Most inflatable SUPs feel best near the top of the printed range. If your board says 12 to 15 PSI, aim for 14 to 15 for flatwater stiffness and heavier riders, and stay closer to 12 to 13 if you want a slightly softer feel for surf or lighter paddlers. Do not exceed the max on the valve cap. Hot sun raises pressure and cold water lowers it, so recheck after launching and bleed a little air if the deck feels drum tight on a hot day.
Quick home check without fancy tools. If you have a mountain bike shock pump, grab a Halkey Roberts adapter and use its gauge to cross check. Otherwise borrow a small inline SUP gauge once, inflate until that trusted gauge reads your target, then note what your hand pump gauge shows at that same moment. From then on you can hit that mark with your manual pump even if its numbers are off.
If you want a simple all in one fix, Hydrohero SUP Pump gives you a digital readout and auto shutoff at your target and it goes to 20 PSI. Set it to 15, let it stop on its own, then see what your hand pump was showing for the same fill so you have a reliable reference going forward.
