Yoga
All-round
Pets
Stability
Design
Performance
Price/Quality ratio
Supplied accessories
Hello and welcome everyone to my Surfstar paddle board review! I received this board not too long ago and loved going out on the water with it. This board is especially interesting for beginners because of the low purchase price and the complete package that it offers for this price.
I will tell you how this budget board performs, what it includes, and what the pros and cons are from my day on the water on this board. On this day I have made a lot of pictures of all the accessories and the board itself, as well as drone shots so you can actually see me in action on the Surfstar paddle board.
For the purchase price of the board, it is surely worth it for beginners, you can get out on the water right away to get started with paddling for the first time. Of course, for advanced paddlers or people used to a more expensive board, this will not be a recommended choice.
First I will start with a short summary of this board, all the pros and cons, and what this board can best be used for.
Pro’s
- Offers a lot of value for the low purchase price
- Upon purchase you get a complete quality package so you do not have to incur extra costs to start
- Very beautifully designed paddle board, looks great on the water
Cons
- No kick pad on the board
- The side fins are not removable
- No SUP seat option on the board
- Quite heavy to inflate with the supplied pump
Most suitable for:
The Surfstar paddle board is suitable for all beginners that want to get out on the water and started with paddling without spending too much money on getting a complete package. The package includes all the basic accessories you need to get started out on the water. Of course for this price you can’t expect crazy things like a carbon paddle or a very high quality pump, but everything is good enough to get started on the water.
Great for all beginners, especially on waters that are not too wild. This board is especially suitable for starters and people who have less than 3 years of SUP experience. The board mainly focuses on sportiness and fun, for beginners that want to get started out and occasionally want to have some fun on the water.
| Length | Width | Thickness | Max weight load | Weight board |
| 10’6 | 33″ | 6″ | 320 LBS / 145 kg | 18.8 LBS / 8.5 kg |
Primary use
All Round / Yoga / Relaxing
Speed on the water
The board is mostly aimed at stability and comfort for beginners and less at speed. If you paddle hard enough you will still reach enough speed to move forward in a decent pace.
Transport
It is very easy to transport this SUP because it is inflatable and light. Even on your back if you go with a bicycle. The weight of only 18.8 lbs / 8.5 kg is very easy to carry along.
Stability
The board is stable on the water and the weight capacity of 320 lbs is even enough to take a pet or a child along and sometimes even a second person.
My own experience
As you can see in the pictures in this review I have taken the board out on a nice day, to make all these pictures for you and to test the board and all the included accessories. I didn’t know what to expect, as this is the cheapest board I have ever tested on the website so far.
The package looks very good and colorful, for the price of currently only $310 you really can’t go wrong. It includes a paddle, coiled leash, backpack, pump and repair kit. The board itself looks good as said, with a big grip deck and luggage cords on both front and back. You cannot attach a kayak seat to the Surfstar paddle board and it does not have a kick pad for easier turning.
Another special thing I found on this board was that on the bottom of the nose it has an extra D-ring, for easier carrying when you use SUP wheels or a cart. Or other ways where you can attach a rope to the front of your paddle board for easier carrying, like a car rack.
The board offers a decent stability because of the extra width, the size of 10’6″ x 33″ x 6″ makes sure that you will not wobble too much and you have less chance of falling into the water. The board doesn’t bend through when I’m standing on it and it’s easy to keep a straight line with the three fins on the bottom (of which the big one is removable).
Surfstar indicates that their board has a weight limit of 320 lbs, which I clearly cannot always test on my own, so I will have to trust them in this. So you will be able to take along a pet or child for the ride, or even a second person if you are both lighter persons.
The Surfstar paddle board only has a weight of 18.8 lbs / 8.5 kg it offers a stable platform because of the good technology. The board is very easy to carry along in the supplied backpack to the shore, where I started inflating it in the grass. It took me about 10 minutes to completely inflate the board, I think it’s because the pump in the package is not the best one to do this job fast.
With the Surfstar paddle board I felt very secure on the water, without the board getting too wobbly or unstable. I inflated it well up to the recommended 15 PSI, which of course always helps. The nice EVA-deck pad made sure I didn’t slip, the board has a lot of storage space with a 6 D-ring luggage cord on the nose and a 4 D-ring luggage cord on the back.
Unfortunately there are no D-rings to attach a kayak seat on this board, so if you are looking for a SUP that you can use for kayaking too you should look at a different board.
There are 6 D-rings for the extensive bungee cord on the nose of the board, 4 D-rings for the attachment of a paddle board kayak seat, 4 D-rings in the back (likely for an extra bungee cord in case you go camping) and one D-ring on the tail for ankle leash attachment.
