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https://plus.google.com/collection/MuqWbB

Katsuura (in Chiba, shown here) and Shonan turn on like this or bigger when typhoons go up the coast, about 20 times a year. Some typhoons produce clean triple overhead faces on the outer reefs.

Only one guy was out on a SUP when I was taking photos that day in Katsuura, the rest linked today are short board and long boarders.

There are a few local guys that SUP surf in the local breaks, if you know what you're doing there's usually no problem.

Beginners spots are there too, and a few rental places with more decent boards each year.
SUP is still very much a growing sport in Japan for sure.

I'm in Shonan or Chiba areas.

Was a nice weekend here.

I've been using a prototype for about a year now, it's working fine.

Better design than the BP-12

We're planning to bring them into the US in early 2017.

I know someone who tried to use isup's in the surf and were sorely disappointed.  They were too soft and made for the river raft set and made it almost impossible to catch waves.  Handling on those I have tried which were not soft and not cheap, was terrible in the surf, though catching small waves can be OK.

For surfing, only as a last resort.

our 8'1 inflatable surfs quite well 

http://airsup.net/os/airsup-8foot-1inch-inflatable-sup.html

well if anyone can fix it , it's Zach and his guys at : http://www.raftrepair.com/

they're in Denver, Colorado

Long thinner areas of inflatable SUP have less internal strings , so it's more difficult to manufacture without a little twist, and occasionally a bad twist might get past a lazy QC guy at the factories (some will offer discounts or credits if discovered late).

For sure, this is getting less common with better manufacturing techniques and quality checks, but even still a few slip through.

Was the discount offered because of the twist ?

You probably won't notice much performance difference, the integrity of the SUP will not be affected either.

Update on my sevylor pump:
hose blowout near the joint after about 200 uses,
thisthis joint failure is common complaint for the people giving it 1 start on amazon reviews too

I did pump way more than average user would in a year, and the glue used to join the hose to the connector is to blame, not too hard to fix with good glue, at this price I'm still giving it a thumbs up

airSUP 12'6 is under your budget and weight is only approx 19lbs (under 9Kg)

Most brands either weigh a ton or cost the earth

http://air-sup.com/os/index.php/boards/airsup-12foot-6inch-inflatable-sup.html

[no fin screw required]

on the fin front we have some pretty cool things coming in the next few months : "FCS" brand fins compatible fin box (using grub screws),
and when using our new fins : no fin screw required  - we call it ClickFins

note: FCS brand is not associated with this fin system, this fin system is compatible with the fins they made popular world-wide.

This is a good hat for surfing and flat water

http://tinyurl.com/lxaafqs

My Coleman is still working, I'll give it a good workout this summer and report back if it fails

we make hard plastic 9" fins with 4.5mm pin in the base, makes it easier to insert and move etc (I think theirs is 5mm?)

our fin also does not have the bump in the front, so it can maybe fit better in your fin box.

http://tinyurl.com/ot6lfvg

Thanks for that info airSUP.  So looks to me like the Coleman is the way better deal, simply because of the price point.  Does it seem sturdy?  Reviews complain about the tubing being cheap

The pump feels quite sturdy and has a bayonet style connection for the hose, which i usually prefer, the other 2 are screw in.

However, my sample's hose leaks a little where it connects to the pump, and it's definitely the lowest grade hose of all these - at the moment feels like the weakest link...

I'll be exclusively using this pump for a few weeks, so will report back soon...

test board : airSUP 12'6 x 30" x 6"

Coleman Sevylor single stage pump :
14psi : 8:20
15psi : 9:22
$50~60 online / amazon

Holee double stage pump :
14psi : 7:45
15psi : 8:25
(max is 20psi, takes another few minutes)
$120-140~ on amazon?
(re-branded by many)

Bravo BP-12 single stage pump :
says 14.5psi (actually about 13.5psi?) : 5:20
$100 - 200~ on amazon etc ?
(re-branded by many)

the Bravo seems loudest, followed by the Holee and the Sevylor seems less noisy
however using a dB meter on my phone , it reported they all average about 89dB

I've only used the Sevylor a few times, no problems so far.
Bravo had no problems since the end of 2014 batch seemed to clear most problems they had in earlier times.
Holee I've been using for about 6 months, my go-to pump until now, the 20psi is nice if you need it.
Waiting for Bravo to put out the 22psi version of the BP-12, hope it's not over stressed!

Feet,
Thats the ULI board I was looking at. Looks like a good nose kick.

Others, sounds not positive about surfing with inflatable.  Maybe I should kill the idea. I'm looking at inflatable because I want to keep it in my car so I go out after-work direct from work.

And I do travel to places at least once a year. Also have chance to paddle at Kamakura south of Tokyo on work trips.

Other options are to get a van. Which is not really needed otherwis,  expensive and gas costs a fortune in Sweden. Or I can make a stubby tomo board that will fit in the Volvo station wagon.

Or get some sort of lock and roof rack the board, leAve it unattended at work in parking lot..

Call me if you want to demo our boards in Kamakura.

090-6653-0557

We have 9'6" in stock now and 8'1" coming next month, both are fun in the surf.
(We have both as demo boards available now)