Hypalon (CSM) vs PVC: which tube material for your dinghy
Published on 12 July 2026
The tube material choice affects your dinghy's lifespan more than anything else. We compare price, sun resistance, repairability and weight.
What each material is
- PVC (polyvinyl chloride): plasticised fabric, heat-weldable, used by the vast majority of mass-produced inflatables. Cheap to build and to repair with heat.
- Hypalon: the historic trade name (DuPont) for CSM rubber (chlorosulphonated polyethylene), today made by other manufacturers (Orca by Pennel & Flipo is the reference). It is hand-glued, not welded: more build hours, higher price.
The honest comparison
| Criterion | PVC | Hypalon (CSM) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ✔ Cheaper | 20–40% more expensive |
| UV and heat resistance | Average: sun degrades seams | ✔ Excellent: decades in the sun |
| Typical Mediterranean lifespan | 5–10 years outdoors | ✔ 15–25 years |
| Abrasion resistance | Good | ✔ Very good |
| Repairs | ✔ Easy (weld/patch) | Need proper gluing |
| Weight | ✔ Slightly lower | Slightly higher |
| Colours and finishes | ✔ Wide range, bright colours | More sober range |
The only question that matters: where does your dinghy sleep?
The whole comparison above boils down to one question:
- Dinghy covered, in a garage, or northern waters → PVC will give you years of service and you’ll have paid less. Buy PVC with confidence.
- Dinghy outdoors in the Mediterranean, hanging on davits from May to October → the sun will finish off PVC just when the boat is mid-life. Hypalon is paid once and enjoyed for twenty years.
There’s a third factor: resale. A 10-year-old Hypalon dinghy sells; a 10-year-old PVC dinghy that lived in the sun, hardly.
Common traps when comparing prices
- Comparing a PVC boat against a Hypalon one as if they were the same. When one brand looks “overpriced” against another, check the material first — you’re often comparing different fabrics.
- “High-quality Hypalon-like PVC.” It doesn’t exist. There are better and worse PVCs (thickness and base fabric matter), but no PVC ages like a CSM.
- Buying Hypalon for a dinghy that sleeps in a locker. Wasted money: PVC lives just as well there.
Our recommendation
In the Navisoul range every model can be built in PVC or Hypalon (CSM), so the decision is yours, not the catalogue’s. Our rule as sellers: if the dinghy will live in the sun, we recommend Hypalon even though it’s a harder sale to explain; we prefer a happy customer fifteen years from now.
Questions about your case? Ask us, no obligation.