ISLE Pioneer Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board, Incl
ISLE Pioneer Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board, Incl. 8′ Coil Leash, Nylon Touring Center Fin, Backpack, Hand pump, Paddle – Beginner friendly SUP – Designed in California
About ISLE
Paddling brings pure joy by channelling nature’s energy beneath our feet. Come ride with us and share our passion for riding waves and exploring the oceans and waterways of the world!
Our Company Mission:
- Focused on Surf & SUP — We believe surfing and paddling are the best forms of recreation, and that’s why we’re focused on these sports exclusively.
- Rider-Owned and Operated — Our mission has always been to develop a quality selection of well-designed paddle boards for riders of all skill levels.
- Satisfied Customers, Bar None — We aim to offer our customers the highest level of service, selection, quality, and value.
- Listen to Our Customers’ Feedback — We strive to continually improve to meet your demands.
- Quality Products, No Gimmicks — Each product is thoughtfully designed a with the best intentions.
- Protect the Planet & Give Back — Staying involved in programs to help conserve the ocean and planet while being conscious as a manufacturer of the byproducts.
 |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 11.6 x 32 x 6 in | 11.6 x 36 x 6 in | 10.6 x 34 x 6 in | 12 x 45 x 8 in | 15 x 56 x 8 in |
| Weight Capacity | 300 lbs | 350 lbs | 285 lbs | 650 lbs | 1,050 lbs |
| Board Weight | 24 lbs | 27 lbs | 24 lbs | 34 lbs | 50 lbs |
| Skill Level | Beginner to intermediate and advanced | Beginner to intermediate and advanced | Beginner to intermediate and advanced | Beginner to intermediate and advanced | Beginner to intermediate and advanced |
| Available in more colours | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Size: | 10'6" |
| Dimensions: | 304.8 x 86.36 x 15.24 cm; 10.89 Kilograms |
| Brand: | ISLE Surf and SUP |
| Model: | 2022 10'6" Pioneer |
| Colour: | Coral/Sun |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Manufacture: | ISLE Surf and SUP |
| Department: | Unisex |
| Dimensions: | 304.8 x 86.36 x 15.24 cm; 10.89 Kilograms |
| Quantity: | 1 |
| Size: | 10'6" |
Hebel fr Ventil war zum zweiten Mal falsch. Die erste Bestellung erfolgte vor Weihnachten durch meinen Sohn, da dies ein Weihnachtsgeschenk fr mich war. Diese habe ich komplett an Amazon zurckgeschickt.
Die Gutschrift erfolgte aktuell, ebenso meine Wiederbestellung.
Zudem war die zweite Bestellung 100 Euro teurer als die erste vor Weihnachten durch meinen Sohn. rgerlich!!
Jetzt aber durch Hersteller behoben. Danke.
I purchased this board because I needed a wider board, my previous board being too narrow for me, so this Isle ISUP being 34″ wide is perfect for me at 6’3″ and 16 stones.
This is my 4th paddle board I own of different sizes and brands, and if your starting out, you cannot go wrong with Isle. I recommend this board to anyone who is starting out, the quality is very good, and even tho its more expensive than an unknown 199 priced board, what you are getting here is decent quality and has a good manufacturers guarantee.
Good quality paddle and accessories and very good travel Sup bag, one of the best ones on the market. You will not regret buying an Isle ISUP.
Love this board, had 2 full size dogs with me, this board was real stable. (Thier first time on a SUP).
This SUP is a sturdy and cute board! It’s better than the cheaper ones. Made with quality materials you notice. Very easy and quick to inflate so you’re on the water fast. Deflation is quick and easy as well! I love i
This board is the most stable inflatable we’ve had yet. I love all the attachments and accessories as well. With the ability to carry lots of supplies, it’s great board for a longer day on the water. This board is hard to beat because it has it all – portability, stability, aesthetics, accessories and attachments, price point. Also I am an Isle customer for life. Besides their boards being great quality and beautiful, they have the *best* customer service. In the unlikely event that you do have an issue with your board or the accessories they are incredibly quick to respond. We have had their rigid boards and now their inflatables. Our latest Isle board showed up with a factory defect in the strap on the backpack. I wanted to use the board that day and was dreading having to send the whole thing back to get the backpack replaced. I messaged Isle with a picture and immediately they put a new backpack in the mail to me. Totally hassle free. Thanks Isle!
