Founded in 1974, the company Jobe has since been fully dedicated to water sports. Since 2013, they are also represented in the Stand Up Paddling scene and have since earned an excellent reputation. They have always listened to customer feedback and constantly developed their SUP boards. That’s why they now have a nice selection of boards for beginners and advanced paddlers.
In this article we’re going to take a slightly closer look at our two favorite Jobe Stand Up Paddleboards, the Jobe Duna 11.6 and Jobe Yarra 10.6.
Jobe Yarra 10’6”
The Jobe Aero Yarra is an excellent all-round SUP. The designation “Aero” simply stands for the fact that it is an inflatable SUP, partly it is used by Jobe as an add-on and sometimes not.
The width of 81 cm (32″) ensures high tipping stability, making it easy to get started in Stand Up Paddling. Thanks to the complete set with transport backpack, high-quality fiberglass composite paddle, double stroke air pump, coiled leash and fins, you can immediately start your first adventure. The accessories can convince with high quality throughout.
With a length of 10’6″ (320 cm) the Yarra SUP has a very good maneuverability. The great riding characteristics are further enhanced by the extreme stiffness of the board. With 310 liters of volume and this stiffness, it can easily be used by users weighing up to 130 kg (308 lbs). This means that you can also go for a ride as a couple or with a dog. Even if you attach a little more luggage in the front area under the rubber straps, you can still count on very good running characteristics.
The quality is as usual from Jobe very high, but you can expect at this price. The construction of the Jobe Yarra is called Double-Layer Fusion. Two layers of PVC are laminated onto the drop stitch core as an outer shell with heat. This heat based fusion process, is extremely high quality and results in up to 2kg lighter SUP boards by saving glue. This makes the Yarra board with a net weight of just 9.3 kg a very light board, but which makes no compromises in terms of robustness and stiffness.
Over the years, Jobe has always made adjustments to their SUP boards. Thus, the whole line appears in 2021 with a refreshed look. We personally like the design of the Yarra extremely well, simple, elegant but still very modern. On the one hand, it is available in a red and steel blue color variant.
This consistently high-quality impression is underlined by a 3-year warranty.
Pro
Contra
Jobe Duna 11’6”
The Jobe Duna is our absolute favorite SUP from Jobe. We would describe it as a touring board with all-rounder features. Sure, because it is a little longer, narrower and has a more pointed outer shape, the tipping stability is not quite as high as the Yarra, for example. But with 79 cm (31″) it is still wide enough that even beginners who have a minimal sense of balance can easily master it. However, this dynamic outer shape clearly improves the riding and gliding characteristics. With a maximum load of 160 kg (352 lbs) the Duna can also be used by heavier paddlers or in pairs without any problems. As a touring board, you also benefit from this high load capacity by being able to carry a lot of luggage. This is easily fixed to the SUP with the elastic straps in the front and back.
As you would expect from Jobe, the set comes with high accessories throughout and everything you need to get started quickly: Fiberglass composite paddle, double stroke air pump, coiled leash, fins and waterproof backpack.
The Jobe Duna 11’6″ is also manufactured using the Double-Layers Fusion process. Like the Yarra, a so-called stringer is installed at the top and bottom in the middle of the SUP. This gives the boards even more stiffness. The weight of the board is only 9.6 kg, which is a great value from our point of view.
The Duna has also received a new look in 2021 and is also one of our favorites in this category. Sure, beauty is absolutely a subjective matter of taste, but the Jobe Duna hits our nerve with its turquoise, blue color palette and orange accents. Well done Jobe. The high-quality workmanship and the manufacturer’s confidence in its product is underlined with the 3-year warranty.
