Inflatable SUP Authority is a website that specializes on the future of paddle boarding, inflatable stand up paddle boards. Our aim is to give you no BS reviews on products we have used and heavily researched to allow you to to make an informed decision.
We take our research very seriously as we put hours upon hours looking for the good and the bad of each board.
Our Mission
This website’s goal is also to inform SUP enthusiasts of all ages about what to look for when buying a paddle board and how to use and care for your inflatable board from start to finish. We want to get thousands of people a year confident in their paddling skills and review the right equipment to get them there.
How We test Inflatable Paddle Boards
Below is our process on how we test inflatable paddle boards that come into our headquarters.
- We Receive the Products. Oftentimes manufactueres will send us product free of charge to test for an unbiased review. As mentioned above we never let this interfere with our testing scores.
- I set up the board, strap a go pro on and tell you exactly what I think in our On-Water Perfomance Reviews like this one!
- We do a Video Overview of the product much like this one!
- We then write a full written overview on the product and gather as much information as we can on it. Like this example here.
- If there is demand we also do product set-up testing.
- We keep using the product throughout the year and update our guides we discover new findings about the product. Both good and bad.
Why We Do What We Do
Inflatable SUP Authority was created because far too often I would see people crowd the beach at Buntzen lake with their inflatable boards only to see them sit on saggy paddle boards struggling to paddle out past the shore, struggling to stand or even paddling the board backwards.
Believe me I’ve seen it all. I often found people were very appreciative getting tips on how to improve their paddling which switched a lightbulb in out heads. Lets start a helpful website on all things inflatable paddle boards!
Sure, there are other paddle board websites out there so what makes us different? What differentiates us from other review websites is the fact that we test these boards and show you first hand how the Paddle Board handles in the water.
Using a GoPro I strap onto myself to film exactly how the board feels while in the water. I think this is absolutely the best approach as its unscripted and I just say things that come to mind while we share some unique views onboard together.
I also like to back my articles with data and facts and get multiple opinions on subject matter as I truly believe it takes more than one perspective to become an Authority.
Our aim is to give you no BS reviews on products we have used and heavily researched to allow you to to make an informed decision.
-Derek Lenze
Our Team
Below we introduce our team of dedicated paddle boarders!
Derek Lenze
Hi, my name is Derek and I’m the founder of inflatable SUP Authority. If my face seems a bit familiar to you it’s because I am also the founder of Inflatable Kayak Authority and my oldest project, Floating Authority. I also have taken the Paddle Canada Advanced Flat Water SUP Training to boost my paddling skillset.
I have over 20 years of experience in water sports and countless stories to tell all across Canada and parts of the U.S.A..
These days my favorite activity to do is stand up paddle boarding. So much so that I’ve convinced all of my friends to get inflatable paddle boards to see all that British Columbia and Canada has to offer.
My crew and I have been testing different brands of inflatable paddle boards in such places such as Victoria, Nanaimo, West Kelowna, Kaslo as well as water ways all around the Vancouver area. Places like Deep Cove, White Rock, Crescent beach, Kitsilano, Jericho, Golden Ears Park, Buntzen lake and Cultus lake. Take a look at some of our pics throughout our website. If you are a fellow B.C.er you may reccognize a few spots!
Theres nothing I love more than grabbing a board and heading out to the water to share some moments with family and friends. You truly never know what might pop up in nature!
Zia Fehrenbach
Hey! I’m Zia and I’m the editor of Inflatable SUP Authority. Some of my older written articles can also be found on Floating Authority. I am also better known as one of the founders of Goliath Marketing and Live Wild where I work with clients regularly to get their businesses seen in the online space.
I have 10 years of paddle boarding experience and have paddled in lots of different lakes and rivers in Southern Ontario and now Kaslo British Columbia that I call my new home. In the summer of 2023, Derek and I did an epic paddling trip that included various spots in West Kelowna and Kootany Lake including Kaslo and Nelson as well as Crescent Beach in White Rock B.C. .
My current favoritre board is the Gili Meno 11’6″ because of its stability and its ability to have multiple people onboard. I love having people join me on paddling trips as you get to see so much more of what the natural world has to offer on the water!
Some of my newer hobbies include portrait and nature photography. Derek was bugging me the entire trip for those dating profile pics!
Our Responsibility
Lets face it, many people are downsizing these days, which means inflatable paddle boards have become more and more prominent over the years. As a result we wanted to start a free online resource that helped people gain knowledge on how to shop, take care of and keep the longevity of their inflatable SUPs.
In Our Reviews we..
- Use Affiliate Marketing to help the upkeep and costs of this website. This comes to no extra cost to you and is a percentage that comes from the manufacturers profits. You can learn more about affiliate marketing in our Affiliate Disclosure Page.
- Never let manufacturers or companies influence our reviews. Our findings are purely based on what we feels best for YOU the customer. Not commission rates, not manufacturer influence not anybody else.
- Only allow people with paddle boarding expertise to write on this blog. We fact check everything to make sure you get the right information.
- Regularly update our content to be up to date
- We make sure we only work with SUP manufacturers that adhere to top of the line standards and practices. If there is a Recall we will let you know about it!
At Inflatable SUP Authority we are big on keeping mother nature just how she is and keeping our waterways clean for generations to enjoy this sport in the future.
What Next?
- If you are not sure what you are looking for yet Take a look at our Inflatable SUP Buying Guide.
- If you want reviews on brands take a look at our Brand Reviews page.
- If you want to find out more information on how to paddle board, check out our Tips and Tricks blog!
- If You want to see our in person reviews and how to’s check out our Youtube Channel!
Get Out there, explore and have some fun on the water
-Derek Inflatable SUP Authority