It’s a functional, stable, well designed iSUP that gives you everything you need to get started in a new hobby without spending too much but also without going so budget that you don’t have fun or can’t keep up with more experienced or invested paddleboarders.
Stable and sturdy enough for my 77lb husky x to come with and so far no issues with his claws on the grip mat.
I love the bungees and handles on front and rear as it let me easily carry camping gear for an overnight trip and great for carrying (and portaging!)
The pump is definitely higher quality than anyone else I paddle with, I’m usually pumped up and ready to go in 5-7 mins vs 10+ for smaller pumps. Love the repair kit and dry bag accessories.
Theres two small issues to note:
The middle of the board handle had a small tear that happened within the first week. So far it hasn’t progressed or been a problem.
The fin screwing on instead of a slider attachment make me nervous since it’d be easy to drop or lose that if you have to pull it off mid-river (which I’ve done several times due to low water levels). That being said, it probably makes it sturdier.
This is a very sturdy and reliable paddle board. Well worth the investment. Pump works great and it will fully inflate in about 15 minutes. Everything fits into the backpack. Its a slight learning curve to get the folding up dimensions down, but you’ll figure it out. Solid piece of gear.
you wont be disappointed these are great SUP’s. I bought one for me and my wife and she goes out without me all the time. Super easy to carry for both of us only 24 lbs. We use them on the river almost daily.
Absolutely lobe this board, easy to unpack and put away after use. Very sturdy and easy to use. The only suggestion is to get the electric pump. My arms were tired after manual pumping.
When fully inflated I was surprised how solid it was. The fin was super easy to install and the backpack carrying case is super cute and comfy wide straps. The paddle was solid but I will say it did try and slide back into place a couple times. But I think I can easily tighten the screw to fix this.
It was really easy to maneuver even in some wind and a slight current.
Pumping up was easier than I anticipated. Took about five minutes.
To be honest I’m hooked and I wanna go out on the water all the time.
After 1 Year my pump broke but everything else is still ok after 2 years
The main question people asked while we were using it is can you store it under a bed and I’d say yes. It deflates to a very small size. It rolls and stores into its own backpack and we checked it into the airline line regular baggage.
It comes with a manual high pressure pump. I recommend getting an electric pump. It is a significant workout to pump this board to the recommended pressure, even if you are in good shape.
The 3-piece aluminum paddle is easy to assemble and floats.
Surprisingly this kit doesn’t come with an ankle leash.
its been a fun summer with it. quality excellent. the only weakness is the pump’s rubber ring comes off once and a while so you have to open it up and put it on again. I give a little wd 40 to keep it slick
It’s a really good ride. The one downside is the bag. Compared to the other one my boyfriend and I bought this bag is a little more difficult to put the board in and take it out. The pump meter broke when we were on our lake trip, we don’t know if it was from the heat or what happened. Once you start pumping it doesn’t tell you what PSI you are at, so we had to finish pumping up the board with the other SUP pump. Not sure who to contact to see if we can get a replacement pump so we won’t have to use one pump for two paddle boards.
Honestly this thing is great. I have a smallish SUV but would have no way to transport a regular SUP without installing roof racks and that cost + even a used paddleboard would set me back at least $1,000.
So I decided to give this thing a try and while it rather difficult to pump up (for reference I’m an avid kitesurfer and this takes about twice the time and energy to pump) it is a nice board.
I haven’t SUP’d in about 5 years but last time I did it was several weeks ago on a wide fat board in Hawaii and I was able to catch some smaller waves while continually falling off. The best comparison I can note is that this board is definitely less stable (for a new rider) than the regular boards but not so much so. I figure once I’m competent on this transitioning will be cake.
All in all once it’s pumped up it’s light, easy to move around and I was able to take my 2yo daughter out on the water with me for a short ride that she LOVED. This is an excellent board especially if you’re low on storage space or want to take somewhere that might be awkward to carry a full sized.
