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Newb looking for an inflatable.

Started by DeadFlorist, March 30, 2011, 03:09:24 PM

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DeadFlorist

Hey all,

With spring approaching Chicago, I'm looking for a board to use on the many area rivers as well as our Great Lake.  I would much prefer an inflatable so I can roll it up and take public transportation to and from my destinations.  As I've never done this before, the finer points of board performance are lost on me.  Presumably they will all be better performers than the canoe I usally take on these rivers.  I do, however, want a decent one that will last and not pop on a rock.  It looks like the ULI is universally respected as the class leader for inflatables.  Some questions then:
1. Is it worth buying a ULI for what I am using it for or would something a bit less pricey work just as well?
2. If the ULI is worth it, what model would people suggest?  I am 5'11' 192 lbs.  I was looking at the new Fat Ass Quad.  It seems to be pretty well-appreciated, though I base that on virtually no personal knowledge.
3. What for a paddle?  A 3 piece/collapsible one?
4. From whence do I get it?  Is is better on some customer service ground to get it directly from ULI or is one seller as good as another?

Thanks in advance.

raf

The FAQ is more of a big guys surf-SUP.  Why not check out a 10' Steamroller?  The FAQ, the GLx-2 and the Steamrollers all have 2 layers of skin, so they are all quite abrasion resistant.  The GLx-1 , the 12' and the 14' use single layer skin to keep weight down.

ULI is currently expanding into limited dealerships, but I'd recommend getting in touch with them directly to find out what the best source for you would be. 

And if portability is what you are looking for, the 3 piece ULI paddle is a good option (Werner makes some great 3 piece paddles too)

raf
owner of Soposup, New England's 1st dedicated SUP shop
ULI dealer
www.soposup.com

Foilman

You might also wanna check out the imagine split boards. Not inflatable but something to consider.
http://web.me.com/imaginesurf/eng/travel-take-appart-splitboards.html
Not sure about their reliability but corran might be able to answer that question for you.

Rob
Starboard Allstar 14' x 25.5"
Starboard Coast Runner 14' x 28"
Bark Competitor 12' 6" x 28"
Fanatic AllWave 8'11"
Blue Planet Surf 10' x 32" inflatable

alap

i bet 10$ that corran will assure you that they are reliable, even very reliable. he makes them.

PT Woody

For river and lake work, I think the 10' and 11' Steamrollers are the best ULIs for you. As someone else said, the Fat Ass Quad is a surf SUP and a pretty wide one at that. You'll just be pushing water when you're on the flats. Also, I'm not a huge fan of the 14' ULI. It just doesn't have the glide that you'd expect from a long board. And despite the single layer, it's still heavy to carry.

DeadFlorist

Thanks for the advice so far.  A couple of quick follow-ups:

1. If I go with the Steamroller, how would I choose between the 10 and the 11?
2. I understand the Steamrollers are in a "new, lighter version."  Any sacrifice to durability here vs the old, heavier version?

raf

An 11 footer on a small river might suck.  I'm just guessing.  But if you were doing 90% lake stuff, then the 11' might give you a little more glide, and room for the dog, kid, 35 lb walleye or whatever.  I don't know anything about the "new, lighter Steamroller".

David K

We just spent a week on Florida with our new Steamroller (10 footer).  It was great.

David K

#8
More details.  We own a Bic Jungle and wanted a travel board.  4 riders - from 195, 175, 170 and 125 lbs.

Spent time emailing and talking with Jim at ULI and decided to purchase a Steamroller.  (The "Steamroller" is the 10 footer.)  Jim thought the Steamroller would be better for the short wave intervals experienced on Lake Michigan - where the board would see the majority of use.

Purchased a 3 piece Werner Nitro and the regular bag as well.

The bag flew to Florida as checked luggage - no problem.  Not sure if I should have purchased the more expensive bag with wheels.

We had several very windy days with chaotic 5 foot plus wind generated waves - the sort of waves that are overlapping and crossing over each other.  The board was very fun.  Punching out through the short interval waves was not too hard.  Catching them was a bit harder - a true commitment to weighting the back end was required or the nose would go under.  

I am very happy with the purchase and would buy another ULI.