Steamboat Springs, Colorado-based Hala Gear, debuts a new line of high-performance inflatable SUPs designed for shredding river and ocean waves. Hala Gear introduces four boards for 2017—the Hala Gram, Hala Milligram, Hala Peño, and Hala Carbon Playa—that have elevated the responsiveness and performance of surf-specific inflatables to the level of hardboards.
“Each of our surf shapes was methodically designed for elite performance on both river and ocean waves,” says company founder Peter Hall. “Carbon construction, low-volume rails, distinctive shapes, tip-to-tail rocker, and an array of fin set ups make our surfing SUPs perform like no other inflatable on the market.”
Over the past three years standup paddling has been the top outdoor growth activity in the industry, with participation increasing an average of 18 percent, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. Hala is addressing this burgeoning participation by meeting the needs of both skilled and new paddlers to the market, with a slew of designs for touring, river paddling, and now, surfing waves of all shapes and sizes.
The 10’11” Carbon Construction Hala Playa features this, 4.75″ rails for a rigid long board feel while holding a line and carving turns; the unique, nut-shaped Hala Gram and Hala Milligram offer the stability and glide of longer boards with the action of shorter boards; and the popular Hala Peño is designed with tip-to-tail rocker and industry-exclusive 3” rails for stomping river surf.
All four boards also debut construction innovations that increase rigidity, durability and performance. The Hala Gram and Milligram employ Hala’s bombproof Core Construction™; the Hala Peño debuts Hala’s patent-pending, high-performance DoubleStack™ Construction; and the Carbon Playa heralds Hala’s new Carbon Construction™, integrating carbon stringers that increase rigidity 300 percent over conventional, non-composite-reinforced six-inch-thick inflatables.
“We’ve been focused on creating shapes and construction processes for people who love to surf waves, fresh or salty,” Hall says. “We’ve accomplished that with this new line. For me it’s one of my favorite parts of the sport.”
Article written by Paddle Xaminer.
