When inflatable stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) first entered the market, Ryan Guay remembers that initially there was pushback from consumers who doubted they were durable enough for the outdoors.

“And meanwhile, we were just selling the hell out of them to the inland market, for rivers and lakes and everything else,” said Ryan Guay, who previously worked at Boardworks and served on the Stand Up Paddle Industry Association. “And now, 98% of the paddleboard market is inflatable and every brand makes them.”

The inflatable SUP market became so competitive that Guay and colleagues Ken Hoeve, Dan Watts, and Monique Keefer got together after Outdoor Retailer a few years ago to talk about what else they could make with the durable, light fabrication.

That’s how Flated was born, launching in November 2021 with three versions of their inflatable car toppers for about $1500 each for different-sized trucks, which deflate into manageable storage sizes, rather than the cumbersome fiberglass car toppers that too often litter the yards of their owners when they’re not in use.

“We like to say that it’s way more HOA-friendly,” Guay said. “Our other joking hashtag we use on social media is #eliminateyardart.”

Flated’s product line has since expanded to include more sizes of car toppers, plus various versions of the Air-Carrier storage bin for cars and the Air-Deck, which can be used as a shelf or a place to kick back in the bed of a pick-up truck. Business is growing rapidly, boosted by a successful pitch on the TV series Shark Tank, which the founders later declined. In 2024, the company has sold 100% of what it had forecast for the year, and for much of the summer, Flated was out of inventory. So they opted to pre-sell product and deliver a few weeks later to get through the cash flow/inventory crunch.

This is the first in The Daily’s new series focused on innovation in the outdoor industry.

“Essentially, our customers were advancing our containers (from overseas) ahead of time, so that really, really helped in ’24,” Guay said. And unlike so many over-inventoried brands in the outdoor industry, Flated’s inventory challenge allowed the company to maintain its full price.

Targeting the Outdoor and Auto Markets

Flated’s sales are approximately 80% DTC, and the company is focused on expanding internationally and growing its wholesale distribution this year. So far, REI’s customer base really likes the Air-Carrier storage bins, and the car toppers are often a better fit for the auto industry, Guay said.

That industry is new to Flated’s founders, and they’re still learning how to navigate it, in part through appearances at Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and regional Overland Expos. There’s a third layer of distribution in automotive accessories, such as Meyer or Keystone, who dealers order products from. Because there are so many auto accessories products, retailers receive daily deliveries of just what they need, rather than holding the inventory themselves.

Flated’s Dan Watts, Monique Keefer, Ryan Guay, and Ken Hoeve. Photo courtesy of Flated.

“So that’s been a hard thing for us to learn,” Guay said. “We’ve held back from going through the distributors so we can actually work directly with our (retailers) we open.”

That way, Flated can maintain exclusivity with retailers they are working with.

“We want to be able to protect a guy in a town that has really got behind us,” Guay said.

Another challenge has been helping customers buy the right size for their vehicle. A new feature on Flated’s site allows shoppers to search for the make and model of their car to receive recommendations on what products will work for them.

Road-Testing Products and What’s to Come

For truck owners who want a car topper that’s completely secure and want a cover on their truck full-time, a traditional topper is a better bet, Guay said. Because Flated’s products are inflatable, it wouldn’t be safe to leave valuables in them. Instead, Flated’s products are about ease of use and flexibility.

“The people that get it just love it,” Guay said. “They just love the idea that they can put it on themselves and take it off. And then when they don’t need it, they just roll it up and it goes on the shelf in the garage, versus on the side of the house.”

Flated’s customers are surprised at how the toppers stay put, secured by straps, even at high speeds on the freeway. If they do get a leak, Flated’s products are repairable most of the time, Guay said, though that rarely happens. Problems arise more frequently from faulty production, which they do with a Korean manufacturer they knew already through the SUP space. The design of the toppers has evolved through six or seven iterations to make it more water-tight and dust-free, he said.

For now, the company will stay focused on the automotive space, developing more topper sizes to fit more trucks. But in the meantime, fun experiments with products – such as the inflatable furniture the company made for some of its trade shows – may pop up on the site from time to time.

“We have ideas, and we’re going to expand into some things, but we’re really laser focused on making the best inflatable automotive accessories,” Guay said.

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