Product of the week - RRD AirRace 12'6" x 28"

To win the RRD AirRace you can walk around twice and see a different board from each side. We had the board at our disposal for four weeks, sometimes as training equipment, sometimes as a tourer and also in two real SUP races. The board was always convincing, with a new facet to discover every week.

The board is only 28 inches wide It is also narrow at the bow and stern, and the nose is kept pointed in a racing style. The board does not lie completely flat in the water, but is slightly bent up at the front over the first 50 centimetres. The glued-on pad is large enough and a luggage net holds your equipment. Inflated to 15 psi, the board is stiff and very direct on the water.

Inflatable boards so far we have only tested 30 inch wide, more comfortable versions or 25 to 26 inch narrow race boards. Even with a race shape, 30 inch wide boards are already somewhat in the sporty touring corner, while the narrow race boards are noticeably demanding even for paddlers under 80 kilos and with a lot of paddling experience in choppy water.

And precisely into this gap shoots the RRD. The board looks like a race board - only a good deal more stable. Or like a touring board - a good portion sportier. Depending on which side you look at it from.

Especially for very light paddlersFor beginners, teenagers or paddlers with a good sense of balance, the Airrace is not only a competitive iRace SUP, but also a good all-round board for touring and sometimes not completely smooth water.

With a total of three raceswe were able to keep up very well with the RRD in the 12'6" class among all iSUPS and touring boards. The slightly raised bow doesn't lie completely on the surface in mirror-smooth water, but goes very nicely over the waves, especially in light swell on the course against the waves, and enables good speed on this course in particular. It always requires attention, but never throws you off unexpectedly, even in strong winds the RRD remains easy to ride - as I said: for lighter paddlers or those who are already experienced. As a first beginner's board, the board is a touch too wobbly for the majority.

Conclusion: I could imagine a board like the AirRace 12'6" x 28" with my weight of 79 kilos as an inflatable all-round race board for all conditions. One of our test subjects, a very light, very sporty beginner paddler weighing just under 55kg, was immediately impressed by the feeling of speed and found it easy to handle; and for my test partner, who weighs around 60kg and has several years of SUP racing experience, these are exactly the dimensions of a good year-round training board.