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Average Cost of a Paddle Board
In recent years people have embraced paddle boarding, thus becoming a more popular sport this summer. Hence, the online market for paddleboards has become oversaturated. With this kind of market, there are more options to choose from and a wide range of prices. Below is a breakdown of paddleboard prices.
Overall Price for Paddle Boards
A complete paddle boarding set typically costs $200-$2000. This price is dependent on the size, quality, and construction of the board.
Epoxy is among the most expensive boards, and its price ranges from $700-$2000. Model plastic SUPs are available at local retail shops for $400.
Inflatable paddle boats, unlike the other types, has a wide range of price. There are cheap boards that sell at a throw-away price as well as expensive boards. Their fees range from as low as $200-$1800. A standard board created for stern recreation costs $900.
The production process on the inflatable paddleboats makes them more expensive than other types of boards. Manufacturers have to use more costly materials and skilled hand expertise to produce them. They use unique materials to ensure it maintains its shape even after being inflated instead of blowing up like a balloon.
Cost of a Good Inflatable Paddle Board
Many attributes determine the quality of a paddleboard and its price. Following are features to look for when choosing a good board.
• Durability
• The board’s weight capacity
• Quality of the materials used to make the board.
• Weight capacity
• Availability of SUP fittings.
Buying an excellent inflatable paddleboard from a reliable brand will cost between $900 to $1200. However, many boards retail at much lower prices. Still, in reality, their manufactures have to cut many corners in the quality of production material and manufacturing process to sell an inflatable paddleboard for a price lower than $900.
These pricing guidelines operate in the United States. Prices of these boards change in other parts of the world. Many different conditions will lead to this price difference, they include;
• Import tariffs and taxes
• Shipping and storage cost
• Market strategy in that location
• Advertisement cost
• Competition
Are Cheap Paddle Boards Good
Cheap paddleboards appear attractive at first, but they are made from low-quality material, and thus they are inferior in their performance and less durable. Below are some of the reasons why these cheap boards are not worth your money.
High Deflating Value
There comes a time when you decide to upgrade your board. Expensive paddleboards maintain their value over time, and you get good returns. On the other hand, cheap paddleboards, due to their poor quality and lower level of durability, not only do they devalue fast but are also hard to resell.
Lack of Flexibility
There are many activities involved in paddleboarding. You may decide to race with friends, use it in yoga, or trying out in the waves. You will need a board that is up to the task. The most expensive ones are made with high quality and stiffness, and you can use them in a wide variety of activities.
However, cheap boards lack these qualities, and you can only use them for bare paddling on flat water. Whenever you go to the market, look for quality and not the price and appearance.
Poor Quality Accessories
For manufacturers to keep the prices of these bords as low as possible, they opt for low-quality preferences when it comes to everything else, including the bag, pump, and paddles. Most of these cheap boards lack these essential accessories, and this will force you to fork them separately.
Most of these accessories fail to withstand the test of time, and sooner or later, you will be forced to buy new ones. A bag, for example, has to endure a lot of conditions, and with time it will fall apart and fail to serve its purpose.
How Good Are Costco Paddle Boards
Most of the boards found in Costco warehouses are cheap boards. The quality of these boards is poor, and they cant give you the best paddleboarding experience. These boards can be purchased by beginners learning basic skills or for the kids, but if you are looking for a paddleboard to serve you for a long time, you should invest and buy a high-quality one but not Costco boards.
These boards will start falling apart after a season or two. Not only does this affect the general appearance, but it is also dangerous to the user.