GILI Adventure

“Hi, I felt pretty confident before without creating my own post, but now that Plan A failed, here I am. I did my research here and on the Inflatable Boarder website and decided that the Gili Adventure was my best option, especially with the bundle they have going on right now with the electric pump and other accessories. Unfortunately, Gili hasn't been shipping the boards people paid for, hasn't responded to emails, doesn't answer the phone, etc. Now I'm restarting my search, with an added emphasis on decent customer service. When you search for best customer service out of a SUP company, Hydrus is the first and most consistent result. Their boards have great reviews, but I'm not sure it's responsible to dive into $1k of board and accessories as a beginner. Cost isn't really the prohibiting factor, but with this level of inexperience, I don't know if I know enough about what I like or how I want to use the board to dive head first into a $1k purchase if there's something closer to $500 that I might be really happy with. On the other hand, I'm happy to spend a bit more if it means not spending even more to upgrade a year or two from now. * **Desired Board Type:** Inflatable * **Your Height and Weight:** 5'4, 160. Definitely a cooler with a few beers and a lunch. Maybe a 20lb dog but odds are low on that one; he's not a fan of water. * **Desired use/uses** **and terrain:** Cruising, getting some fresh air, maybe yoga. Mostly in Colorado lakes but occasional ocean if I get bold on a calmer day. * **Experience level:** Beginner * **Your budget** **and country location:** US. $500-$1k total, would love an electric pump included in that total cost even if it isn't bundled. * **What board(s) you current have or have used and what you liked/didn't like about them:** I have borrowed my friend's 11' Gili Adventure a few times and was really happy with it. It felt more stable than the Isle I have borrowed from someone else, but I'm not sure what model that one was. Thank you in advance, you really are an invaluable resource for all things SUP.”