Best Inflatable SUPs Under $800

Below is a list of the best inflatable SUPs Under $800. This is a more realistic price point that you can get a good quality SUP. 

Folks often wonder what is the difference between Paddle Boards that are Under $400 and ones under $800. The main difference is the quality of materials, the performance of the board as well as better thought out on-board features and accessories. 

Below we have picked a bunch of different style boards for a wide range of different paddlers so that nobody is left out! If you have any suggestions on what we should review let us know in the comments! 

Let’s Get into the List!

How We Tested the Best Inflatable SUPs Under $800

Below are all the boards that we have tested in a variety of different conditions throughout Southern British Columbia. Most of them get their testing done at Nikomekl River but others have had more rigorous tests done on various lakes throughout B.C. to add that fresh water paddling perspective. 

We do On-Water tests that track the board’s maneuverability, speed, tracking, and most important of all stability. In each review, we will have On-Board tests that show my reactions to each board I paddle. In the What to Look for in the $800 and Under section we go through how these boards are rated in the rest of the sections.  

The Best Inflatable SUPs Under $800

The Best SUPs under $800 all have one thing in common, and that’s Quality materials. All of the below picks use some sort of Fusion-based PVC layering or triple PVC layering to ensure that they meet durability standards. If you are unsure what to pick take a look at our guide below where we broke down exactly the scoring of each board compared to each other. 

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1. Nixy Newport G4 (Top Pick)

Features

• Dimensions: 10’6 X 33” X 6”
• Weight: 21 Lbs 
• Maximum Capacity: 300 Lbs
• Material: Advanced FusionTech dual-layer laminated woven drop stitch

Total Score: 8.8 /10 (Average of Below Numbers)

Click the links below to see where it compares

• On-Water Performance: 8.5
  • Stability: 8
  • Tracking: 8.5
  • Speed: 8
  • Maneuverability: 9
• SUP Construction: 9
• Board Features: 8.5
  • Deck Pad: 8.5
  • D Ring Placements: 8
  • Deck Bungee Placement: 8
  • Action Mounts 9
  • Handles: 8.5
• Accessories: 9
  • Backpack: 9
  • Paddle: 9
  • Pump: 9
  • Fins:9.5
• Set-Up/ Take Down: 9

Almost every time I see the Nixy Newport on Nixy’s site it’s usually on sale and just below the $800 price point at about $695 USD so I’m counting it! 

The Newport is a great starter/ intermediate SUP that can grow with your skill level. Best of all it’s a board that can be used for 80 – 85% of paddlers thanks to the paddle boards size dimensions. 

When I tested this board I was on the taller side of things but I liked the feel of the board. I scored high marks in the on-water performance category with a solid 8.5/10 compared to the average of All Around boards tested which was 8. 

The only section where this board dipped a bit below the average was stability with an 8/10 score compared to the All Around average of 8.3/10. However, stability is something that can be learned and it’s something I got used to after a few paddling sessions. Its stability rating is a tad bit lower because of the extra amount of play you get from side to side which can be deceiving when first standing up. 

One of the big wins for the Newport is the way the board is constructed and some of the onboard features the Newport comes with. The Nixy Newport is constructed using a dual-layer PVC blend with woven laminated drop stitch technology which uses stronger strands of drop stitch while reducing the number of strands needed per square inch. This process uses little glue which helps reduce fail points in the board. 

The Newport also has carbon side rails which helps keep the board rigid while adding an added layer of protection on the sides which is usually the central point of impact to the exterior environment. 

One of the best things about the Nixy Newport is the Accessories. The Newport offers high-quality accessories for a medium price point SUP. The bag and paddle are the items that impressed me the most. 

The Bag is one of the best organized SUP bags I’ve seen, It offers ample paddling on the back, it’s baggy enough to have the board in the back in a less-than-perfect fold, and the font pocket is large which is handy for bringing better things like PFD’s speaker’s sandals etc. 

The paddle that comes with the board is one of the most lightweight paddles I’ve tested and it comes with the board package! 

