Inflatable Boards 2023: Glory Boards Paw 11'0" x 31.0" in test - the SUP for dogs
Stephan Gölnitz
· 05.06.2023
The board with the dog's paw is first and foremost a classic all-rounder in 11 feet. With its very light construction, the board feels really fluffy in the hand when carried. On the water, it is lively and agile when accelerating and turning, but also a little more wobbly around the longitudinal axis - like all very light boards - than is usual for the width. But still in moderation.
The special feature here is not the design of the deck pad, but the fact that the pad goes all the way to the tip of the bow. Your four-legged friend has plenty of space here and won't immediately scratch through the board laminate with their claws. The pad on our test board was still the standard thickness, but will be thicker in future versions.
The board turns very easily and quickly even without changing position. If you place one foot roughly at the end of the rear dog's paw, you are still very stable, the board lifts easily out of the water and turns at will like a puck on mirror-smooth ice. The achievable speeds are within the range of an 11-foot all-rounder. For sprinting, you should get a narrower and longer board. If you're looking for a light, easy-turning all-round board that comes with a space blanket for the board dog as standard, you'll find a suitable model here.
There are three fins in the tail, which give the board very good directional stability despite only 11 feet, do not slow it down noticeably and are quicker to fit with the sliding system than a single fin with fin plates. Four rings on the board make it possible to mount a kayak seat.
Conclusion on the Glory Boards Paw 11'0" x 31.0":
A lightweight, easy-turning board for mum, dad and dog. Included in the price: a 30 per cent carbon paddle.
Very light, large pad up to the bow, quick to fit sliding fins.
Info:
- Price: 649 Euro
- Length: 335.0 cm
- Width: 78.0 cm
- Weight: 8.7 kg
- Volume: 325 litres
- Web: www.gloryboards.com
Stephan Gölnitz
Deputy Editor in Chief surf
Stephan Gölnitz comes from Bochum and had Holland as his home windsurfing territory for many years before moving to Munich in 1996 for the job of test editor at surf magazine. The materials engineering graduate worked as a surf instructor on the Ijsselmeer during his studies and competed for several seasons for the Essen sailing team in the Surfbundesliga and the Funboard Cup. He completed a traineeship at surf-Magazin in the test department and since then has actively accompanied almost all tests on the boom and for more than 10 years also as a photographer. Stephan has covered many thousands of test kilometers, mainly on Lake Garda and in Langebaan, but also in Egypt and Tobago. He gets his hands on over 100 new sails and boards every year as his company car. Privately, he prefers to surf with a foil on Lake Walchensee or “unfortunately far too rarely” in the waves. SUP is Stephan's second passion, which he pursued for several years at numerous SUP races. Today, he prefers to paddle on river tours with family or friends - even for several days.
