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Inflatables does have a clothing and SUP accessory brand,‘ Riding not Hiding’.“ We have added colour to paddles and tried to open up new ideas.” They also provide a wide range of products, from socks to PFDs, from a huge number of suppliers.“ We provide everything for paddlers from river fins and pumps to spares, leashes and paddles, but the core of the business remains the supply of boards.”
Demo days – will we be seeing more in 2026? Gary:“ We are planning soon, maybe longer events in one place so that customers can make a weekend of it. It is great to see people trying new brands and comparing boards. Regarding safety, we discuss leash, clothing, but we can’ t sell safety, key is providing information and advice and trying to get people to understand risks and the environment they paddle in.”
Emma on lifestyle:“ Paddling when you’ ve been chatting about paddleboards all week is not always what you want to do at the weekend. Summers are always busy, so we tend to paddle in the winter. Sometimes, I am so jealous, but we still have so many enquiries we just can’ t get away or even develop a strategy until the nights draw in.”
The hardest part of the business? Gary:“ Getting our passion over. We have been told social media and TikTok need quick videos, but our video guides are 25 minutes long! Similarly, engaging with customers and understanding their needs can be a lengthy process. It’ s good to have weight, height and paddling ability as a starting point, ambitions and plans as the next part, but then the conversations become deep and technical.” Indeed, the company’ s website offers a wealth of advice and information, which has always been a key resource.
Where does the future lie? Gary has seen trends and developments over many years in water sports, skateboarding and biking,“ It’ s developing still, our customers are better informed, developing as paddlers and needing better equipment. There is still a core of new paddlers buying starter boards, but the proportion of these is decreasing. I think we will have another good year next year.“ Our business is all about offering the right board to the right person. The growth in events aimed at inflatable SUPs is also, of course, going to act as a market driver.”
Emma is really keen to keep listening to customers. She is particularly passionate about addressing female needs in a maledominated manufacturing and retail environment. For her, the core of the business is“ Engagement and maintaining quality. Poorly manufactured and cheap