The carbon hybrid paddle has a nice feel on the hands and is smooth. It’s also about .5 lbs lighter than most other paddles that come with SUPs. It may not sound like much, but that .5 makes a big difference after doing over 1000 paddle strokes in an hour!

You can see our full detailed Nixy Newport G4 Review here!

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2. iRocker All Around 11 Ultra (Portability Pick)

Features

• Dimensions: 11’ X 32” X 6”
• Weight: 21.4 Lbs 
• Maximum Capacity: 290 Lbs
• Material: Dual Fusion Layer PVC

Total Score: 8.7/10 (Averages of Rating Below)

Click the links below to see where it compares

• On-Water Performance – 8.1
  • Stability 8
  • Tracking  8
  • Speed 8.5
  • Maneuverability 8
• SUP Construction – 9
• Board Features  – 8.6
  • Deck Pad 9
  • D Rings 8.5
  • Deck Bungees 8.5
  • Action Mounts: 7.5
  • Handles 9
• Accessories – 8.6
  • Backpack 9.5
  • Paddle 7.5
  • Pump 9
  • Fins 8.5
• Set-Up/ Take Down – 9

If portability and space are of the utmost importance to you but you still want a well-made SUP package then the iRocker All Around 11 Ultra will be your best bet. The All Around 11 Ultra folds in half lengthwise which allows you to place it in the smaller special-made backpack. 

The backpack measures 10″ x 16″ x 21″ (25cm x 41cm x 53.3cm) which makes the bag rounder as opposed to rectangular shaped like most SUP bags. 

I can easily fit this package and the Blackfin Ultra CX package (another portable SUP) into the trunk of my Hyundai Elantra with space to spare. If I had to do this with 2 regular-sized SUP bags like the Nixy Newport and the original All Around 11 bags I would have to do some re-organizing. 

The board itself is also supremely lightweight which makes it a good pick for both larger and smaller paddlers. However, I will warn that the stability will not be as good as the original All Around 11 board. 

The All Around 11 Ultra has gone a bit of a different direction with its fin setup. It features 2 center fins that are narrower compared to your typical dolphin fin. In our testing, we found that this made the board more maneuverable and responsive compared to the original All Around 11 SUP. On the flip side, this made tracking a tad bit worse, although it’s not a make-or-break experience by any means. 

Perhaps one of the best things about this package is the inclusion of an electric pump! This is a game changer and I honestly wish more SUP manufacturers did this. The iRocker eclectic pump is one of our favorite picks in our Best Electric SUP Pump guide. 

While setting the board up is fairly straightforward putting it back in the bag can be challenging the first few times. To make things easier for yourself I recommend using the iRocker pump’s “deflate” valve to deflate all of the air out of the board making it easier to fold in half. 

You can see our full detailed iRocker All Around 11 Ultra Review here!

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3. Atoll 11 Paddle Board (Stability Pick)

Features:

• Dimensions: 11’ X 32” X 6”
• Weight: 21 Lbs 
• Maximum Capacity: 315 Lbs (Tested to 550 Lbs)
• Material: Machine Laminated Dual Layer PVC

Total Score 8.2/10 (Average of Below)

Click the links below to see where it compares

• On-Water Performance: 8.5
  • Stability: 9
  • Tracking: 8
  • Speed: 8
  • Maneuverability: 8
• SUP Construction: 9
• Board Features: 8
  • Deck Pad: 8.5
  • D Rings: 9
  • Deck Bungees: 7.5
  • Handles: 7
• Accessories: 7.5
  • Backpack: 7
  • Paddle: 7
  • Pump: 7
  • Fins: 8
• Set-Up/ Take Down: 8

Want a well made affordable SUP that also checks off the stability box? The Atoll 11 is probably the board for you. In my testing in a small lake inside Salt Spring Island we used this board in cool conditions in the middle of March. The lake was cold, I’ll put it that way! 

When I first stood up I was not entirely sure what to expect. After doing the motions I was awe-struck at how stable this board was. It almost felt like I was standing on an inflatable dock and not a paddleboard!