The board is mostly recommended for more quiet waters, as is mostly the case with budget paddle boards. Of course if there are a few small waves it won’t impact your paddling that much, aside from some wobbling or instability sometimes. For going paddling on the ocean with wilder waves I would recommend purchasing a more advanced paddle board.
The package was very complete for the low purchase price, with even a paddle and pump included, along with a SUP leash and a pretty convenient backpack.
Admittedly the pump could have been even better for inflating the board quickly, this pump is quite low quality which makes it more difficult to inflate the board at high speed. If you have an electric SUP pump it is a very welcome upgrade in this case.
The three fins on the Surfstar paddle board enable you to keep the board on a straight line while paddling over the water. You could opt to leave the big fin out completely as it is removable, but personally I would always recommend using all three of the fins for extra traction in the water.
Important features
Setup
- The soft anti-slip EVA deck is super comfortable to stand on, easy for additional rider or pet, bright color and sporty design make it popular among different age groups.
- 12 D-rings. 6 D-rings on the nose attached with a bungee cord. 4 extra D-rings for an extra bungee cord on the tail of the board. 1 D-ring on the tail for ankle leash attachment and 1 D-ring on the bottom of the nose for easier transport of the board on wheels or a cart.
- Comfortable neoprene handle on the nose, in the middle and back of the board
Fins
The Surfstar paddle board comes with a removable slide-in center fin and two smaller non-removable fins to the sides of the big fin.
Material
The Surfstar paddle board is made out of military grade PVC and advanced gluing technology. It can carry up to 320 lbs with a board weight of only18.8 lbs!
Inflate / deflate
The Surfstar paddle board is inflated in nearly 10 minutes with the included high pressure pump.
Warranty
1 year warranty on production errors (not for accessories)
Design
Very stylish and modern design and brightly colored as you can see on my pictures below.
Included in the Surfstar Paddle Board package
Paddle
In the package of the Surfstar paddle board there is an adjustable 3-pieces aluminum paddle included (that stays afloat). This very high quality and lightweight paddle floats and is equipped with a nylon blade. The paddle can be height adjusted so it is always on the right length.
The ergonomic grip on top ensure that you can paddle around the water easily and quick, even with wet hands. Because the paddle can be broken up into 3 pieces it is very easy to pack in the supplied backpack.
Check out the Best SUP Paddles for 2022
Pump
The Surfstar high pressure pump that is included with the purchase of this paddle board is in all honesty the lowest quality accessory that is included. It took me about 10 minutes to fully inflate this board and it was pretty hard to do. Note that the pressure gauge doesn’t start working right away, you need to put in quite some air first before this is usable. This does not mean that the pump is broken!
The pump is easy to carry along in the supplied high quality backpack, so you don’t have to carry this separately in your hand.
Read my full guide on the Best SUP Pumps for 2022
Leash
The Surfstar paddle board comes with a coiled leash, as most of the paddle boards these days do. I love these, because they only extend when you actually fall into the water, so they are not in the way when you are on the board and paddling. The comfortable padding around the ankle makes it easy to wear without it hurting your skin or being too tight.
Always make sure to wear this leash when going out on the water, so you will not lose your board. Especially when you are going on rivers or oceans where the current is stronger it is vital to wear this, as you will always be able to get to the surface. After a fall you might get disoriented and can’t distinguish up and down, a SUP leash will save your life in these cases.
Backpack
The package of the Surfstar paddle board includes a very comfortable backpack with padded shoulder strappings, so you can easily carry along this already very light board. The extra chest clasp makes it even easier and more stable to keep the backpack in place while moving around.
In more premium paddle board packages you see that the backpack often has wheels, but because the Surfstar paddle board is so light, these are not even needed. It has a great design and a small front pocket to save all your valuables in.
Fin
The three fins on the bottom of the board (of which the big one is removable) ensure that you can keep a straight line when paddling easier, so you need less adjusting of direction with the paddle.
Because this big fin uses a universal fin box it is also easy to use a different fin, in case you prefer a different fin for different kinds or waters or activities.
Repair kit
The repair kit that comes with the board is concealed in a handy orange floating tube, which can also be used to store other things if needed. The kit includes some PVC patches (although you need to mess up quite badly to damage this sturdy board) and a valve wrench.
Optional accessories (my must-haves – not included)
Here are two of my favorite accessories for this year. One for safety and one because I like to use my time wisely (like take pictures while my board inflates itself) 😋
Outdoormaster Shark 2
My favorite Electric SUP pump among all. Buy it here and save 35% with code TOM35 today.
