Even though touring boards between 11 and 13 feet are becoming increasingly important, many first-time buyers are still opting for compact, handy all-round boards up to a maximum length of 11 feet. With a smaller pack size and lower weights, these boards often impress from the very first check in the shop. Compared to a 14-foot Naish Maliko, a Mistral Sumatra 10'6" looks like a cashmere blanket rolled up into a baking tray. However, the requirements for the 14-foot race projectile are also different from those for a compact fun board. The new top brand is Red Paddle with the Compact 9'6". With this board, everything has been optimised for transport and manageability, the rucksack is only half the usual size. The board is first folded and then rolled, made possible by very soft materials and the double fin at the back. However, they are a little fiddly to fit, but then keep the direction very well. The Red Paddle is the only board with a large luggage net. This is another feature for maximum mobility. After all, if you're travelling to the water by suburban train, you need somewhere to put the packsack and pump. The other boards know - at least the designers do - that they rarely paddle very far from the boarding point and therefore tend to offer small nets.
The entire test report on the compact all-round boards with these products, including all results, technical data and ratings, is available as a PDF in the download area below:
- Aqua Marina Beast 10'6'' x 32,0''
- Ascan Touring 11'3'' x 32.0''
- Bic Evo Wing Set 11'0'' x 32,0''
- I-99 Duo Elite 10'6'' x 33,0''
- Mistral Sumatra 10'6'' x 31,0''
- Norden Touring Softtop 11'0'' x 30.0''
- Red Paddle Compact 9'6'' x 32,0''
- Sup & Soul Family & Dog 11'8'' x 32,0''
