Is POP Board Co., Further Customs, and IONIC the Same Company?

At first glance, you might wonder: Are these actually the same paddle board company operating under different names?

They have some noticeable similarities. All three offer premium inflatable SUPs, colourful designs, and all have connections to California or the North American watersports market.

However, based on publicly available information, POP Board Co., Further Customs, and IONIC appear to be separate companies and brands.

Who Owns POP Board Co.?

POP Board Co. says it was founded in Santa Ana, California in 2012 by Nick Lanfranco.

The company remains family-run and says its products continue to be designed in California. POP has expanded beyond paddle boards into inflatable docks, platforms, boats and other recreational water products.

POP also operates through a network of retailers and distributors, which can sometimes make POP products appear alongside other SUP brands.

Who Owns Further Customs?

Further Customs appears to be a separate company.

Further's website identifies Joe as its Founder & Designer, with its own sales and customer-care team. The company also uses third-party logistics near the Port of Long Beach and LAX for fulfillment.

Further Customs has expanded beyond paddle boards as well, offering inflatable platforms, catamarans, chairs and other marine products.

While there are obvious similarities between POP and Further Customs, we haven't found public information establishing that Further Customs and POP Board Co. are the same company.

Who Owns IONIC Board Co.?

IONIC has a completely different story.

IONIC says it was founded through the relationship between Holly and Jay Vaughan in Canada and artist Travis PARR.

Holly Vaughan is identified as Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer, while Travis PARR is identified as Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer. Jay Vaughan serves as Business Manager.

IONIC describes its identity as a California–Canada connection, combining Canadian outdoor-industry experience with Southern California art and paddle-board culture.

IONIC also has its own independent dealer network across Canada and the United States.

Why Do These Paddle Board Companies Seem So Similar?

This is where the SUP industry gets interesting.

Many inflatable paddle board brands don't manufacture their boards inside their own factories. Instead, brands can work with specialized overseas SUP manufacturers that produce inflatable products according to each company's specifications.

That means completely unrelated SUP companies can sometimes offer products with similar dimensions, construction methods, accessories and features.

What separates the brands can come down to design, specifications, quality control, artwork, warranties, distribution, customer service and marketing.

So, Are POP, Further Customs and IONIC the Same Company?

Based on the information currently available, no.

They appear to be three separate paddle board brands:

POP Board Co. — California brand founded by Nick Lanfranco.

Further Customs — separate marine and watersports company identifying Joe as its founder and designer.

IONIC Board Co. — Canada/California SUP brand co-founded by Holly Vaughan and Travis PARR, with Jay Vaughan involved in the business.

There may be similarities between their products and markets, but similar paddle boards don't necessarily mean common ownership.

The inflatable SUP industry is smaller and more interconnected than many consumers realize. Brands can use similar manufacturing technologies, suppliers, distributors and logistics networks while still being completely separate businesses.

As the paddle board industry continues to consolidate and evolve, we'll update this article if additional connections between these brands become publicly available.

If you're researching discontinued, quieter or changing SUP brands because you're shopping for a replacement, our guide to choosing the right paddle board can help you compare the fundamentals instead of just the logo. You can also browse our current inflatable paddle boards and SUP accessories and replacement parts.