Inflatable vs Standard SUP

[Jhornik]

New to the SUP community and am trying to figure out the advantages and disadvantages of each.  It seems like inflatables are just as expensive as normal SUP boards but seems like there is so much more that could go wrong with an inflatable.  Please let me know your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks

[spookini]

In a nutshell:

If you're a newbie or looking to do flatwater paddling, iSUPs are great.
If you think you're a racer or real surfer, iSUPs can't offer quite the same performance.

Inflatables could rip or puncture.  But they are tougher than you'd think.  Very thick-skinned.
Hard boards get dropped and blow off cars in the parking lot.  Do you know fiberglass repair?
Hardboards w/ compromised fiberglass can take on water.  Once that happens, you own an anchor w/ fins.

If you fall off an iSUP or wipe out on a wave, unlikely you'll get hurt.
"     " hardboard, fair chance you could get hurt, cut on a fin, etc etc.  Depends on serendipity and clutz factor.

Inflatables roll up into a duffel.  Hardboards take up your WHOLE car interior.
Neither is cheap.  Whichever way you go, don't go cheap!  You'll regret it.   
Try to rent both.  Your pre-conceived notions might be reversed.. or confirmed.   

[Off-Shore]

Jhornik. Welcome to the Zone! I have both iSUPs and hard boards. My first board for the first 9 months of paddling was a RedPaddle 10-6 iSUP and I took it everywhere I went and paddled it 3-4 times a week, sometimes up to 8 miles / 13km at a time.. It got me into the sport. Then I bought a 14' Starboard Coast Runner (hard board) because I realised I liked long distance and being off-shore and this could get me places faster and could downwind (sort of). I am not much of a surfer / SUSer, but I have SUSed iSUPs and do own a hard SUS. If you are looking for performance, then hard boards general win..

Spookini is right that you can drop an iSUP off the roof rack on to the ground and it will bounce. Hard boards need maintenance and so if you can't do it yourself, then you need to find a good repair person. I have friends who love their Race iSUPs as there are no fibreglass repairs and they can take anywhere. It is a matter of choice. If I could only have one board, then it would be an iSUP (a 14' race) because of its versatility (take anywhere), but then, as those of us who have been in this sport for a while know, one is never enough and, one does not make a quiver

[capobeachboy]

inflatables are a blast.  here's some reading for you...

http://stokemagazine.blogspot.com/2015/03/sup-safety-with-inflatable-boards-by.html

http://supexaminer.com/2015/02/the-benefits-of-an-inflatable-sup/

[Green Water Sports]

Inflatables work well for most people, 95% of people. If you are a full on racer or SUSer, a hard board will perform better. I have a 8'5" carbon surf SUP, the rest are iSUPs.

Jhornik. Welcome to the Zone! I have both iSUPs and hard boards. My first board for the first 9 months of paddling was a RedPaddle 10-6 iSUP and I took it everywhere I went and paddled it 3-4 times a week, sometimes up to 8 miles / 13km at a time.. It got me into the sport. Then I bought a 14' Starboard Coast Runner (hard board) because I realised I liked long distance and being off-shore and this could get me places faster and could downwind (sort of). I am not much of a surfer / SUSer, but I have SUSed iSUPs and do own a hard SUS. If you are looking for performance, then hard boards general win..

Spookini is right that you can drop an iSUP off the roof rack on to the ground and it will bounce. Hard boards need maintenance and so if you can't do it yourself, then you need to find a good repair person. I have friends who love their Race iSUPs as there are no fibreglass repairs and they can take anywhere. It is a matter of choice. If I could only have one board, then it would be an iSUP (a 14' race) because of its versatility (take anywhere), but then, as those of us who have been in this sport for a while know, one is never enough and, one does not make a quiver

[SUPcheat]

When I started practicing on the harbor, I chose an ISUP because I had no water reflexes, I wanted something that I could store easily, and something that was SAFE and would bounce so I didn't hurt anybody or myself. I didn't want something I would have to baby and that I could toss around until I learned how to carry boards.  I also didn't know anything about boards, never surfed, and thought that getting balance practice could be done on anything generally suitable until I got better.

My first Red Paddle 10'6" was slightly defective with excessive rocker and got me a lot of flack for being a "banana boat", but it got me out and trained enough to advance.  My second ISUP, the Red Paddle Mega 10'8" was much better, and I learned initially how to stand up surf on it.

I have always had fun on the ISUP Red Paddle Mega, except when it broke my rib in a white water explosion.  It is just a fun board that is easy to manage and it surfs well off the tail.

Now that I have more water reflexes and am better at safety, advancing does require a hard board to learn turning etc.

I did talk to a guy out on the water who said that a surfing contest was won second place with one of the newer surfing ISUPs with stiffened rail inserts, so I guess they are getting better at performance.

However, reading the design finesse that shapers put into their performance boards, you will never get that kind of detailing and control of features in an ISUP aka bottom contours, rail shapes, adjustable fin boxes, variable rockers, dialed in flex etc.

I would recommend starting out on ISUP to have a good time and maintain safety, then eventually add a hard board when performance requirements and knowledge of the water improve.

However, my Mega is always fun to take out and distance paddle and surf. I always just have fun on it without any particular agenda.