Thanks Isle!
It’s pretty compact and is super easy to inflate. i can have this inflated, fin and leash on in less than 10 minutes. The carry handle makes it easy to move from the car to the water. The paddle is sturdier than I expected but if you’re really tall, you want to invest in a better paddle. When this puppy gets to it’s maximum length, it does get a bit wobbly. I’m 5’6″ and am able to use it just fine.
The pump is easy to use and inflates pretty quickly. As you start to near a full board, it does get pretty hard to continue filling to the required 12-15 psi. I usually get to 10 or just past and I’m fine.
It tracks pretty well (goes in the direction you want it too) and i’m still getting used to turning using my legs. It’s not the fastest board out there but I get to where i want to go in pretty decent time. I have only used the board on a lake. I suspect it would be fine in stream, non rushing river and probably a fairly calm ocean bay or inlet. I wouldn’t put this on rapids or rough ocean water.
As far as the ISLE board goes, I’ve taken it out a few time on a small lake and I’m really enjoying it. I find it very stable and tracking well and very stable. It is light and very easy to carry after its been inflated. I can continue my comments after I’ve had the opportunity to try in larger body of water and varying conditions. Note that the paddle is on the heavy side.
The board was stable but could turn with ease. My friend who also took it for a spin says it’s better than all the others she usually rents while at the beach. She especially liked the grips for your feet because she’s had issues slipping in the past.
I did not deflate all the way, just enough so I could fold it into my SUV, and it’s ready to go for next time! However, to make my life easier, I plan on purchasing an electric pump, because like everyone else has commented, it is a pretty good 10 minute workout to inflate for this 5’3 short statured girl.
Nonetheless if you’re looking for an all-around board for a reasonable price, this one is it!
I have used mine twice now since getting it just over a week ago. It takes less than 5 minutes to pump up and even less time to deflate. It is light weight and easy to carry to the shore line. The fin was also easy to install once you figured out the angle. It seems as though the pressure gauge isnt working UNTIL you really start to have the sup FULL…then it kicks in. You’ll have to watch though because on the pull up, the needle doesn’t read, it only reads on the push down of the pump! The ride is comfortable and the glide is surprisingly quick! The down side to the purchase was the paddle. To me, compared to my friend’s Solstice the paddle seems heavier and lacks the padding around the middle so your lower hand gets ripped up and sore. I will definitely toss the paddle once I find a replacement that isnt crazy expensive.
I have not yet used this particular SUP on the water yet, but will be Memorial Day weekend. My review is based on the ease of inflation, set up, and deflation of the ISLE Airtech.
I recently received the ISLE Airtech 10′ SUP. I have been researching a SUP since last summer. I have spoken to friends who own them, tested one, and have read a lot of reviews comparing a variety of models. The ISLE Airtech was packaged very well. It includes the SUP, Paddle, Carrying Bag (backpack style), Manual Pump, Instructions, and a Repair Kit.
Inflating the SUP took me longer than the 5 minutes, but I was taking my time. I was able to inflate it to the recommended 15 psi and the pump reflected that with no problem. I was very impressed by the material and durability of the SUP.
Attaching the rear fin under the board was easy and I did not require a screwdriver as other reviews had mentioned. Detaching the rear fin was just as easy and it slid cleanly through. Once fully ready to use, it is lightweight to carry.
Deflating the SUP was quick! The pressure valve is spring loaded and once the initial pressure of air is released (approx 1 min), turning the valve and pushing the air out of the SUP was simple.
Rolling the SUP and securing it with the belt makes packing it in the carrying bag convenient.
The paddle, to my personal preference is lightweight as well. I know some reviews mentioned that they felt it was too heavy, but I am happy with it. It was actually a lighter paddle than the SUP I tried over the summer.
Overall, I am extremely happy with the ISLE Airtech 10′ and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for an inflatable SUP based on the ease of set up, deflating, storage, and what ISLE includes in their package for the price!
