This summer, following the heels of its Carbon Construction debut, Steamboat Springs, Colo.-based Hala Gear, rolled out a new line of high-performance inflatable SUPs designed for shredding river and ocean waves by introducing four boards — the Hala Gram, Hala Milligram, Hala Peño, and Hala Carbon Playa. All, says company owner Peter Hall, 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 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 perfromance. 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.”

HALA GEAR’S NEW INFLATABLE SURFERS

HALA MILLIGRAM

River Park and Play
6’11 x 30” x 4.75”

A smaller version of the Gram, the Milligram has a similar look with more spunk. It handles a variety of whitewater and fits into ridiculously small pockets, yet also crosses over into surfing short, snappy ocean waves. And the new nut shape makes this board insanely responsive. The Milligram is a feisty little 7-footer that surfs like a 5-footer, packed full of grit for unbeatable surfing.

• Core Construction™
• Responsive nut shape
• Full rocker
• 4.75” low-volume rails
• Swallowtail
• 5 removable gummy side bite click fins
• One 8” center flex fin

“This board has re-energized my surf season! The 4.75″ thickness, or thinness, provides a higher rail performance and the rocker keeps the nose from pearling in short, rowdy waves. Up next: Numbster fins to begin 360 training,” says Hala Team Rider Melanie Seiler.

HALA PENO
River Surfer / Park & Play Surfboard
6’11” x 32” x DoubleStack™ 3”+ 3”

The 2017 Peno has been completely recreated to be the best park and play inflatable on the market. Whether it’s a long, fast wave or a steep, thrashy hole, the Peño will dominate like no other freestyle surfer. With design inspiration from new school river SUPs and playboat kayaks, the Hala Peño has full tip-to-tail rocker that keeps the nose from pearling while surfing, and is the only high volume inflatable river surfer that also supplies 3” low volume rails with our patent-pending DoubleStack™ construction. The Peño is the thinnest railed inflatable that carves and freestyles like a hardboard.

• Core Construction™
• Patent-pending DoubleStack™ construction
• Full rocker
• Responsive shape
• Squaretail

“The Hala Peño is the best inflatable river surfer on the market. It’s the first inflatable board that I feel like I can really engage the rails for turns. The volume in the tail means you won’t flush, and its rocker lets you fit in anything from steep, green waves to smaller holes. And the fin box options mean you can experiment to find the perfect fin setup for your favorite wave. A lot of thought went into its design,” says Hala Team Rider Jason Kopp.

HALA CARBON PLAYA
Ocean Surf / Touring

10’11” x 30” x 4.75”

The Hala Carbon Playa is a SUP ocean surfers dream. A high-performance surfboard with Carbon Construction™ that rolls up and travels with you. The Playa is packed full of surprises. It allows you to catch a wave while it’s still just an idea and ride it all the way into the beach. You can to paddle out to that island on the horizon and shred its secluded break, or simply pack a lunch and set out for the day with no plans, knowing the adventure is coming your way. The dynamic Hala Playa is a fun and versatile ocean surfer to shred and tour on.

• Carbon Construction™
• Full rocker
• Dynamic shape
• 4 soft rigging points
• 4.75” low-volume rails
• 2 removable, gummy, side-bite click fins
• 8” center flex fin

“I tested it on the ocean waves of Dana Point, California, and loved it. It has a completely new feel. It’s super responsive and rigid. On swift water it’s fast, nimble and edgy, letting you carve in and out of eddies. And in surf it is a true longboard, allowing for long rides down the line and making it easy to get past the surf zone,” says Hala Team Rider Paul Clark.

Article published by Paddling Life.