory and they have extremely strict protocols for the construction and quality check of their boards. But that doesn’t mean MSL isn’t imitated, or just used to try and make a product sound better.
Scrim Materials, Stringers and Additional Structural Materials
Scrim material specification is even less commonly mentioned in product descriptions since almost all brands use a basic polyester scrim without any second thought. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but some brands don’t leave it at “good enough.” Notably, Hydrus Board Tech uses aramid fibers (aka Kevlar) for their scrim material. This adds a little bit of weight, but is one of the reasons they have some of the most rigid iSUPs on the market. It also greatly improves their durability and cut-resistance, and combined with their unique double layer fusion skin material creates the gray color of their boards as a structural color (optical illusion) rather than a dye that fades.
Stringers are bands of material incorporated into the shell of a paddleboard in order to improve rigidity without the weight of full layers of material. Strings on inflatable paddleboards are either made by an extra strip(s) of PVC glued to the deck and/or hull, or with other materials (most commonly carbon fiber fabric) glued between the deck and/or hull and an outer PVC band (shown deconstructed above). This form of carbon fiber fabric is stabilized with a flexible resin rather than a rigid epoxy or polyester resin most people are familiar with. The flexible fabric allows the board to be folded/rolled when not in use.
There are a few brands that use carbon fiber textiles like this on the rails of the board rather than the deck/hull. This provides extra durability, but the placement here and flexible nature of the fabric offers far less rigidity improvement than placing stringers on the deck/hull.
Isle Surf & SUP began using “Infinity Fiber” stringers in 2023. These stringers are made from fiberglass strands embedded into a flexible plastic matrix. The material was actually developed by a company called Inflatable Composites many years ago, and was previously used on certain boards by Hala Paddleboards. However, Hala did not utilize the material as effectively in their designs and it offered little benefit. But Isle cracked the code. By placing the Infinity Fiber stringers on the edges of the board – where the deck/hull meets the rail – the material has a convex shape around the board edge when inflated. Like a tape measure (or a snap bracelet if you were a 90’s kid) this makes the material extremely stiff, but still able to roll with the board when deflated. I’m not exaggerating when I say Isle’s implementation of Infinity Fiber stringers has made the stiffest inflatable paddleboards available. I’d just love to see them offer it on a high-performance race and surf SUP rather than just on casual cruising boards and a couple of extra-wide touring boards.
A few brands use battens and other externally-mounted devices to help stiffen their iSUPs. The most famous of these are the Red Paddle Co RSS battens and the Starboard Airline system. Red’s battens do help stiffen the board on paper and on the water. Not to the degree they claim, but it does help a bit. The problem is they only stiffen a small section of the board. So while the midsection of the board gets a bit more rigid, the board’s natural flex is then focused on hinge points at the front and rear ends of the battens, which can give the board a very strange-feeling flex.
Starboard‘s Airline system is pretty much ineffective at stiffening an inflatable paddleboard. We believe Starboard has realized this, and instead of marketing it as a system to improve rigidity – like they did when it was first launched – they now only mention how it can change the rebound profile / frequency of the board in their official marketing materials. The Airline is a braided aramid cable that runs from the fin box under the board to the nose, then around the front before attaching on the nose deck. You can see the airline termination on the nose in the photo above. The problem here is two-fold. First, the cable is braided. Like knitted drop stitch fabrics this means there is a lot of internal slack in the fibers that can be stretched out when under tension. Second, the cable itself is only connected to the board at the ends. It floats freely (though inside a PVC tube) under the board and isn’t connected through the board’s length like a proper stringer. When mechanically testing the flex properties of the Starboard Airline we found no difference in overall rigidity (flex) with it installed or uninstalled. There can be a slight difference in the frequency of the flex of the board between the airline being installed or uninstalled with a slower rebound uninstalled and faster rebound installed. We did not notice a difference in speed either way.
