RED PADDLE CO WIND 10’7″ MSL 2019 REVIEW
RED PADDLE CO WIND 10’7″ MSL 2019 REVIEW
THEY SAY
Yes, a SUP that’s also great for windsurfing. With the purpose-built Wind 10’7” you get the benefits of the world’s most popular inflatable SUP, only with the added benefit of being able to fit a sail for the days when the breeze is up.
WE SAY
Red Paddle Co are the benchmark inflatable stand-up-paddle board brand, being the first to really champion the construction method and demonstrate its worth. And whilst all other brands have been hot on their heels, the innovations from this proud British company continue to come and forge the future pathway in inflatable technology. The latest movement is demonstrated in their new 9’6” Compact – a SUP that uses a new weave, said to have an “extra-high-resolution thread matrix”, which in effect allows the board to pack down to half the size of a conventional inflatable board. They have a patent-pending on the technology, so they obviously believe it is a game changer! Back to the 10’7” on test, and Red’s slogan for this board is that it’s “great for making the most of all conditions.” In essence it’s the one board does all product and comes supplied as standard in a package, allowing you to choose the grade and material of the three-piece paddle included (the price quoted above includes the budget alloy nylon option). On closer inspection, the clean uncomplicated appearance of the 10’7” hides the quality and detailing within, such as the subtly embossed Red Paddle Co logo on the deck pad, which changes to diamond grooves in the rear section to help indicate where your feet are on the board through feel. There’s a neat badge in the front of the deck pad, encouraging the user to use a knuckle-jointed UJ (one of which is supplied as standard with the board), and a camera mount point just below the padded handle on the nose. All these fixings sit on top of Red’s famous Monocoque Structural Laminate (MSL) hull – a unique process Red say has been mimicked by others, yet not matched. It involves pre-laminating the outer PVC layers onto the internal drop stitch chamber so that weight is reduced without compromising structural strength or integrity. It comes complete with Red’s All Terrain backpack, their excellent Titan pump with its two chambers, a repair kit, coiled leash and water resistant phone case. Taken out for a paddle in light marginal winds, the Wind performs as we have come to expect from a Red inflatable – incredibly well! It is super comfortable under foot, the deck pad providing enough traction, without a hint of pins and needles in the feet after long periods of use. On the brand’s website the literature states this board can be used by riders up to 120 kg in weight. We would suggest that’s right on the edge of its useable range, yet if the heavier rider is experienced, we can well believe it. The integrity of the board’s structure is excellent, feeling stiff and gliding cleanly through the water. Step rearwards and the rounded tail offers an ideal mix of stability and manoeuvre response, allowing it to be pivoted as tightly as desired. In stronger winds, the board sits lower in the water than many others here, due to its 4.7” thickness, meaning that it naturally copes better. Fix the knuckle joint in place, attach a rig and the Red is a great beginner / improver windsurfer for light to medium weight riders. The two fins supplied are the same size, leading us to question whether the central one is under-cooked when many other brands opt to super-size their central fin. And yet the Red performs well, even in windier conditions, largely (we assume), due to the more rearward position of the central fin-box. Feeling light and responsive, the 10’7” accelerates easily as power is applied and whilst it’s not really a planing hull, can provide an excellent safe companion to the progressing intermediate rider.
Other boards in this test:
THE LINE UP
• STARBOARD HYPER NUT
4 IN 1 7’4” STARLITE