Last Updated on June 30, 2023
This post is an open thread and contains affiliate links.
In 2022, Aldi sold an inflatable, stand-up paddle board made by Aqua Cruz. I was pretty intrigued. For one, paddle boards are interesting enough just on principle: you may not turn your head at a canoe or kayak, but I’ll bet you’ll take notice if someone goes gliding across the water on their feet.
For another, it’s Aldi. I’ve written about Aldi long enough to know that the store will sell just about anything, but I didn’t have an inflatable stand-up paddle board on my Aldi bingo card.
What interest I did have, though, promptly evaporated when I saw the price tag. The 2022 Aqua Cruz board retailed out of the gate for $200, which was too rich for my blood. I wasn’t the only one: by the fall the board had been clearanced out in most places on accounting for low demand.
In 2023, Aldi sold another inflatable paddle board, this time by another vendor. As for the price? Well, let’s talk about that.
What We Know:
The Bestway Inflatable Stand-Up Paddle Board (Product Code: 16210) is an Aldi Find, which means it’s only in stores for a short time. Once it’s sold out, you won’t be able to get it again until if or when Aldi brings it back. Aldi doesn’t ship its products online, so if you can’t find them in stores, you’re out of luck.
Bestway is not an Aldi-exclusive brand. Chances are you’ve seen items like Bestway pools and pool accessories in other stores, and that’s because Bestway is a company that sells a lot of water-related stuff. This particular Aldi paddle board is sold elsewhere under the Hydro Force label, which, as you can see in the picture, is still very much part of this board’s design, including on the Aldi-specific packaging.
At the time of this post, the board costs $124.99. That’s a full $75 less than the 2022 Aqua Cruz board. It’s also considerably less than what the Bestway board currently goes for on Amazon. What’s more, this price is lower than nearly all other inflatable paddle boards out there I can find.
According to Aldi, the box comes with:
- A single action pump
- A backpack
- An 85″ paddle
- A leash
- A fin
- A repair kit
- A two-year warranty
In addition, here are the features, according to Aldi:
- Maximum user weight: 220 lb.
- Board dimensions: 9′ x 30″
- Made with drop stitch material that is portable and easy to store with the strength of a hard-sided board
- Includes convenient carry handle
- Features nonslip traction pad
- Comes with a steel tow ring
- Includes a quick inflation/deflation valve
- Best shape for flat wave and small wave riding
What We Don’t Know:
We haven’t tried out this paddle board, so we don’t know how easily it inflates, how effective it is on the water, or how durable it is. We’ve created this open thread for users to share their experiences.
Do you own the Bestway Inflatable Stand-Up Paddle Board? Share your thoughts in the comments.
