Inflatable Race Board question from a Newbie

[zachhandler]

I am in the market for my first SUP and am looking for advice. I am a competitive Surfski and canoe racer, so I understand how to make a boat move fast and I appreciate the trade offs in boat design. I am not interested entering SUP races, but I do like to join my friends that race for their weekly interval sessions and other training paddles. Basically I am looking for a board that has the speed to hang close to them, but can still double as worry free toy for my wife and kids to bash about on. I have learned how fragile carbon race boards are and I am not interested in that at this point.

I have been looking at the Red Paddle Elite 14', as well as the Starboard Astro Racer.  It seems like that Red is the standard to which all other iSUPS are compared.  On the otherhand, 33 pounds is kind of heavy. Does anybody have any experience with the Starboard? An opinions on any other makes of racing iSUPs?

Thanks

Zach

[Area 10]

If you want to go fast on an iSUP then rigidity is what you need to be concentrating on. You can't get any serious power down on a board that bounces and flexes as you pull hard.

So don't worry too much about weight. With iSUPs less weight usually means less material and that usually (but not always) means less rigidity. This is why Red tend to get the nod so often I think.

But the obvious other brand you might consider is ULI. They've been doing iSUPs longer than pretty much anyone else I think, and their build quality is excellent. They will even make customs to your specification.

[esku]

I had my time on both Red/SB 14" 2016,
Red is much stiffer (and probably faster) but the new SB is a very good board and feel much lighter, you cant go wrong with both.

[SUP_pauly]

I do not know if this helps but I heard that Red is coming out with a new material for their boards in 2016.  It is supposed to be lighter and as strong as the current material that they use.  I have not used the Red 14' board but I did try the 12'6" Race board and liked it a lot.

Paul

[Green Water Sports]

Basically, what they all said ^^^.

Red's are the benchmark, but Starboard are up there too. When you consider the bag/pump/race fin as part of the whole package, Red are another level up again. Yes they tend to be a bit heavier but a lot of that goes into a stiffer/more rigid product, as well as more durable. Updates are sure to come for 2016, a good Googler will figure that out but right now the 2015 14' Elite is $359 (20%) off at $1439 and I have heard there may be a slight increase in MSRP for 2016, but I don't know for sure.

http://greenwatersports.com/shop/red-paddle-co-14-elite

I don't have any 2015 14' Astro Racers in stock but I think Starboard may have some and can hook us up, it'd be around the same price as the Red ~$1400.

[yugi]

Red Paddle 2016 is lighter and also stronger (apparently stiffer too) due to a new fuseing process replacing glueing.

[zachhandler]

Thanks Yugi - That is really helpful.  I wait to see what the 2016 offering is from red. Sounds like it will be awesome. Lakes will be frozen in Minnesota in 6 weeks anyway.

Zach

[Green Water Sports]

More info in 10 days: http://greenwatersports.com/6254/red-paddle-co-2016-inflatable-paddle-board-range

[burchas]

I found this image for the new 2016 Red Elite 14. Specs seems to be the same aside from the weight as Julian mentioned.
Graphics looks nice, but what stands out from the pic is the small fin box! This is great news, I hope the profile will be
smaller too (if they could bury it deeper within the layers).

could it be it's already on sale in Europe? Anyway when do you think it's going to be available stateside, Julian?

[Green Water Sports]

We should have the 2016 boards in about a month or so. Not sure if we have 14' Elites coming in the first batch though...

[zachhandler]

Thanks julian. You've got my business when the new 14 comes in.

[burchas]

Thanks julian. You've got my business when the new 14 comes in.

+1

[Green Water Sports]

I'll let you know when the gear arrives.

For now, this popped up in my feed. Weight of the 2016 10'6" Ride - 9.5 kg or 21 lbs. 2015 was 25lbs. Lookin' good.