Author Topic: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?  (Read 26543 times)

cascade17

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Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« on: March 23, 2015, 08:25:03 PM »
Evening all........am still deliberating quite a bit on whether to go with an inflatable race/tour board (Astro or Red), or with something like the Starboard Freeride 12-2x30.  My one concern with an inflatable is whether I'd ever get tired of pumping the thing up all the time.  I plan on paddling around 2 to 3x per week, and am concerned that this paddling frequency is too often for an inflatable.  Does the prospect of the pumping routine ever deter going out on an inflatable?  Do you think I'm better off with a rigid tour/race board?  Thanks for any advice here.

spookini

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2015, 08:58:55 PM »
Do you have storage issues that would REQUIRE you to deflate your iSUP?
I leave mine inflated for most of the season.  They can be strapped to the car roof and driven at highway speeds.
No good reason to deflate, IMO.
« Last Edit: March 23, 2015, 09:09:06 PM by spookini »
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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2015, 09:23:35 PM »
+1 with Spookini. If you can keep inflated then it is a lot less work. However the new Titan pump from Red makes pumping way much easier than the older single cylinder pumps. I think it is exclusive to Red too. Another option is if you are a diver is to use a dive tank to inflate your board. You need a good regulator and connector to make sure you don't over-inflate. But that way you can inflate a board in seconds. There are also electric pumps you can get a board to 10psi and then use the pump for the last bit..

At first hand pumping will seem a chore but after a while it becomes easier and part of the work out.
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cascade17

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2015, 10:05:10 PM »
Do you have storage issues that would REQUIRE you to deflate your iSUP?
I leave mine inflated for most of the season.  They can be strapped to the car roof and driven at highway speeds.
No good reason to deflate, IMO.

There are moderate storage issues on my end, and is one of the reasons why am considering an inflatable.  If storage were not a problem, I wouldn't be looking at an iSUP, and I'm surprised that you have opted for one if you're able to store a full-length board.  I suppose if  you travel substantially, that would be one reason to go with an inflatable even if you had storage room for a rigid board.   Just out of curiosity, do you have a rigid board too?
« Last Edit: March 23, 2015, 10:36:00 PM by cascade17 »

cascade17

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2015, 10:08:48 PM »
+1 with Spookini. If you can keep inflated then it is a lot less work. However the new Titan pump from Red makes pumping way much easier than the older single cylinder pumps. I think it is exclusive to Red too. Another option is if you are a diver is to use a dive tank to inflate your board. You need a good regulator and connector to make sure you don't over-inflate. But that way you can inflate a board in seconds. There are also electric pumps you can get a board to 10psi and then use the pump for the last bit..

At first hand pumping will seem a chore but after a while it becomes easier and part of the work out.
Any idea how many pump motions is needed to inflate a 12-6x28 Race with the Titan vs. the older pump? 

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2015, 10:17:07 PM »
Any idea how many pump motions is needed to inflate a 12-6x28 Race with the Titan vs. the older pump?

Not sure, but there is this vid online showing the difference between the 3 types of pumps pumping up a 9'8".

https://youtu.be/B5OrRNy6NDA
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cascade17

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2015, 10:35:01 PM »
Any idea how many pump motions is needed to inflate a 12-6x28 Race with the Titan vs. the older pump?

Not sure, but there is this vid online showing the difference between the 3 types of pumps pumping up a 9'8".

https://youtu.be/B5OrRNy6NDA
Thank you!  I just finished viewing....sounds like it'd be only around 4 min with Titan pump based on this vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3PbuQLlE3I&t=150
« Last Edit: March 23, 2015, 10:37:44 PM by cascade17 »

capobeachboy

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2015, 10:38:40 PM »
I have plenty of room to store hard boards but I stopped surfing and paddling them in 2012 to focus on inflatables entirely.  Some of the inflatables really perform nearly on par with the hard boards and you never have to worry about dings and injuries are minimized as well. I leave mine outside and fully inflated all the time unless I need to get them inside my car for a longer trip or take them on a plane. You don't even need racks - just put them pad-down and run a strap through your doors. There are good electric pumps and if you do a search on the SUZ topic there's some tricks to a very quick & easy inflation with or without the electric pump. 



 
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feet

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2015, 03:06:21 AM »
Inflating has never been an issue. I am limited to boards 11' and smaller, so getting a 12'6" inflatable was the only option. I also have a 9' Uli GL for travel and a hard surf sup. I like them all and inflating them (especially the 9ft.) takes about the same amount of time as strapping them to the roof and unstrapping them.

The Uli pump is quite good and I can get to 18 psi no problems, in about 5 minutes, though I've never timed myself.

