Inflatable SUP are your finest adventure pal. They are there for you any time of day, any time of year, for an epic quest or a quick jaunt on the water in your backyard. They never call in sick or get too busy to share in your enthusiasm and passion for the outdoors. Whether you’re an inflatable junky or an intrigued adventurer, we are all guilty of taking our SUPs for granted. So, let’s band together as yogis, racers, whitewater crushers, surfers, enthusiasts, and future explorers to sing our praise to inflatable SUPs and all their glory.

Where your Inflatable sleeps 

Inflatables are perfect for those who are weekend warriors and spontaneous adventurers. And as much as we would all love to paddle every day, many of us have other responsibilities to stay true to. It’s important that our hobbies fit into our balanced lives rather than intrude upon them.

Inflatables are designed to roll up easily and be there when you want them but tucked away under the bed in anticipation when you don’t. Your car shouldn’t have to shiver outside while your garage fills with toys. And unless you convert your board into a table, my guess is that you’re SUP isn’t quite as fun when it’s just another scrounging friend overstaying their welcome. Let your board be a positive addition to your life rather than an unwanted guest creating FOMO. Just remember your adventure’s in the bag

Go Remote

If you have an all-terrain badass truck or a private helicopter to cater to your excursions, power to you. However, most of you are probably like I am and don’t have a transformer on call. And this means your adventures can be limited to where the road ends. Unique destinations seem just out of reach.

Inflatables break the shackles and free you from the limitations of the paddle scenes. You can go beyond “the road less traveled” to where there’s no path at all. That alpine lake that you daydream about gliding across as you fly over the Rockies? Or that whitewater that is so secluded it seems to only be roaring for you? Those untouched waters, isolated from society, can be yours. Let loose, and adventure off-course with a portable board that goes where you choose, not where you’re told. Even Google Earth could be your guide!

How does your best friend keep it all together? 

Like a good friend, inflatable SUPs are supportive, stable, and reliable. There is no lingering question in your mind; they will always be there and will happily exceed your expectations.

So what qualities define your board as a reliable companion? It starts with a strong core, thick skin (like our lightweight Fusion Drop Stitch material that is made out of PVC* and has a rugged construction) and can take anything you can throw at it. And you want a friend that will never come unglued. Hala’s glue holds so strong that the PVC’s cohesive bond melds the seams as one creating lasting strength. But the best of friends go above and beyond, are always growing and improving.

*Polyvinyl chloride is the world’s third-most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer, after polyethylene and polypropylene.

We’ve Got Your Amigo’s Back

Sometimes we’re careless. We have so much fun out and about that we forget to make sure our friends get home safely as well. Majority of the board damage that we see is on that staggering walk home, where you and your bud are arm and arm, dragging along the road as you go laughing and enjoying the moment. It isn’t until after that you get back and realize one of you has road rash. As life goes, we sometimes play too hard and can be lackadaisical in the aftermath. Things get bumped and bruised while you’re creating memories together. Not to fear, we’re here to help. A simple patch at home or a contact with Hala's warranty department gets your friend promptly mended so more adventures can be had. And the three-year warranty gives your board the best coverage in the industry.

We Finish Each Other’s Sentences

The bond between you and your board should be so tight, that your relationship comes naturally. It’s that friend that you haven’t spent time with for weeks, months, even years, but as soon as the two of you are reunited, you don’t miss a beat. Your friend knows what you’re going to do before you even do it. And when you are together, everything seems effortless and free. This is Hala’s goal. To create an unbreakable bond that just simply happens. No matter the circumstances, no matter the day, you fit. Just you and your friend, sitting side-by-side enjoying life and all its beauty.

Cheers to our inflatable boards!

Inflatable SUPs are more than toys. They are your pal, your bud, and your first mate that will never let you down. They are patiently waiting for you whenever you’re ready. They give you the power and capability to explore further, creatively, and in more diverse ways. The foundation of your friendship is sound, reliable, and constantly improving. So cheers to these boards and all the joy they bring us! Free yourself and wander with an inflatable SUP, your very best friend.

Watch out for these zero-meaning marketing terms:

• “Military-Grade PVC”: There is no standard that defines PVC as Military Grade.  This was used in the SUP industry early on, and now many me-too companies try to utilize it as a marketing benefit. Milspec is a term that the military uses to standardize materials, but military grade is meaningless.

• “Handmade boards”: All inflatable boards are made by hand. The key is where the manufacturer chooses to use cutting and gluing machines to add quality and consistency to the hand-assembled product.  Many companies do not choose to afford this more-sophisticated manufacturing approach.

• “Lightweight”: On this one, consumers need to do research on how the manufacturer is cutting weight. Are they using thinner materials?  Or is weight shed through using advanced techniques (the way materials are built and layered)? Hala’s lightweight boards are made using Fusion Dropstitch which uses machinery to bond multiple layers at the raw material stage.  This machinery allows us to create a lighter two-layer board and a more rigid board without compromising durability the way that single layer inflatables do.

Article written by Hala Gear Founder & President, Peter Hall.