Pau Hana Endurance Air iSUP Review

I couldn’t include my pleasure. The bundle got here and the inexperienced gentle approval was in. I might lastly paddle round Yellowstone Lake, North America’s largest high-elevation lake within the coronary heart of Yellowstone National Park. I grabbed a knife and shortly opened the field, tossed it apart, unzipped the bag, and rolled out the board.

With the included handbook pump, I immediately started working. As the air stuffed the board, it started to take form, and my eyebrows rose as a lot as my pleasure. 

In brief: I used to be hesitant at first about this inflatable board, nevertheless it proceeded to outperform my expectations. I had by no means even thought of doing an expedition of this caliber on an inflatable SUP. But, I had promised deadlines to shoppers and subsequently had no alternative however to start paddling the 110 miles of shoreline alongside the grizzly-bear-infested waters of Yellowstone National Park.

Luckily, Pau Hana designed this board for touring and expeditions. Things like lashing factors for the cargo netting that got here with the board and a paddle already a part of the equipment makes this board an amazing starter bundle for paddleboarders who wish to enterprise additional out. I stowed every little thing within the bag, deflated the SUP, and zipped it up. Just like that, I used to be prepared for the drive to the shore to hit the water — 110 miles of it — on the Endurance Air.

Pau Hana Endurance Air Review

First Impressions

The Endurance Air board when inflated is 12 ft lengthy, 30 inches huge, and 6 inches thick. It comes with a single 9-inch fin, an adjustable paddle, and an air pump that every one stows right into a backpack. Weighing 24 kilos, strolling to the shore was a breeze figuring out that I nonetheless had two fingers to hold dry baggage and different gear. The shade and mahogany patterns on the deck shone within the solar.  

As I paddled my first strokes, my confidence within the inflatable board for an in a single day expedition grew. Without having any time to check out the board previous to the journey (a chance, I do know), I used to be fortunately shocked with its efficiency. I instantly lowered my doubt about finishing the 110-mile journey in 3 days. 

The first 2 days of the journey have been a mixture of sheer pleasure and a few agony from being barely off form, however the Endurance Air board paddled as easily as a scorching knife by way of butter. Day 3 was the true take a look at, because the wind was forecast to choose up. But when the 20 knots of wind kicked in and the 2-3-foot waves started altering throughout the lake, the board plowed by way of the water as steadily as in flat circumstances. It was precisely this efficiency in each flatwater and chop — even totally loaded with gear — that impressed me essentially the most.

On the Water

After inflating to no less than 10 PSI (we suggest 20 or extra relying on complete weight), I loaded my two dry baggage. One was a 115L SealLine Boundary Pack and the opposite was a smaller SealLine 20L dry bag. With the cargo netting confidently holding down the baggage, I slipped the air pump in between the netting and stepped out from the shore and onto the board.

To my shock, the Endurance Air barely budged below my 200-pound body. The 5mm deck pad is grippy and comfy, although it doesn’t cowl fairly as a lot floor space as similar-length boards.

Along the rails of the Endurance Air board are 16 welded and seamed attachment factors, designed to help Pau Hana’s cargo netting and strap system.

The cargo netting got here in a bundle of two, included with the board. With the cargo nets got here eight nylon straps that helped me loop the cargo netting to the attachment D-ring hooks. This got here in helpful when lastly coping with 2-3-foot waves on my third day of the expedition.

When the cursing started out of frustration within the wind, it was a reduction to know that my dry baggage, each fore and aft, have been sturdy and tied down into place. The nylon straps have been the proper size, a few foot, and really straightforward to string by way of the offered D-rings and cinch into place.

I got here comparatively near capsizing a couple of instances on my journey, however fortunately the surfer in me saved every little thing upright. But the cargo netting lined my gear like a heat blanket swaddling a child. Because of that, I by no means questioned the nets or straps even when I did capsize, as I used to be assured my gear wasn’t going anyplace.

Out of the 16 D-rings, I used 4 of the rings up entrance to cowl my large dry bag, and one other 4 on the tail to carry a smaller dry bag. For weight distribution, particularly throughout barely extra windy and stormy circumstances, I pulled my fore dry bag nearer to the place I stood so the nostril of my board might keep above the waves.

On calmer days, I might use the very entrance two D-rings, port and starboard, to permit extra of a waterline to assist reduce by way of the sheet glass. The variety of attachment factors on the board simply permits for wiggle room right here so you’ll be able to correctly distribute weight.

The again 4 D-rings have been all the time the identical for me — I’d use them to lash up the again part of netting. (I used this identical system for my journey with the Endurance XL, famous within the comparability beneath.)

Small Downfalls

I’ll say that pumping to get the board to a PSI that was sturdy sufficient to carry myself and my gear (~20 PSI) took endlessly. Now at 250L, that’s plenty of quantity, nevertheless it took properly over quarter-hour of pumping. And throughout my paddle, the rubber sealant gasket fell off of the pump. (Either Pau Hana ought to repair the O-ring design or present a spare.)

Aside from the preliminary inflation, I fortunately didn’t have to prime the board off. Which is fairly commonplace when you find yourself carrying over 200 kilos of physique weight plus gear on any standup paddleboard. Score!

If I’m being choosy, the max weight capability of the board — whereas on par with different inflatables — was just a little low for my liking. I maxed out the burden capability for the board fairly shortly with myself and equipment, round 260 kilos. While it labored and paddled high quality at that weight, I might be hesitant to push that weight any additional. Depending on how lengthy your expedition is, this 12-foot board, whereas tremendous succesful for its dimension, won’t be sufficient relating to weight capability.

Comparison: Endurance XL vs. Endurance Air

The apparent distinction between these two Pau Hana paddleboards is that the Endurance XL is a hardboard whereas the Endurance Air is an inflatable. Aside from that, the scale of the boards are practically an identical when inflated. At 12 ft lengthy and 30 inches huge, each of those boards have a planer hull design that permits optimum effectivity when on the water and capability for weight and equipment. The deck house and even cargo nets for each are the identical.

The actual distinction between the 2 comes within the weight capability. With the Endurance Air capping out at 260 kilos, the Endurance XL skyrockets previous that with a 415-pound restrict. Now, that’s anticipated, as one is an inflatable and different a tough board.

For instance, the XL has been good for my 1,000-mile expedition down the Baja peninsula. But the Air would have been a catastrophe given the burden capability of the board. On the flip aspect, the Endurance Air was good for a few hundred-mile journey, whereas the XL may very well be overkill.

The value can also be a slight think about that the Endurance XL is $500 extra at $1,749.

It comes right down to the journey, the utilization, the burden required, the worth, and in the end storage. You won’t be able to fold down the XL into the trunk of your automotive. And the Air received’t have the ability to deal with 260 kilos or extra on longer expeditions. For most, the Endurance Air is ideal for overnights whereas the XL is the higher alternative for longer expeditions.

Conclusion

There are inflatable boards available on the market that fold down smaller, weigh much less, and maybe pump higher than the Endurance Air. But I’d problem that none of them can do a multiday expedition like this craft. Once inflated, it’s a guided missile locked on its goal. It carried out exceedingly properly in tough chop and wind. I rubbed it in opposition to sharp volcanic rocks and downed timber, and let it sit within the scorching solar. Through all that, the Endurance Air’s inflation held up properly.

After lengthy hours and a number of other days on the water, the Endurance Air and I have been each pumped for what the following day would convey. It’s an amazing alternative for newbie paddlers who plan to get into in a single day expeditions, and desire a succesful and sturdy board.