The even more baffling thing is that the board is 32” wide which is around the standard for All-around paddle boards. But I can guarantee you most boards that have those width dimensions don’t feel quite as stable as the Atoll 11.

So if this board is so great why is it ranked 3rd? In our rating systems, the board lost points for onboard features and accessories. While we found the bag to be good, the pump and paddle were just okay. Nothing too special there. The Atoll 11 also lacked some onboard features that appear on the Newport and Ultra 11 like action mounts, and extra bungee webbing onboard to hold items. 

Having said the above criteria this does not need to be a make or break feature for the Atoll 11. 

Infact its set-up may be looked upon more favorably by those who want the option to strap bigger items onto the board thanks to the 8 free D rings that the Atoll 11 offers. You can strap on things such as tents/ camping gear, coolers, or bigger deck bags for those multi-day excursions. 

Another thing that stood out about this board is how many people recommended it. Especially on Reddit where the SUP community is open and more trustworthy compared to other threads. 

You can see our full detailed Atoll 11 Review here!

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4. Bluefin Cruise 10’8” (Budget Pick)

Features

• Dimensions: 10’8″ X 32” X 6”
• Weight: 24 Lbs 
• Maximum Capacity: 330 Lbs
• Material: Exo Surface Laminate (Fusion laminate)

Total Score 8.3 (Averages of Below Scores)

Click the links below to see where it compares

• On-Water Performance – 8.1
  • Stability: 8
  • Tracking: 8.5
  • Speed: 8
  • Maneuverability: 8 
• SUP Construction – 9
• Board Features  – 8
  • Deck Pad: 9
  • D Rings: 7.5
  • Deck Bungees: 7
  • Action Mounts: 8
  • Handles: 8.5
• Accessories – 8.1
  • Backpack: 8
  • Paddle: 8
  • Pump: 7.5
  • Fins: 9
• Set-Up/ Take Down – 8

I’m still a bit shocked while writing this that Bluefin can be considered a “Budget Pick” because this board is made of really good materials for the price it’s being offered. Especially in the U.S.. The Bluefin Cruise also comes with a 5-year warranty against manufacturing defects which is more than any other SUP on this list. 

The Cruise scored 8/10 in all on-water categories which makes it a good all-around performance board or “Jack of all Trades” type of board. Its 10’8” length is a good size for most paddlers and its 330 lb maximum capacity coupled with its stiff exo surface fusion laminate material makes it a solid pick overall. 

A couple of things I was not a fan of was the craftsmanship of the paddle. When I tested both the Bluefin Cruise and Cruise Carbon the screw for the adjusting part fell off while I was paddling. 

I also was not a big fan of how the bag is. It’s nice wide and spacious but unless you have it strapped down inside the bag the board tends to want to fall the opposite way of your back which makes carrying it feel awkward. 

However, saying all of the above I do appreciate that the Cruise Royal Blue package comes with a kayak hybrid kit that consists of a fold-up kayak seat and an attachment paddle that goes on the “handle end” of the paddle which transforms it into a kayak hybrid. 

Kayak Hybrid set-ups are ideal for longer adventures where you are tired of standing so you just set the seat up and kayak paddle your way off into the distance. 

You can see our full detailed Bluefin Cruise Review here!

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5. Gili Adventure 12 (Touring Pick)

Features

• Dimensions: 12’ X 32” X 6”
• Weight: 24 Lbs 
• Maximum Capacity: 330 Lbs
• Material: Fusion Dual Layer PVC Construction 

Total Score: 8/10 (Average of Below Numbers)

Click the links below to see where it compares

• On-Water Performance – 8.1
  • Stability 8
  • Tracking  8.5
  • Speed 8.5
  • Maneuverability 7.5
• SUP Construction – 8
• Board Features  – 8.1
  • Deck Pad 8
  • D Rings 8
  • Deck Bungees 8
  • Mounts: 8.5
  • Handles 8
• Accessories – 7.75
  • Backpack 8
  • Paddle 8
  • Pump 7
  • Fins 8
• Set-Up/ Take Down – 8

While I would not consider the Adventure 12 a “proper touring board” It’s about the closest thing you will get to getting a touring board for under $800! The board’s slender frame and 12’ length make it the best pick to travel long distances. It’s 5 rows of bungee deck webbing also give it a good amount of cargo capacity for those longer trips. 