I am overall very pleased with my purchase. The board is a good size and took me about 6 min to inflate. Brought it to the lake and was surprised by how easy it was to carry and unlike other boards I’ve used, the handle did not hurt my fingers and was very comfortable. I ride with my 45lb dog and the standing pad is nice and long for both of us to stand on. The front of the board was a little slippery for him but, he figured it out. I picked this model because it is a little wider making it more stable when the dog walks around. Some features I wish the board had was D rings on the side for the ankle strap and also load handles on the front and rear. I did purchase handles to connect to the front and back D rings. The price is a great deal and Isle customer service were very helpful and knowledgeable when I called. Over all very happy!
The quality is outstanding… The pump… well, it works but the connector doesn’t want to stay on while I pump it so I have to hold it on as I pump and the PSI gauge doesn’t read but I can still pump it manually and it works fine. I did invest in a pump that connects to the power in car and it is amazing.
If you are in doubt about which inflatable to go with and the quality of ISLE boards, you need to know that their boards are fantastic! Extremely durable.
*****UPDATE *****
My only complaint is the way the fin attaches to the board unlike the 12 foot 6 inch board I have this one doesn’t have a permanent screw so the part will be very easy to lose and you have to have either a coin for a flat screwdriver with you so for this I took away one star.
my car. It’s extremely light weight, sturdy, easy to paddle, tracks well. Cons: hard to paddle against the wind because , in essence, it’s a raft with more freeboard than a fiberglass board. With all my 145 pounds lying on it, I couldn’t get it to pump up more than 11 psi, just below the recommended 12-15 psi. However that was perfectly adequate for board firmness for my weight. I thought the pump gauge wasn’t working, but the incredibly helpful staff explained that you have to keep pumping until it fights back befor the gauge reads psi. It only took ten minutes from start to finish to pump up and hit the water. A great warm up! The paddle that is included is really heavy aluminum. My next purchase will be a paddle upgrade.
I use it in the ocean, so sand and salt water has been rough on it.
Me and my wife can fit on the board alright. She sits on the front while I paddle. I’m 160lbs and shes 100lbs
The only issues I’ve had…
Paddle gets stuck easily making it hard to mainly disassemble. I’ve also adjusted the length of the paddle and have not been able to adjust it since.
Fin screw has started rusting.
Pump pressure gauge is falling apart which is causing the air to leak while I’m pumping.
I have had no problems with the board itself.
I will warn you, these are not exactly easy to pump up. The last 5 pounds or so is quite a workout. My wife really struggles with it so I end up finishing both boards. I will be getting a electric pump as soon as I find one with decent reviews.
One last thing. These boards should not be stored rolled up. I know it seems like a great idea so that they don’t take up much room, but trust me, I have been around whitewater rafts all of my life and nobody would ever store their raft folded up. If you do, you are asking for trouble as they will begin to crack at the folds over time and these are made of the same material.
I am in love with this paddle board. It is a solid board with all the features I need as a newcomer to the sport. The pump works great to quickly fill the board and the fin installs easy. I love having the screw to keep it in place simply because I’ve heard so many others complain about losing their fin without that feature. Yes, I have to keep a screw driver in my car, but that’s not a bad thing overall. The tie downs are incredibly useful and I load the board up with my dog, cooler, dry pack, life vest…all secured down. I’ve only taken the board out on lakes so far, but it is a solid board, inflates and deflates quickly and rolls up easily when not in use.
Isle customer service is incredible. I had a small issue with my pump where the screw hole for the pressure gauge got striped. I called them and they replaced the part within 2 days.
I have nothing else to compare to because this was my first Paddle Board. However, after reading reviews and speaking with sales / tech support, decided on this one. The weekend after it delivered, my wife and I both took turns trying out the board and were very surprised at the stability. At one point, we both got on and I was able to comfortably maneuver the board with a total of 300lbs aboard.
Inflation was not bad at all. I was in my home which was much cooler than outside and stopped once to rest (to answer the phone) but it really was easier than I thought it might be. (I’m 61 and weigh in about 170) Towards the end, I did need to use my weight to push the plunger down. As others have mentioned, the gauge does not register until reaching about 10 PSI which is no big deal since it was a known factor and while it gets harder to pump after, the last few pounds come fairly quickly. Deflation was easy and it packed right back into the bag Isle makes which we also purchased and is recommended. It will hold everything including your paddle.
