The Uli stand up paddle board is the weapon of choice for the SUP enthusiast.  It’s high quality construction, performance oriented design, overall stiffness and inflatable technology make this board one of the best around. Uli makes two models of inflatable stand up’s.  The 11′0″ SUP is the most popular board in Uli’s lineup. It’s very stable which adds to it’s versatility. Beginners can learn to SUP on flat water, and veterans of the sport can still enjoy it on waves. The 10′0″ Steamroller is the other Uli SUP that we are currently stocking. This board is named after one of Uli’s pro riders.  Steamroller is 6′5″ and weighs 295 lbs. He paddles it on flat water and carves big waves on his board. It’s hard to believe that these things are inflatable!

What separates Uli’s from other SUP’s , is it’s stiffness. This is a direct result of high quality  construction and the stringer system that runs along the bottom of the board (see picture below). The Uli is very stable and fast on flat water. It turns smoothly with no flutter. On moving water, the Uli begins to show it’s true colors. It surfs and paddles down river with confidence.  People that are used to glass surfboards will find that the Uli is not quite as stiff, but still enjoyable.

The blue stripe is the stringer that provides stiffness.

The Specs:

The Uli 10′0″ Steam Roller:

Height: 10’0”
Width: 29”
Thickness: 3 7/8”
Weight: 30 lbs

The Uli 11′0″

Height: 11’0”
Width: 29”
Thickness: 3 7/8”
Weight: 33 lbs

Dropping in.....River style.

Toe stand splat?

Pealing out

Lean back....

Pros:

The primary advantages of  Uli SUP’s are quality of construction, ultra-portability (see photo below) and high performance design.  All Uli boards are built out of the same material as inflatable military boats. In short, they are built to take a beating. Uli’s are strong enough to be surfed on 20′+ waves, beaten on reef and rocks and surfed directly into the shore on beach breaks.

A great thing about SUP’s in general is that they allow ALL populations to enjoy the health benefits of flat water paddling. Balancing on the board is fairly easy, and works all of the body’s core muscles. It is similar to a pilates workout. After mastering flat water technique, moving water offers even more workout potential as well as unlimited fun! Since the sport is in it’s early stages of evolution pertaining to rivers, you can literally invent tricks and try to master surfing on a variety of river features.

The deflated Uli rolls up into a small package and fits inton a backpack. Hike it into your secret break in the tropics!

Cons:

Because the Uli is inflatable, it is not as stiff as a fiberglass surfboard.  It also costs a bit more than some other brands of SUP’s due to it’s superior quality.

The verdict:

The Uli inlfatable stand up surf board is tons of fun for everyone in the family, ranging from young children to seniors. These SUP’s are stiff enough to be aggressively surfed on river and ocean features, yet docile and forgiving on flat water.

The Arkansas River here in Colorado

Flat water workout in Colorado

Kona Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board Review!

Who’s ever heard of a long board that needs a pump? Until about a month ago, I thought that all surf boards were between 6′ and 11′ feet  long, and were made out of fiberglass or some type of foam. I also thought that I needed to live San Clemente, California or Hawaii to justify spending the money on one. Well, now my opinion has changed. I live in the most land locked state in the continental US, have a 600 square foot house with no storage and own a pickup truck with no racks. I’m gettin’ me an inflatable SUP! No river, lake, swimming pool or pond is safe anymore. SUP’ers can s carve up and down glassy river waves, paddle distances on flat water for a great core training workout (similar to pilates), and roll this sucker up into a small 23 lb. package (it comes with it’s own backpack!) and bring it with them to Baja with no extra baggage charge!

The Specs:

This isn't the greatest picture in the world, but at least you can see the board.

Removable and replaceable tri-fin setup.

· Size inflated: 10′ 10″ long x 29″ wide in middle x 4″ thick
· Size deflated: Roll to 18+” dia x 30.5″ tall
· Weight (SUP only): 23 lbs.
· Inflate to 10+ psi to support up to 150-lb paddler
· Inflate to 12-15 psi to support up to 200-lb paddler
Fins: Tri-fin configuration. Use 1, 2 or 3 fins. (Fins are removable without tools.)
· Sturdy “D” ring at tail for board leash attachment (For safety reasons, you should use leash to prevent    b  board from blowing away if you fall.)
· Four smaller “D” rings on bow for attaching storage container.

Pros:

What isn’t there to like about an ultra portable, inflatable surfboard that can be enjoyed by people on ANY type of water (lakes, ponds,rivers, oceans)?  The target market for the Kona SUP is the person who wants to learn how to SUP (or longboard) and get a great value for their hard earned money. The Kona is a few dollars less expensive than other SUP’s on the market like the Uli boards.  This board (the Kona) is meant for people that will spend a fair amount of time paddling on flat water, but want to try it out on surf waves and down river too. It’s very stable and durable. The heavy duty rubber construction is built to take a beating and keep on surfing. This is good news for river SUP’ers who want to take the board down streams with rocky rapids. Deep water runs are by far better to learn on because there are less obstacle to run / fall  into. Check out this video:

Here’s another:

Cons:

The Kona SUP is a beginner / recreational board.  If you’re going to take your SUP to the beach and try to paddle into larger waves (6 feet plus), or spend most of your time on the river (and not flatwater) you may want to look at higher performance boards like the Uli.

The Verdict:

This is one of the best all around / multi-use SUP’s made. It is great for flat water workouts, learning to paddle in white water, learning to surf, etc.  If you’re going to charge hard, you may want to look at the Uli because it’s built for higher performance on moving water.

The Kona comes complete with a back pack travel bag, pump, PSI gauge, fins and board. All that you need to complete the package is a paddle and a first class ticket to Bali.