The 13.8 Tourer is the youngest baby in the paddleboard family, a giant baby so to speak. Timm Kruse, an extreme touring paddler, played a key role in its development, so the direction is clear. The board runs wonderfully straight ahead and seems much more stable than its competitors, although it is not much wider in the centre. As is usual with paddleboard shapes, the nose lies flat in the water and doesn't give away a centimetre of length - allowing you to make rapid progress. Luggage is stowed under huge nets at the front and rear, so you really can take everything you need on tour.
The deck pad has a good grip and is not very structured - you can stand on it for a long time. The equipment and workmanship are impeccable, the split fin box makes packing very easy and a high-quality fin can be attached without tools. A GoPro holder and carrying handles all round round off the touring equipment. In addition to the usual eyelet on the tail, there is another on the carrying handle for the leash. The board is supplied in a waterproof rucksack, which can also be used as a pannier on the board, making the equipment a complete package.
From the standing position, the board turns a little slower, you have to start two or three times, where you are around with one pull on a Starboard Generation, which is due to the nose lying nice and flat in the water. When going back, it lifts out of the water without going too far backwards, with medium to decent tipping stability, with a bit of demand, but without being too demanding.
Conclusion on the Tourer 12'8" x 31" paddle board:
A solid and firm-looking board for long tours with plenty of luggage
Solid and rigid, good directional stability, large load capacity.
Info:
- Price: 1069 Euro
- Length: 416 cm
- Width: 78.7 cm
- Weight: 13.1 kg
- Volume: 345 litres
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.
