Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought two of these on Woot. I was really nervous about the inflatable aspect but these boards are fantastic, I'd buy them again and recommend them to anyone. The best parts: - The 6" thickness is a big deal. I went out with a friend who had an NRS 4-inch inflatable and it was much less stable and her feet were in the water a lot. My feet never got wet and I was high above the water. Her board cost almost twice what mine did and I wouldn't have traded mine for it, and NRS is a great company I really like and respect. I just think 6 inches is a LOT better than 4 once you try it. - It's hard to believe they are inflatable once you see them blown up. I've taken out about 10 people and always had a great time with no issues, even in choppy water, even on midnight paddleboard excursions out in the wind. They are the real deal, I'd choose them over a fiberglass board for the weight/storage aspect - You can just keep them inflated and put them on top of your car to take them back and forth (see below) - I took mine out every day once I got them and just loved it. I was on pretty choppy water and I thought it was fun, took them across a lake on a 4-mile round trip in some chop and had a blast with my friend even though it took forever. The fiberglass boards I've used had more power in choppy water but that's simply due to the heavier weight, they stayed on course a bit better, but I'd still buy this over a fiberglass board - The PRICE is great. Each board cost me exactly what it would cost to rent 9 times where I live. I took them out that many times in the first few weeks I got them. Many of my friends rented boards all summer and might have been better off just buying one of these - It is a great core workout and you don't even notice how much exercise you're getting since it's so fun -I'm hoping to take mine hiking and into some great, off-the-beaten path water next summer - a great advantage of inflatable boards! - Storage is very easy during the winter and I love that - The paddle is good and I like it. I don't see why you'd need a different one. - The pump is apparently as good as it gets. I had hoped to upgrade it but when I went to a local watersports store they said this pump is a standard, high-quality SUP pump and due to the adapter it'd be hard to replace with a different one. I'd love to hear in the comments if anyone found differently because I'm pretty small and would be happy to pay more for an easier/faster pump of any kind that had a compatible adapter. I'd love for Tower to offer an upgraded pump, I'd buy it as I found pumping with this pump to be a workout in itself - I loved having two. I got a great deal and know that isn't an option for everybody, but it was really fun to invite people to the lake by my house without them having to rent a board. For me, I was either going to get two or zero as I love paddleboarding but it's much more fun with another person The cons/things to know: - none of these are bad enough to lose a star off this review, just things you should know/small nitpicking - It doesn't come with ANY instructions or paperwork and you have to look everything up on their website in the FAQs. When you make a purchase like this you'd expect at least a one-pager with things like "inflate to 11 psi" and "the handle thing is only for emergencies" and "here's how to take care of this giant inflatable object so you don't destroy it" and thanks for buying, here's info about warranties, accessories, etc. Even the dumbest little things I buy online come with instructions so I don't know why $600 sports gear wouldn't. - Know that uninflated they are still nearly 30 pounds with everything so it's something to consider if you, like me, are planning to take them hiking to interesting places. You'll want a bag. The only bag I could find that would fit a board, paddle, pump, life jacket was this and it's very huge and basic with no pockets. Northstar 1050 HD Tuff Cloth Diamond Ripstop Series Gear/Duffle Bag (18-Inch x 42-Inch). If anyone has found a better bag or backpack I'd love to hear about it in the comments. I'd buy a compatible backpack from Tower if they offered one. - I'm a small girl and had a tough time inflating them to 11 psi and had to get help to do that each time so I finally got sick of inflating them and just kept them inflated until the end of the season. It's easy to put them on your car (as long as you have cross bars), get 2 styrofoam kayak/canoe blocks and two tie-down straps. Something similar to this: SportRack ABR525 Standard Block Island 12-Inch Kayak Kit - Each time you roll them up you need to take the fin on and off. This means using a quarter to screw and unscrew a little bolt that attaches the fin. That bolt is tiny and very easy to lose! I went on their website and ordered a few extra screws and a spare fin to have on hand [...] - Other accessories you might want - get a life jacket, no matter how awesome it is it's still inflatable and you never know. And with a lifejacket you can be more confident and go more places. If you get some caribeaners you can attach them to the d-rings on the boards and bring stuff with you on your board (I have a water bottle I can attach to the front d-ring that way). I got this little drybag for my phone/camera: Kwik Tek Dry Pak PDA GPS Pocket PC Case (5-Inch x 8-Inch) and this little cheap waterproof watch since I was going out by myself so much and wanted to be back in time for dinner Armitron Women's 256347BLK Easy to Read Instalite Black Nylon Velcro Strap Sport Watch Overall it's one of the best purchases I've made online and a really great bang for the buck.