Bestway Hydro-Force Oceana Stand Up Paddle Board Review
We go camping every year with a group of friends who all have paddle boards and we always love borrowing their SUPs. So last summer we decided it was about time we bought our own. After a bit of research we concluded the 10ft Hydro-Force Oceana was the best bet for us. So if you are considering buying a SUP for your family, here is my review of our Bestway Hydro-Force Oceana inflatable stand up paddle board.
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Table of Contents
Bestway Oceana Paddle Board: price
The 10ft Hydro-Force Oceana is good value – we bought ours in 2023 for £200. It’s not the cheapest paddle board but it’s by no means the most expensive either.
We went with the Hydro-Force Oceana because our kids used their friends’ Oceana SUP several times and they found it easy to manoeuvre and control. It works well for both adults and kids. I’ve heard some boards can be tricky for small children to use.
Children’s stand up paddle board
The Bestway Oceana SUP isn’t specifically for children but it works really well for our boys. They are aged 12 and nine and absolutely loved using our Hydro-Force Oceana last summer on the French coast with sandcastle building taking a firm backseat.
The Oceana SUP can hold 120kg which means two of us – parent and child – can enjoy paddle boarding together (for the moment at least!)
One of the highlights of last summer was exploring the Gulf of Morbihan in France on our paddle board. We took it in turns to go out in pairs and travel quite a distance across the lovely calm waters of this stunning part of southern Brittany.
What is included with the Bestway Oceana paddle board?
The Oceana SUP comes with a backpack, pump, paddle, kayak attachments and a fin. There’s also a repair kit and an ankle strap.
Easy set up
The pump is pretty easy to operate but the last bit of pumping does require a bit of muscle – pace yourself. We get the kids to start it off and then we take over once it gets harder. The whole process only takes a few minutes.
Everything fits back in the backpack easily – I did wonder whether we’d struggle folding it up but the bag is spacious and the deflation and packing away process is quick and easy.
Good to know
We find the paddle board fin is quite tricky to slide off the bottom of the board, particularly if we’re on a sandy beach. We tried using Vaseline but have decided tapping the fin off with a small rock is the most effective option!
Try to avoid getting sand on the fin or in the gap where it slots into.
Kayak attachment
The Bestway Hydro-Force Oceana comes with a seat and a foot rest which can be attached onto the board. The paddle can be expanded and changed into a double ended paddle – all these accessories are included.
I thought we would make more use of the kayak attachments but we have mostly just used the Oceana SUP as a traditional paddle board. Standing or kneeling on the board is a lot more comfortable and easy than sitting in the seat (I need to work on my core!)
We’ll be taking our paddle board to North Devon this summer – if you have any recommendations of where to paddle, do get in touch and let me know!
*****
Looking for good holiday destinations to use a paddle board with your family? Check out the following reviews:
