Any recommendations or experiences on a 2 piece SUP's for travel?

Cheers!

I've had a 10' Sunova Style to meet China Airlines (Taiwan trips) restrictions and even then had some issues. I took an 8'4"Hypernut in 2019 but they changed their rules during COVID. Their limits are total dimensions (length x width x depth ) of bag. I chose a Style that suited flat water and surf.
The board itself was about 1 kg heavier than same size in 1 piece but bag isn't light. Board bag with couple of leggies, paddle wettie n sports towels stuffed in came in at 22 kg (China Airlines limit 23kg.) While this isn't huge it is bulky and awkward to cart around.

The board surfed pretty well the same as my 1 piece 10 6 . If your foot is over the join you can feel the faintest sensation when the board flexes ( mainly paddling over a wave)

It took quite a while to resell. I had to take bit more than 50% of original price after 3 years.A more surf specific model may have sold quicker for a better price.

I have ordered a 9'2" Steeze 2piece for same multi purpose but easier access to trains and buses o/s as the 10' er even in two piece was over the 150cm length limit on public transport in Taiwan ( dunno about other countries but at least it will be less bulk to cart around)

Currently a full board to Taiwan on China Airlines is double excess baggge ( about $500 each way) so the $600 extra for 2 piece works out. The custom bag is another $300. Though WSS in Manly NSW did a bit of a discount and rail tape for both of my boards.

For my trips Air Asia would be slightly cheaper with no board size restrictions but considerably longer flights so I'm happy to pay for 2 piece plus it fits into the caravan when I'm doing the grey nomad trips.

Some great information there Pete.....cheers. I suppose that even though they are half the length there is still quite a bit of bulk in the doubling up of the board. I saw that Sunova do the 2 piece, does this come at considerably more cost with the purchase?


Thanks again for your input!

Select to expand quote

shi thouse said..
Some great information there Pete.....cheers. I suppose that even though they are half the length there is still quite a bit of bulk in the doubling up of the board. I saw that Sunova do the 2 piece, does this come at considerably more cost with the purchase?


Thanks again for your input!

$A600 above board price plus $A299 for custom bag.

I used to travel quite a bit for work, prior to the pandemic, and so I was an early adopter of a Sunova two piece SUP. I got a 9'6" two piece Creek in 2018. I would attach a couple of images, but I am still new on this site, so I am not allowed to yet. But the connection system is quite a marvel really. Simple but very precise. Unlike Pete53, I did not notice any flex, and it was just like surfing my one piece 9'6" Creek at home. I was able to take it with me on work trips to Brazil, American Samoa and Peru. However, two considerations. First, if I recall, the airlines still asked me what was in the bag, which I had custom made at the time (no Sunova bag yet), and which was about the size of a bicycle carrier box....maybe a bit smaller. So I either had to lie or tell them it was a surfboard. Being on a work trip, I couldn't risk lying about it, so they still charged me for a surfboard. But I wasn't running the risk of being too oversize and rejected and having to leave my board behind. But I did some pretty good size longboards being checked in at the Lima airport, so I think for some places and airlines you can get away with a pretty big one piece. However getting a board checked into a flight isn't the only reason to consider a two piece SUP (e.g. storage, transport on bike or motorbike....etc).
The other consideration is that my board developed some leaks around the stress points of the connection after awhile. Of course I was riding it in some reasonably powerful waves. Also, while mine wasn't a prototype, it was an early production, and Sunova covered the cost of fixing the leaks at the stress points. I don't know, but assume they may have reinforced those areas on later versions. But if you do buy one, I would keep an eye on those areas, and make sure to tighten the bolts periodically. Hope that is helpful.

I will let you know next time I get one here and you can have it

All issues considered...I'm buying another one

So Aussie Mark what probs are you seeing with the two piece sups in ur shop?

Oops sorry it was a joke about how I have full snaps come in .. Not that the sunova two piece has failures

sorry

Hey Aussie Mark is the sunova 2 piece ur familiar with?
Bet ya don't have an offsider as cool as Lady Marmalade in ur workshop

Yup but never seen full snap on those
wood is good

I'd have it if u were over this side..