Red Paddle Co just announced their all new 2018 board range - just in time to celebrate their 10th anniversary! As in previous years Red Paddle is innovating, refining, and expanding their range with new boards and new innovations. Here's our thoughts:
Quick Summary of Changes
- 5 new or renamed boards: Ride 10'6" Special Edition, Wind 10'7", Voyager 12'6" & Voyager 13'2", Voyager Tandem, and the Wild 9'6".
- Sharper, more refined graphics on all boards. Every board has either minor or major changes in graphics, marking them distinctly as members of the 2018 Red Paddle Co family.
- Board registration: New this year, if you register your race board online you'll add an extra year to your warranty (2 years total).
- Backpack Updated: Red Paddle is providing to board bags this year. Red Original Classic Backpack and the updated Red Original All Terrain Backpack.
- Paddles: New, more refined graphics on the paddles.
New Boards
Red Paddle Co is continuing to sharpen and tweak their range of boards, here are the biggest changes:
Ride 10'6" Special Edition
To celebrate their 10th Anniversary, Red Paddle Co decided to offer a special edition of the world's most popular inflatable paddle board; the illustrious Ride 10'6" Special Edition. Exactly the same as the Ride 10'6" , the Ride 10'6" SE has snazzy new colors - giving paddlers 2 great choices (classic or SE) to reflect their uniqueness. Expect supplies of this board to be limited.
Wind 10'7"
The Wind 10'7 Ride windsup is the new, renamed version of the Windsup 10'7 from 2017. Featuring new graphics, you still get 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. It has a mast foot built into the board (sail not included), a removable US Fin Box system at the rear (fin included), side thruster fins, and a central US fin box to act as a dagger fin/board (this fin not included) so you can add a US Box style fin giving it impressive tracking when in windsurfer mode.
Voyager 12'6 and 13'2
If you were wondering where the Explorer family went - rest easy. They are not gone, they have been re-branded the Voyager family and keep all of the features that made them great. These have always been two of our favourite boards but with a new name and new graphics you'll appreciate them for any adventure. The 12'6" has also gains RSS battens to provide a added layer of stiffness to the board.
Voyager Tandem
Red Paddle Co is not afraid to experiment and innovate and this year they've proved it with the completely new Voyager Tandem.
A totally unique concept - this wider board, built for two (or even three if the last passenger is smaller) is 15 feet long, 34 inches wide, and 8 inches thick - allowing for plenty of cargo room and the ability to hold a lot of weight - yet still be quicker in the water. We expect this board to appeal both to families and SUP tourers.
Graphic Changes
For 2018, every board has received a change in the look department - some minor and some major. These changes show Red Paddle is bringing the whole fleet to a common font, style and placement.
Check out some of the boards below to compare the changes (use the slider to drag back and forth) :
Board Registration
Red Paddle is now providing 2 years warranty on all of their 2018 boards. There is a catch, you have to register your board via their website. We have always felt Red Paddles' customer service is a cut above the rest. They have been excellent in handling any questions and/or issues that come up with their boards. On top of that they have made some strides on improving their quality of their products (MLS tech and reinforcing their Titan pump to name a couple). This warranty extension is the fruit of that. Also, this puts them in line with most other manufacturers.
Backpack Updates
Continuing with their theme of refining the product, Red Paddle is splitting their board bag into 2 products.
The Red Original All Terrain Backpack is an enhanced version of the 2017 board backpack. Besides adding some red stitching to the front, Red Paddle focused more on the travel benefits. They did this by improving the padding on the shoulder straps and providing an easier way to store the straps when you just need them out of the way. Even the name, All Terrain, suggests that this bag is up to the task for almost any destination. This bag comes with the Ride, Sport and Voyager boards.
The remaining boards will come with the Red Original Classic Backpack. No noticeable difference from last year. But still a great backpack, with carry handles, integrated wheels, foil lining to protect your board from the extreme elements, and pockets on the inside to hold your paddle/fin/RSS in place.
Paddle Updates
Red Paddle likes to refresh their paddle family each year. It gives them a chance to match graphics with their boards. Besides the refresh of the graphics, nothing has changed with the specs. There are a few name changes, and one addition to the family.
Their entry level paddles are more fleshed out. The Kiddy and Alloy has stayed the same, but they added a Midi Alloy to fit right in-between. The Midi Alloy is adjustable between 160-200 cm (Kiddy is 120-170 cm and Alloy 180-220 cm), comes with the push pin adjuster and nylon blade.
Their mid range has stayed the same except the Glass is now called Glass Glass to indicate a glass shaft with a glass blade (opposed to the Glass Nylon having a glass shaft and nylon blade)
Their high end also stays the same except the Carbon Elite is now called Ultimate Carbon and Carbon is now called Carbon Carbon.
Notable Technology and Innovations
Red Paddle only produces inflatable SUPS and tend to lead the industry in new innovations. The past few years have seen the development of many new inflatable sup technologies. Here are a few that stand out:
Mounting points
In 2018 Red Paddle Co boards continues to have at least one Ram Mounting point on all of their boards. This means mounting that GoPro or fishing rod or even a cup holder can easily be added to your SUP. All will have one mounting point at the nose and some boards like the 13'2 Voyager and Wild will have a second (or third) mounting point. Along with RAM Mounts, Red Paddle is adding Railblaza as an official compatibility manufacture to their mounting point system.
FFC
Last year Red Paddle endowed their Elite race boards with the new Forward Flex Control. FFC is a patented innovation by Red Paddle Co to give the Elite boards even more rigidity. A stiffening rod is attached to the nose of the board (on the top). Combined with RSS on the sides, this will significantly limit flex. No other inflatable race boards have this patent protected technology.
FCS fins
FCS is a world-leading surfboard fin creator. The Voyager, Sport and Whip boards for the second year now will all feature the FCS II Connect Fins. No tools or screws needed. Just simply slot in by hand.
Titan Pump
Last year Red Paddle improved their internal design and manufacturing process to improve performance and efficiency on the Titan - including reinforcing the handlebars and including a pump gauge that registers real-time pressure. Red Paddle also included extra adapters (Boston Valve, nozzle and screw-ones) that will work with inflatable kayaks and air mattresses.
Velcro Tabs
Boards with RSS feature a practical velcro tab to tie down the cord. Small but very helpful.
MSL Fusion
Red Paddle continues to use MSL fusion composite and airtight coating for all their boards. MSL involves fusing a second layer of hard-wearing polymer to the drop-stitch core at the raw material stage, removing hand gluing errors. The high-tech industrial process also saves almost 2 kg in weight and makes the boards stiffer at lower pressures. In 2017, they improved this process making the reinforced second layer thicker with increased bond strength.
These are only some of the features and changes you can see on the 2018 Red Paddle Co board range. We are excited to try out these new boards and hear from our customers on how they are exploring our beautiful country of Canada - and beyond. We have already have some Ride 10'6 and Ride 10'8"'s in stock with other boards to follow later. Our main big shipment is expected in February 2018 but we are happy to special order in boards anytime.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us.
2018 Red Paddle Range
Ride Family - the best selling family of all around inflatables in the world!
