Why HONU Inflatable Paddleboards?

Northern Explorer Supply is a loyal steward of the Honu Boards brand for many reasons. Our motto is that any product we offer must Outperform + Outlast the many alternatives that exist on the market. For now, let's focus on Honu's product design.

The Honu inflatable paddleboard collection was updated for the 2024 and again in 2025, building off of already best-in-class quality and innovation. Several new models were introduced over the last two seasons, including the Fairlight 12'6, Sorrento 11'3, and Bondi series. The newest versions of the world famous Byron 10'6 and Byron 9'8 were released for no other reason than that there was still room to improve them--despite perfect scores from countless customers! Honu is constantly pushing to exceed the highest standards in the market for lasting performance and workmanship.

Several enhancements were introduced to the Fairlight and Byron series which now benefit from new heat fusion techniques and bungee anchors that provide a wider footprint, allowing for a larger cargo area. Furthermore, Honu has partnered with Air-7 to create a new split finbox system that allows for any standard fin to be fitted, while still enabling the board to be rolled up tightly for storage and transportation. This also reduces weight.

Since Honu was acquired about 4 years ago by its new ownership group, customer feedback has been extraordinary and consistently so. Mark Travers and his partners designed Honu's transformative new lineup to rival more expensive brands in every way, including styling and the caliber of its accessories.

Uniquely, Honu inflatable paddleboards are crafted with an exclusive X-woven and fused drop-stitch material, which is custom-made for Honu only. This unique material makes Honu iSUPs lightweight--approximately 2Kgs (4.4lbs) lighter than MSL double-layer alternatives, yet more rigid. Honu's woven thread reinforces the membranes and skins, providing higher performance compared to standard double layer boards with knitted patterns. The X-woven material has a carbon weave which interconnects fibers to form a minimally flexible non-stretch structure. It's highly dense and rigid architecture makes reinforcement materials like sheathing or coatings entirely unnecessary. Honu Boards are therefore the lightest and stiffest inflatable boards in the world. 

On Honu's touring and surfing boards, welded carbon rails and stringers create shape and structure, providing chined, rockered, and platform integrity for carving, stability, control, confidence, and maneuverability, depending on the model specific application.

HONU Accessories

With board technologies, layups, and styling this good, you would think Honu would stop there but they don't! These principles are only expanded it into other categories of their product mix. Their paddles are extremely well made and perform well above their price point. Using hex-jointed ferrules, monocoque carbon, smart blade shapes and angles, compact shafts, and ballistic nylon cases, we here at Northern Explorer Supply have been overjoyed with the value and performance of their whole paddle line.

Their bags and pumps are built with smart features and durability entirely in mind. Wheels that can take a beating, aerated foam cushion for the back and shoulders, a hip belt, lots of pockets, internal strapping, fabric that will last decades; seams that don't fray. Honu's pumps use high quality components, reliable buttons and circuitry you can abuse and still smile about. 

Why Customers Love Honu Inflatable Boards 

Honu boards are adored by paddlers for their lightweight design, even when they are fully loaded with paddles and pumps in the carrying bag. Compared to other popular brands, Honu boards can weigh up to 5 Kg or 12 lbs less, which makes transportation to the water much easier. Once you are on the water, you will be amazed by how similar Honu boards feel and look compared to fiberglass boards. They are highly responsive and rigid, which enhances your overall experience. Besides, Honu is a true paddling brand with real users hyper dedicated to maximizing paddler satisfaction. Honu's ethos takes into account our environmental footprint and the lifestyles we know you want to lead.

Why Does Honu Only Make Inflatable Paddleboards? 

While many SUP brands come and go, Honu has been manufacturing paddleboards for over 20 years. Until 2020, we focused primarily on fiberglass boards, along with surfboards and malibu surfboards. After careful consideration of the pros and cons, Honu decided to shift their focus entirely to creating the best inflatable paddleboards possible. Their aim was to elevate the Honu brand from just being okay to being the very best. We believe that inflatable technology offered the most potential in terms of accessibility and reach, and we wanted to lead the market in this regard. Quality inflatable boards can also withstand a lot more abuse than hardboards; scrapes, impact from drops and collisions, and even sun damage are far less of a concern for inflatables as compared to composites.

Why is a Paddle or Pump a Separate Purchase?

Honu is unique among brands as it does not provide a paddle or pump by default in its package. This decision was made after much deliberation and careful consideration. While most low to mid-level quality products include a paddle, Honu decided not to include one for two main reasons:

Firstly, Honu believes in providing customers with the best possible experience on the water by offering them options that match their specific goals, anatomy, abilities, and conditions. We do not want to include a paddle that won't optimize a user's overall experience. Some argue that the paddle is more important than the board.

If a paddle were to be included it could force Honu to include a low end paddle to more closely compete with the average package pricing on the market. However, this would hurt the overall paddling experience and value. Moreover, most purchasers are upgrading from a board they no longer like and already have a paddle they think might work fine for their new setup. They therefore would rather buy a board outright versus paying for the hidden cost of an included paddle. This same philosophy applies to an included manual or electronic pump.

In a nutshell, providing more choice to the customer is a better system of outfitting than to force customers into options that aren't right for their situation, budget, or adventure goals.

Curious to learn more? Northern Explorer Supply is the number one distributor of Honu Boards in the U.S.. Our online, retail, and rental customers have more time on the water across Honu's entire lineup than any other company put together! Ask us anything!

Disclaimer: this blog post was written using an article written by Honu. It includes remarks as first-hand user, retailer, and rental facilitator in complete agreement with Honu's original statements.