All-round
Touring
Pets
Stability
Design
Performance
Price/Quality ratio
Supplied accessories
Reading time: 9 minutes
The ROC paddle board offers a cheap and complete package for beginners
UPDATE: After testing a lot of Amazon’s choices / best sellers, I would choose the Goosehill Sailor paddle board over this one. Still in doubt? Check out my Best cheap paddle board (under $325) guide.
Pro’s
- Very cheap board for a complete package
- Thousands of positive reviews, so reliable
- Great for beginners on calmer waters
- Fun design and multiple color options
- Lightweight with a weight of only 17.5 lbs / 7.9 kg
Cons
- Accessories are low quality
- Not suitable for multiple persons
- Not available everywhere
Most suitable for:
I would recommend the ROC paddle board only for beginners, as this is a real basic board and package. If you want to start paddling without spending a lot of money and want to start on a decent board with a complete package, the ROC paddle board is the way to go.
The board is pretty stable with the size of 10′ long and 32″ wide. For speed this is not an ideal size, but that is not what most beginners are after. This board offers good value for money and if this is your first time getting on a paddle board, you will not be disappointed.
This board is good for starting out for a couple of years of paddling, until you are completely sure you love the sport and want to continue this in the future. At that point, you can still invest in a more advanced board like iRocker/Blackfin/Red Paddle etc. and experience the huge difference it can make.
If you happen to not like paddling (yeah sure ;-)) or if you happen to not be able to paddle due to circumstances (while I’m writing this a lot of people are in quarantine), you do not have a really expensive paddle board just lying around that is not used.
As the board is not that long and doesn’t have the best paddle included, I wouldn’t recommend it for long tours. This board is more suitable for relaxed paddling along the shore or on a quiet river or lake.
Length
Width
Thickness
Weight
Max Rider Weight
Max Air Pressure
Board type
Skill
Primary use
All Round / Relaxing
Speed on the water
The board is designed for beginners with an all-around purpose, speed is not what it is aimed at. It is alright as far as speed goes, but nothing special here.
Transport
The board is very light, even for an inflatable one. The board weighs 8 kg / 17.5 lbs, this makes it easy to carry along everywhere.
Stability
The 32″ width makes the board more stable than your average 30″ width board, which is good for beginners to start on.
My own experience
When I first stepped on the ROC paddle board, it felt almost like a throwback to the days when I started with paddle boarding. It reminded me a lot of the Aqua Marina Fusion paddle board I first started on which almost made this a nostalgic experience. (Jeez I’m getting old)
As I have tried many other brands after, the experience is of course different than that first time with no referential. Now I realize how high-quality inflatable paddle boards actually can be. And in that time, inflatable paddle boards have evolved a lot and feel very different. In a good way of course.
What I like about the board is the stable feeling and the ease to keep a straight line, the two small fins and the big fin help a lot during this process. Speed-wise this is of course not your best board, but to relax and just paddle around this is perfect for beginners.
After testing out the Goosehill Sailor, I would choose that board over the ROC.
The board is of good quality compared to other paddle boards in the same price range. ROC themselves claim it is military-grade PVC and they use advanced welding technology. This makes the board very stiff, but still light. Especially for a 6″ thick board.