Now a world-renowned brand, Red Paddle Co. was founded in 2008 by former pro windsurfer John Hibbard. After years of struggling with heavy and cumbersome hardboard SUP, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Today, Red Paddle Company is one of the most renowned inflatable paddle board manufacturers around. High quality, super durability combined with an impressive accessory package make especially the two Red Paddle Ride (10’6″, 10’8″) boards some of the best selling Stand Up Paddleboards worldwide.
Why is it worth buying Red Paddle Co boards?
As mentioned in the intro, the Red Paddle Company absolutely stands out as a manufacturer of premium SUPs. As a company that has been passionate about the sport of Stand Up Paddling since its inception, they continue to position themselves at the top of the industry year after year. As pioneers of material innovations and new technologies, you can be sure to buy a product that is absolutely at the cutting edge of development.
Another reason for Red Paddle’s success, besides their ability to innovate, is their absolute focus on the quality of their products. With the probably not-so-serious quality testing process from the video above, Red Paddle Co. shows what their boards can withstand. Making a funny video is one more thing, but the less than 0.5% return rate clearly shows that these SUP boards are of the highest quality. That’s an absolute top rate that very few manufacturers can match. With a warranty of 5 years Red Paddle Co. proves the absolute confidence in their paddleboards.
Next, we’ll take a closer look at Red’s two most popular SUP boards, the Ride 10’6″ and Ride 10’8″.
Red Paddle Co. Ride 10’6”
The Ride SUP are classic all-round boards with a rather rounded and wide construction. This makes them the ideal SUPs especially for beginners. The width of 32″ (81 cm) ensures that the board lies very calmly in the water, which of course simplifies the first attempts. A special feature, however, is the thickness of just 12 cm (4.7″). Most other manufacturers only offer boards with a thickness of 15 cm, because they need this thickness to get a stiff SUP. Red Paddle Co. on the other hand, with their patented Tec Air and MSL Fusion manufacturing processes, manage to produce an extremely stiff and hard board even with these 12 cm, which will not flex under greater loads. The advantage of a thin board is on the one hand that it weighs less and on the other hand that it lies better in the water.
Red Paddle states the maximum rider weight as up to 108 kg (240 lbs). From our point of view this is realistic. Other brands usually focus on the maximum load (rider weight + luggage/load). We assume that light paddlers can also travel with a child or dog without any problems. For heavier paddlers or if you always want to use the SUP with two people, we recommend the slightly larger variant, the Ride 10’8″.
Not only for beginners, but also for advanced paddlers who are looking for a high quality board with good maneuverability, nice handling and a wide range of use, the Red Paddle Company Ride 10’6″ is just the right thing.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Ride 10’6″
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Red Paddle Co. Ride 10’8”
The Ride 10’8″ from Red Paddle is, as you might have guessed, practically the same board as its little brother, except that it is 10 cm longer and 4 cm wider. This makes it a little more stable and even better for people who have never stood on a SUP before. Also, if you want to do yoga, pilates or fitness exercises outside on a calm lake, this increased stability obviously helps an advantage.
The maximum rider weight is unfortunately not exactly specified by Red Paddle Co., but we estimate that paddlers up to a weight of 130 kg (285 lbs) can benefit from the optimal riding characteristics. Therefore, larger paddlers or if you want to be on the move more often with two people or with a dog etc., it is best to go for this 10’8″ variant of the Ride.
Otherwise, practically everything is the same. With the thickness of 4.7″ (12 cm) the board has a slightly lower center of gravity and you lie nicely in the water. In contrast to the thicker boards, with which you sometimes have the feeling to be more above the water and is therefore more carried away by the wind.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Ride 10’8″
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Kontra
Construction and build quality of the Red Paddle Co. Ride SUP
In terms of quality, you get exactly what you expect from a premium brand with a Red Paddle SUP. A modern board, with stylish design and impeccable build quality.
The boards are constructed with a super tight drop stitch core. This core is found in all inflatable SUP boards and is actually made up of thousands of threads that connect the bottom and top together. Once the board is then filled with air, this drop-stitch core gives the SUP its shape. The more tightly woven this core is, the more precise the shape will be and of course the more pressure the board can withstand. Red Paddle gives the recommended pressure with 16-22 psi.
The PVC outer shell is laminated to this core using Red Paddle Co’s own patented MSL process. This means that the layers are joined together with heat, which means that no glue has to be used. Thanks to this construction, the Ride boards are up to 2 kg lighter than other comparably robust and stiff paddleboards.
Along the edges, this is additionally reinforced with a so-called rail band. Therefore, it can quickly happen that you bump into something in this area, you do not have to worry. These boards were built to be used extensively.
Features and equipment of the Ride 10’6″ & 10’8″
EVA pad: The boards are covered with a non-slip, large deck pad. This feels comfortable to stand on and gives you the support you need to paddle at full power. The standing area is very spacious and extends all the way to the rear and really to the edges. Especially if you are two on the SUP, want to perform any exercises or just lie in the sun is an EVA pad of this size an important feature.
Luggage area: Red Paddle also goes its own way with the luggage net in the front area of the boards. In the latest generation of Ride SUPs, the elastic cords have been replaced by more resistant and easily adjustable luggage straps.
Finns: The fins have also received a small change in the current variant of the Ride. Recently, simply two lateral fins are permanently installed. With these you get a nice straight line and never have to worry about the assembly. Personally, we are not the biggest fans of fixed fins, because they bend in part and the boards can be rolled up a little less small.
Carrying Handles: The Ride 10’6″ & 10’8″ each feature 3 carry handles. Classic one in the middle of the board and additional front and rear. This makes it easy to water and to carry two.
Accessories in the Red Paddle Sets
ATB Transformer Board Bag: With the Red Paddle Co. Ride you get a really good backpack, which also deserves this name. Thanks to well-padded and adjustable to the body size straps you can easily go longer distances. Thanks to the integrated wheels, it can also be pulled behind you without any problems. The spacious interior compartment with intelligent subdivision allows you to pack the SUP and accessories well. This backpack is also one of the things that has been updated over the years and from our point of view a valuable addition to this premium package.
Titan II SUP Pump: Included with the Ride SUP is the Titan II pump, arguably one of the best SUP pumps around. Thanks to the two-chamber system, there are 3 different modes with which you can inflate the board to the target pressure of 16 to 21 psi in no time. Thanks to the printed instructions, even beginners will know immediately with which mode they get to the goal the fastest.
Red Paddle Co. leash: We believe that wearing a leash is one of the most important safety aspects. This prevents the SUP from drifting away even if it falls into the water and you always have the “saving” swimming platform close at hand. The package of the Ride Boards includes a coiled leash.
Conclusion and recommendation
The Red Paddle Company 10’6″ Ride is a really great SUP, not just for beginners, but for everyone. As an all-round board it has balanced riding characteristics and can be used in different waters, conditions and purposes.
With Red Paddle as the manufacturer, you know that quality is one of the best SUP ever and you can expect high durability. Combined with the accessory set, which is also of the highest quality, the slightly higher purchase price is absolutely justified. For that you buy with the Red Paddle Co. Ride 10’6″ & 10’8″ SUP boards, which will give many years of pleasure.
