It’s clear right from the moment you unpack it: the iSUP Duotone Raven is based on a well-thought-out overall design. The board is delivered in a cardboard box, stowed in a rucksack and, apart from that, protected exclusively by paper and cardboard – a welcome sustainable approach. Accessories such as the fin and valve key are contained in a separate small cardboard box.
A handy, well-designed rucksack
However, the first impression is clearly shaped by the rucksack: high-quality workmanship, a sleek design and deliberately without rollers Designed to save weight and make it much easier to stow away – an advantage over many bulkier rolling systems. The padded shoulder straps ensure a high level of comfort, even on longer journeys. Handy: up to two paddles can be attached to the sides. If you’re only using one paddle, you can easily trim the Velcro fastening so that even a single paddle sits securely. Despite its compact design, the rucksack offers plenty of space – even a loosely rolled-up board fits inside with ease, and there’s still room for a towel or water bottle.
Duotone Raven: A board with clever features
- Very light overall weight thanks to modern construction (7.8 kilos without air, without fin)
- Lightweight drop-stitch core
- Thin, soft saddle pad
- Wedge-shaped pad at the rear
- Multi-section fin box for easier reeling in
- Combined rolling and carrying strap with padding
- A sufficiently large luggage net at the front
- Camera mount and towing eye at the bow
Extensive range of features
Four eyelets allow not only the carrying strap to be attached, but also the optional use of a kayak seat. A GoPro mount is fitted at the bow, complemented by a large luggage net for tours. There are also towing eyes at the front and rear for a leash and safety. The fin stands out thanks to its large surface area and can be fitted without tools – a small detail with great practical benefits. Overall, the Raven presents itself on land as a well-designed, lightweight and very user-friendly all-round package, which is particularly good value for money.
The Duotone Raven on the water: agility with touring capabilities
Out on the water, the Duotone Raven immediately reveals its own unique character. The slightly upturned nose ensures that small waves are ridden cleanly, whilst the tail is also raised slightly. This design reduces drag during manoeuvres – without noticeably compromising directional stability; instead, the large fin provides excellent control to compensate.
As soon as you start paddling, you’ll notice straight away: the board accelerates remarkably fast and feels light and responsive underfoot. The large fin also ensures stable straight-line tracking – a classic touring feature. Despite its light weight, the board impresses with its solid stiffness thanks to
- 6 inches thick
- approx. 15 PSI pressure
- maintains its shape even under a load of around 84 kg
It also copes well with dynamic stress tests (e.g. jumping on the board). Subjectively, it feels slightly softer under the heels – a typical sensation with lightweight boards, which, however, does not prove to be a disadvantage in practice. Viewed from the side, the board shows a visible, continuous rocker – in plain English: flex – which, however, is not caused by the load but is the predefined shape, which does not change further even under a load of 84 kilos. This reduces the effective waterline slightly: which is excellent for easy turning, but also comes with a slight reduction in theoretical top speed.
A narrow rear end calls for good balance
The 32-inch width ensures good basic stability, particularly when standing in the centre of the board. This makes the Raven suitable even for rougher conditions and longer tours with luggage. For those who prioritise maximum stability, we recommend taking a look at the Duotone Blitz 12’0’’: with a width of 33 inches and significantly more width at the tail as well. It’s certainly suitable for touring too, but is undoubtedly more stable.
Things get exciting when it comes to handling:
- Excellent responsiveness by raising the ends
- Efficient crossbow turns
- A sporty feel when performing pivot turns
However, the Pivot Turn (where you move far back towards the tail until the front of the board lifts out of the water) really highlights its sporty character: the narrower tail requires a bit more balance. But that’s precisely what makes the board more responsive and interesting than many wide, rather sluggish touring boards. With a good sense of balance, you can find the wedge-shaped pad with your rear foot and get a firm grip there for tight, sporty turns. But as already mentioned: with the Blitz 12’0’’ x 33, Duotone has an easier-to-paddle board in its range. The Raven impresses with its acceleration and offers low drag at medium speeds. In terms of absolute top speed, the shape sacrifices around 50 centimetres at the bow due to the upward curve. On the other hand, this should allow the bow to glide smoothly over smaller waves, even when loaded and in choppy water.
surf’s verdict on the Duotone Raven: a touring board that’s great fun
With the Raven, Duotone has produced a board that combines classic features for comfortable touring with surprising agility, making it a great choice as a fun and family-friendly board right by the beach. It isn’t strictly a sports tourer – instead, it positions itself as All-rounder, who:
- is easy to carry (weighs just 7.8 kilos) and is also good for carrying sections
- provides sufficient load-bearing capacity
- still handles with sufficient stability whilst remaining playful
- stays on course thanks to its large fin
- is easy even for children to use
The new construction method using welded rails contributes to weight savings and durability, and represents a clear step forward compared with earlier generations (known under the Fanatic brand). Priced at around 529 euros you get a well-coordinated package comprising a board, rucksack and accessories.
For more information, visit duotonesports.com
Stephan Gölnitz
Deputy Editor in Chief surf