My favorite part of stand up paddle boarding (with an inflatable) is how versatile the boards are. You can take them anywhere and everywhere - like Japan. That’s why having an all around inflatable stand up paddle board (such as the Badfish Stand Up Paddle Hole Shot) is essential to your SUP quiver.
The Hole Shot has a 6" drop stitch (think stable on whitewater), is 32" wide and 11' long. It's a great tweener size SUP for taking on longer stretches of flatwater, as well as moving water...
I love experiencing and exploring new places from a SUP. When I decided to do a SUP tour in Japan I took the
Badfish Stand Up Paddle ‘HoleShot’ with me. While traveling around the Main and South island I paddled everything from Class II-IV whitewater, to lakes and oceans. I’ve found it difficult to find an inflatable board that performs well in all of these different venues, but the ‘HoleShot’ exceeded all of my expectations. It enabled me to enjoy and perform in each location we paddled - not once did I feel like my gear wasn’t suitable for each paddling venue.
You can travel half way around the world to Japan, and not have to pay an oversize baggage fee (like you would with a whitewater kayak). That is a great perk of having an inflatable SUP like the Badfish Stand Up Paddle Hole Shot.
Pros:
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Stability: 32” wide and 6” thick allows it to transition easily into rough whitewater conditions.
Having a 6" thick drop stitch and 32" of width gives the Hole Shot enough stability to be able to comfortably paddle whitewater.
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Maneuverability: You no longer have to sacrifice maneuverability for a longer length “race” shape board. The ‘HoleShot’ is 11’ but with it’s tapered tail it makes pivot turns easy in moving or still water.
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Versatility: This is this boards greatest strength and appeal. I mean it when I say, you can take it anywhere and paddle anything!
The Hole Shot is indeed versatile. Besides just getting me down rivers, and being able to paddle long distances, it also makes for a very comfortable air mattress.
Cons:
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Cost: Higher quality products cost more - you get what you pay for. But... because this board is so versatile, it eliminates the cost of buying a board for each use (ie. whitewater, touring, surfing). You can think of it as 2 boards in one.
- If you’re sole purpose is to paddle technical or big whitewater this may not be the board for you. You may want to look into something shorter in length, and possibly even a composite build like the Badfish 9’0” MVP.
If you're going to be paddling some more advanced whitewater (like Shoshone on the Colorado), the Badfish Stand Up Paddle MVP 9' is a great option. It's stable, maneuverable and durable.
Verdict:
Overall, the Badfish Stand Up Paddle Hole Shot is a great inflatable SUP choice for the traveler who wants to take their paddling skills from rivers to lakes to oceans. You can paddle anywhere!
To see the footage from Japan and the Badfish 'HoleShot' in action visit this link:
https://brittanyparker.squarespace.com/3-weeks-of-japan/
Review by Brittany Parker
