SEE WV

Born and raised an Aldis stan, I still shop there well past my poor college kid years. Although I love the deals, my favorite section is the Aldi’s find section. This week, however, was my best find to date. Sitting at the end of an isle, I found a lone inflatable paddle board ON SALE. Regularly $160, my local Aldis had the board on sale for $124.99.

Immediately, I snatched it up and excitedly finished my shopping. Unfortunately, this week the air quality was so poor due to the ongoing wildfires in Canada. Therefore, I cannot immediately test out the paddle board. Finally, the work week was over and I could escape to head further south to camp.

After unpacking, I headed to the river to open and test out the board. The packaging said a 5 minute set-up which I was skeptical of in the beginning. Regardless, I opened the box like a kid on Christmas and began to unwrap each piece. While I’m talking about set up, this would be a good time to mention the specs of the board.

Specs:

-“Aqua Journey Set by Hydro-Force Boards

-5 minute set-up

-Weight capacity: 220 lbs or 100 kg

-Set includes: inflatable paddle board with fin, collapsable paddle, leash, single action pump, carrying bag

-Width: 30 in

-Length: 9 ft

-Thickness: 4.75 in

-Color: Primarily white with orange and red accents (Paddle is black with white writing)

-The board is equipped with a non-slip pad, carrying handle, 2 steel tow rings, a quick

inflation/deflation valve, and a fin.

I took it out on the river for a spin before realizing I forgot to attach the fin. Even without the fin, I felt like I was cruising, so I’m not sure I noticed a difference. The board handled well and was an appropriate length and width for my body type. Although I think paddle boards are typically intended for lake use, it handled well on the river which was mostly calm.

Personally, I would say the five minute set-up looks more like 10 minutes which still isn’t bad. The board must be inflated to 15 psi. The pump included in the set is extremely nice giving metrics as you pump. Also, the quick inflation/deflation valve is designed so that the pump locks into the valve. This way, the pump never slips out and it makes for a quick, one-man job.

Although I had used a paddle board in the past and regularly kayak, I found this easy to pick up. Also, I had several younger cousins try it out ranging in age from 9 to 15. Unsurprisingly, they did even better than me and had a blast!

When the weekend was over, I let the paddle board dry in the sun before packing it away. The instruction sheet gave the helpful tip to roll up the board around the pump to save space in the backpack. Even with the board and all the extra equipment, I found the backpack had more than enough room left over.

Overall, I think this board was worth the purchase and would recommend it to a friend. On first impression, the board was easy to set up, easy to maneuver, durable, and easy to pack away. Although I do not plan to engage in rigorous activity with this board, I think it is a prefect deal for beginners and light recreational use!

As always, I hope this encourages you to get out there and see West Virginia!