AQUAPLANET Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board Kit - Pace, Red & Blue | 10.6 Foot | Ideal for SUP Beginners & Experts | Includes Fin, Paddle, Pump, Repair Kit, Backpack, Leash, Dry Bag, Carry Strap

Great pump (inflates quicker than my friends who have a different ones!) Great for me, a first timer. I use it on lakes, I've not tried the sea.Handy size dry bag to keep your phone, keys and a drink in.I would buy again.

I am not a SUP expert. I knew very little about SUPs a couple of weeks ago. My decision on which SUPs to buy was very much influenced by reviews. I did have some pre-sales questions which I put to Aquaplanet and they were very helpful and prompt with their reply which was encouraging. I was torn between the Pace and Max, both being thicker with more buoyancy that the entry level Allround. I wanted the greater buoyancy primarily so that 2 people could go out if they wanted. I ended up buying 2 x Pace as they are reputedly a bit faster and have a little more glide. I was also working on basis that they had better directional stability and would handle a mild chop better.Ordering and delivery was usual Amazon slick process.Unboxed both, and everything there well packed.Initial observations were that whole kit was very light. Later when carrying SUP inflated was very easy simply using the carry handle positioned around centre of gravity. There is a shoulder strap as well if you want it.Quality of everything appeared good.The travel rucksack appeared robust, including the zips. I had ready some unfavourable comments about the zips but they seemed chunky and up to the job. Maybe Aquaplanet has listened to feedback and upgraded the zips.Paddles were very easy to assemble with scale to making it easy to reassemble to the correct length each time. There is also some closed cell foam in the top section which presumably provided some buoyancy if you drop the paddle.The main fin, which is removeable, has a simple and positive lock so it can't come off accidentally.Nice touch is the small waterproof sack, which came in handy to put car keys in.I was initially surprised and disappointed at how small the pump was, and being a single barrel. However, my opinion changed dramatically when I actually used it. I could not believe how quickly they pumped up. I should stress that the pump is both double and single acting. Note this well as it is very important. The double acting was very good at rapidly inflating to low pressure. Then when it started to get harder, I simply unscrewed a bung on the side and converted it to single acting making the high pressure inflation easier. In total I think it took less than 8 minutes to inflate - and without any dramas. The whole process was very easy. Almost too easy...We took both SUPs to the beach inflated on car roof rack, which probably defeated object of having inflatable stand up paddle board, but nevertheless I couldn't see point in deflating having tested at home and then reinflating at the beach.We started in calm water, inside Poole Harbour, where both children [grown up] quickly got the hang of balance and paddling. We then walked across to beach at Sandbanks, where the sea was a little more challenging as it had a light swell and chop. Albeit more challenging, the SUPs behaved impeccably and they had no problem manoeuvring and keeping bow into the waves. They were able to confidently paddle out 200M from the shore around the speed limit buoys and back.I have nothing to compare these SUPs with to know whether they are good or bad, or represent good or bad value. All I can say at this point is that there seems to be a lot of good reviews, the dealer seems responsive, the SUPs come complete with everything you might need [including repair kit and ankle leash], everything seems well made and thought out, they performed well in calm and choppy seas, they seem very rigid even with two people aboard, and they provided a lot of joy to my kids - which is highest priority.I have no regrets with my choice and would have no hesitation in recommending.Final point. Do watch out for thickness of boards. If you are heavy or want the ability for two to be on the board, you are probably best looking for a 6" [15cm] thick board, like the Aquaplanet Pace and Max. Apart from the additional buoyancy from approx. 50% more air volume, I believe that they also tend to be stiffer and therefore will perform better.One final final point. There may be better, and more expensive SUPs out there, but personally I can't see the point in paying more for light recreational use / fun. Maybe in a few years I will have a better appreciation of what makes a good or bad board, but now I feel the Pace is a good board and serves my uses perfectly. Well done Aquaplanet.

I bought the board in January as a birthday present to myself.As a 64 year old ex-surfer, I thought it would be fun (a sort of age related progression - like football to walking-football!!). I could see no point in writing a review until I'd really tried the board. I'm no lover of cold water, so I waited until I had an opportunity to try the board somewhere warmer.I opened the package at home and assembled everything. I was surprised at the quality of all the components and the way it all packed away into the included rucksack. I covered the bag in bubble warp and booked it on the flight as sports equipment (slightly cheaper than extra luggage).On my first day at the beach, I was amazed how quickly it was to set-up on the beach - about 20 minutes from car to water, although having a trial run at home was a great help. I recently bought a small tyre compressor and adaptor to inflate it via the car cigarette lighter, but in fact it's much quicker to use the included pump and you get a 15 minute upper-body workout as well.My advice to anyone going on a SUP for the first time, do it on a lake. No matter how calm the sea looks, there are nearly always small swells that can tip you off balance when not prepared. I spent the first days struggling in choppy water, the first 15 minutes just paddling around, like on a surfboard, sitting, kneeling and just getting used to the balance. Once I had the confidence, I got the paddle and spent a while on my knees paddling around and occassionally standing up and often falling off. I bit of perseverance with the paddle, taking swells head on and being ready to drop to your knees when feeling unbalanced and it's quite easy to get the knack. If you're not used to these types of balance sports, it won't happen overnight. It can be tiring on the knees (you need to keep them slightly bent and ready to adjust your weight)It is undoubtedly easier to balance and manoeuvre with the cental fin in place, but if you're messing around in the shallow water, I guess it could get damaged.I'm glad I chose the 6" model as it does seem very bouyant. I was able to paddle along with my wife sat up front (about 140 kgs in total). I've been in the water 7 times now and each time feel more confident. My youngest son tried it and was stood up paddling after about 30 minutes in a very slight swell. Next month I,m hoping to be able to be to be propelled by small waves (sod's law it'll probably be like a millpond next time!). I may even try one of those little sails you can attach to the built-in loops at the front of the board.I'm considering buying another board to keep here in the UK, and I can see no reason not buy another one of these boards.Why didn't I give it 5 stars? Mainly because I've got nothing to compare it to and secondly because I like to know something will last before I would give it maximum points. Although I have no reason to beleive this board won't last.For anyone wanting to have a go at this sport, I would highly recommed this board. It appears well designed, easy to set-up and use, and, despite the price, there seems to be no compomise on quality.Pros:- Build quality; ease of use; design; accessories; price.Cons:- None I can think of.

The Pace comes in a box which contains everything and isn't as big, or heavy, as you'd imagine. In there is the paddle, pump, dry bag, repair kit, leash, backpack and most importantly the board. Once you get it all out you do stand there thinking how did all this fit in there ....The board itself seems to be made out of fairly strong material (not that I'm any kind of expert) and once inflated, feels very sturdy. Out on the water this thing feels stable. When I'm on it there's no give or anything and I'm a huge f*t g*t. I'm usually on my knees. I've done some standing but that part requires much more work ....Inflating it. The supplied pump works but it is NOT easy. It takes much more effort than you think to get it to the required PSI. Be prepared for a workout. It does need to be the required PSI to work properly. Otherwise you might as well try to paddle a lilo. You'll soon be doing what I'm doing and looking at electric pumps. I've a feeling that all inflatable sups will suffer from this though.It seems to track ok through the water and paddling it is as easy as other boards I've borrowed or hired. I'm determined to get more practice and master this and I think this board will do me for some time. I've only had it a couple of weeks but I'm hoping I'll be proved right. So far I'm impressed.Once deflated it does pack away neatly into the backpack too. Easy to pack away and store.If you're looking for an inflatable sup package, you can't go wrong with the Aquaplanet Pace in my view.