About this product
The Freesoul Tech is the largest board in Bestway’s Hydro-Force convertible range at 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m) long and 35 in (89 cm) wide. That extra length is what makes it a touring board rather than a beginner’s float: it holds a line, carries speed between strokes and stays settled when a wake or a wind chop comes across the deck. The 89 cm width is unusually generous, which is what gives a first-time paddler the confidence to stand up on it at all.
Inside, drop-stitch fabric ties the top and bottom skins together with thousands of threads, so at full pressure the board behaves like a rigid board rather than a lilo. The outer skin is Bestway’s TriTech material, a three-layer laminate chosen for UV resistance and puncture resistance. Both matter on this coast, where boards spend their lives in strong equatorial sun and get dragged over coral rubble and dhow moorings.
The conversion is the point of the board. Paddling standing up, you get an extra-wide non-slip traction pad the full length of the standing area and bungee storage forward for a dry bag. Clip the seat and footrest onto the deck rings and it becomes a sit-on-top kayak, which is the easier way to cover distance into a headwind or to take a passenger out to a sandbank. The supplied paddle converts between a single SUP blade and a double kayak blade to match. A third mode is available later: the removable daggerboard in the underside slot gives the lateral resistance a windsurf rig needs, though the sail is not part of this set.
Side carry handles let two people walk it down to the water fully inflated. When you are done, the hand pump reverses to deflate, and board, paddle, seat, footrest, pump and leash all go back into the deluxe backpack.
Bestway Hydro-Force Freesoul Tech 11 ft 2 in Convertible Inflatable Paddleboard & Kayak Set