Restube classic
Because extra safety measures never hurt anyone! Buy it here and save 10% with code SUPWORLD10 today.
Difference between an Inflatable board and a Hard board
Advantages Inflatable board
- Easy to take on holiday (even on the plane)
- Easy to store in the winter days
- Much cheaper
- Technology has improved greatly over the past 10 years. For this reason, these boards are now almost hard to distinguish from hard boards
Advantages Hardboard
- More speed, which is important if you are a professional
- Easier to make sharp turns on the water because the board is thinner
- No inflation needed, you can get on the water right away
Other reviews of the Surfstar Paddle Board online
The Surfstar Paddle Board is a very popular Stand Up Paddle Board and has gathered quite a lot of reviews on the internet.
A short overview of these reviews below:
Amazon.com: Rating 4.7/5. “If your looking for a iSUP that will not break the bank I recommend the new Surfstar 10’6” inflatable. I have owned over 15 boards with about 5 different brands for the price I paid for this one I was amazed on the well built by hand the board is. We took it down to Rock Springs in Central Florida for its first paddle with and against the current. The board was easy to maneuver for a person that has only paddle her 3rd time.
The items that comes with the also nice bag is removable back fin, paddle, repair kit, waterproof pouch, leash and manual pump that I may never use since I use an electric pump. Living in Georgia I also like the fact that there is not much white areas on the board to keep the GA red clay from all the stains.” (Based on 102 reviews)
DiveIn.com: “An excellent no-frills choice for beginners as an entry level board, the Surfstar Flight 10’6″ is one of the best budget options available right now. With an extra inch of width, this board is more stable and sturdy than similar models.
Families as well as occasional paddle boarders will also find this board a decent choice. While it is affordable, it includes all the essentials, ensuring an easy jump into paddle boarding experience, great for new suppers who are starting out.”
Conclusion: Should I buy the Surfstar paddle board?
The Surfstar paddle board offers all of the basics you need to go out paddling on the water for the first time, for a very low purchase price. The complete package with the paddle, leash, pump and backpack makes it easy to go out on the water right away on your board.
Even though the board is missing some more advanced things like a kick pad and a kayak seat option, it offers all the functions you need for regular stand up paddle boarding on more quiet water. Which is what beginners are mostly looking for in the first place.
The Surfstar paddle board can carry up to 320 lbs, which is enough for even taller and bigger people to stay afloat. In most cases you can also take a lot of luggage or camping gear along, as the board has a big 6 D-ring bungee cord on the front and a 4 D-ring bungee on the back. So you have enough room to take all the gear you want.
If you don’t exceed the weight limit you can also take a child, pet or even a second person (but you need to be rather small both with this weight limit).
Overall this is a great board for the very low price, which is why I have named this board in my best cheap paddle board guide. If you are looking for a cheap board to get started on for the first time, this is a great choice!
After testing out Surfstar, I would recommend the Goosehill Sailor over it because of its superior quality.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Surfstar Paddle Board
What is the maximum carrying capacity of the Surfstar Paddle Board?
320 lbs / 145 kg
What is the weight of the Surfstar Paddle Board?
18.8 lbs / 8.5 kg
What is the air pressure of the Surfstar Paddle Board?
15 PSI
What is the size of the Surfstar Paddle Board?
10’6 x 33″ x 6″ / 320 x 83.8 x 15 cm
Which paddle does the Surfstar Paddle Board include?
Adjustable 3-pieces aluminum paddle (that stays afloat)
What kind of pump comes with the Surfstar Paddle Board?
The Surfstar hand pressure air pump
How many D-rings does the Surfstar Paddle Board have?
12 D–rings. 6 D–rings on the nose attached with a bungee cord. 4 More D–rings for the bungee cord on the tail. 1 D–ring on the tail for ankle leash attachment and 1 D-ring on the bottom of the nose for easy carrying.
What is the warranty on the Surfstar Paddle Board?
1 – year manufacturer‘s warranty and friendly customer service
How many carry handles does the Surfstar Paddle Board have?
3 comfortable neoprene handle on the nose, the center and the back of the board
How many fins does the Surfstar Paddle Board have?
1 Large detachable central fin and 2 small non-removable fins
What material is the Surfstar Paddle Board made of?
Military grade PVC and advanced gluing technology makes it a suitable choices for long durability while learning to paddle
What is your opinion on the Surfstar paddle board? Would you purchase this as your first board as the price is so low, or do you maybe already have this board at home? Let me know in the comments what you think about this board.
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Review written by:
Tom
Hi! My name is Tom. During the year I try to be on a paddle board as much as possible. By reading this blog you'll stay updated on everything I test on the water :)
Questions? Ask me anything.
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