Key Takeaways:
While not all brands and product descriptions will be perfectly clear, most reputable brands will have either descriptions or diagrams (or both) available showing their materials and methods. Most brands that use a single or double layer fusion laminate will mention those terms (with “fusion” explicitly). Low-cost boards (<$300) will almost exclusively use liquid PVC single-layer shells and should be avoided if you are looking for a quality product that will offer reasonable performance and longevity. Additional structural materials can also make a big difference in rigidity, performance, and durability, but only when used appropriately and can drive up cost.
Inflatable Paddleboard Construction
How an inflatable paddleboard is built can be just as important as what materials it is made from. Like the materials themselves, iSUP construction has undergone many changes over the years. There are two main methods of the final construction of an inflatable paddleboard – gluing or welding the rail layers to the deck and hull to create the airtight chamber. Within those two methods there are variations of how they are accomplished, and those variations can make a big difference in overall quality.
Gluing an Inflatable Paddleboard
Gluing is the older and most common of the two methods of construction. In a basic glued construction, a worker uses a brush or roller to physically apply a layer of adhesive either to the edges of both the rail band material and the deck and hull, or to just the rail band or deck/hull depending on the adhesive used. The two materials are aligned and then pressed together first by hand and then with a hand-held pressure roller. After a few minutes the glue is able to hold the pieces together on its own, and is generally fully cured in 8-24 hours depending on the glue.
Some glue constructions go a step further and use a pressing jig to apply pressure to the bonds. This jig provides even and consistent pressure for a longer period to make sure the materials and glue bond better.
We have not seen any brand note differentiation between hand-rolling or using a pressing jig to bond a basic glued-construction board.
Some glue constructions use a heat-activated glue. In these builds the glue is applied to the seam, and placed in a heated press to cause the glue to bond to the materials. Some brands will specifically call out this type of construction, usually with the term “heat-pressed seams.” Heat pressing, though, is not the same as heat welding.
No matter how the glue and pressure are applied, there are a few extra variables involved with gluing that can create major differences in quality.
Glue Control
This is a spec that brands don’t share. Most brands that glue their boards will be using whatever glue the factory decides to use. It’s a near black-hole of information. Some brands, like Red Paddle Co., are extremely picky about their glues. Red is one of the few high-end brands that still glue their boards. But Red takes their construction condition control to an extreme level. This includes everything from the exact formulation of the glue (their own custom mix), to the pot life of the glue (how long its allowed to be used once mixed), to the humidity level and temperature in their facility.
The resulting difference is that while a basic glued construction may last for the life of the glue (about 7-10 years), brands that take more control in the type and use of glue are far more likely – not quite guaranteed – to last at least 7-10 years. Cheaply glued boards will fail much faster than the life of the adhesive, sometimes in as little as 2-3 years, sometimes as fast as their first inflation. There’s essentially a direct correlation between how cheap a board is to buy and how cheaply it is made.
Welding an Inflatable Paddleboard
The welding process for an inflatable paddleboard is similar to what you probably imagine when hearing the word “welded.” Heat is used to melt the materials together, and just like a metallic weld, physically bond the pieces into a single structure.
This method of building an inflatable paddleboard is relatively new for common use, though the principles are fairly simple. Instead of workers applying glue to the edges of the material and pressing them together, they heat the edges of the material and press them together. This can be done a few different ways.
Hand-welding involves directly heating materials with a handheld iron and pressing them together with a handheld roller. This is not a common practice as it is quite labor intensive and has a chance of over-heating the materials or not heating sections well enough.
Most welding is done on a welding machine. These can use hot air, a direct-heating element, or high-frequency/radio frequency emitters to heat the materials to an exact temperature before bonding them together. These machines typically look like a large sewing machine. Below is a video from a welding machine manufacturer showing several different types of welding machines.
In hot-air/hot-wedge welding, the materials are aligned above and below each other, heated from the inside by the air or heating element, and then pressed together. In HF/RF welding, the materials are aligned, then pressed and heated at the same time. Both methods have the same end result and neither is inherently better than the other. It’s a bit like asking which is warmer – heating your house with electricity or gas? They both get you to the same temperature.
Because the temperature, overlap, and pressure can all be controlled by the welding machine, hot-air/wedge and RF welding offer very high consistency in construction.
