Have you ever seen that Shark Tank episode where Mark Cuban invested in a company that sells inflatable stand-up paddleboards? Well, you’re about to meet the people behind that company – Tower Paddle Boards. Tower Paddle Boards is now a household name of innovative and reasonably-priced iSUPS. They’ve become famous not only because of their Shark Tank win but also for their high-quality iSUPs.
One of their most popular iSUPs is the Tower Adventurer. This beginner iSUP is an affordable buy for anyone looking to get on their stand-up paddleboarding experience. It’s affordable, sturdy, and dependable. You’re most likely going to stick with this during the first years of your SUP. Looking for an entry-level iSUP? Here’s a complete review of this board.
Tower Paddle Boards
Do you know who pioneered the 6-inch thickness for inflatable stand-up paddleboards? If you’re like the rest of the paddlers who have no idea, you’re not the only one. However, this time, you’ll finally know that it was Tower Paddle Boards.
Tower Paddle Boards is pretty popular but a lot of people don’t know that it’s been innovating their iSUPs since they started. They built their company in 2010. Their vision was to make the future of lifestyle beach products. Needless to say, they were avid fans of stand-up paddleboarding. It wasn’t long that they built Tower. Tower focuses on inflatable SUPs but they also sell some pieces of equipment that will make your SUP life easier.
Tower Paddle Boards have a lot of accolades and recognitions which are testaments to how good they really are. They were rated the #1 SUP worldwide by Robb Report, they were named one of the top 5 SUP brands in 2016, and they were named one of the best Shark Tank success stories. That’s quite a lot!
After those recognitions, you shouldn’t be doubting the capability of Tower Paddle Boards. They definitely know what they’re doing and they’re committed to making the best SUPs in the world. You’re going to be impressed with their competitive pricing and high-quality construction.
A Quick Overview of the Tower Adventurer iSUP
The Tower Adventurer iSUP is the most popular entry-level iSUP of Tower Paddle Boards. It was made for people who are price-sensitive yet want to have an iSUP that gives a relatively decent performance in the water. Of course, as a Tower iSUP, the Adventurer went beyond that.
The Tower Adventurer iSUP is a 9’10” by 32” by 6” iSUP. You must be thinking, how can a 9-foot iSUP be any good on the water? Isn’t that too small a size? You would think so but the width of this board is the standard 32 inches. This means that even if this iSUP is shorter, it definitely makes up for it in its width.
The result of this size? A totally rigid and sturdy paddleboard that can fit two adults. Yes, even if it’s short, the Tower Adventurer iSUP can carry you and your dog or your friend. And the best part is that it remains rigid even when you’re near the maximum capacity (which is 300 lbs).
You can say that the Tower Adventurer iSUP is an almost-all-around board. You can definitely do a lot with it – do yoga, do casual paddling, do some fishing, etc. However, it’s definitely not made for touring and racing. Unfortunately, the Tower Adventurer iSUP can’t have it all.
Features of the Tower Adventurer iSUP
Does an entry-level and low-priced iSUP have a lot of features? With the Tower Adventurer, it’s a yes. The misconception is that newbie iSUPs are just plain old boards. That’s barely the case for this iSUP. Here are all its features.
Diamond-Grooved Deck Pad
At least ⅔ of the Tower Adventurer iSUP is its diamond-grooved deck pad. This was designed in such a way that there’s a lot of room for you to move around. Whether you plan on standing or kneeling, you have a lot of space to find your most comfortable position.
Moreover, this deck pad features diamond grooves. These grooves were meant to give you more stability. As a beginner paddler, you’ll need all the help you can get especially if balance is not your strongest suit. With this deck pad, you can have a lot of room to practice.
6-Inch Thickness
This needs to have a special mention even if most iSUPs already have this thickness as a standard. As mentioned earlier, Tower Paddle Boards was the first iSUP company that started having this thickness on all their boards.
Even if this iSUP is relatively shorter than its competitors, the 6-inch thickness increases its rigidity. When fully inflated, the Tower Adventurer iSUP feels like a hard paddleboard. Some argue that it’s even more durable than the other!
Removable Center Fin
The Tower Adventurer iSUP sports a tri-fin system making it ideal for a number of SUP styles. When you have all three fins in place, this iSUP becomes a lot easier to maneuver. The glides and turns are also more flawless.
However, if you plan on just going for flat-water paddling, then you don’t necessarily need the large fin. Fortunately, Tower Paddle Boards lets you remove the center fin, leaving the other two smaller skegs on the board. This way, you improve your overall movement.
Maximum Weight Capacity of 300 Pounds
One of the best features of the Tower Adventurer iSUP is its high load capacity. If you’re an adult planning to bring your friend with you to inspire them to go paddleboarding, this is the best way. This iSUP has a weight capacity of 300 lbs.
Handheld Strap
There’s a hand-held strap right at the center of this iSUP that will make it easy for you to carry. While there aren’t any other straps, the center strap is all that you need when you need to bring this iSUP from one place to another.