We are very happy with our purchase. It did not break the bank, is of course portable (and lighter than a regular SUP) which was what we wanted. Also, the board seems to be made of good quality. According to Tech Support, if you want to leave it inflated, that is fine. They did suggest letting a small amount of air out in case where it was stored got hot to help with any possible expansion. I like the bungee cords and the pad was fine on knees or feet. Some asked if it got too hot and from my experience, that is not a problem at all. Looking forward to taking it to the beach one day soon.
We absolutely love this board! I got it for my husband as a gift. I was so thrilled my husband was happy with my surprise purchase. After a ton of research on hard vs inflatable boards and all the different kinds of inflatable boards I thought this would be the best one for the money and I don’t think I was wrong. My husband and I have both used hard boards before and we both agree the inflatable is so much nicer than a hard board. You can stand, sit or kneel on it and it is so comfortable to use. Hard boards tend to be hard on you knees. The paddle is lightweight and completely adjustable. It is as stable as the hard board we used. The only reason I didn’t give this board a 5 star is because the gauge on the pump doesn’t really work. It really isn’t critical that it works though. We use an electric pump anyway just because we have it handy at our dock for our tubes.
Original Review:
I had to use this for a few weeks to do a worthy review..I hate when people review and they haven’t actually used the product
I wanted to buy an SUP for about 2 years now but the price was just not reasonable ($1,000+). However there are several good models now in the $700 range and this is what I consider to be a good value and within most people’s acceptable budget range.
Specifically I wanted an inflatable and after several months of reviews it was between this and the other popular model on amazon. Ultimately I felt better about buying from an authentic surf company rather than someone who won on shark tank. And after using this for a few weeks I am very happy with my decision
Here are my rankings
Quality (5/5): fully inflated you can’t tell this is an inflatable. very minimal flex. You can bump it off rocks and not worry about damage (a traditional foam/eps board would chip)
Convenience (5/5): have you ever tried to lug a hard board SUP? its impossibly heavy. The convenience factor is a 10 – very easy to throw in your car a with minimal space and weight. I heard they asked Ansel Adams what is the best camera and he said “the one you have with you” that is benefit of this board in a nutshell
Performance (4/5): You will trade off speed and performance for the convenience. However unless your name rhymes with Laird and you are in a competitive paddling competition between Hawaiian islands this is probably not a big deal.
Looks (5/5):dude it just looks cool…as verified by all the strangers asking me where I got it
Setup (4/5): I’ve timed it..it takes 5 minutes with the hand pump to get to 15psi every time. Those last few pumps are a bit strenuous but I think its a good way to warm up before getting on the water. The only improvement I would recommend is the mechanism for attach and un attaching the main fin – could be improved to increase set up time
Extras (5/5): love the tie downs in front – don’t buy a SUP without this. Like the 3 fin set up with removable hard center fin. Lots of attachment points. The pump is adequate
Paddle (3/5): The paddle is of high quality and is adjustable..but man is it heavy. You’ll want to upgrade to a lighter higher performance paddle. UPDATE – they upgraded to a carbon 3 piece paddle. Problem solved.
Not included but you should get: don’t even think about buying this inflatable without buying the travel bag. Its worth every penny and makes transporting so much easier. UPDATE: they threw in the travle bag as part of hte package. Also do yourself a favor and buy a water proof set of speakers (only $30). You can’t really get your paddle on without some classic rock to motivate you
Cons: constantly being asked if it is really an inflatable, constantly being asked where I go it, constantly being asked if someone else can try it
All in all a great value, and very happy I have it for the summer. fyi – I’ve tested it in the Chattahooche River, Lake Lanier, and Intercostal at Amelia Island Florida so a good range of water and wave scenarios.
