If you’re looking to buy a cheap, low quality paddle board, it’s likely you’ll also find that it’s not just the board that falls into this bracket. To keep the price point as low as possible the manufacturer will probably have also opted for the low quality option when it comes to everything else, such as the bag you put it in, the paddle and the pump. And that’s assuming that the board comes with all those things anyway – if it doesn’t, remember you’re going to find yourself forking out for these essential items separately.
As with the boards themselves, items such as a low quality bag or pump won’t withstand the test of time and, sooner or later, you’ll find yourself in need of a replacement. Again, buy cheap, buy twice. Take the bag for example, whether it’s in the garage, being loaded in and out of the car, on a flight or being left on the beach while you paddle, these bags go through a lot and endure all sorts of conditions. If it’s not up to scratch you could soon find it falling apart, not only looking poor but also not fit for purpose. When it comes to the pump, a lot of cheap boards will provide a pump with one single, wide chamber. Whilst easy to use, these do not allow boards to be inflated to high pressure (assuming the board’s construction could take this anyway).
A high quality, dual chamber pump such as the Titan Inflatable SUP Pump is not only made of high quality materials but is also designed to allow you to reach high pressures, cutting the amount of time and effort required in half.