An inflatable paddleboard becomes a kayak with three things: a seat that clips onto the board, a double-blade paddle and the D-rings that hold the seat. What is left is whether your board has them, whether the seat you want fits and whether the idea suits you. This page takes them in that order. Matosurf does not test kit: everything below comes from product pages read on OutletSUP on 4 October 2026.
In short
You need a board with four D-rings, a compatible seat and a double-blade paddle. In the OutletSUP catalogue read that day, the Wattsup Bream 10.6 is sold with the seat and the paddle; the Zray X1 has four D-rings for a seat, but its page does not say a seat or paddle is included. If you mostly want a kayak, an inflatable kayak is a different product, not a disguised SUP.
What "turning a SUP into a kayak" means
The idea is simple: you stop standing, sit on a seat fixed to the board's deck and paddle with a two-bladed paddle, one blade each side. The product page for the Skiffo neoprene seat sold by OutletSUP puts it this way: a seat "to turn your SUP into a kayak", compatible with SUPs that have 4 D-rings. No other change to the board is described.
It is neither a kayak nor an ordinary SUP. It is a paddleboard used in a different position. For the general comparison, see our page on paddleboard or kayak.
Who it suits
The setup mostly suits someone who already has (or is about to buy) an inflatable paddleboard and wants to switch between standing and sitting without buying a second craft. It makes sense if:
- you want to vary position on one outing, for example sitting for a long crossing and standing up afterwards;
- you lack the room or budget to store and carry two inflatables; storage is covered in our guide to storing and transporting an inflatable SUP;
- you share the board with someone who prefers to sit.
It makes less sense if you already know you will only ever kayak: then the right product is a kayak.
What to check on the board
D-rings: four, and in the right place
The seat clips onto rings fixed to the deck. The two OutletSUP pages we read both mention four: the Wattsup Bream 10.6 has "4 stainless steel D-rings positioned on the board"; the Zray X1 has "4 D-rings to fit a kayak seat". A SUP without those rings has nowhere to attach a seat, and we will not describe any modification.
A page that only says "attachment points" or "cargo bungee" is not enough: the Bream's bungee is for carrying a dry bag, not for fixing a seat. Look for an explicit mention of D-rings and their number, and ask the seller for a photo if the layout is unclear.
Seat and board compatibility
The seller says the Skiffo neoprene seat is compatible with all Zray, Wattsup, Coasto and Skiffo models, and with all Aquamarina models except the Vibrant and the Super Trip. It describes it as compatible with any SUP with four D-rings, with stated dimensions of 80 × 50 × 13 cm. For the same brand's "Deluxe" seat, the page says it suits "all brands with 4 C rings"; that page says C rings where the other says D-rings, which is exactly the question to put to the seller before buying. For any other board brand, compatibility is not documented on these pages: ask.
Maximum load: add the seat and the rest
The Wattsup Bream 10.6 states a maximum load of 125 kg. That is the board's figure as the page gives it. Add your weight, the seat, a dry bag if you carry one and the rest of your kit, and compare the total with the figure on your own board's page. Our page on the maximum weight of an inflatable SUP explains the idea. For the Zray X1 we give no load here: it is not in the text we recorded, so check it on the product page.
Seat and paddle: included, or to add
This is where the products differ most.
| Product (OutletSUP) | Stated dimensions | Seat | Double-blade paddle | D-rings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wattsup Bream 10.6 | 320 × 81 × 15 cm, max. load 125 kg | Kayak seat included | 4-section paddle, assembled in double-blade mode, included | 4, stainless steel |
| Zray X1 | 310 × 81 × 15 cm | Not stated as included | Not stated | 4, "to fit a kayak seat" |
For the Bream, the page describes a "SUP kayak pack": you clip the seat onto the four D-rings, assemble the paddle in double-blade mode and paddle "seated or standing". With the Zray X1 you would add a seat separately, and a double paddle is not mentioned. You do not have to go through a pack: the neoprene seat and the Deluxe seat are also sold on their own in the seats category. A double-blade paddle sold by itself we did not see: judging by their titles, the paddles category listed two carbon SUP paddles (Coasto Feather Carbon 100 and Zray 100 carbon), neither double-bladed. Ask the seller if you want one on its own.
See inflatable paddleboards on OutletSUP, see the seats on OutletSUP or compare paddles on OutletSUP: the three categories cover board, seat and paddle.
What else the Bream 10.6 page says
As it is the only page we read that describes a complete pack, here is the rest of what it states, as the seller writes it. The board is 320 cm long, 81 cm wide and 15 cm thick, in single-layer dropstitch, with a 2-year warranty. It has three fins, one removable centre fin and two fixed, an EVA pad over about 70% of the deck, a kickpad at the back and a cargo bungee at the front for a dry bag. The seller presents it as designed for beginner or intermediate riders. The text speaks of "seated or standing": the same deck serves both.
These are the seller's statements, unverified by us. They are mostly useful as a template for reading: if the page of the board you are comparing lacks the same elements (D-ring count, seat, paddle, load), the difference is a question to ask, not a detail.
Questions to ask the seller
When a page is silent, write before you pay. The useful answers fit in a few lines:
- how many D-rings does the board have, and are they original?
- is the seat I want listed as compatible with this exact model?
- is the double-blade paddle included, or do I add it?
- what is the model's maximum load, counting the seat in my sum?
- does the warranty cover use with a seat?
Keep the reply in writing: it is more reliable than a blog page, ours included.
The limits of the setup
A paddleboard with a seat is not a kayak, and we have no measurement to say how close it comes. What the pages let us write is what they write: a seat, a paddle, four rings. They say nothing about comfort over time, stability when seated or speed. If one of those decides your purchase, do not rely on a blog page (ours included): ask the seller and the manufacturer.
For paddling itself, rules depend on where you are. In the UK, see our page on sea paddleboarding rules in the UK and the paddleboard safety page for equipment. This page adds no rule.
When to buy a kayak instead
An inflatable kayak is a product designed for sitting, with its own dimensions, weight and accessories. Go straight to one if:
- you know you will never paddle standing;
- you do not own an inflatable SUP and do not want to buy one just to sit on;
- you want a two-seat craft: OutletSUP's kayak category lists, for example, a Coasto Capitole 2-seater (we did not read its page);
- the page of the board you are looking at mentions neither D-rings nor a seat.
See inflatable kayaks on OutletSUP to see what is on offer. If you are new to kayaking, our inflatable kayak beginners guide is the place to start.
When to buy nothing
If you already have a board with four D-rings and have never sat on it, try first: a borrowed seat or two-bladed paddle is enough to find out whether you like the position. If your board has no D-rings, the setup is not for it: with no documented attachment point, nothing says the maker intends a seat.
Five questions before you order
- Does my board's page say it has four D-rings, or only "attachment points"?
- Does the seat I want name my brand, or do I need the seller's confirmation?
- Are the seat and double paddle included, or do I add them to the order?
- What is my board's maximum load, and what does my weight plus the seat and bag come to?
- Do I really want to alternate, or only to sit?