After several enquiries about this inflatable SUP from visitors to ISUPworld.com I was lucky enough to get my hands on it and do a proper review.
The Airhead Na Pali is a great board for an affordable price. I enjoyed testing it and reviewing it and think that it has a lot of positives that will make it quite popular.
It is very well made, inflates easily and is a convenient size that will suit a large majority of people.
Quick Stats
Specs:
- 10 feet 6 inches long
- 30 inches wide
- 4 inches thick
- weighs 38.5 lbs.
- can hold up to 225 lbs.
- has 1 large removable center skeg
- has two smaller removable side skegs
- 1-year warranty
Material: Rugged drop-stitch material.
Pros: 3 removable skegs for good tracking, removable seat for sit-down or stand-up paddling, 6 D-rings up front and one D-ring at the back to secure gear, rigid and tough, compact, great backpack carry bag
Cons: Removable fins take a bit of work to attach, a little on the heavy side – but still manageable.
More In-Depth Info
What I like most about the Na Pali is its versatility. It has some really cool options that allow you to use it in different conditions and paddle in different ways.
For example it is one of the few inflatable SUP’s that comes with a removable seat. The seat attaches to the D-rings and gives you the option of sitting down and paddling kayak style or stand up paddling.
The anti-skig surface is cushiony and I found comfortable when sitting on the seat but also provides great traction when standing.
Setup
The Na Pali comes with a rugged backpack that can easily hold your board, the seat, the pump, a few accessories and your paddles if they come apart into two pieces.
Although I found the Na Pali a little on the heavy side compared to other models of similar size that I have tested, it was still manageable to carry on my back and bring to the water by myself.
When deflated it rolls into a nice compact package that can easily be stored and brought anywhere.
Inflation is simple. The valve works really well and I found that I could inflate it to 10 PSI quite fast. This SUP is capable of holding up to 15 pounds of air pressure but I found it wasn’t necessary to inflate it to 15 PSI in order for it to be super rigid and perform well.
I used it a couple times when inflated to only 10 PSI and it was still extremely rigid and supported my weight as well as my dogs weight easily. When inflated to the maximum air pressure of 15 PSI it is truly rock solid.
The only part of the setup I had some trouble with were the fins. The fins slide into place and then you secure them with a bolt. It took me several tries to get the fins fitted in properly and secured in place which was a bit frustrating.
However once locked in they were very secure and they provided great tracking. The fins should be install before the board is inflated.
3 Removable Skegs
There are 3 separate skegs that come with the Na Pali. The large center skeg is ideal for flat water paddling and makes a big difference in keeping this SUP tracking straight.
The two smaller side skegs are great for paddling in rivers as they are less likely to get caught on anything but still make maneuvering easy.
The skegs are all removable which is one of the reasons this board is so versatile. Once attached the fins work great and are very solid.
Performance
Overall the performance of this inflatable stand-up paddle board is good. It paddles well, is easy to maneuver and feels very comfortable. There is no flex when standing on this board, it is very rigid.
The rugged construction, the design and the fins keep it tracking straight and gliding nicely through the water. I enjoyed paddling it and had no real issues with the performance.
I don’t think it is the fastest board out there but it is designed for recreational use, cruising around lakes, touring ocean bays or even paddling down slow moving rivers.
Convenient and Compact
This SUP is very compact. Considering the length, it rolls up into a nice compact package that is easy to transport in the trunk of your vehicle or even taken on an airplane.
The convenience that inflatable SUP’s offer for those who love to travel or for those who are short on storage space is bar none. This is a highly portable stand-up paddle board that is very convenient to use.
The backpack carry bag makes it easy for one person to carry to and from the water as well as store away.
Length and Width
I like the size of the Na Pali. It is 10’6″ in length and 4″ thick which is ideal for many people. It is long enough to take touring but not so long that it gets hard to maneuver. I found the length very convenient even when paddling with my dog.
I had no issues with stability. Right off the bat the Na Pali feels very solid and stable. My brother was visiting me from Singapore while I was reviewing this board. He had never stand-up paddled before and had no trouble going out on the Na Pali his first time out.
There is ample room to secure gear if you need to bring any with you. There are 2 D-rings to attach the seat as well as 4 extra D-rings up front that you can tie gear down with as well as 1 D-ring at the back.
The Down Side
Each board usually has an issue or two that is worth pointing out. For this one it is the difficulty attaching the fins and the weight.
Neither should be a big deterrent. The weight although heavier than I prefer was still easy to carry by myself and I am not a very big person. The fins although they did take a while to figure out and fit in properly, work great once attached.
