Blue Wave Sports Stingray Inflatable SUP Review

Blue-Wave-Sports-Stingray-Inflateable-SUP-Review

Blue Wave Sports Stingray Inflatable Paddle Board Review

Tith the Stingray 10’ inflatable stand up paddleboard (iSUP) from Blue Wave Sports, you get a surprisingly versatile package for such a low price. We’re most pleased with the included removable fabric seat — strap it onto the board, and adjust the included paddle, and you’ve got a makeshift kayak. Of course, there are other stand up paddleboards that include removable seats, but in this price range, it’s not common to see “bonus features” like this.

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Blue Wave Sports traditionally sells pool products, but their foray into the standup paddling world is not to be taken lightly. The Stingray is a super affordable inflatable stand up paddleboard with an uncommonly rich package of features.

Of course, like an inflatable, this board gives you that impressive near-hard board quality we’ve come to expect, with the convenience of being able to roll your board up like a sleeping bag and store it away when you’re not riding. Again, don’t underestimate these boards — unless you’re looking for the highest quality, you really don’t need a traditional hard SUP.

Blue Wave Sports Stingray iSUP Features:

What sets the Blue Wave Sports Stingray apart from other inflatable SUPs on the market is the package of accessories and features it comes included with. It’s got a hand pump and storage bag like you’d expect, but it also comes with a removable fabric seat (which many boards do not), and a very cool multi-configuration paddle that can be used as a canoe paddle, a kayak paddle, or a stand-up paddle.

The Stingray is also super durable — it has a multi-layer drop stitched high-pressure core (this means the board is not going to bend and flex when you’re standing on it), and it has a double-layered outer skin (this means it’s not going to tear on rocks or whatever else you throw at it). At under $500, we’d be pleased with just the high-quality material and the packaged essentials, but the extra features included here make this board stand out:

High-pressure hand pump
Multi-configuration paddle which can be rearranged for 3 different functions – 50-in long 2-piece canoe paddle, 89.5-in long kayak paddle, or 71-in long SUP paddle
A convenient carry handle on the board, as well as built-in stainless steel D rings and bungee cord for attaching accessories
Large anti-slip deck pad featuring “Z Ray – Soft Grip Technology”
Adjustable, removable fabric seat and footrest
Two outer fins and a detachable center tracking fin
Rip-resistant polyethylene storage bag
A basic easy-to-use repair kit

Blue Wave Sports Stingray Specifications:

Size: 10’ long x 30” wide x 4” thick

Weight: 25 pounds

Weight limit: 220 pounds

Material: Multi-layer drop stitched high pressure core construction with the double-layered outer skin.

Inflating: Inflates to 10-15 PSI

ISLE Airtech Inflatable SUP User Experience:

Set up: The Stingray involved a pretty standard inflatable stand up paddleboard setup. Just hook up the pump and get pumping! Some users do struggle to get this board pumped all the way up to 15 PSI with the included pump — if the pump is too much work for you, you can always buy an automatic pump. Attaching the fabric seat is easy, and there’s plenty of steel d-rings for any accessories you’re bringing on board. The board also comes with a handy repair kit, which is a nice bonus.

The Ride: The Stingray rides great! This board is very stable in the water and tracks well. If you’re planning on going out in the surf, you may want to consider a heavier, thicker board, but otherwise, the Stingray is more than adequate.

Pros:

Can also be used as a kayak.
The included paddle is very versatile, with its three settings for “canoe”, “kayak”, and “stand-up”.
Board comes with a carry bag, air pump, and repair kit.

Cons:

This board does not come with a paddle leash. Not all paddlers use one, but if you’re going out in the ocean you may want to get one.
This board can be a bit hard to pump up all the way to 15 PSI. It should be rideable around 10, though, except for larger riders.

Paddle Board Overall Rating:

Based on all the information we’ve gathered on this board, here’s our overall breakdown for the Blue Wave Sports Stingray Inflatable Paddle Board (SUP):

Price: 100% – This is among the most affordable inflatable stand up paddleboards. You’re getting a great, complete starter package for a very good price.
Material: 95% – Solid construction and heavy-duty material. Nothing to worry about here.
Design: 90% – The board itself has a great design, but we’re slightly disappointed with the pump, which is not of the highest quality, making it a bit difficult to get the board inflated all the way up to the ideal 15 PSI.
Overall: 95% – High-quality inflatable board, with a uniquely impressive feature set, especially considering the very low price.

Globo Surf Overview:

With the Stingray 10’, Blue Wave Sports proves they can move beyond the pool products market to create a very competitive stand-up paddleboard. What sets the Stingray apart is, again, the generous package of gear and features. The included removable seat and footrest are nice additions that are usually only seen with pricier boards — and they offer a way to expand the functionality (and the *fun factor*) of your board. And, of course, the Stingray comes with all of the basics you need to get out on the water as soon as possible — gear bag, pump, and paddle.

We recommend this board for beginning to intermediate stand-up paddlers looking for affordability but unwilling to settle for a poorly-built board. At under $500, this is among a select few highly affordable boards that still offer very good quality.

If you’re into it, head over to check out the rest of the customer reviews for the Blue Wave Sports Stingray 10’ on Amazon, then take advantage of that free shipping when you’re ready to buy!

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