There’s also a roll-up carrying strap included with this paddleboard. When the iSUP is already deflated, you can use this roll-up carrying strap to hold it in place for storage. No need for a carry bag!
Pros and Cons of the Tower Adventurer iSUP
Before you buy a stand-up paddleboard, it’s always wise to know the pros and cons of the iSUP itself. Here are some additional things you need to know about the Tower Adventurer iSUP.
Pros
- Affordable
Tower Paddle Boards is so popular for its reasonably-priced iSUPs that the price no longer seems unusual. Nonetheless, one of the perks you’ll get in buying this is that you have more money to spend on accessories. This iSUP’s retail price is also a lot lower since Tower Paddle Boards sell directly to its consumers. You save on the markups that other retailers will put on the board.
- Rigid and sturdy
For an entry-level paddleboard, the Adventurer is very impressive in its quality. You’ll be surprised by how sturdy it is that you won’t notice that this one is an inflatable SUP. A lot of people have also commended the board’s rigidity because it was able to help them get their balance. The board also remains sturdy even if you have a kid or a dog on board.
- Can fit two adults
For a small iSUP, the Tower Adventurer is a heavy-duty one. You would think that having an adult sit with you will cause the whole thing to wobble, but not this one. As long as you’re under 300 lbs, the whole paddleboard maintains its rigidity and sturdiness.
- Has a removable center fin
Another advantage of the Tower Adventurer is its removable center fin. This allows you to change the maneuverability of the iSUP depending on your preference. If you lose the fin, don’t worry. The fin box is a standard size so you’ll be able to find a replacement real quick.
- Fast to inflate
The Tower Adventurer iSUP has a max pressure of 11. At this PSI level, it’s already as rigid as a hard paddleboard. And since this pressure is not that high, you only need to inflate this iSUP for a few minutes. Sure, you can always inflate this to several PSIs more but you don’t need to since the Tower Adventurer iSUP already feels rigid enough at 11 PSI.
- Simple and no fuss
Unlike a lot of iSUPs, the Tower Adventurer iSUP is a no-frills kind of paddleboard. As you will notice, it doesn’t have any bungee system and it only has one handle. This way, there are no distractions. Anyone who wants a simple iSUP is in for a treat with this one.
- Comes with a 2-year warranty
This is one of the best things about the Tower Adventurer iSUP. Unlike other iSUPs, the Tower Adventurer actually has a 2-year warranty. In contrast to other brands, having a 2-year warranty is a sign that they are confident with the durability of their paddleboards.
Cons
- Doesn’t have a carry bag
The downside to having an affordable iSUP is that most companies would not include a lot of accessories in the package. For the Tower Adventurer, there isn’t any carry bag. While there’s a strap to hold the board together, a carry bag still adds more protection to the PVC material.
- Doesn’t have any D-rings for storage space
One of the things you will notice with the Adventurer is the lack of storage space. Where are you going to put your things? That’s the problem – you still have to buy D-rings to attach so you can make your own bungee system.
- Not ideal for SUP surfing
The Tower Adventurer iSUP may be an all-around SUP, but it can’t be used in surfing. This is the downside of having a 6-inch thick iSUP. Instead of having smooth control over your board during waves, this board remains rigid making it hard for you to ride the waves.
How Does the Tower Adventurer iSUP Compare with Other Paddle Boards?
The Tower Adventurer iSUP is one of the most affordable iSUPs in the market. It’s not the cheapest, though, because there is still a premium on the Tower Paddle Boards brand. Nonetheless, you won’t find anything like it in terms of the price-quality ratio.
As far as durability is concerned, this iSUP will not let you down. Even if you run a truck over this board when it’s inflated, it still maintains its shape. You have to thank the dropstitching and the PVC material for that. Tower Paddle Boards made sure that they use only high-quality materials.
However, when it comes to being a versatile board, there are other iSUPs that offer a truly all-around capability. The Tower Adventurer iSUP doesn’t allow you to do SUP surfing. Even SUP fishing can be a struggle because there is no storage space.
Speaking of storage space, most competitors in this price range already have D-rings in place and a good-quality carry bag. Again, the Tower Adventurer iSUP doesn’t have this, so you have to buy these things separately. If there is one big downside to the Tower Adventurer iSUP, it’s the lack of accessories that will make your life easier.
Overall, the Tower Adventurer iSUP can stand its ground compared to its competitors. There are a few things that need to be improved but as far as quality and durability are concerned, you can rely on the Tower Adventurer iSUP for your first few years as a paddle boarder.
Verdict - Final Thoughts!
To summarize, the Tower Adventurer iSUP is a good candidate for entry-level paddleboards. If you’re on a budget, this is one of the iSUPs you should consider. Besides, this is made by Tower Paddle Boards, which is one of the most successful Shark Tank stories. The company has also won a lot of recognition to attest to its quality.
However, the Tower Adventurer iSUP is not perfect. There are a few design improvements that can help make your life as a paddler a lot easier. Plus, it should at least have a carry bag so you can further protect your paddleboard.
