For the Millers, their life is the fullest when they spend time in the ocean. The San Clemente based family of four are big surfers, but they also enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, and swimming—basically anything that gets them in or on the water. When the Millers tried the TANDM SIT + SUP for the first time last fall, they quickly fell in love.
“It’s inflatable, it’s easy to carry, and it comes in a backpack, so I knew it would be a great addition to our toys,” says Tara. “When I first saw the SIT + SUP, I thought it was awesome because not only is it a SUP but it’s also a kayak—we’ve eagerly been anticipating the release.”
The Millers had owned kayaks and paddleboards in the past, but found that they were difficult to transport and proved to be a storage issue. Although they owned paddleboards, they’d oftentimes rent them instead to save the hassle of loading, unloading, and carrying their boards to the beach. When they discovered the SIT + SUP, they knew they had finally found a solution to their storage and transportation woes. The kayak/paddleboard fits into a convenient backpack, taking up minimal space in both the car and the garage, and is light enough to be carried by one person, regardless of whether it's inflated or deflated.
As one of the early backers on Kickstarter, the Millers received their SIT + SUP a few weeks ago and have been taking it out every weekend, letting their eight- and ten-year-old mess around on it in the Dana Point Harbor. When they got the board fully inflated and ready for the first time, their kids didn’t waste any time getting on the water.
“I now know what the meaning of being left high and dry is,” says Tara. “We rolled the board open, put the paddles together, and my kids took off and literally left my husband and I high and dry on the sand.”
Tara’s kids have experimented with both the kayak and paddleboard options and typically leave the seats attached, so they can easily sit or stand as they please. The Millers have also let their cousins play with the board and despite not being as frequent of water goers, they found it was easy to use and managed to paddle around with their entire family of four onboard. Unlike surfing, the learning curve for the SIT + SUP isn’t a steep one, making it a fun toy for all experience levels.
In addition to the ease of use, Tara is a huge fan of the team building aspect of paddling in tandem and likes the life lessons her kids can learn from paddling together.
“It’s good team building for my kids because you need to communicate about what you’re doing and which way you’re trying to turn or paddle,” says Tara. “It takes working together and that’s the thing that I love about it because I’m all about team building and communication.”
Although their kids are young, they have no problem paddling the board on their own. While Tara gives her kids some credit, she says the design of the board makes it easy to manage and steer on the water. The board is designed to be ridden by two people, but the Millers have taken it out solo, in pairs, and sometimes with three or four people on board. They love having an option for when the waves are flat or for when they’re looking for a different way to spend their weekend.
“It's so nice, it’s so easy, it’s so fun, and it’s fun to share,” says Tara. “It’s huge and soft—it’s awesome that the whole family can fit on one toy.”
