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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Seattle, WA
    Posts
    2,184

    What should I buy? SUP, Packraft, Sea Kayak

    Live in the PNW, I had a tandem sea kayak for a while. Did a couple nights in the San Juans and an Orcas Island circumnav. It was fun, but I sold the tandem because...it's a tandem.

    Now I'm trying to decide what water sport to get into. River running in a packraft sounds fun. It's also small which is a nice benefit. SUP sounds great for after work chilling on Lake Union, also packs small. Could get another single sea kayak - transporting and storing it is a bitch. San Juan trips are fun and I love doing multi-day trips. Yaks are super efficient in the water but...I'm young not 50.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,845
    Bitches love SUPs.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    on the banks of Fish Creek
    Posts
    7,513

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    A LSD Steakhouse somewhere in the Wasatch
    Posts
    13,234
    ive been pretty stoked on


    not a bad mix of weight to stability
    id be even more stoked on a micro skiff and motor at times
    https://www.boteboard.com/collection...e-micro-skiffs
    "When the child was a child it waited patiently for the first snow and it still does"- Van "The Man" Morrison
    "I find I have already had my reward, in the doing of the thing" - Buzz Holmstrom
    "THIS IS WHAT WE DO"-AML -ski on in eternal peace
    "I have posted in here but haven't read it carefully with my trusty PoliAsshat antenna on."-DipshitDanno

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Gallatin County
    Posts
    1,556
    That is one fully loaded SUP rig. With that amount of gear it would be hard to just grab the board and run off.

    Quote Originally Posted by skifishbum View Post
    ive been pretty stoked on


    not a bad mix of weight to stability
    id be even more stoked on a micro skiff and motor at times
    https://www.boteboard.com/collection...e-micro-skiffs

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Vacationland
    Posts
    5,911
    Any SUP that packs small will not be a great paddling board. What do I know tho, I’m over 50


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Bellevue
    Posts
    7,431
    I have a 12 foot (?) NRS something or other if you want to test it out. It's not as compact as some of the other inflatables but it feels decent in the water. It's small enough to do interesting bike shuttle paddles.

    I've wanted a packraft, I still want one, but I decided at least for now that I'm going to spend enough time on lakes are the sound and they are just too inefficient for that.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    3,301
    Sea kayak. Go for the classic

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    I would say it depends on where you want to paddle, I have a blow up sup and a real sea kayak
    ,
    A good reason to get a blow up SUP is the storage issue also the hard boards will dent when you drop them whereas you can drive over a blow up with your car and it will be fine, they are a little slower maybe but if you really need a faster SUP you already know that

    right now with my 60 lb 17 ' seakayak I am at the limit of what i can load on my truck solo, in comparison the SUP is <30lb, I can thro it in the truck bed, its real easy to handle/ its faster to get paddling, it makes a small lake bigger
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NCW
    Posts
    4,577
    Big fan of my inflatable sup. I use it on a big flat, slow river and mountain lakes.

    For moving water going downstream the pakraft or ik is a better option.

    Based on my experience on my sup in the ocean, I would probably choose a sit ski, hard board sup, or kayak. The inflatable sup was kinda rough in choppy swells.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Seattle, WA
    Posts
    2,184
    A SUP just sounds the most versatile for the actual use case whereas a packraft is an aspirational, but yet another hobby.

    A sea kayak of course is a classic and can do everything a SUP can. But drinking beers on a SUP is better, and transportation for an iSUP is much easier (which is what I would go for, performance be damned).

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    shadow of HS butte
    Posts
    6,397
    sups are nice

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    you should get one

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Wenatchee
    Posts
    14,610
    Quote Originally Posted by jackattack View Post
    Big fan of my inflatable sup. I use it on a big flat, slow river and mountain lakes.

    For moving water going downstream the pakraft or ik is a better option.

    Based on my experience on my sup in the ocean, I would probably choose a sit ski, hard board sup, or kayak. The inflatable sup was kinda rough in choppy swells.
    What inflatable sup are you using? I have a 10’6” 325L one and it seems unstable for my size.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    livin the dream
    Posts
    5,761
    When I lived by the ocean a few years ago my roommate was really into the SUP game. He had a 14-6’ hulled race/touring board, epoxy. He had a 10’ fiberglass surf sup. And he had a 12’6 allrounder, inflatable.

    When you have the right tool for the job it’s pretty impressive. A hard, longer, touring style SUP with a hull is going to haul ass in the sound with the ability to carry the gear you need to make those San Juan trips…. Any sort of inflatable is going to be a compromise IMHO.




    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    Best Skier on the Mountain
    Self-Certified
    1992 - 2012
    Squaw Valley, USA

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Slightly off route
    Posts
    232
    get the red one

    iSup all the way. Sea kayak rarely sees action - PITA to transport. Plus, its just flat water paddling done a bit faster. Outdoor gear lab had some positive reviews for inexpensive iSup's.

    I have an ancient NRS - still holds up for river/lake/sound use. 36" width makes it stable enough to haul gear and a kiddo. Under, say, 32" makes it less suitable for a party barge. But since this is TGR - get 4-5 of varying widths and lengths.

    Check out Klymit if you want an inexpensive packaraft to scratch that itch.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NCW
    Posts
    4,577
    Quote Originally Posted by MagnificentUnicorn View Post
    What inflatable sup are you using? I have a 10’6” 325L one and it seems unstable for my size.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    Red Paddle Co Voyager 12’6”
    Hala Rival Nass 12’

    I wouldn’t go less than 12’ for a guy your size unless you’re trying to surf or run swift water.

    You’re welcome to try our boards out sometime.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    Quote Originally Posted by MagnificentUnicorn View Post
    What inflatable sup are you using? I have a 10’6” 325L one and it seems unstable for my size.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    I had the 9'8" redpaddle now I have a the 10'6,

    at 160lb I fell off the shorter board a lot while the bigger board is much more stable and I've only fallen off once

    when you do fall off an inflatable its softer to land on,

    GF has a hard board she bought used so it has a few dings, its easy to slop a little slow set on a minor ding and tape a piece of plastic over it but a major ding would destroy a hard board

    whereas an inflatable can take the abuse

    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

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