Surfing is a big commitment. You have to learn how to handle the board, travel to where the best waves are, paddle out to them, and hope to get a good ride before toppling into the ocean. It’s a hell of a lot of fun, if you’re willing to put in the work. Of course, even if you are willing to do that, sometimes the ocean doesn’t play along. Scores of surfers will sit out on a still ocean surface just hoping that some waves hit before they have to go back to the beach. While we can’t control the weather like they can in Star Trek, we can use technology to make those waveless days a little more palatable to surfing fans. 

What if instead of using the power of the waves, surfers were able to use the power of an engine. That’s where the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard comes in. Once inflated, you can zip around the surface of oceans, lakes, and rivers, no longer going only where the current takes you. Like regular surfing, it takes some skill to use, but the learning curve is a lot lower. Whether a novice or an expert, the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard might just be the waveless “board” you need. Check out why below.

Motorized surfboards seem like a relatively new technology to hit the market, but they’ve been around for more than 80 years.

The first motorized surfboards showed up in the mid-1930s, but it was mostly seen as a tool for lifeguards. Ultimately, the product proved impractical. Through the 1940s, the 1950s, and the 1960s, the concept was revisited by industrious minds. Thirty years after the first motorized surfboard, Alfred Bloomingdale of the famous department store that bears his name, tried to launch the product in his stores. Too expensive and very heavy, it didn’t really catch on.

Still, people kept trying to perfect the tech and had some success. One 1960s-era model known as the SurfJet was the predecessor to jet skis. It wasn’t until the late 1990s and early 2000s, that the tech was finally right. Over the past ten years, motorized surfboards have become more and more popular. Similarly, the price point on these vehicles has dropped as well. Today there are all sorts of options, including inflatable models like the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard. As time goes on, these motorized surfboards will get lighter and cheaper.

The Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard is a product made by Lampuga, a German manufacturing company that is expanding into a global force in their market. The company is actually very private and doesn’t even feature the typical “About Us” section on their webpage. Still they have been around for a couple of years, and aren’t so shy about their products. The company claims that their Boost! model is the fastest motorized surfboard on the market. This is, of course, up for debate, but there is no question it is a fine machine.

What’s most interesting about Lampuga is that they are a family-owned company in Germany who makes all of their products in their own factory. Located near Hamburg, the factory ensures that all of Lampuga’s products are made with the same level of care. The company makes boards designed for life-saving or military operations as well as boards for fun. The company is now branching out to the Middle East and East Asia. The Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard is made with same quality and care as the rest of their products. 

As mentioned above, motorized surfboards require some getting used to at first. Even if you are a practiced surfer, this is a different experience. Still, it’s not as difficult as mastering regular surfing. With a little practice and some confidence, you can find yourself zipping across the surface of the water in no time at all. When it comes to the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard, there is a little more to know. You have to inflate and assemble it before you can hit the water. Still, it’s not difficult if you do your homework.

Whether you are a surfing enthusiast or just want to have the option when you’re away at the beach, the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard is a good choice. It’s easy to store and transport. Some of the other motorized surfboards on the market can weigh dozens of pounds, so storing and travel can be complicated. If you want the best board on the water? You’ll likely go for a motorized surfboard of the non-inflatable variety. However, whether you love motorized surfing or are simply curious about it, the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard is a good option to try. 

The real beauty of the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard is that it’s inflatable. You could store this motorized surfboard, deflated of course, in the trunk of a compact car. So, where you can use it is really up to you. You can use it on any body of water where you want to take it. They work equally well on the ocean or on freshwater bodies of water like lakes and rivers. Of course, you may have to check with local regulations and rules, because this is technically a water vehicle.

Still, it’s not like you’re taking a luxury yacht out on a pond. The Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard is small enough that you can zip around without disturbing people around you. Remember, the top speed on this surfboard is over 30 miles per hour. So, if there are other people around, be careful. There aren’t any blades or anything to worry about, but you and the others in the water could still be injured or worse. Like any water activity, safety should be your paramount concern. 

Now that we’ve explained where the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard came from and who can use it, we should talk more about it. Below we will go under the (metaphorical) hood, look at what people are saying about it, and show you some alternative motorized surfboard options. This should give you a nice headstart on your homework if you’re considering picking one of these up. 

The Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard is a “surfboard” in name only, really. The shape is relatively the same, but that’s where the similarities end. Essentially, the “board” is simply the motor piece, which detaches from the inflatable body. The environmentally friendly design keeps the cost – both in terms of money and environmental impact – low. The motor is designed to provide a lot of thrust with minimal consumption of energy. The rubber body is large enough to support a person, though you should pick up passengers only in the case of emergency. This is no flimsy raft, though. With the power box, the whole thing weighs a little more than 80 pounds.

The most important feature is probably the air pump that comes with the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard. Inflating this with a hand pump would take a lot of time and you might not fill it enough or, even worse, too much. The pump inflates the body in a matter of minutes. Once you’ve connected the motor, you can stand or lie on the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard as you zip across the water. It comes with a hand control so that you can give the motor “gas” using a hand trigger. It also allows you to help adjust your weight and steer it. Finally, you can choose from a number of different color bodies.

While some motorized surfboards use gas to power themselves, all the best recent models have switched to lithium-ion batteries. While Lampuga doesn’t reveal its specs on its site, it’s likely that a 52-volt battery sits in the middle of the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard’s power box. It provides 45 minutes or so of continuous use, and you can get a full recharge in about two hours. One feature not mentioned above is that the power box is removable. If you have a spare, you can switch them out really easily and keep on surfing.

Fully inflated and assembled, the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard weighs about 80 pounds. It weighs slightly less when it’s broken down, but it’s not like you can store it in your backpack. Still, for what it is, it is remarkably easy to store and transport. You can fold up the inflatable body for storage in your trunk or in the bottom of a closet. The power box is a separate part, the size of an over-sized lunchbox. Still, despite the weight difference, it’s not much more unwieldy than a regular surfboard. Only this one, you can safely drag across grass or the beach.

Lampuga boards costs thousands of dollars and ordered directly via the company. You’re not going to find these on Amazon. So, there aren’t a lot of places to find reviews from real customers. However, the product videos on YouTube and the reviews posted online are all glowing for the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard. Lampuga wants to be the premier brand for motorized surfboards, and judging from the reaction so far, it’s working. They also seem uninterested in social media or customer-review sites like Yelp. Lampuga it seems is willing to let word of mouth and media coverage do that work for them.

There are not many customer or user reviews available in print, but with a company this exclusive that's not a surprise. 

Perhaps the Lampuga options are a bit too pricey for you, or you want to go with a brand where there are more user-reviews available. Either way, here are some other options. These motorized surfboards all have their pros and cons, so make sure to click on the links below to see our in-depth reviews of each of them. 

The SUP Jet Electric Stand-Up Paddle Board represents much less of a financial investment than the previous entries. This motorized surfboard is made from a high quality EPS foam and epoxy resin. The built-in jet drive motor runs on a lithium-ion battery. For six hours of charging time, you get 90 minutes of battery life. The motor is emission-free, giving it appeal with eco-friendly surfers. With a leisurely top speed of 5 mph, this motorized surfboard is great for beginners. The paddle that comes with the board ensures that if the motor runs out of juice, your fun on the water doesn't have to stop.

The Jetson Rescue Paddle Board is not the typical motorized surfboard. This jet board is not designed for frolicking out on the open sea, though there is nothing stopping a person from using it for that. This would be a motorized surfboard to have at a beach house or on a boat. If trouble arises, the lithium-ion powered battery fuels four different propulsion levels. This board won't achieve the speeds of the previous two, but in an emergency it works fine. This motorized surfboard is incredibly light, weighing in at just under 27 pounds. Even if you don't enjoy jet surfing, this might be something you wouldn't regret having if you need it.

The Hison Ultimate Jet Powered Surfboard Ski is a less costly option than the Lampuga, but it's also heavier. Weighing in at about 110 pounds, it promises speeds of 30 knots from it's 15 hp engine. It uses an external cooling system that utilizes the water displaced by the board to keep temperatures down. While it starts by electricity, it's powered by unleaded gasoline. Still a costly option, this motorized surfboard starts at close to $7,000. You can chose from four colors: red, yellow, blue, or black.

Because of its easy storage and stable design, the Lampuga Air Electric Surfboard is a great option for jet surfers of all skill levels. In this ever-growing industry, Lampuga is the name that keeps coming up at the top of people’s lists. Motorized surfboards have been luxury items in every era. But this machine is one that truly feels like a luxury item, and one not stuck in the past but looking to the future. If you get the chance to try out one of these jet surfers, take it. 

What do you think? Share your thoughts, reactions, and experiences in the comments below. Remember to share the article online to make sure that your friends can get in on the conversation.

Related Article: Get A Luxury Motorized Surfboard for Waveless Fun!