In this SUPboarder PRO head to head test we put 8 "Performance Touring" boards up against each other. Performance Touring ( approx. 14' x 28) are becoming more popular with intermediate and advanced paddlers as you want to paddle further and faster. In this test we share what we discovered about this category of boards and talk through the pros and cons of each, helping you decide which is right for you.
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Ben Williams
1 month ago
I’ve never understood the logic of the d ring under the nose of a board, yet so many have this so must be a reason. On top of the nose would seem more useful in a variety of situations but certainly redundant when a handle is there. For me the Quroc looks really interesting as a multi day board but how does the new bungy layout compare to the previous style layout like the starboard for securing a load?
Yes, the D ring thing is strange and needs some more thinking or explanation from brands. The Quroc bungee system was good. We will be publishing more videos on this board soon, but the initial thoughts were that this system worked well and the team really liked the removable clips for ease of putting large bags on. Stay tuned for a full SUPboarder review of this board coming soon.
Giorgio Borgonovo
1 month ago
Hi guys, thank you for another interesting test! I do like the idea of clearly explain to whom each single board is better suited for based on each board own characteristics, but I would still have appreciated having the traditional “scoring per characteristic”, like gliding, tracking, rigidity, stability, personal overall preference and such. Hope you would be able to add the info to this test data in the near future, in case you have collected such data during the test, or at least that you re-introduce those data into future tests. Cheers, Giorgio
Thank you Reuben and team, plus the guest reviewers. That was a super interesting and very comprehensive review. I really liked how clearly you explained everything for multiple boards in different scenarios – the format worked very well.
Glad you brought up the D-ring topic as I also find it peculiar that they’re often placed where they’ll create unecessary drag. I sometimes put tape over mine to minimise that, but it can get worn or knocked off easily.
Hey Charlie, Good to hear you liked the test and the way it was put together. The D ring on noses is a funny one, depending on where there’re placed can makes a big difference on the board. Let’s see if Starboard change theres into the future?
Danila
20 days ago
Hi. If possible, please add information about the volume of the board to the size table. In the review you repeatedly pointed out that Shark is the widest and longest SUP, but if you look at the volume, it is only 3 liters larger than Starboard, which doesn’t seem to be a significant difference.
Hi Danila, volume data has been added to the table. We actually can’t get hold of some of the data as you will see. Volume is not a particularly good metric when comparing boards(particularly inflatables)as they all have plenty of volume to hold any paddler, its more about their shape and construction quality that effects the stability. The data does highlight that the Red is the highest volume, which is something we felt would be the case and we comment on in the video as it is high volume in its nose.
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I’ve never understood the logic of the d ring under the nose of a board, yet so many have this so must be a reason. On top of the nose would seem more useful in a variety of situations but certainly redundant when a handle is there. For me the Quroc looks really interesting as a multi day board but how does the new bungy layout compare to the previous style layout like the starboard for securing a load?
Yes, the D ring thing is strange and needs some more thinking or explanation from brands.
The Quroc bungee system was good. We will be publishing more videos on this board soon, but the initial thoughts were that this system worked well and the team really liked the removable clips for ease of putting large bags on. Stay tuned for a full SUPboarder review of this board coming soon.
Hi guys, thank you for another interesting test!
I do like the idea of clearly explain to whom each single board is better suited for based on each board own characteristics, but I would still have appreciated having the traditional “scoring per characteristic”, like gliding, tracking, rigidity, stability, personal overall preference and such.
Hope you would be able to add the info to this test data in the near future, in case you have collected such data during the test, or at least that you re-introduce those data into future tests.
Cheers,
Giorgio
Hi Giorgio – thanks for the comment and feedback – we will gather the data we have and publish it soon – will let you know when it there.
We have added some Ratings for Glide / Speed, Stability and Tracking to the test post now above
Thank you Will, much appreciated!
Cheers,
Giorgio
Thank you Reuben and team, plus the guest reviewers. That was a super interesting and very comprehensive review. I really liked how clearly you explained everything for multiple boards in different scenarios – the format worked very well.
Glad you brought up the D-ring topic as I also find it peculiar that they’re often placed where they’ll create unecessary drag. I sometimes put tape over mine to minimise that, but it can get worn or knocked off easily.
Hey Charlie, Good to hear you liked the test and the way it was put together. The D ring on noses is a funny one, depending on where there’re placed can makes a big difference on the board. Let’s see if Starboard change theres into the future?
Hi.
If possible, please add information about the volume of the board to the size table. In the review you repeatedly pointed out that Shark is the widest and longest SUP, but if you look at the volume, it is only 3 liters larger than Starboard, which doesn’t seem to be a significant difference.
Hi Danila, volume data has been added to the table. We actually can’t get hold of some of the data as you will see. Volume is not a particularly good metric when comparing boards(particularly inflatables)as they all have plenty of volume to hold any paddler, its more about their shape and construction quality that effects the stability. The data does highlight that the Red is the highest volume, which is something we felt would be the case and we comment on in the video as it is high volume in its nose.