Welding inflatable paddleboard seams has gained popularity in the last five years, but that’s about all the data we have for real world use. While the principles of welding mean that the seams should last as long as the materials themselves, or about15+ years with good care. From our conversations with brands that have changed from glued to welded constructions welded boards have seen fewer manufacturing defects and a lower warranty rate than their previous glued constructions.
Key Takeaways:
When evaluating inflatable paddleboard constructions you need to consider both the method the brand uses and how much quality control is implemented. One of the big factors in cost for an iSUP is the level of quality control testing as this takes a significant amount of hands-on time. Brands that focus on quality control generally align with brands that are transparent about their materials and constructions. That also generally aligns with price. Cheap boards, especially those under the $400 are almost all glued. The low cost of these boards also means the brands are spending less (or nothing) on quality control. Their strategy is to make money by selling a lot of cheap boards and either ghosting customers that have issues, or relying on the low cost keeping customers from being too upset if they fail. Midrange boards are often glued, but welding is now becoming more common, but these brands often focus more on quality control and customer service. High end boards today are almost entirely welded with the exception of Red Paddle Co. These brands also typically spend far more on quality control measures and customer service.
Understanding Inflatable Paddleboard Warranties
A manufacturing warranty for an inflatable paddleboard is the set of rules that a brand will use to determine if a failure in the board is their responsibility to replace, repair, or otherwise make you as a customer whole.
Every warranty is different in their exact details, but for inflatable paddleboards they all have some commonalities.
- Inflatable paddleboard warranties will only cover material and manufacturing defects, not damage
- The warranty will have limitations based on use, age, registration or other specifications
- The warranty will describe the resolution process
What an Inflatable Paddleboard Warranty Covers
Warranties only cover manufacturing defects – how the board is built – or issues with the material itself. If a seam fails, or the materials delaminate, etc., this is almost always covered by the warranty if it is still in effect. But, if the product is used outside of the warranty limitations or is not correctly maintained, the warranty may be voided. Warranties will not cover damage caused through use – whether it is normal wear and tear or an accident.
Inflatable Paddleboard Warranty Length and Limits
Every warranty will have stipulations. Common carve-outs include commercial use (like for a rental or tour operation), third party purchases (aka buying used), or differing warranty lengths based on models or components. While the first two are relatively simple, the third can be tricky. For example, iRocker’s warranty covers inflatable paddleboard seams for 3 years, but other components for only 1 year. All warranties will have an expiration date. Some warranties, like those from Bote, Starboard, and Red require you to register your board after purchase in order to “unlock” the full length of your warranty.
Most inflatable paddleboards will have a manufacturing warranty for at least two years. The only shorter warranties we’ve seen are on extremely cheap boards sold by Amazon or other big-box retailers. The warranty length has a very loose association with how long-lasting a brand thinks their product is, but it is not one-to-one. There are excellent brands that offer warranties anywhere from 2-10 years, but low quality brands will not warranty their products for more than 1 or 2 years.
A few brands offer “Lifetime” warranties. It is very important to know that “Lifetime” warranties have three big caveats. 1) like all warranties, they only apply to the original owner. 2) “Lifetime” means the standard expected life of the product, not how long you live. This is generally about 10 years, but different brands may see it differently. 3) “Lifetime” also requires the brand to still be around in order to service your product. New brands offering “Lifetime” warranties should be taken with a spoon of salt. Just recently Sea Gods – a relatively new brand that just started in 2018 – sold their brand to a new owner after just 7 years from its founding. Those “Lifetime” warranties are now fully questionable as the new owners have completely changed the warranty to now specifically describe the “life of the product” as just 3 years. Always read the details.
Warranty Resolutions
How a brand handles its warranty process should be spelled out in the warranty itself. Generally, this involves first contacting the brand with your purchase and damage details. They’ll make an assessment about whether it falls under the warranty or not and resolve from there. Warranty resolutions can involve sending a new board (and asking to have your board sent back or destroyed), sending your board in for repair, covering the cost of a repair, or offering full or partial refunds. For brands that primarily sell through retail establishments (like Starboard and Red) you will likely need to work with your local or online retailer for warranty claims. This can change the experience completely depending on the retailer.
