Retrospec Weekender Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board

I can just go out, paddle board, and not worry about a thing!
I do recommend getting a rack for your car though if you plan on driving to your water. its not super fun to blow it up but that’s my fault for not being prepared.

Nice anti slip! Easy to paddle

I like how lightweight this one is and the removable fins are a must. Used it a handful of times and has done well compared to my more expensive boards.

This is my very first stand up paddle board. When I was on vacation in Mexico a few years ago I tried one and couldn’t quite conquer it in the ocean but have always wanted to try it again in still water at home. I finally decided to treat myself and go ahead and try this board and I’m so glad that this is the brand I ended up getting!

I opened the box last night and was first off super surprised that the board came in a bag and that the bag was also a heavy duty hiking type backpack!! Inside were multiple fabric bags with different parts in them. Included with your paddle board you get the paddle, a leash, the fins that go on the bottom that are removable, a bungee cord on the front to store your belongings, a waterproof cell phone case (which I thought was a really great additional item) and you get a repair kit and the pump.

So to give the best review I could I set a timer once I unfolded the paddle board. It took me 6 and 1/2 minutes to inflate the board to the 12 PSI that the manual recommended. I do have to say my husband did spell me for a minute or two because my arms got so tired. The pump takes a little bit of getting used to. You will see that on the side of the pump canister is a little knob. If you untwist it it makes the pump work a little easier but takes longer to fill the board as it’s only putting air in it One direction not both. When the plug is closed you are inserting air into the board both when you depress and pull up on the handle. As the board becomes pressurized, that becomes very very difficult to do. I consider myself a fairly strong woman but I had to take the plug out to get the last three or four PSI. I was definitely very tired by the time it was filled. If you were filling this up to use immediately, I recommend maybe filling it for 3 or 4 minutes and then getting some more of your things ready and then finishing the last few minutes of pumping to give your arms a break in between. However 6 and 1/2 minutes really is not a bad amount of time to inflate your board.

I have to say I was a little bit nervous with how the board would feel being filled with air. However when I stepped on it you could not tell that it was not a solid board. There was no give and you did not feel like you were standing on something that had been inflated! I was very surprised by this, in a good way!

The material feels incredibly durable and so does the pump, the bag and the paddle. I don’t have any worries about things falling apart or breaking easily. I was also very pleasantly surprised to find that everything really did pack back up in the backpack when I deflated the board. (Am I the only one that feels this never happens?!?) The directions suggested rolling the board but I found that difficult and just ended up folding it in about 5 in portions. There is a strap to tighten around the board when it’s folded and then another strap inside the backpack to hold it in place. Everything fit back in the bag fairly easily and I was able to zip it closed with no problem. If you are going to be carrying the backpack, not just storing it, definitely think about which way you put the board into it as I would have turned it around half a turn had I been paying attention because I can feel the inflation port in my back the way I have it. The backpack clips around your hips and your chest so it really doesn’t feel heavy at all and I think I could walk a fair distance without getting tired.

One last aside, the directions tell you to stand back when you initially go to deflate the board as quite a bit of air comes out at once and you really should pay attention to that! When you go to deflate your board you will unscrew the cap and then there’s a tiny little button on a spring that you press and twist. Definitely stay back when you do that because it’s a incredibly strong burst of air that comes out. I did not time how long it took to deflate the board (side note, to deflate the board you will unscrew the hose from the pump and put it on the other side of the pump) but I had accidentally forgot to turn my stopwatch off and I had everything packed in the backpack in 33 minutes. That timer had begun when I had first started and fleeting the board. I would assume it took less than 3 minutes to deflate it.

Overall I highly recommend this stand up paddle board for anyone who is brand new or seasoned at the sport. The kit is incredibly all inclusive and comes with every single possible thing you could ever need! The storage bag really was an awesome finishing touch!