Part 4: SUP Board Storage – Got enough space?

Welcome to Part 4, the final piece of our blog series on "It's all about Inflatables!". In case you missed it, you can click here to read Part 3: Fixing the problem - repairing an inflatable SUP board. Right! So now onto it....

Have you ever thought about how much storage space is needed for a traditional hard Stand Up Paddle Board?

Unless you have a garage or fairly large shed, storage can be quite a finicky inconvenience. We’ve all seen paddleboards stashed under hedges in back gardens, behind sofas and even sticking out of balcony doors as the board is just too big for the apartment!

This is where an Inflatable SUP Board features its biggest benefit. We’ve already covered that you don’t need a van or roof bars to transport the board, but the amount of space (or lack thereof) an inflatable SUP takes up is, well, let’s just say you won’t even notice it’s there!

Yep that board fits inside that backpack. And yes that backpack fits in even a Toyota Echo hatchbacks boot.

"Nah it'll be sweet, it should fit"

A common mistake people make is thinking they have the space for an 11 foot board and when getting it home they realise there’s not enough room to manoeuvre or get it up the stairs without dinging it against the wall. Imagine spending all your hard earned cash to realise it doesn't fit where you pictured it would, then have to store it somewhere else? This is something that doesn’t even cause a problem when coming home with a new Inflatable, seeing as it comes deflated, already in a bag that you can just throw on your back.

With an inflatable SUP, your options for storage are endless.

The cupboard, the boot of your car, under the bed, your wardrobe… in fact you can literally store the board anywhere when it’s deflated. The only thing you really need to consider is making sure the board is dry when packing it away as this just ensures a longer lifespan, especially if you’ve been using it in salt water.

Two inflatable SUP boards fit in a normal sedan car boot. 

If you get a chance to give your board a rinse down with fresh water, it can get rid of any damaging properties that can eventually cause the seams to erode over time like salt.  Also, it goes without saying that do not leave your board stored in direct sunlight as this could eventually lead to UV damage and fading of those beautiful colours :)

Packing your 10'8 BasiX SUP away for a while? Leave it out to dry with the clothes 😂

One of the greatest things about having an Inflatable SUP Board is the bag it comes in, no need to invest in a lengthy board bag to protect it. With a hard board, a bag is essential for protecting it whilst in storage or when travelling and as you hunt around you’ll notice board bags do not come cheap, often fetching into the hundreds for a quality protective travel bag. The bag that is included with the Bay Sports iSUP is a made from a ballistic weave hi-tensile nylon for unparallelled durability. It's perfect for storing you board, whether it’s just for a week or for the whole winter season.

Here at Bay Sports, all of the bags supplied with our Inflatables are just as thought through as the boards themselves. The backpack-style bag has thick padded shoulder straps to provide comfort whilst carrying, but also so you don’t feel like everything in the bag is poking you in the back. Think the comfort of a hiking pack, it features the right amount of support across the shoulder straps so no matter how many extras you throw in, you’ll still be able to carry it with ease.

Bay Sports ballistic-weave 1680D nylon backpacks are made to last. Weatherproof, durable and lightweight.

So now you can see the storage benefits of Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Boards easily outweigh their traditional hard board counterparts.

To sum up,

1. They make travelling stress free: No getting to your holiday destination to realise your board is dinged, cracked and unusable.
2. Never worry about your board getting stolen off the roof of your car, you can simply stow it in even the smallest of car boots.
3. At 99cm x 44cm x 30cm, your iSUP will take up no space when stashed in your car boot, caravan, under the bed or in the cupboard.
4. Keep your loved one from nagging you about storing an bulky hard SUP board taking up valuable space in your apartment/home 😂

Further down the line we will venture deeper about the type of board you need for the different types of paddling you do, but for now check out our 2023 best inflatable Stand Up Paddle boards and get out on the water!