Pau Hana Endurance Air iSUP Evaluate


I couldn’t comprise my pleasure. The package deal 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 Nationwide Park. I grabbed a knife and rapidly opened the field, tossed it apart, unzipped the bag, and rolled out the board.

With the included handbook pump, I immediately set to work. Because the air crammed 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-about doing an expedition of this caliber on an inflatable SUP. However, I had promised deadlines to purchasers and due to this fact had no alternative however to start paddling the 110 miles of shoreline alongside the grizzly-bear-infested waters of Yellowstone Nationwide Park.

Fortunately, Pau Hana designed this board for touring and expeditions. Issues 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 excellent starter package deal for paddleboarders who wish to enterprise additional out. I stowed every little thing within the bag, deflated the SUP, and zipped it up. Similar to that, I used to be prepared for the drive to the shore to hit the water — 110 miles of it — on the Endurance Air.

  • Supplies
    PVC drop sew exterior, double layer PVC aspect rails, EVA deck pad, 23 SeaMount attachment factors and D-rings
  • Size
    12’0″
  • Width
    30″
  • Top
    6″
  • Quantity
    250L
  • Paddleboard weight
    24 lbs.
  • Weight restrict
    263 lbs.
  • Fins
    1 (9″)

  • Massive sufficient for 1-4-day expeditions (carrying rider plus gear)

  • Sturdy

  • A number of attachment factors

  • Secure when paddling


  • Smaller deck pad space

  • Laborious to pump to most PSI

Pau Hana Endurance Air Evaluate

First Impressions

endurance air iSUP
(Picture/Sean Jansen)

The Endurance Air board when inflated is 12 ft lengthy, 30 inches large, 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 realizing that I nonetheless had two palms to hold dry luggage and different gear. The colour 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. With out having any time to check out the board previous to the journey (a bet, I do know), I used to be fortunately stunned with its efficiency. I instantly lowered my doubt about finishing the 110-mile journey in 3 days. 

The primary 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 means of butter. Day 3 was the true check, because the wind was forecast to choose up. However when the 20 knots of wind kicked in and the 2-3-foot waves started altering throughout the lake, the board plowed by means of the water as steadily as in flat circumstances. It was precisely this efficiency in each flatwater and chop — even absolutely loaded with gear — that impressed me probably the most.

On the Water

After inflating to at the least 10 PSI (we suggest 20 or extra relying on complete weight), I loaded my two dry luggage. 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.

pau hana endurance air sup on water
Fishing in shallow waters off the Pau Hana Endurance Air SUP; (picture/Sean Jansen)

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

The cargo netting got here in a package deal 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 aid to know that my dry luggage, 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 means of the supplied 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 stored every little thing upright. However the cargo netting coated my gear like a heat blanket swaddling a child. Due to 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 wherever.

Paua Hana endurance air sup
The Endurance Air board loaded up with gear and cargo straps; (picture/Sean Jansen)

Out of the 16 D-rings, I used 4 of the rings up entrance to cowl my massive 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 means of the sheet glass. The variety of attachment factors on the board simply permits for wiggle room right here so you may correctly distribute weight.

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

Small Downfalls

endurance air sup
The Endurance Air board mid-expedition; (picture/Sean Jansen)

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 eternally. Now at 250L, that’s a variety of quantity, nevertheless it took nicely over quarter-hour of pumping. And through my paddle, the rubber sealant gasket fell off of the pump. (Both Pau Hana ought to repair the O-ring design or present a spare.)

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

If I’m being choosy, the max weight capability of the board — whereas on par with different inflatables — was a little bit low for my liking. I maxed out the burden capability for the board fairly rapidly with myself and equipment, round 260 kilos. Whereas it labored and paddled superb at that weight, I might be hesitant to push that weight any additional. Relying on how lengthy your expedition is, this 12-foot board, whereas tremendous succesful for its measurement, may not be sufficient in terms of weight capability.

Comparability: Endurance XL vs. Endurance Air

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

The creator paddling on a visit down Yellowstone Lake.

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. However 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 be a slight think about that the Endurance XL is $500 extra at $1,749.

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

Conclusion

endurance air sup 12.0
The Pau Hana Endurance Air resting on the shore of Yellowstone Lake; (picture/Sean Jansen)

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

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 excellent alternative for newbie paddlers who plan to get into in a single day expeditions, and desire a succesful and sturdy board.