Inflatable boards (Inflatables) are still in vogue, both for SUPs and wingboards. According to a survey conducted by our magazine, over 80 per cent of all wingfoilers are open to inflatables in principle. 35 per cent even state that they own an inflatable wingboard and are prepared to compromise on performance if necessary for a small pack size.
If you want to buy your own wingboard for the first time, you're faced with the question: solid or inflatable - which makes more sense? In the following, we would like to give you some help and compare the main advantages and disadvantages. Further down you will find a growing number of detailed test reports on inflatable wingboards on the market.
Inflatable wingboards - basic information & buying advice
The advantages and disadvantages of inflatable wingboards result from the construction of such boards, which differs fundamentally from fixed boards.
A compelling argument: the pack size
The main argument in favour of inflatables is of course the smaller pack size. Normal hardboards are between 1.30 and 1.90 metres long, depending on the volume. Inflatables usually manage with a pack size of just under one metre, regardless of the volume. The reason why this cannot be even smaller is that a fixed plate is required to mount the foil - which of course cannot be folded. The bottom line is that larger wingboards have a greater advantage in terms of pack size than smaller models. For example, a typical 140-litre hardboard is just under 190 centimetres long, making it almost 90 centimetres longer than inflatable wingboards during transport. With a 90-litre hardboard with a length of 150 centimetres, the advantage in terms of pack size is reduced to just 50 centimetres. You should also bear in mind that it can take just as long to mount a hardboard on the roof rack before travelling as it does to inflate an inflatable wingboard at the spot.
However, Florian Brunner, head of water sports sales at APM (Starboard, FreeWing), sees another argument in favour of inflatables: "When it comes to travelling, inflatables naturally offer significant advantages. You can usually fit the foil plus two wings in the board's bag. The pack size remains at around one metre, which you can actually check in with any airline, even if they don't officially carry surf luggage. It's a different story with a hardboard. Even if you're travelling in a camper van, for example, and perhaps carrying other water sports equipment, a bag like this disappears into the vehicle more quickly than a hardboard."
The design limits shape & performance
Shapers have almost limitless possibilities with rigid wingboards ("hardboards"). The EPS core inside can be designed in almost any shape, then layers of glass fibre, wood and/or carbon are applied and everything is "baked" in a mould. Whether voluminous tails, concave deck areas or bevelled edges - virtually anything the designers think makes sense can be implemented on solid boards.
Inflatable wingboards are much more limited in terms of their shapes, as their construction severely restricts the design options. This brings with it certain disadvantages, as you can see in the following picture gallery.
The top and bottom of inflatables are held together by threads inside ("drop-stitch"). For this reason, inflatable wingboards all have round edges, a flat deck and a simple underwater hull without concaves. As a result, inflatables do not quite match the performance of hardboards on average:
Tilt stability
Due to the rounded edges, inflatables are somewhat more tippy than hardboards with the same volume, especially around the longitudinal axis.
Glide-on/take-off
In the planing phase, rounded edges ensure higher riding resistance. Our test experience shows: The shorter and wider the board, the greater the disadvantages of inflatables when starting off, as the wide nose then pushes a lot of water in front of it. With slim, stretched mid-length boards, on the other hand, the disadvantages are quite small. Depending on your riding ability and pumping technique, you need about one to three knots more wind than with a hardboard to take off.
Flight behaviour & touchdowns
Inflatable wingboards are also not quite as forgiving as hardboards with bevelled edges when unintentionally touching down on the surface of the water, sometimes resulting in slightly increased resistance during touchdowns. Once in the air, however, the inflatable models are just as stiff as a hardboard, as the flight characteristics are primarily determined by the foil used and the attachment of the foils to the carbon plate is absolutely rigid. Only in strong gusts does the comparatively thick nose of an inflatable offer a little more surface area for the wind to attack, which can result in a more unsteady flight behaviour.
Durability
First things first - a hole in a hardboard can usually be repaired easily, whereas a hole in an inflatable cannot always. However, hardboards are much more sensitive to impacts or a boom hitting the deck than inflatables, which can usually withstand such impacts without damage. From this point of view, inflatable boards are therefore much less sensitive. Caution is only advised in hot weather and strong sunlight - under no circumstances should you store a fully inflated inflatable in a warm car or leave it on the beach in the blazing sun - here you run the risk of broken seams or even a burst board.
Inflatable wingboards - the advantages and disadvantages at a glance
Pro
- Smaller pack size
- Partly a little lighter
- Reduced risk of injury in the event of a fall
- Less susceptible to damage in the event of falls
- Often significantly cheaper
Contra
- More tippy in the same volume size
- Usually slightly worse gliding performance
- Higher resistance for touchdowns
- Partly simpler equipment (carrying handle, loop plugs)
Inflatable wingboards - find the right size
As already described, the edges of inflatables are round due to their design. This means that an inflatable board is almost always significantly more tippy than a fixed board with the same volume. This means for the purchase:
Anyone switching from a hardboard to an inflatable should choose a size with around 20 litres more volume!
The inflatable board may well have 20 litres more volume than a hardboard, or up to 30 litres more for beginners, in order to achieve comparable tipping stability.
Hardboard or inflatable wingboard - the bottom line
From a performance point of view, hardboards are the slightly better choice - so if you can cope with the larger pack size of hardboards, you should opt for a hardboard. However, if you want a small and compact board for storage and transport, you don't have to shy away from an inflatable wingboard, as many models offer solid performance. Just make sure that you choose a slightly larger inflatable wingboard to compensate for the disadvantages in terms of stability.
Inflatable wingboards in the test
We also regularly test inflatable concepts and pay close attention to the features. This is because there are significant differences here that ultimately have an impact on performance. For example, there are inflatables that have neither a carrying handle nor footstrap plugs, which can severely limit comfort and range of use. Other inflatable wingboards come with a full handle on the top and bottom, integrated plugs for the straps and a rubber edge at the tail, which can reduce drag when planing. This means that the range of use and riding fun can be almost on the same level as with hardboards.
You can read everything else in the test, the boards are sorted alphabetically, the list will be expanded regularly.
Manuel Vogel
Editor surf
