Naturally we wanted to know what drew Al to the Red Paddle Co Compact
My dearly beloved booked a trip to the Maldives, most people think paradise, but I panicked (boredom) and immediately started researching inflatable SUP’s. I found the Red Paddle Co Compact (perfect) and packed it instead of a suitcase full of clothes!! You only need a sarong and a couple of bikinis for the Maldives, right? P.S. the trip was awesome!!
The Compact caught my eye as the complete set-up with pump and paddle packs up smaller than the standard inflatables and yet I can still squeeze in a towel and drink bottle. Being kinda short means I can carry the pack without being swamped by its size. Yes, there are cheaper options, but you can’t beat the quality and customer service of Red Paddle Co.I love all of the premium lovely little details on the board and bag. It felt like Christmas had come early when I unpacked it!
For this particular adventure, access to Dove Lake is via bus from the visitor centre so that’s not going to work for hardboards. Also, the best beaches for launching from are a km or so in either direction along narrow tracks so you need to consider how you will carry your gear (a wide load is not recommended). Having an inflatable board means portability even if you have a rooftop camper or don’t have roof-racks. Where I was going is also pretty remote, so I needed to have a board I could rely upon.