Once viewed as a fringe activity, paddle boarding has taken the outdoor recreation industry by storm. The sport’s low barriers to entry make it the fastest way to experience the joy riding a wave, or the tranquility of paddling towards the sunset on an alpine lake. Yet in a slight twist of irony, it is the very design of the traditional stand up paddleboard (SUP) that can serve as a significant hurdle for some seeking to join in on the SUP fun.
On Performance and Design…
Ranging anywhere from 8-12 feet long, traditional SUP boards are not only heavy, but space intensive. This can require extra garage space for storage, and special roof racks – or even trailers – for transport, all of which adds to the already high cost of fiberglass SUPs. For family adventurers, the storage problem is only compounded when confronted with already overflowing SUVs and Yakima systems. For those seeking a better solution, Airhead SUP offers the versatile and inflatable Na Pali.
The inflatable Na Pali offers an authentic SUP experience and not a low quality substitute to the real thing. Don’t let the ‘inflatable’ moniker fool you. This is not an inferior version of the traditional SUP designed for kids at pool time or less serious practitioners. The blend of buoyancy and flatwater capabilities make this stable paddleboard perfect for paddlers of a variety of levels.
Measuring in at an overall length of 10 ft. 6 in., this flagship board for Airhead SUP features a rugged drop stitch construction. Thousands of tiny threads connect the top and bottom layers of the board allowing it to hold an impressive 15 pounds of air pressure. Consequently, this cruising oriented board gives you the best of both worlds: the rigidity of a traditional fiberglass board with the convenience and portability of an inflatable design.
Once inflated, attach the three removable fins, get on the water and be rewarded with a ride that’s smooth and impressively stable. When you’re standing upright and earning your miles, a large anti-skid EVA pad provides secure footing and keeps your feet comfortable for hours on end. With the Na Pali, you also get an added dose of versatility courtesy of a removable seat.
The adjustable and padded seat attaches to D-rings on the deck and gives you the option of sitting down, essentially turning your iSUP into a kayak-styled ride, which is a great option for those just starting out or fatigued from a long day of paddling in the standing position.
Notes from the Field…
Keep in mind that while there have been tremendous advances over the past few years in material design and technology, an iSUP still cannot fully rival the stiffness of a composite board. That being said, when we inflated the Napali to the 15 and 16 PSI levels, our editors consistently were impressed with the level of rigidity the board offered.
Airhead SUP also deserves credit for their range of SUP accessories. The Carbon Composite Paddle is one of the best that we’ve used, and likewise, we fully recommend the brand’s Heavy Duty Board Leash which is a worthy addition to any SUP experience. When it comes to inflating the Na Pali, the included Super High Pressure Hand Pump continues to work flawlessly. It should be noted however that hitting the full 15 PSI may take some significant sweat equity for some. But in our experience, this is in no way isolated to the Na Pali board, but rather it has proven to be the case for every inflatable SUP we have tried to date. 
Once you arrive to your destination, you can expect a reasonable 10-15 minutes to prep the board for action as well as packing it away. In fact, we often found that by the time our friends with traditional fiberglass boards had unlocked boards from their roof rack, pulled them down from the car and walked to the water, we were only a few moments behind in the set up process. Plus, the inflatable design allowed us to easily access a greater variety of launch spots than our hard board counterparts.
You can however expect some difficulty with the plastic push-pin system which lock the removable fins into place. This was our most significant qualm with the overall Na Pali design. Locking in the push-pins we never an issue. However, on good days we found removing these plastic pins slightly cumbersome, and downright frustrating at worst. Part of this issue may be related to larger sized hands which makes pinching the small heads of the push-pins for release difficult.
Whatever size hands were on deck, the issue was particularly persistent on cold days when temperatures were low and cold fingers add to the difficulty of the packing up process. That being said, the manufacturer has informed us that all of the new Airhead iSUP models will feature a more sophisticated fin box with screw in style installation/removal making the process much easier.
Bottom Line…
If your attempts to access the world of stand up paddle boarding have been thwarted by excessive costs and daunting storage issues, consider the Airhead SUP Na Pali the perfect entry ticket. With an impressive price point and family friendly versatility, this board will provide years of paddle boarding fun for the entire family.
*Gumption Gear Review received the items featured in this review from AIRHEAD SUP at no cost and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The items featured were provided for a trial period of product testing solely in return for our honest views and opinions.