NOTE: This is just the board. You will need a pump to inflate. SUP paddles sold separately, as well. Or buy this board in a complete iSUP package.
Introducing the Tower Mermaid Inflatable SUP
Includes a 10'4" by 32" by 6" inflatable SUP, a high-end Tower
branded diamond grooved deck pad, a 2+1 fin configuration
with a removable center fin, a hand hold strap, a roll-up carrying strap, a
towing ring on the nose, a cargo net, an extra handle in the front and back, and a leash attachment ring on the tail.
New Inflatable SUP Design
Frankly, virtually all 4" inflatable SUPs (which is pretty much all inflatable
SUPs on the market) leave a lot to be desired. That's putting it nicely. They
sag in the middle and ride low in the water so you end up standing in a puddle
of cold water, which is miserable. The sagging and undulating ride also slows
you down. The 6" thick, military grade Tower Mermaid Inflatable SUP
is dramatically more rigid, plus it floats higher in the water so no wet feet.
But this is only one of many advances that set the Tower Mermaid Inflatable
SUP apart from the competition.
Amazing Rigidity
The Tower Mermaid Inflatable SUP is made from extremely rugged materials
like those you would find on the highly regarded Zodiac boats and extreme
river rafts. The amazing rigidity in the Tower Mermaid is created by thousands
of vertically oriented strands of identical length that connect the top deck
to the bottom. When inflated, they form a structure that has the rigidity of
a piece of plywood, and the thicker you go the exponentially more rigid it gets.
You'll be amazed. We can literally put the front tip of the 10'4" x 6" Mermaid iSUP on one chair and the rear tip on another chair and a 200 lb
person can stand in the middle and you can barely see the thing flex. Do this
with most 4" inflatable SUPs and they will taco almost to the floor. Even
3/4" plywood flooring would probably break over this almost 10' span.
SUP performance and functionality same as EPS boards
Traditionally, inflatable SUPs were only a consideration for traveling - store
one in the cubby cabin on your yacht, take it with you on the plane, or haul
it into that secret mountain lake or river and you can stand up paddle
board in the farthest corners of the earth. With the rigidity of the Tower Mermaid,
an inflatable SUP is now also a viable EPS/Epoxy board alternative for anyone
who isn't a die-hard surfer.
Benefits of an Inflatable SUP over an EPS/Epoxy board
- Easier to store - When rolled up, it's 1 foot in diameter
and 33" wide.
- Indestructible - Never worry again about dings and board
cracks. I've literally thrown these things off a 2nd story deck and I frequently
set it down anywhere (gravel, a parking lot, even on cement stairs).
- Easier to transport - No need for roof racks. About the
size of a rolled sleeping bag, it easily fits in any car or boat, can be checked on a plane, and can
even be strapped onto a bicycle or motorcycle.
- Softer - You can literally play bumper boats with these.
Kids can jump from one board to the other like they're jumping on an inner
tube. You won't get knocked out in the waves either.
- Easy on the feet - While very rigid, the air does cushion
your feet a lot more than a hard board, no matter how good the deck pad is.
- Less expensive - Which also makes it a great idea as a
second board for travel or guests.
Warning - Beware of cheap inflatable SUP packages
Be weary of newer boards made with the fused process. While they may be lighter, they lose rigidity and durability in this newer construction process and are much lower quality boards overall.
The Tower Mermaid Inflatable SUP is amazingly priced because we sell it
direct. It's a high-end, well designed, and well considered inflatable SUP,
but at a direct to market price. Just because it is priced about the same, please
don't confuse it with many of the cheap inflatable SUP packages on the market,
which are characterized by many issues including:
- Poorly designed detachable fins that frequently fall off during use.C
- Cheap bags that are "bundled in", yet you'll never use. A simple
strap works fine.
- A seriously annoying sagging issue which leads to wet feet.
- Cheapest available, uncomfortable traction pads.
- At 4" thick, not suitable floatation-wise for heavier paddlers.
- Questionably designed inflation pumps that come apart.
- Pressure gauges that are not integrated into the pump, so you have to pump,
detach, check inflation, pump, detach, check, etc.
- Lack of a surf leash attachment or towing attachment.
Approved by Stephan Aarstol