Key Takeaways:
Inflatable paddleboard warranties come in a lot of shapes and sizes. Warranties will only cover material or manufacturing defects, not damage from use. Certain uses or improper use or care may void your warranty. Used boards do not have warranties. Always read the full warranty to determine if it feels just or onerous. Warranty lengths can be indicators of overall construction quality, but not always. Lifetime warranties always apply to the life of the product as determined by the brand. Avoid buying from new brands that offer “Lifetime” warranties – give them a decade to see if they can live up to that warranty length.
Inflatable Paddleboard Buzzwords, Jargon, and Marketing Slang
Brands often use a lot of buzzwords and slang when describing their products. They are designed to make their products stand out to you, but often just make the whole process confusing or looking exactly like everyone else doing the same thing! Here are a few key buzzwords and pieces of marketing slang and jargon – and what they really mean.
“Military Grade”
This one really chaps my ass. The most common piece of marketing buzz you’ll see is going to be “military grade.” This is usually either “military grade PVC” or “military grade drop stitch.” Both are equally nonsensical. First, there’s no such thing as “military grade” anything. There are products that are made to “mil spec” (military specifications for minimum standards), but that still only means that it is made to the bare minimum requirement that a military has requested something be built to. If you are in, have been in, or know anybody who is/has been in the military you’ll know that this doesn’t always mean high quality. But, that’s “mil spec.” “Military grade” has literally no meaning. Especially since no military I’m aware of uses inflatable paddleboards as official equipment. So, TL;DR – “military grade” doesn’t mean anything. But it implies durability and ruggedness, so brands continue to use it.
“Industry Standard / Industry Leading”
This industry – stand up paddleboarding or paddling in general – has no official standards outside of those certification standards for PFDs/Lifejackets. There may be what an observer would call a norm or standard, but its not set by “the industry.” “Industry Leading” likewise has no meaning. Because there are no standards with which to measure against. Now, a brand may try to claim something like “Industry Leading Rigidity” in which it can be measured (unlike “industry-leading stability”). However, no brand has ever actually compared their own products to any other with any degree of rigor and published the details. Even brands who honestly do have very rigid iSUPs and would benefit from such a measurement don’t do this. At best we’ve seen brands compare their products to their other products or to dummy products made to lower specs.
“X% Faster, Stiffer, whatever“
Any brand that claims a specific number improvement in some spec is likely lying out their ass or, at best, using very little of their own data with very few controls and comparisons. This especially applies to brands that claim very small or very large differences. Red Paddle Co claims that their RSS battens improve rigidity by 40%. Independent testing shows this to be much closer to 15%. Stiffer, but not nearly what Red claims. Quick Blade claims that their Stingray paddle improves boat speed by 1-2%. Total bullshit. There are so many other factors that play into total boat speed that a single variable like this cannot be measured to this level of detail without massively controlled laboratory testing (they are basing it on “real world” experience). At 6MPH (very fast for a SUP, moderately fast for an OC), this would be a difference of 0.05-0.10 MPH. Any other variable from a slight breeze to what you ate for dinner last night will account for at least this much variation in speed. Tower Paddleboards claims their iSUPs have anywhere from 250% to 800% more rigidity than other brands. Zero actual proof of this, and once again, independent testing shows the complete opposite with rigidity test results of Tower boards generally around the first quartile (25% mark compared to all others).
“Lifetime Warranty”
Lifetime warranties only apply to the expected life of the product as determined by the brand. High quality brands will generally consider this to be around 10 years while doing their best to help customers regardless of board age, while lower quality brands will provide an artificially short number and give customers the run-around to avoid honoring the warranty. Lifetime warranties have all the same restrictions as other warranties as well. Always read the fine print and consider the age of the brand when seeing this claim.
Key Takeaways:
Always be skeptical of big claims. Recognize marketing slang, and focus instead on actual details of product materials and construction techniques.