The recreational inflatable industry has increased well in popularity over the past decade.
Luckily, the quality of inflatable paddle boards and kayaks has increased rapidly, and there are almost one too many good boards in the market which makes the choice of choosing one a little complicated to most of us, recreational paddleboarders.
The main difference between a Yoga and a standard SUP is the width of the board which plays a big role to have better stability on the board.
Solid vs Inflatable – Which is best for Yoga?
Solid paddleboards are known to be the most stable and rigid, while inflatable boards are easier to carry, and they have a slight ‘give’ to the board when compared to a rigid SUP. After all, when choosing a yoga paddleboard, most of the time the decision comes down to transportation convenience.
The Good: Board is not 100% rigid – That means it has a slight ‘give’ to the board, and if you happen to fall off the board, you won’t be getting hurt.
The Not-so-good: Inflatable paddle board is not as stable as a rigid SUP which makes it less stable, especially in choppy waters.
SUP Size Guide
- Under 10′ – Kids’ and surfing paddleboards (Width: 30″ and under)
- 10′ – 12′ – Ideal for cruising and yoga (Width: anything between 30″-33″)
- 12′ – 16′ – Racing, touring SUPs (Generally not as wide as previous SUPs)
Standard Vs Yoga Paddle Board?
An average inflatable paddleboard is 10’6″ tall, 32″ wide, and 6 inches thick. As yoga takes place while the board is ‘standing still’ on the water, it needs more width for best stability, therefore the length of the board is not a crucial factor.
The best Yoga Paddleboard should be at least 33 inches wide.
1. BIC – Sport Beach Air
INFLATABLE
MSRP: $500 REI.com
10’6″ x 34″ x 6″
Max capacity: 240lbs
Weight: 23lbs
You are looking at one of the widest inflatable yoga paddle board by BIC Sport. It’s got pretty good dimensions for relaxed cruising on any body of water, but due to the sharpish nose, it can also experiment with surfing. It obviously comes with an all-inclusive package as well – a board, paddle, pump, carry bag, and even a leash! That’s an obvious sign that your girlfriend could use it for relaxing yoga, and you can easily use it for having fun in the waves, too.
The board has a current score of 3.5/5 which is quite bad in REI, but there is no feedback about it so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. By shopping in REI you also get a pretty sweet deal of -10% off as a member dividend, and their guarantee plan for any sort of instance is pretty good!
2. Bote – Breeze Aero
INFLATABLE
MSRP: $649 REI.com
Size: 10’8″ x 33″ x 6″
Max: 250lbs
Weight: 20lbs
This is above your average SUP you can find around – The Bote is best for relaxed and stable cruising, therefore, great for yoga as well.
With 33-inches of width, this inflatable paddle board suits well for Yoga and relaxed cruising. This deal comes with a decent paddle, carry bag, repair kit, and obviously a hand pump. At this price range, it is hard to come by with a better-equipped SUP like this one. More good news is that the board has a 5-star rating on REI, and you also get a 10% member discount which is quite considerable (- $65 off).
If you are after a decent, good-quality SUP for cruising and yoga, the Breeze Aero might be the first board to consider – the price, quality, and dimensions all match up with the expectations.
3. Pau Hana Malibu Classi
SOLID BOARD
MSRP: $949 REI.com
- 10’6″ x 34″ x 4″
- Max capacity: 250lbs
- Weight: 31lbs
Comes with a Malibu adjustable aluminum paddle, 5mm EVA deck pad, self-regulating vent plugs, the Pau Hana is a decent SUP for men and women alike. Although the shape and curvature, and the fact that this is a rigid SUP, the board makes it easily one of the best under $1000 yoga boards to consider!
4. FunWater
INFLATABLE
MSRP: $290 Amazon
The FunWater paddle board has reached a pretty good score on Amazon. The full bundle comes with the essentials, and the size of the board is well enough for a stable Yoga session on the water as well.
- Size: 10’6×33″×6″
- Weight: 17.6lbs
- Max: 330 lbs
Feedback
“Great Bang for Your Buck!”
“Easily transportable board does what it is supposed to do.”
“I love this board!”
Amazon Score: 4.6 / 5 out of 1,452+ ratings
5. Aqua Plus
INFLATABLE
MSRP: $399 Amazon
10’6″ x 33″ x 6″
Max capactiy – 330lbs
Comes with an adjustable paddle, double-action pump, ISUP backpack, a leash, and a shoulder strap. The full sup package is great as it has an above-average score on Amazon, and the size is also great for Yoga paddle boarding.
Feedback
“Great price, looks cool too!”
“Everyone loves this, great for the lake”
Amazon score: 4.6 / 5 out of 689+ ratings
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Read next
Complete Guide to Yoga Paddle Boards
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I created Nulltuul to share my experience, research and analysis with other surf enthusiasts out there. If I'm not surfing on my travels - I like to photograph waves, surfers, and the surf lifestyle in general.