My thought is that if you let the small warmup you'd get from inflating a SUP stop you from going paddling/surfing, perhaps you should probably just find a couch and commence being lazy.   

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2015, 06:31:55 AM »
Titans are exclusive to Red. Initially you are pumping double the volume of air with every stroke and then you can switch to the high pressure cylinder to top off the board. The video shows pretty clearly the benefits and time savings. I also use the pumping as a warm up. Even when I don't ride my inflatables, I do a little series of warm up exercises just to get the joints warm and ready for my session.

I hope to time myself pumping a 10'6" and 12'6" Race with the Titan in the next few days. I already have times using the other pumps - 10'6" Ride 4:47 mins. 2014 12'6"x30" Race 7:10mins including RSS and fin installation.

We have the Race 12'6" and Explorer 12'6" available to ship with the Titan. We have the Elite 12'6" and 14' with standard pumps but a Zoner coupon "upgradepump" gets you the Titan as well for just $30. (Board is then regular retail price and you get 2 pumps!)

Start with the Race here: http://greenwatersports.com/shop/red-paddle-co-12-6-race

PS. 2014 Starboard Astro Touring 12'6" on sale too: http://greenwatersports.com/shop/starboard-12-6-astro-touring-deluxe-2014
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Area 10

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #10 on: March 24, 2015, 06:43:20 AM »
I have inflatables and also hard boards. I leave my inflatables pumped up.  If I was going to be paddling the inflatables as often as three times a week I'd soon get pretty fed up with pumping them up. It is true that with the new breed of pumps plus a portable compressor the job is much easier than it used to be. But the pumping is only one aspect of the hassle. You also have to take all the pumps and attachments etc with you and it's a pain folding them up wet - where do you put them then? But maybe you live in a hot climate. If you live in a cold one like me you don't want to go sticking your wet iSUP in your vehicle.

So I think you are wise to think about this aspect of iSUP ownership. They are hugely more convenient in many ways - but principally if you can leave them pumped up.

By the way, I've often wondered if anyone has been inhibited from going a long way offshore on an inflatable. If you dinged your hard board it would still float. But an iSUP wouldn't. Has anyone ever had a valve failure offshore? What did you do?

The other annoying thing about an inflatable - other than the loss of performance - is that the crude rail shapes mean than they generally don't quarter wind and swell particularly well.

So, inflatables are wonderful in many ways, and I love mine for mucking about with my kids on, and for river trips etc where a fragile hard board is a liability. But they definitely do have downsides, especially if you have to pump them up every time you use them, and you use them a lot.
« Last Edit: March 24, 2015, 06:47:53 AM by Area 10 »

capobeachboy

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #11 on: March 24, 2015, 07:22:54 AM »
Since you are deflating only for storage here's the how to cut the inflation/deflation time: Inflating your board with a shop vac on reverse or an air bed inflator saves you a couple hundred pump strokes from full deflation. Make sure the board's valve is in the open position, then close it and bring it to full inflation with a high pressure hand pump.  They can also be used to deflate quickly which makes you board roll or fold nice & tight.

Area 10  - you make me feel so lazy.  I need to incorporate the pump into my morning warmup!


My thought is that if you let the small warmup you'd get from inflating a SUP stop you from going paddling/surfing, perhaps you should probably just find a couch and commence being lazy.
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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2015, 05:46:20 AM »
In the early days of big kites (my largest was only 18m) it was a real azz'buster to inflate the buggers.  My launch was too far from the carpark to use a 12v inflator.. and as I did not have a valet, I used one of these river rafting pumps to get the bulk of the air inside, then top it off with a smaller, high pressure pump. 




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sterbo

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2015, 06:40:05 AM »
My one concern with an inflatable is whether I'd ever get tired of pumping the thing up all the time.  I plan on paddling around 2 to 3x per week, and am concerned that this paddling frequency is too often for an inflatable.  Does the prospect of the pumping routine ever deter going out on an inflatable? 
My lifestyle would find it to be a drag.
But that's the thing, it really is person specific. Some people have lot's of time and it would be of no consequence. Some might simply make it a 'zen' moment.

It's been a very long time since I've not struggled to find enough hours in a day to do all that I want. To that end - for decades now - I've refined to a science my efficiency around (in this case) getting out on the water for as long as possible.
The added time having to deal with the gear, inflating, deflating etc., is a deal breaker in my world...

capobeachboy

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Re: Does having to pump up inflatable ever deter going out?
« Reply #14 on: March 26, 2015, 03:06:00 PM »
Here's Steamroller's solution: make the groms do the pumping.
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