The board also offers ample stability thanks to its longer platform. We tested this board in wavey conditions at Cultus Lake with a relatively new paddler (he was a rower) and he was able to stand on the board throughout the constant barrage of boat waves that came our way (what Cultus lake is known for!). 

Another cool feature is the fact that it has 2 Scotty Mounts that come with the board. This allows you to turn this vessel into a silent fish stalker! You can attach things such as rack mounts, fishing rod holders, or anything attached to the Scotty Mount molds. 

Does this make this board the ideal fishing vessel? I wouldn’t say so due to the boards narrower length however if you have a Fishing rack to hold onto while you are casting you can make use of the board as a fishing platform. 

The accessories and on-board features that come with this board are pretty good as well. I especially like the Gili bag which is a close second to Nixy’s and iRockers SUP bags in my books. The pump was fairly average in our opinion though. 

You can see our full detailed Gili Adventure 12 Review here!

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What to Look for in a $800 and Under SUP

When looking for an $800 and under ISUP there are a few things that we prioritize. The first 2 points are based on your needs as a paddler, while the rest are our ratings based on each SUP’s performance.

Your Budget

How Much an Inflatable Paddle Board Costs will entirely depend on you and what you can afford. I will say, in the long run, it makes more sense to spend the extra money on a good quality paddle board like the above picks as opposed to a $200 “Amazon board” made by some private label Chinese brand.  

So What Makes a Good Paddle Board Brand?

I look for boards that have an actual brand to their name. Simply Google the brand name and look around their website. I also look for a brand that has at least a 2-year warranty against manufacturing defects. 

Another thing I look out for is the construction of the board. I mention more about what I look for below. 

Choosing the Right Size

The right size will depend a lot on your skill/ experience level as well as how much you weigh and how tall you are. Typically 11’ boards are a safe bet for most sized paddlers as long as there is a good maximum weight capacity of 300 lbs and above. 

Smaller paddlers may want to consider boards within the 10’6” (considered the sweet spot for paddle boards) and 10’ range. The smaller boards will feel like a good fit for their size while providing more maneuverability available to them. 

Of course, the width of the board and shape will matter as well. If the paddle board has a more tapered nose or tail it will not feel as stable as a board that slowly tapers to the nose and tail. This is an important fact to keep in mind. Paddle board widths are important, but how aggressively tapered the design of the board is will play equally an important part. 

The sweet spot for paddle board widths will be between 32” -34” with 34” being more stable in the water. However as you get wider with the board it becomes more “draggy” in the water which means you are expending more effort paddling the board compared to if you had a thinner width. 

On-Water Performance Metrics to Look At

Below is how we rated the metrics of the board’s on-water performance. We do a lot of this on a “feel” basis but use metrics such as paddle strokes and reverse sweep strokes to give a quantifiable number to the tracking and maneuverability of the board. You can see our reviews for a more detailed scoring of these metrics. 

Board	Stability Score	Tracking Score	Speed Score	Maneuverability Score	Total On-Water Score
Nixy Newport G4	8	8.5	8	9	8.5
Atoll 11	9	8	8	8	8.5
iRocker All Around 11 Ultra	8	8	8.5	8	8.1
Bluefin Cruise	8	8.5	8	8	8.1
Gili Adventure 12	8	8.5	8.5	7.5	8.1

As a beginner, the column you will want to look at is “Stability”. In this category, I felt that Atoll 11 resigned supreme compared to the other boards. Especially when it came to primary stability (board laying flat on the water). I was pleasantly surprised by this myself as the Atoll has a more standard 32” width compared to boards like the Newport which is 33” wide. 

All of the rest of the picks have favorable scores in tracking, speed, and maneuverability. More experienced paddlers will be looking more at these metrics as they already have board control down. With all of these being All Around/ All Around hybrid boards they won’t have the same performance as touring SUPs in tracking and speed metrics. 

