WINDSUP BOARD REVIEW
92 AUGUST 2019
THEY SAY
Yes, a SUP that’s also great forwindsurfing. With the purpose-builtWind 10’7” you get the benefits of theworld’s most popular inflatable SUP,only with the added benefit of beingable to fit a sail for the days when thebreeze 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 innova-
tions 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 in-
flatable 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 slo-
gan 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 paddleincluded (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 sup-
plied 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-laminat-
ing 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 cham-
bers, a repair kit, coiled leash and water resist-
ant 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 ex-
perienced, we can well believe it. The integrity of
the board’s structure is excellent, feeling stiff andgliding cleanly through the water. Step rearwards
and the rounded tail offers an ideal mix of sta-
bility and manoeuvre response, allowing it to be
pivoted as tightly as desired. In stronger winds,
the board sits lower in the water than many oth-
ers 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 begin-
ner / 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, large-
ly (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 pro-
gressing intermediate rider.Red Paddle Co WIND 10'7" MSL
WEB WWW.REDPADDLECO.COM PRICE^ £969
VITAL STATS
Volume (Quoted): 257L.
Length: 10’7”
Width: 83.8 cm / 33”
Thickness: 12.0 cm /
4.7”Weight (‘Naked’,
Brand Quoted): 10.2 kg
Fittings: 2 x US Box 8” +
2 x PE fin
Sizes Available: 10’7”