Note: The fins for the 2014 SUP’s have been improved upon. The base that is attached to the bottom has been changed for ease of install and removal. With this new base the fins are easier to attach and can be installed either before or after the SUP is inflated.
My Pics
Click here to view more of my pictures of the Airhead SUP Na Pali inflatable SUP on Flickr.
My Video
Final Thoughts
Overall the Airhead Na Pali is a great board for an excellent price. It is solid, fun to paddle and highly portable.
This SUP is well made and with a little care can last a very long time and provide many hours of paddling fun.
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Airhead Inflatable SUP Comparison Chart
Really debating buying this board or waiting longer to save up for a red paddle co board. The 6 inch isups always feel cumbersome to me and I’m interested because it’s only 4 inches thick.
For some 5’11” and 170 would you recommend this? I know the red is in a class of its own but you can’t beat quality.
Also would be used in bays, slightly windy lakes and calm rivers.
Cameron, I’m sorry I’m so late responding to your comment, I somehow missed it! The Airhead Na Pali is a perfectly good board. I would say it’s only downside is that it is really quite heavy compared to other boards of similar size. However it paddles well, seems durable and overall fairly stable considering it is only 4″ thick. In my experience anyone over 160 lbs. tends to like the 6″ thick ISUP’s for the added rigidity and stability. However if you have some experience you would probably be able to handle a 4″ thick SUP with no problem as long as you have it inflated to the maximum air pressure.
No doubt about it, the Red Paddle Co boards are awesome and you might possibly be happier with a Red Paddle board in the long run. You can’t go too wrong either way. The Airhead SUP will handle well on bays, windy lakes or calm rivers.. as will just about any of the Red Paddle Co SUP’s. Good luck!
Hi,
Do you think this one would work for yoga if the person has experience with yoga on SUP board?
Thanks very much!
It’s doable for sure but it is not the most stable board for yoga. The 4″ thickness and 30″ width would make me a little hesitant to use it for yoga. I would personally prefer an extra couple of inches in width and a 6″ thick board for SUP yoga. However I do think it can work, especially if you have experience… you just might have to work a little harder to stay balanced 🙂
I was wondering what your recommendation was for an affordable paddle for this paddle board. I was looking at the 2-1 paddles which sound ideal but would you recommend it? If not, how do you recommend going out with two paddles… ? I love the idea of adding the seat but not sure how to go out with two paddles!
A 2-1 paddle wouldn’t be my choice if I was planning to be mostly stand-up paddling but if you will be sitting and paddling kayak style half the time, then a 2-1 can definitely be convenient. As far as bringing two paddles, what I have done is simply secured one end of the kayak paddle under the front bungee cords on the board so that it stays secure when not in use, then switched them when I wanted to switch paddles. It’s easily done, the only time it becomes an issue is if you are in choppy water and trying to keep your balance while changing positions. On flat water, it’s easy to do. The Airhead Na Pali does not come with front bungee cords however there are D-rings so you can add your own cord to secure the paddle if you wanted to. The Carlisle Taboo Stand Up 2-pice adjustable kayak paddle is a decent option for a 2-1 and is quite affordable. The extra part of the paddle can be kept in a backpack or drybag when you are not using it on your board… or secured under bungee cords There are lighter and better quality one’s available such as the Hala Butterknife Double Bladed paddle, which I have reviewed, but of course the price is higher. For just a SUP paddle, Cannon has quite a few good affordable options. Hope that helps, good luck!
What is the paddle you are using? It looks nice. Is it the paddle that comes with the SUP?
No it doesn’t come with the board. I bought it at MEC.ca in Canada. I’ve never seen it at a US store. it’s called the ‘Grey Owl Stillwater Carbon SUP Paddle’. I use this paddle a lot, I quite like it.
Thanks for the reply!
Looking for a Isup for a lake only, I am 5’4″ and 114 lbs but also would like it to fit others as well, like the idea of attachable seat in case I want to sit any suggestions, I am a newbie.
The attachable seat is very convenient. Basically you could attach a seat to any inflatable SUP that has D-ring attachments on it. My favorite model that offers an optional seat is the Sea Eagle Longboard. It’s size would be great for your height and weight. The Airhead Napali would also work for you.
Why is the Airhead Na Pali only classified as touring in the Comparison Chart? Would it be good for Ocean Bays?
Yes the Airhead Na Pali could certainly be used on ocean bays. I’ll add that to the comparison chart.