However, all the top 5 picks did register respectable scores with the Newport standing out as the maneuverability pick thanks to its 10’6” length and removable fins that can further tweak this. So it would be a solid pick for tighter waterways like rivers, mangroves, or coastal paddles. 

In terms of tracking and speed for those who want to paddle longer distances, the Gili Adventure 12 stood out thanks to the board’s narrower shape and 12’ length which helps the board track a straighter course with less correction on each side. It also comes with a touring fin and 2 side fins to help with this. 

Construction is Key

As you can see, quality of construction is one of the most important factors when you are choosing your SUP.

Board	Construction Rating
Nixy Newport G4 10’6”	9
Bluefin Cruise 10’8”	9
iRocker All Around 11 Ultra	9
Atoll 11	9
Gili Adventure 12	8

All of the boards met our quality standards both in our tests as well as what customers have said about these SUPs. 

All of the picks on this list use some sort of Fusion layering with some picks like the Nixy Newport and iRocker All Around 11 Ultra using a woven drop stitch process. This woven drop stitching further strengthens the threads by making them more reinforced with thicker threads all the while reducing the amount of those threads you need to use per each board. This makes them lighter as a result

The Bluefin Cruise got a good rating due to the 5-year limit against manufacturing defects as well as the many positive customer reviews about these boards. The Atoll 11 got a 9 rating due to the board’s durability and the fact that many customers on Reddit have stated they have had their Atoll 11s for a long time. 

The Gili Adventure 12 is an 8 because it did feel a tad bit more bouncy in our on-water testing compared to the other picks.

You can learn more about What Paddle Boards Are Made Of here. 

Accessories Can Make a Difference

While SUP Accessories are not a make or break factor they do have an important part to play in how the board is packaged, set up, and performs in the water. 

Board	Backpack Score	Paddle Score	Pump Score	Fins Score	Total Accessories Score
Nixy Newport G4	9	9	9	9.5	9
iRocker All Around 11 Ultra	9.5	7.5	9	8.5	8.6
Bluefin Cruise	8	8	7.5	9	8.1
Gili Adventure 12	8	8	7	8	7.75
Atoll 11	7	7	7	8	7.5

In this category, the Nixy Newport and iRocker All Around 11 Ultra impressed me the most. Especially with how their packages were designed. But Nixy got the ultimate nod as their bag, paddle, and double chamber pump stood out to me as quality accessories. 

The area where Nixy stood out most against the others was the included paddle which is almost .5 lbs lighter than the others weighing in at 1.54 Lbs. This may not sound like a lot but it makes a big difference when you are paddling for more than an hour and a half on a hot sunny day!

How iRocker designed their bag to make it as compact as possible made it my favorite SUP bag. It’s well thought out from a compartmentalization standpoint where the board folds in half lengthwise, goes into the bag, and on top of the board sits a pouch that features an electric pump, fins, and manuals. 

In terms of pump, you will see that the Ultra 11 and Newport are tied. I have to give iRocker the edge here for actually including an electric pump with their SUP package. Electric pumps retail for usually the $120 mark so having this included in the Ultra 11 package while it still being less than $800 is a very good deal. 

Lastly, when it comes to fins I found Nixy to have the best fin setup. Their center fin is US Fin Box spec which allows you to switch the fin with any other fin that has the same designation. It also has side fins that are screwed in FCS make which makes putting the fins in less of a pain compared to ones where you need to line up the screw and washer (like the Atoll 11). 

Sure proprietary fin systems of the Ultra 11, Adventure 12 and Cruise 10’8” boards are quicker to install but they severely limit you to those types of proprietary fin makes which will have less variety compared to US fin boxes which can house most fins including surfing style ones. 

Set-Up/ Take Down Factors

When rating set-up/ take down we take into consideration how easy the board is to inflate with the accessories included and all the steps from getting the board out of the bag to the water. 

With Takedown we consider things such as how easily the board can deflate and be put back into the bag, and does the bag has ample space for accessories. We also consider how long and arduous this process is on the paddler. 