Update 5/25/15
Still five stars for the board. Took it out twice more but S. Florida winds are really not cooperating. That’s another thing you gotta consider if you buy a paddle board. I bought this board mostly for exercising, if you are buying it for recreation, don’t think twice, just buy the board! In my case, I hoped to use it everyday but due to the wind I ended up having to paddle on my knees (which is fine, still got a workout) and today I had to skip going out all together. So consider where you would be paddling and average wind in your area. One other thing, got an electric pump here on Amazon under $50 that connects to the car. It worked great. A bit noisy but I don’t mind 🙂 those last PSI are tough on the hand pump. That brings me to another point, ISLE pump meter won’t show pressure until you are above 10 psi so keep pumping!!! I initially thought my pump wasn’t working. I leave mine at 12-13. Remember pressure will improve stability so it’s very important. I will update it again after the summer, hopefully I will have had enough chances to use it 🙂
I’ve had this for about six months now, so I feel I can give it a fair review. I really like that this can just be thrown in the back of a closet as it folds (rolls) up in to about a 36″x18″x18″ package. You’ll also need room for the paddle, which comes apart in 3 pieces, and the pump, but you get the idea. You just don’t need a ton of space to store this. Plus, then you can just throw it in the trunk of a car to transport it back and forth to the water.
This thing is really durable. I don’t have any fear of dropping it a parking lot, bumping in to rocks, or dinging it in anyway. I think this thing could really take a beating and would be seriously difficult to puncture.
As for performance, it is fairly slow and not the most maneuverable thing out there. If you’re looking for performance, you’d be better off with a rigid board. But, this still gets the job done for me. With one 170lb adult, you’ll ride about 3″ above the water. We’ve also had two adults on it (appx. 320lbs) and it was still just above the water. So, if taking the kids or your pet out on the water, this thing can handle it no problem. I’ve only ever taken it out in the ocean and probably in waves as high as 3 feet. It was perfectly stable, but a little bouncy. It also seemed to be tougher fighting the wind than a traditional rigid board since it has the tendency to bulldoze through the water instead of cut through it.
Overall, I’m pretty happy with it for what it is: a decently priced and well built SUP that can be stored in a small space.
Love this board! I got the Blue one, 10′, 6″ thick. I really like the extra 2″ of thickness from these boards and the width definitely helps with stability. I am new to the SUP sport, but am totally loving this board. I am 5’4″ and have no problem carrying the board.
And the pump that comes with the board is NO JOKE! I had my board pumped up to 13psi in about 5 minutes. I really like having the pressure gauge on the pump itself. I have a friend who’s pump does not have that and she has to disconnect the hose, check the pressure, then reconnect the hose and keep going. So I like this little detail.
The detachable middle fin is not that big of a deal. I did what someone else recommended and just used some loose change to tighten it down the first time. I think my only concern here is making sure I don’t lose the screw over the years!
After I decided inflatable, I seriously looked at 5-6 boards, all in the $700-800 range. This one had the best overall value (including paddle + shipping), a reputable company, the shape, the length (10.5 feet), and the height/depth (6 inches was a must). I wanted something that would be easy for the kids to learn on and was not too huge. Plus it looks cool. The foam pad to stand upon is perfect – light but grippy. The paddle is a little heavy but that was expected. This is not a racing board.
Others always wonder how long it takes to setup an inflatable board, so here are my two cents. It’s quite easy though when pumping your arms do get a little sore (use your core – just like paddleboarding!). To completely setup it takes about 30 seconds to unroll, 2 minutes to put the fin on, 5 minutes to pump, 30 seconds to attach your leash, 10 seconds to assemble your paddle, and 10 seconds to throw everything back in your trunk. So figure 8 minutes. Disassembling is about 4 minutes (I recommend lightly folding/rolling it, then clean and dry it at home before packing/rolling).
It does not get 5 stars because of two things:
1) The board does not track straight all that well. After 4-6 paddles on one side, I’m curving. Granted this will happen a little even with a hard board, but inflatables are more susceptable to this.
2) The included pump had an upsidedown gauge and the needle also did not move. I called Isle directly and asked for a replacement gauge. Spoke to a very nice guy who said they were all out and to call back in 2-3 weeks; he would then ship me a replacement (I’ll be calling in a few days).
If I ever buy a second paddleboard, it will probably be a hard board since they offer a little more rock-solid stability. However, they are still inconvenient unless you have water within walking distance.
I do however have some experience with canoes, cheap kayaks and a great deal of experience on sailboats.
