The 9’9″ Pathfinder inflatable SUP is an entry-level board that’s been designed with versatility and beginners in mind. This all-around iSUP offers budget-priced fun and great portability.
With the large number of all-around models currently flooding the inflatable paddle board market, it’s important to do your research so that you find the board that is best for you. In this Pathfinder SUP review, we’ll take a closer look at this board’s specifications, construction, warranty, features, included accessories, and where to buy it.
Pathfinder 9’9″ SUP: Board Overview
Measuring 9’9″ x 30″ x 5″ with a weight of 24.5 pounds, the 9’9″ Pathfinder iSUP is capable of supporting up to 240 pounds. This model is a good choice for smaller individuals such as children or teenagers, while bigger and heavier paddlers may have a hard time with this SUP in terms of overall stability. Because of the Pathfinder’s size and weight limitations, larger paddlers should definitely choose a longer, thicker board with a higher weight capacity such as the iROCKER ALL-AROUND 11′ or the new BLACKFIN Model X.
As far as looks go, this board features a fairly minimalistic design, with your choice of a blue/white or orange/white color scheme.
Construction
The Pathfinder 9’9″ inflatable SUP has been built out of durable PVC and reinforced with multi-layered drop stitch technology. The benefit of using a process like this is that the iSUP ends up feeling and performing like a rigid board, yet it’s not susceptible to dings and cracks.
Features
The top of the Pathfinder SUP features a carrying handle mid-board which is handy, as well as a comfortable deck pad which provides good traction.
The nose of the board features a 4-point elastic bungee storage area which blends seamlessly with the design of the board and can be used to store your dry bag or backpack, flip flops, Crocs, or water bottle. One thing that’s missing from this board is a grab handle which helps when it comes to pulling your board in and out of the water.
Moving on to the tail of the Pathfinder SUP, you’ll find a Halkey Roberts-style inflation valve which works well with the included high-pressure pump. This board is also compatible with a large number of electric paddle board pumps, and there’s also another D-ring at the tail for attaching a safety leash.
We find the underside of the board lacking since it consists of only a single center fin. Keep in mind that this board is mainly designed for beginners and casual paddlers, and tracking performance is not stellar.
Pathfinder SUP Rating
- Construction
- Stability
- Features
- Versatility
- Speed
- Warranty
Specs
| LENGTH | 9'9" |
| WIDTH | 30" |
| THICKNESS | 5" |
| WEIGHT | 24.5 lbs |
| MAX CAPACITY | 240 lbs |
| PRICE |  |
What’s Included
The Pathfinder 9’9″ paddle board comes with the following bundle of accessories:
- Adjustable aluminum paddle (can be extended to 85″ and ideal for most paddlers)
- Large detachable center fin
- Manual high-pressure pump
- Repair kit
- Convenient SUP backpack
As far as negatives go, the included SUP accessory bundle lacks a leash which is one thing that we’d love to see added in the future.
Warranty
The Pathfinder 9’9″ SUP board comes with a 1-year warranty which covers manufacturer defects. This warranty is very basic as you’d expect with an entry-level, budget-priced board — companies like iROCKER (2-year, 30-day money back guarantee), Red Paddle Co (2-year), and Sea Eagle (3-year, 180-day money back guarantee) offer much better warranties.
Where to Buy it
At the moment, Amazon has both colors of the Pathfinder inflatable paddle board in stock and ready to ship. We always enjoy buying gear from Amazon as their prices are really low and they have amazing customer service.
Final Thoughts
Being an all-around inflatable SUP, the Pathfinder 9’9″ has a versatile design that is best suited for beginners, kids, and teenagers. This is a compact and lightweight board that you can take anywhere, but the size and weight limitations are aspects that could be improved to accommodate heavier paddlers and provide more stability. At 30″ wide, this board doesn’t offer the stability that other 32″ wide all-around boards provide.
Advanced paddlers will find this board’s speed and tracking ability to be quite limited, and we’d definitely recommend another board if you’re a more experienced paddler who is concerned primarily with overall performance.
I’ve had your board less than two years. The seams keep blowing out. Recommended psi is 15. I put 10 to 13 psi and the seams cannot take the pressure. What glue do you recommend?
Brandt,
Sorry to hear about your problem. To be clear, we’re a review site — not Pathfinder themselves. For inflatable SUP repairs, ideally we recommend contacting the manufacturer for a glue recommendation that’s compatible with their materials. If you’re not able to reach them, you’ll want to look for a PVC repair glue that’s labeled as suitable for inflatable boats.