Body Glove Performer 11' Inflatable Standup Paddle Board How I Love Thee

 

    About 6 years ago I chilled on the beach at Sand Harbor, in North Lake Tahoe.  I watched as a couple journeyed out on the lake with their stand up paddle boards.  I had heard about them, but I hadn't seen anyone on one, much less get the chance to see them in action with my own eyes.  An hour or so later, as they came back in, I was intrigued.  I asked them about it, and they offered for me to go out on one.  I had a couple mimosas while enjoying the sun, so I took a pass.  But every inch of me wanted to get out there on that board.  

    Flash forward two years, I was taking a trip in January to the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.  Those boards hadn't left my thoughts. Pre-trip, I was perusing their local stand up paddle board guides online to get a lesson in.  My friend and I signed up for a two hour class, and that was all she wrote for me, I was hooked! It didn't hurt that we ended up being the only people in the class, and our adorable fresh out of a Utah high school guide was living her best life on the beautiful shores of Hawaii. 

      Once I came home, I was determined these delightful water vessels were going to be a part of my summer, one way or another. I found a few places that rented them, and one was at one of my childhood lakes, Fern Ridge near Eugene.  It had been nearly 6 months since I was out on one, so I was a little nervous.  And I was alone.  I chickened out a couple times, but one day I was determined to do it. I knew I loved it, what was I waiting for? I set out for the lake.  Once I got there, I saw that was the one day the stand up paddle board/kayak vendor wasn't there! Still ok to sit in the sun at the lake and enjoy the good vibes, I relaxed.  A short bit later, a lady pulls in with her van, backs up, and starts pulling her stand up paddle board out.  It looks amazingly like this one I'd been eyeing at Costco.  It's inflatable, and portable, which means it will easily pack up in my Black Beauty (2016 VW Beetle) and go where ever I want to.  I ask her if the one she has is the one from Costco. She said yes, and it's great! She had a second one, did I want to go out?  I'm telling you, I was feeling like my good Karma was coming back around.  Diane and I had a great time out on the lake on those Body Glove Performer 11' Inflatable Standup Paddle Boards that day.  She taught me some tips and tricks for staying stable when the boats go by, and was in general a cool companion for the couple hours we were out there. I learned that in Oregon where we live, there are permits for vessels over 10' and as part of that, you commit to cleaning after each use to not spread water way critters from each body of water. I was ok with that, and I decided by the time next summer came around, I'd have one of my own. 

    The next spring, I saw them on sale at Costco, and for $339.99, it was mine at last!  By this time I had been out a few more times on the rented boards, but was really excited to have my own, and go where ever I wanted.  That summer (last summer) I floated Independence with friends, SUP'd Fourth of July with my gym mates on the Willamette, and found a favorite drop at Sunnyside at Foster.  Santa brought us a 2nd one, so this summer I've been able to bring the teen, or invite a friend that doesn't have a watercraft.  It's one of the best purchases I've ever made, even though I did fall in today trying to get up.  I haven't fallen in in years, so we all had a good laugh.  And I can't wait to do it again. 

Courtesy of www.costco.com 

    Besides having an informative review section on Costco's website, Body Glove is active on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  On Instagram, my favorite social media site, they have separate choices for their pages for men or women.  I chose to comment on @bodyglovegirl.  The marketing team at Body Glove take advantage of Instagram's feed to offer direct links to their products, including a discount code that came up instantly when I clicked the link. They offer surfboards, and a variety of beachwear. I think the value proposition Body Glove offers is a lifestyle.  Active, outdoors, and hey! A little bit sexy. 

    Most people on Costco's reviews love it as much as I do, they find it portable, affordable, and easy to use, but manually pumping air into it is a bit of a workout before you get out on the water:

Some people didn't feel the same way:

    

Even Martha digs these boards, and Body Glove tweeted their thanks to Martha for a shout out:

    It seems while there is Twitter, and Instagram postings, the majority of their big push is in their surfboards and beach wear.  There are a lot of people hitting the love button, but not a ton of interaction with the Grammers or Tweeters.  It couldn't hurt to get someone monitoring that, and trying to get more engaged.  I am planning a trip next month to Lake Tahoe, and will be taking my board out for that. I found a post on Instagram that looks like what I'm about to do, and commented accordingly:

    Some additional facts I learned about Body Glove as a company include, in 1953, Bill and Bob Meistrell invented the first practical wetsuit.  It was a revolution in the surf and diving community.  They came up with the phrase "fits like a glove" and Body Glove was born.  There are additional interesting related reads on their blog at www.bodyglove.com.