Recently I had a pretty big crash while attempting a flakka which resulted in me smacking on the rail of my hard board. My ribs still hurt and I'm more reluctant to jump, but it could've been much worse. As a result I'm considering a low volume inflatable board so I only have to worry about not hitting the foil.

It would be interesting to hear feedback from those using smaller inflatable boards (45 - 65l, I'm 85kg). Does the "sticky" feel is better or worse than with bigger inflatables? Do you lose a lot of pumping performance in those smaller sizes? Thanks!

Totally speaking out of my arse because I've never used one but I think that with the stitched construction they need a certain thickness to be kinda rigid, therefore there would be diminishing return the smaller you went?

That's not to say that I haven't considered one for larger sizes... ;)

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Jethrow said..
Totally speaking out of my arse because I've never used one but I think that with the stitched construction they need a certain thickness to be kinda rigid, therefore there would be diminishing return the smaller you went?

That's not to say that I haven't considered one for larger sizes... ;)

I've thought about that before. There's two ways that an inflatable gets its rigidity: thickness and the carbon plate. Hard boards can get thinner without sacrificing rigidity if it's designed properly (hd foam and decent lamination scheme). The carbon plate should be plenty stiff and likely has a bigger overal roll than the thickness. Anyway, I hope that if the carbon plate reaches all the way to your front foot, you have a stiff surface to pump against.

All online reviews seem to be about big inflatables and how they are convenient but lack a bit of performance (less stiff in the pump and more sticky on touch downs and release). Maybe this conclusion doesn't apply to smaller inflatables because the carbon plate covers most of the board + you need to sink it anyway so slogging isn't an option (and the stickiness less of a problem).

at a listed weight of 4.2kg, this 45l board is a real contender for me: reptilesports.com/gb/wingfoil-boards/wingfoil-board-inflatable-i-ufo-pro.html#/85-model_size-4_7_x22_x3_x45l

Size of carbon plate doesn't really matter. It's the way it is incorporate into the board. Some compagnie got THE large plate but wobble a lot.

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NordRoi said..
Size of carbon plate doesn't really matter. It's the way it is incorporate into the board. Some compagnie got THE large plate but wobble a lot.

Both matters.
You need a long carbon plate and a quality construction.
Plus boards with short plates put a lot of stress on the material at the front end of the plate, especially if the front edge of the plate stops at a definite point (square) with no progression (triangle)

Have spent a few hours on a Fanatic 5' 90L inflatable. I don't jump or anything but absolutely loved it. If it wasn't so close to my Fanatic 5'2" 85L, I would buy one. Bulletproof construction.

I currently own a Hipe Pro at 5'1" 95L and a Hipe First at 5'5 110L, purchased for my spouse. Previously I rode a regular Hipe. I ride them strapless, the Pro and regular Hipe have a beefier cross-stitch construction that lets them be inflated to 20psi instead of 15psi, this makes a considerable difference in feel. The Pro also has a full carbon bottom-plate, both of these make it a bit heavier, but the stiffness is incredible. For your level of riding (way beyond mine) the pro would be a no-brainer. It also has an outline similar to their Lethal model hard board used by Malo Guenole to win the wave-freestylen title or whatever it's called. I have been super-impressed with Gong's inflatables and will be looking to get an inflatable downwind board when they become available.

+1 for the Gong hipe pro, really close to a rigid board. Only board I'm currently using,do it all winging: jumping, surfing,slogging etc. 95L model. The diagonal cross stitching as well as really solid carbon plate, after been through every gong inflatable since first hipe, the pro finally leaves nothing desired. And the convenience of not having to be super careful with the board as well as low travel size, and pretty cheap.

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colas said..

NordRoi said..
Size of carbon plate doesn't really matter. It's the way it is incorporate into the board. Some compagnie got THE large plate but wobble a lot.

Both matters.
You need a long carbon plate and a quality construction.
Plus boards with short plates put a lot of stress on the material at the front end of the plate, especially if the front edge of the plate stops at a definite point (square) with no progression (triangle)

So what i meant, a lot copied gong, but a lot failed, the big solid plate is moving a lot and adding a lot of weight, pack big. Gong did a good job in their inflatables.

i prefer packing small and lite, but an inflatable
to me is a cottage or trip into tropical country by plane.not a everyday board.

one dudes experience:

I've been enjoying the Fanatic Sky Air Premium 5'4" 103L. I bought it 2nd hand in hopes of flying overseas and not arriving with a broken board which in my mind was a near certainty. I was super skeptical (rigidity, lack of performance, etc. ) I have to say that it's incredible. Until now I've been on a 120L Cabrinha. I'm a beginner, but doing well with gybes and heel to toe / most foot swaps. The psi range is 15-20. At 17 I find the board to be rigid and performs well. There's no bend or flex that I can appreciate. The board is a LITTLE sticky but with the silicone rear edge it snaps up fine. Touchdowns are a breeze (see what I did there?). The portability is amazing. It's bulletproof in terms of dings and scratches. The carbon plate seems well placed. I'm obviously not a pro and may not be aware of what expert level wingers are looking for but I'm pretty pleased with the portability and utility of having a foldable board that fits in any car and the luggage bag it comes with can fit the pump and a wing (maybe two if you've got Tetris skills). Without hesitation I'm glad I got the board and am happy with it as an option. I don't see why it couldn't even be an everyday board. You certainly wouldn't leave it inflated to top pressure or sitting on hot sand for long periods, and I suppose there will be one day that it springs a leak but until then I'm pleased with it. I suppose if you crashed on some rocks you could be swimming home but similarly so with a sandwich board.

downside? I suppose it's like comparing inflatable SUPS with standards. It's more "floaty" and a bit wobbly but I don't find that to be a bad thing. there's also the pumping bit. As an old dude I use an electric pump and it's fully inflated by the time I take the rest of the gear out of the car .
portable? Check
functional? Check
gets me on the water in remote places? Check
perfect? nah

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mikey100 said..
Have spent a few hours on a Fanatic 5' 90L inflatable. I don't jump or anything but absolutely loved it. If it wasn't so close to my Fanatic 5'2" 85L, I would buy one. Bulletproof construction.

I bought it. Just couldn't fault it.