Inflatable Boats: Which Is The Best Material?

Two main types of material are used to produce inflatable boats and inflatable dinghies, PVC and Hypalon.

PVC or polyvinyl chloride is a type of plastic and Hypalon is a synthetic rubber patented by the DuPont company. Both are used as coatings on nylon or polyester fabric to form sheets of strong tear resistant material. These sheets are then glued or bonded together into the tubes that make up the inflatable boat.

Hypalon Advantages

• Very durable, resistant to UV, ozone, fuel, oil and other contaminants

• Flexible

• Abrasion resistant

• Good resale

• Quality hand construction when assembled by experienced workers

• Easier to repair/glue

Hypalon Disadvantages

• More expensive material

• More expensive to manufacture

• Gets dirty easily

PVC Advantages

• Cheaper, the material is cheaper and manufacturing can be automated using thermal bonding of the seams
• Thermally bonded seams should last as long as the material

PVC Disadvantages

• Less resistance to UV, petrol and other chemicals

• Less abrasion resistance

• Lower resale

• Less flexible

When considering the purchase of an inflatable boat or dinghy the choice of construction material can be narrowed down to two factors.

Type of use

The general concensus is that if an inflatable boat that is going to used a lot, be exposed to the elements and generally get more wear and tear , it would be better off made from Hypalon. If occasional use is more likely and the dinghy will be stowed out of the elements then a cheaper PVC dinghy might make more sense. Technological advances in PVC based materials and thermal bonding equipment are challenging this perception, but as ever only time will tell.

Quality

Cost and quality usually go hand in hand. Whilst Hypalon has the edge in general overall durability, a well made dinghy in either material will outlast a poorly manufactured one. A poorly made inflatable boat will literally fall apart at the seams, whilst the construction material still has plenty of life left in it. Anyone purchasing a dinghy with an intention of high use and a long life needs to research the quality of their intended purchase before parting with their money.