Board	Set-Up/ Take Down Rating
Nixy Newport G4 10’6”	9
iRocker All Around 11 Ultra	9
Bluefin Cruise 10’8”	8
Atoll 11	8
Gili Adventure 12	8

The Nixy Newport and All Around 11 Ultra boards make the top of the list due to their accessories and how much easier they make your life when you are inflating the board and taking it down. 

The Newport was rated highly in this category as its bag was spacious enough to fit everything that you need to bring to the water. Its dual-chamber Typhoon pump gives you good airflow into the board making the initial pumps up to 5-7 PSI a lot quicker. 

When taking the Newport down the board just fold back very nicely because you start off the folding process with the tail. This is thanks to the air valve being at the nose of the board, so you have to start at the tail to fold/ deflate. The fins make a good initial fold that you can follow throughout the board making it a pretty easy process to follow. 

The All Around 11 Ultra was rated a 9 because it comes with an electric pump that makes life a heck of a lot easier! Its lightweight design also makes it easier to carry to and from shore. Especially when comparing it to the original All Around 11 which is 4 lbs heavier. 

Onboard Features Make Life Easier 

Onboard features are probably the last thing you need to consider when choosing a SUP for under $800. They are nice to have but by no means do they make or break your paddle experience. They just make life a lot easier. 

Board	Deck Pad Score	D-Rings Score	Deck Bungees Score	Action Mounts Score	Handles Score	Total Accessories Score
iRocker All Around 11 Ultra	9	8.5	8.5	7.5	9	8.6
Nixy Newport G4	8.5	8	8	9	8.5	8.5
Gili Adventure 12	8	8	8	8.5	8	8.1
Bluefin Cruise	9	7.5	7	8	8.5	8
Atoll 11	8.5	9	7.5	_	7	8

The Deck pad that stood out to me the most was the Bluefin Cruise Carbon due to its grip thanks to its croc-skin style design. It was the grippiest, especially compared to striped deck pads such as the Newport, iRocker, and Adventure 12. iRockers deck pad scored high since it was collapsible in the middle. 

Interestingly enough the winner of the D rings score was the last placed Atoll 11. This is because the board offers 8 free D rings which are more than most of the others on the list that have between 4-6 available. Free D rings are key for people who want to store bigger items on the board. They are especially handy for multi-day paddlers!

One of the more important onboard scores would be deck bungees. Without them, you won’t have anywhere to store items on your board. Which I can tell you from experience is a pain in the butt! Overall the boards that had 5 rows of bungee deck webbing (between the front and rear of the board) had the best scores (Nixy, iRocker, and Gili). 

The Handles score primarily refers to how many handles the board has and how soft are they on the hands. This may not sound like a big deal but you start to understand the importance of this when you are walking 100 meters to the shoreline with your fully-blown inflatable SUP! Multiple handles on the nose tail, and sides are all good for guiding the board in the water as well as getting back onto the board. 

Lastly, action mounts aren’t the biggest deal in the world, but if you want handy things such as fishing rods, cup holders, speakers, and other items that attach to your board they do make life a lot easier. Overall we liked the placements that the Nixy Newport had onboard which also felt like they weren’t in the way. 

The most impressive of the bunch in terms of these onboard accessories was once again, the Nixy Newport and iRocker All Around 11 Ultra which are on the upper edges of the $800 budget. 

So What’s the Best $800 and Under Paddle Board? 

The best $800 and under paddle board based on our ratings and testing is the Nixy Newport G4 based on how the board is constructed and its excellent on-water performance in most categories. Its accessories helped push it to be the best though as the board includes quality accessories that make your life easier. 

For taller people take a look at the super compact iRocker All Around 11 Ultra which folds up in a compact package and includes an electric pump which helps make set-up and take down a heck of a lot more convenient. 

For paddlers looking for cheaper boards take a look at the Bluefun Cruise and Atoll boards that both are under $500. Paddlers looking to travel longer distances can take a look at the Gili Adventure 12 for longer excursions.