FAQ | iSUPs | MISSION Inflatable Paddle Boards | Paddleboarding

How about right here. Stand-up paddleboarding, or SUP, is a water sport that involves standing on a long, buoyant board and propelling yourself through the water using a paddle. It can be done on calm bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and bays, or in the ocean, depending on the skill level of the paddler. We have a great blog post: Your Guide to Stand-Up Paddle Boarding for you to read right now!

For beginners, an inflatable SUP board is highly recommended as it is easy to transport and store. When choosing a board, it is important to consider its weight, portability, and rigidity. MISSION's ARGO iSUP is a great starter board because it utilizes premium MSL+ construction technology, providing excellent stability, rigidity, and durability at an affordable price point. This board is perfect for those who want a highly stable board that is also lightweight.

MSL construction (Monocoque Structural Laminate) is a type of construction used in inflatable stand-up paddleboards (iSUPs) and other inflatable watercraft. It involves fusing the top and bottom layers of the board's PVC material together to create a single, solid piece. In MSL construction, the drop-stitch material that forms the internal structure of the board is sandwiched between two layers of PVC material, and then bonded to the outer shell using a heat-welding process. This creates a board that is lighter, stiffer, and more durable than traditional inflatable boards, which are typically constructed using glued layers of PVC material.

MISSION only uses MSL+ construction because we are committed to using the best methods for producing our products. MSL+ construction offers even greater strength and rigidity compared to standard MSL construction, making it ideal for producing high-quality inflatable watercraft.

Almost certainly not. There are a lot of much cheaper ways to construct inflatables in this oh so large world. But they are heavy and the boards tend to banana out.

Yes, made with 1000D nylon (the same material used in our popular REEF inflatable water mats). MISSION iSUPs can be used on the lake, river, or ocean. However, it is important to understand that there is a big difference when it comes to ocean paddleboarding and flatwater paddleboarding.

The ocean can be extremely unpredictable, rough, and mysterious, while a lake is always predictable and usually keeps calm throughout the day. Educate yourself on the proper ways to enter ocean waters, paddling techniques, and ocean paddleboarding safety.

Also, like any towable or floatable water gear you use in saltwater or the ocean, make sure to rinse with fresh water thoroughly and dry after each use.

MISSION iSUPs and REEF inflatable water mats are all designed with a high-end Halkey-Roberts valve. Often referred to as an “HR valve,” these one-way check valves are common among high-pressured inflatables. These valves make the inflation of high-pressure inflatables easy because it does not let the air out while pumping. When deflating, the valve can be opened to release air.

Halkey-Roberts valves have a pushpin (spring) inside the middle part of the valve. This pushpin has two positions:

Up Position – Inflation: You inflate MISSION iSUPs when the pushpin is in the up position. In the up position, air will not escape the valve, but the valve will let you pump air into it. Simply hook a pump into the valve and inflate your iSUP. Once you are finished inflating, simply disconnect the pump, and the air will not escape with the pushpin in the up position.

Down Position – Deflation: You deflate MISSION iSUPs when the pushpin is in the down position. In the down position, the valve will open entirely and let the air escape rapidly. This position should only be used for deflating your iSUPs, even though you can still pump air into it in this position. TIP: Even though air escapes quickly in the down position, having a pump with a deflation feature will suck out all of the air in no time. Check out all of our pump options here.

The hardware to secure the fin in place is a special ¾” long thumb screw that is regularly used for single fin surfboards or hard SUPs. The square plate (or the nut) that the screw goes into measures ½” x ½”. When you buy a MISSION iSUP we always include an extra set of hardware – just in case you lose one. If you find yourself needing more (say you lost both of them!?!) you can purchase a replacement set of hardware on our website.