What’s an HR Valve? (And Why It Matters for Your Sunchill)

When we designed the Sunchill, we knew that every detail mattered — right down to the valve. You might see us mention an “HR valve” in our product specs. Here’s what that means, why it’s important, and how it compares to other valve types out there.

🔧 What is an HR Valve?

“HR” stands for Halkey-Roberts, the leading name in inflatable valves. Sometimes you’ll hear people say “HR valve” as shorthand — it’s the industry standard for high-pressure inflatables.

One-way check design → lets air in, prevents air from escaping when removing the pump hose.
Twist-lock operation → simple open/close control, push the pin down to open the valve and push it again to close the valve.
Durable build → built for repeated use, long life, and safe pressure holding.

🛶 Where Else You’ll Find HR Valves

HR valves are the go-to choice across premium inflatables:

Stand-up paddleboards (SUPs)
Whitewater rafts and high-end kayaks
Rigid-inflatable boats like dinghies
High-end floats (like your Sunchill!)

🔍 How HR Compares to Other Common Valves

Valve Type	Where You’ll See It	Pros	Cons
HR (Halkey-Roberts)	Premium SUPs, rafts, Sunchill	High pressure, reliable, industry standard	Slightly more expensive
Leafield	Whitewater rafts, pro boats	Extremely durable, field-repairable	Less common outside rafting industry
Boston	Pool toys, low-pressure floats	Cheap, easy to inflate	Not for high pressure, can leak
Bravo / C7	Kites, some SUPs	Good high-pressure option, compact	Not widely available

✅ Why Sunchill Uses HR Valves

We chose HR valves because they combine:

Ease of use — inflate in 90 seconds with our dual-action pump
Reliability — built to hold 6–7 PSI all day in the sun
Serviceability — HR parts are easy to source worldwide if ever needed

💡 Pro Tip for Owners

If you ever need to service your valve:

HR valve tools are widely available
Replacement cores are inexpensive
And yes, we are happy to support you with our 5-year warranty

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