Inflatable throw down

[Wetstuff]

An attractive subject to me, the GONG inflatable announcement may have prompted a reply from INDIANA.





Jim

[clay]

Interesting...In wider widths I would want one.

For me the appeal would be an all around beginner / loaner board that is indestructible and safer during gnarly roll falls, as in less chance of cracked ribs or smashed face on the rubber "rails".

But the dimensions?  The dims are not beginner friendly, narrow in the largest size, makes zero sense to me, especially when they weigh 20 pounds.  7x32 or 66x31 140-160L, these make sense to me.

Who are these for?  Heavy, long, floppy?, tracks in an inflatable?  A wing board, who wants to be very far from shore on an inflatable?  For travelers sure, but who wants to fly right now?

I want to like inflatables and have one yesterday.

[surfcowboy]

Clay, one of the points made by Gong is “same weight as a hard board.” We will see what they mean, but it’s possible. If you extrapolate the size of my 12’6” touring inflatable to a rigid board it would be insanely heavy. So inflatable doesn’t necessarily mean heavy, unless it’s cheap.

[clay]

Interested:



Seems like the front to back flex droop is addressed, wondering about lateral side to side flex especially at 6" thick?

I flew a 6" thick board the other day and for me the thickness was noticeable.

Why not do a full on RIB style inflatable?  Top and bottom foil and standing area connected with zero flex, and then an inflatable around that?

Some commenters mentioned Naish has an inflatable foil board coming soon...

[burchas]

Clay, one of the points made by Gong is “same weight as a hard board.” We will see what they mean, but it’s possible. If you extrapolate the size of my 12’6” touring inflatable to a rigid board it would be insanely heavy. So inflatable doesn’t necessarily mean heavy, unless it’s cheap.

Gong inflatable weight is 6-7kg or inline with their hard boards according to the video. Not bad at all.

[clay]

Oh and I missed the memo,
There are a bunch of posts on the gong board in the
wing specific board thread:
https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,35269.195.html

[Wetstuff]

 No offense to Indiana, Manta, or even F-One... but, my instinct says Patrice has put a fair bit more effort and content in this inflato.  Based on the silence (from what I have seen here) about the F-One, you wonder how deep the market is?  I am still waiting to hear back about an estimate to ship a GONG bouncy to the States.

Jim