I found the stability of this board to be perfectly manageable, had they gone any wider it would have had a negative effect on both the glide and my paddle stroke. As it is i have found it to be very comfortable and have only fallen off once on my first time out…in 8-10knots of breeze with 8″ short chop while turning with what i would guess to be, very poor form. While not easy i was able to make headway into the wind prior to that, the design of this board isn’t really designed to be used upwind in chop and it certainly shows. I did notice a tiny bit of flex as should be expected, but i do mean a tiny bit of flex in the chop this board is rigid enough to cut into the tops of the wave in front while the wave just previous is around the fin.
The foot pad is nice, the seams all look perfect and unlike some comparable boards the Isle has both the 3 fin set up with removable center and a bungie cord stuff holding area on the front. Versatility is a nice thing as i do plan on taking this board down some -lazy- rivers and use it for fishing. A tool less instal for the center fin would be nice, but as is it is very secure, having to keep a penny or small screwdriver around certainly isn’t enough for a star removal.
Inflating this board isn’t all that bad, i received a good quality, industry standard Bravo hand pump with it. It is worth noting that this is the same pump that boards which cost twice as much come with. The one time i timed it, it took me 6 minutes to inflate to 15psi, not rushing or in the best of shape. As the going gets tough, shorten the strokes and focus on using your body weight, smaller people <120lbs may have difficulty getting the board to max pressure and everyone will get a good warm up in!
The paddle is a solidly made; not all that light 2 piece aluminum shafted, telescoping handled, decent quality paddle. It certainly looks and feels durable which i like. I intentionally dropped it in the water today, tied off with a bit of line, it floated for a solid 5 minutes with the handle bobbing 5-6" up from the surface before i got bored and retrieved it. So it did seem to float. I did not feel any flex in use and it works well so far as i can tell. The plastic on the telescoping part worries me, but has yet to slip in use. This paddle could double as a weapon.
Speaking of paddling, this board paddles nicely. I had no issues with tracking and could keep the paddle on one side using a J strokes or what ever the front version is called while going in a straight line. In light air the board glides pretty well and standing up just feel so nice after years of sitting/kneeling. I had a much easier time directing this board than i ever had in the 12' rotomolded kayak i had been using, provided i acknowledge my lack of proper double paddle technique, i'm pretty sure i could win a race with myself on the Isle board. It is just smooth going on the board. I had no idea how hard i was working my body until the next day, all "good" pain from muscle soreness with not even a single whimper from my not-so-great back, ankles or knees.
All in all i love this board, as one who lives in an apartment and drives a compact car the convenience of this board is spectacular. I can get it from the car and on the water in <10minutes, back in the car afterwords in 5, drive as fast as i want where ever i want to without a worry, carry under one arm upstairs then place in a closet. I would highly recommend this to anyone who lives in apartments/dorms or barracks.
Dollar for dollar this was a great value, also this board comes with a 2 year warranty and the company maintains a brick & mortar shop.
Inflation was quicker than expected. The pump is really big and I can inflate it easily in a few minutes. I don’t see a need to use an electric pump. Deflating and rolling up only takes a few minutes too. Best to keep a stubby flat head screw driver in the repair kit for the detachable fin. My only complaint is they should have put the air valve on the tail so you could roll it nose first and have the fins on the outside. It’s not a big deal and and it’s still easy to roll up with fins on the inside (the 2 short fixed ones). It looks like they move it on their more recent models.
I was torn between the 10 ft and the 12 ft 6 in versions. I’ve been out a few times now and I’m glad I chose the 10 ft. The Isle website listed max beginner weight for the 10 ft. as 188 lbs. I’m a 200 lb beginner and had no problems with stability. I have even taken my 60 lb daughter out with me and didn’t have any problems. She was able to handle it pretty well on her own too. Makes me wish I had purchased the two pack and saved a few hundred. I do have to order a smaller paddle for her. The adjustable one that came with it doesn’t get small enough. BIC makes a nice kids paddle and it’s reasonably priced.
Everyone who see this ends up wanting one. If the response to mine is any indication, Isle is going to get swamped with orders from Michigan.