Quote:
Originally Posted by cral12
if ya don't mind me askin'...
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Not at all!
I got this one from MEC:
http://www.mec.ca/product/5036-199/n...p-paddleboard/
Originally looked at the 4, but I was close(ish) to the max weight. Figured once I add the lifejacket and strap a dry bag to it with some water and snacks I might be pushing it.
The inflatable is uber convenient. I've been reading a few reviews prior to buying it and they've been praised pretty highly. (Although they do go slower than the fibreglass versions - so if you're headed out with a bunch of people that are on those, you'll be paddling a lot harder).
I opted with that vs fibreglass for 2 reasons:
- More durable. Unless you're docking on white sandy beaches, it's going to go through a beating when you pull up to shore. I can run right up on the "beach" (read: rocks) without worrying about gouging it.
- Portability. So easy to fold up and throw in the truck box. Didn't need to get racks to transport it, and don't have to worry about road grime or rocks chipping it on Smith-Dorrien.
About my only complaint so far is pumping it up. I'm going to look for a 12v pump for it. Getting it up to 15psi is more of a workout than boarding. At least if they included a dual-action pump it might not have been bad, but it's just a single. Kind of a pain but not a huge deal.
Just a heads up if you do get one (inflatable or fibreglass) - the way it's classified through government regs, you need to carry a whistle, 15ft of rope (you can buy a throw bag at mec for cheap) and (this one makes me facepalm) a bailing device. Since I want to carry as little as possible, I bought a little collapsible silicone bowl for camping. Packs away nicely.
