I find my inflatable DW board really comes alive at higher pressure. Running it at 22 psi vs the recommended 20 is a lot better. Also you need to be conscious of pressure changes if the water is cooler than the air, you def loose a few PSI after pumping up in the car park and putting the board in cold water. It's even worth it to pump the board first, throw it in the water for a bit while you rig the rest of your gear, then revisit that pressure before you go out.
If these things could run at 30 I think the performance would be totally equal to a rigid board.
What brand are you running? I'll finally have a Starboard in hand after the 1st and I think their design will be a significant upgrade from the other inflatables on the market, I will forward to testing my hypothesis.
What do you mean 'it comes alive'? In the air or in the water?
I used quite a few inflatable boards, which allowed between 15 and 20 psi (right now the duotone skybrid air). I actually never felt any difference. In my opinion the only real downside of Inflatables are touchdowns. While hard boards bounce of the water, the inflatables slow down drastically which results in a crash if you don't start pumping with the feet immediately. However I did not notice any difference in that behavior related to the inflation pressure.
Aren't you worried that you damage the seams by overinflating?
I've got a Zetti(random brand - cheapest I could find). I just find that the extra little bit of pressure makes it dramatically stiffer and more responsive and I find I loose a lot of that edge throwing it in colder water.
regarding the starboard design I'd be surprised if it's dramatically stiffer it's still an inch thick carbon reinforced supporting the mast track. I've ridden enough lunch trays to know how weak they can be - it might actually be a little worse since the attachment point isn't supported by the inflatable. Also, the additional mast length I would need would be super annoying. I don't ride a separate mast between wing and prone, 77 cm for both. That would bring me down too, effectively a 65 or 70 cm mast, which seems like it would be pretty miserable