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| Board | Ride 9'8" | Ride 10'6" | Ride 10'6" SE | Ride 10'8" |
| Who's it for? | lighter riders all-rounder |
all-rounder | all-rounder | bigger/family riders all-rounder |
| Length | 9'8" | 10'6" | 10'6" | 10'8" |
| Width | 31" (78.7 cm) | 32" (81.2 cm) | 32" (81.2 cm) | 34" (86.4 cm) |
| Thickness | 3.93" (10 cm) | 4.7" (12 cm) | 4.7" (12 cm) | 4.7" (12 cm) |
| Volume | 193 litres | 240 litres | 240 litres | 296 litres |
| Rider Weight | up to 210 lbs (95 kg) | up to 220 lbs (100 kg) | up to 220 lbs (100 kg) | up to 265 lbs (120 kg) |
Sport Family - best choice for intermediate and advanced paddlers
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| Board | Sport 11'0" | Sport 11'3" | Sport 12'6" |
| Who's it for? | high performance | bigger riders high performance |
high performance touring |
| Length | 11'0"{ | 11'3" | 12'6" |
| Width | 30" (76.2 cm) | 32" (81.3cm) | 30" (76.2 cm) |
| Thickness | 4.72" (12 cm) | 4.72" (12cm) | 5.9" (15 cm) |
| Volume | 300 litres | 306 litres | 350 litres |
| Rider Weight | up to 198 lbs (90 kg) | up to 242 lbs (110 kg) | up to 330 lbs (150 kg) |
Explorer Family - best choice for those wanting to see what's around the bend
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| Board | Voyager 12'6" | Voyager 13'2" |
| Who's it for? | touring cargo |
touring + performance cargo |
| Length | 12'6" | 13'2" |
| Width | 32" (81.3 cm) | 30" (76.2 cm) |
| Thickness | 5.9" (15 cm) | 5.9" (15 cm) |
| Volume | 370 litres | 350 litres |
| Rider Weight | up to 330 lbs (150 kg) | up to 330 lbs (150 kg) |
Elite Family - best for competitive racers and experienced paddlers
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| Board | 10'6" Max Race | Elite 12'6" 28" | Elite 12'6" 28 | Elite 14' 26 | Elite 14' 25 |
| Who's it for? | young racers | competitive racers | serious racers | competitive racers | ultimate racers |
| Length | 10'6" | 12'6" | 12'6" | 14'0" | 14'0" |
| Width | 24" (61 cm) | 28" (71.1 cm) | 26" (66 cm) | 26" (66 cm) | 25" (66 cm) |
| Thickness | 4.72" (12 cm) | 5.9" (15 cm) | 5.9" (15 cm) | 5.9" (15 cm) | 5.9" (15 cm) |
| Volume | 170 litres | 340 litres | 300 litres | 340 litres | 340 litres |
| Rider Weight | up to 155 lbs (70 kg) | up to 285 lbs (130 kg) | up to 240 lbs (110 kg) | up to 265 lbs (120 kg) | up to 265 lbs (120 kg) |
Others - specific and specialized boards for specific pursuits
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| Board | Activ 10'8" | Whip 8'10" | Snapper 9'4 | Wild 9'6" |
| Who's it for? | yoga, pilates and fitness fans | surfers | young riders | white water racers |
| Length | 10'8" | 8'10" | 9'4" | 9'6" |
| Width | 34" (86.3 cm) | 29" (74 cm) | 27" (68.6 cm) | 34" (86.4 cm) |
| Thickness | 5.9" (15 cm) | 3.93" (10 cm) | 3.93" (10 cm) | 5.9" (15 cm) |
| Volume | 279 litres | 150 litres | 170 litres | 300 litres |
| Rider Weight | up to 265 lbs (120 kg) | up to 200 lbs (90 kg) | up to 132 lbs (60 kg) | up to 265 lbs (120 kg) |
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| Board | Wind 10'7" | WindSurf 10'7" |
| Who's it for? | wind surfers | serious wind surfers |
| Length | 10'7" | 10'7" |
| Width | 33" (83.8 cm) | 33" (83.8 cm) |
| Thickness | 4.7" (12 cm) | 4.7" (12 cm) |
| Volume | 296 litres | 296 litres |
| Rider Weight | up to 265 lbs (120 kg) | up to 265 lbs (120 kg) |
Group Boards - more people the merrier
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| Board | Tandem | Ride L | Ride XL | 22' Dragon |
| Who's it for? | family/group | family/group | family/group | group racing |
| Length | 15'0" | 14'0" | 17'0" | 22'0" |
| Width | 34" (8.63 cm) | 47" (11.94 cm) | 60" (15.24 cm) | 34" (86.3 cm) |
| Thickness | 8" (20 cm) | 8" (20 cm) | 8" (20 cm) | 8" (20 cm) |
| Volume | 723 litres | 816 litres | 1298 litres | 984 litres |
| Rider Weight | for 2 riders | up to 4 riders | up to 8 riders | up to 4 riders |