We have been pretty busy here at Altitude Paddleboards getting prepped for a great season. We are all about helping people find the perfect piece of gear, so we wanted to start a blog post series where we highlight some of the products you can find at our shop!

Gear Spotlight

Today’s spotlight is one of our best-sellers: The Straight Up by Hala Gear. This board is one that we offer in our rental fleet, so you can always try it out on your local body of water and receive up to $50 off toward your purchase.

Straight Up

Hala Gear is a well-known Colorado-based company that specializes in producing inflatable stand up paddleboards that can really take a beating; perfect for the variety of elements that the Rockies has to offer. Hala Gear is also well-known for their industry-leading 3-year warranty, so you know that when you buy a Hala Board, you buy a product that was designed to last.

The Straight Up is a board that can do a little bit of everything. At 10 feet long with a progressive rocker, it is an ideal shape for a smaller paddler to cruise on flat water or a river. At 33 inches wide, you are sure to have stability for loading up your child or dog, paddling in choppy water conditions, fishing, or doing SUP yoga. (Side-note: check out one pregnant woman who paddled her Straight Up right until the day before she went into labor!)

In 2017, Hala adapted their inflatable SUPs into the performance-line “Carbon Series” and the price-point line “Rival Series.”

What’s the difference?

The Carbon Straight Up uses what Hala coined as “Carbon + Fusion Drop Stitch Material” - which essentially means that the board has a carbon stringer. The stringer makes the board stronger and stiffer. This year, Hala redesigned the Carbon Straight Up to be even faster and more rigid by narrowing the nose and lengthening the carbon stringer, all while still being able to roll up your board to fit into the backcountry rolling backpack.

What does it mean for you?

The Carbon Straight Up is responsive, smooth, and fast. If you’re looking for an all-around inflatable board and you don’t want to sacrifice performance or burliness, then this is the perfect board for you.

The Rival Straight Up is a similar shape with more cost-effective design. The Rival Series utilizes “Fusion Bi-Layer Drop Stitch”, which results in less material overall. While comparing the Rival Series Hala boards with other inflatables on the market, you will note that this board is no exception to Hala’s reputation for producing boards that will last.

The Rival Straight Up has a shape that is compatible with the majority of activities you might want to do on a paddleboard. The Rival Series boards come with a Straight-to-Water package that includes a paddle, pump, fins, and a rolling backpack.

The Straight Up is the go-to all around board that promises quality and durability.

What kind of features are you looking for in your paddleboard? Come on into our shop to find your dream board!

Blog written by Hala Team Rider Cami Swan for Altitude Paddleboards.