All Star Airline 14x28 vs. SIC Air Glide FX 14x27

[harrison.withers]

Shopping for an inflatable for my guest/travel board. Needs to be reasonably stable for less experienced paddlers, but fun for me to paddle and reasonably fast for out of town races races and vacations where I have to fly.

The all-star is $400 more and I'm wondering if it's worth the cost difference for something I will only use occasionally. I also considered the red paddle race boards but i really don't want to spend quite that much.

Anyone paddle both?

My daily paddle is is a 14x26 BlkBox Uno. I race 4-6 times a year. Maybe looking to add 1-2 destination races.

Harrison

[Green Water Sports]

Hi Harrison, Starboard and Red are the leaders at the moment with their fusion construction and stiffening tech combined. From what I can seem SIC do not feature the fusion construction and at this $ level and your expectations, you should go for fusion. (You say the SIC is $400 less so maybe the SIC is on sale.)

All Star x28", and Red Elite x27" would be my 2 suggestions. We also have the 2017 14 x 26" Race on sale for $1299. Not as stable as you'd like for guests, but the quality board at this price may work...?

https://greenwatersports.com/shop/red-paddle-co-14-race-2017

All Star Airlines - No stock of 14's until early July.

Julian

[harrison.withers]

Thanks Julian, Yes the SIC is on sale for 1099.  The leftover red paddle is a bit tempting but I'm worried about the width both for me in chop and guests. that and if I stretch my budget I want that stick thing in the nose

[Green Water Sports]

The 2017 is on the narrow side for your plans. The stick thing (Forward Flex Control (FFC) Rod) is pretty trick. Less overall sag than the All Star but only controls flex in the mid to front half of the board (in conjunction with RSS). Airline allows more sag, but goes nose to tail for flex control.

[connector14]

So Julian,  have you now had a chance to paddle the airline?  How does it compare in standing area rigidity to the Red Paddle Elite 14?

[Green Water Sports]

Hi connector14, only briefly, but for power down paddling i.e. racing, I feel like the Red is more rigid.

[supnorte]

The FX Air-Glide is my inflatable board. I have a Bullet 17'4, a RS 14 x 24.5 and use the FX Air mostly doing tours with costumers or off-season training. I did a few downwind runs with it and it works really well. Also surfed 2-3 ft punchy waves and loved it. Fast and stiff. The nose has low volume so it doesn't drag on the wave and it always poped out on steeper waves or bumps.
SIC uses a Dyneeema stringer on the bottom and another on the deck. The Dyneema is on a interior layer (used to be on an outside layer, but now it's much better). Recommend PSI is 15 but for DW and waves I always go 20 psi (SIC say it's OK to go above recommend PSI). Board is also super light.
The photos are from the 2017 version. Just ordered the 2018.

[connector14]

iSUPs definitely have improved and they have their place. But I have come to the conclusion that they will never replace the performance of well designed hard boards. For the vast majority of recreational paddlers they are fine. They are pretty crash proof and easy to travel with and are particularly well suited to river running and exploring new sites where you don't know what kind of hazards (such as underwater stumps, rocks, etc) that would easily damage an expensive hard board,  but not really be a problem with a tough inflatable. I am glad that I bought one for my "quiver". But it is not my board of choice on most days.

[harrison.withers]

iSUPs definitely have improved and they have their place. But I have come to the conclusion that they will never replace the performance of well designed hard boards. For the vast majority of recreational paddlers they are fine.

I agree, this wouldn't be my only board or even my primary board.