The Red Paddle Co. 12’6″ Sport Plus. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
It’s no secret that Red Paddle Co. makes great paddle boards. I’ve paddled a handful of its boards while creating our Best Inflatable Paddle Boards Guide, and they have yet to disappoint. Although the boards can be pricey, they are always incredibly high quality and a blast to paddle. The Red Paddle Co. 12’6″ Sport Plus ($1,349) is no exception.
A part of Red’s all-new Future series, the Sport Plus is a touring-style board that was created to deliver a blend of stability and speed. I’m an endurance athlete at heart, and distance has always been my M.O. I love packing a lunch and setting out for a day-long adventure. In order to put the Sport Plus to the test, I spent a few weeks paddling it near my home in Santa Cruz, California. I paddled in on a calm, sheltered river as well as on the open ocean.
Bottom Line: If you’re someone who likes to go on long paddling adventures, the Sport Plus is a hydrodynamic board with tie-down straps for stashing your gear. It’s best suited for paddlers with some experience, as it sacrifices some stability for its streamlined design, but it still delivers a smooth, secure ride.
check price on Green Water Sports check price on RED Paddle Co
Related: Best Inflatable Paddle Boards | Best Stand Up Paddle Boards
| Pros | Cons |
| The included bag has wheels | Pricey |
| Double barrel pump is very efficient | Not as stable as an all-around shape |
| The rocker stiffening system makes the board feel like a traditional hard board | Doesn’t come with a paddle |
Testing the Sport Plus in Santa Cruz
Size Tested: 12’6″
Available Sizes: 12’6″, 14′
Weight (Board): 21 lbs
Weight (Full Package): 32 lbs
Weight Capacity: 250 lbs
Volume: 252 L
My husband and I recently began splitting time between Oahu and Santa Cruz. An overseas move is tricky, and I ended up leaving all of my paddle boards at my home in Oahu. Because paddling is a big part of my life, I wanted a board I could keep in Santa Cruz that was fast and stable but also packed down small so I could easily store it in our apartment. The Sport Plus seemed like the perfect board, and when it arrived, I was eager to get on the water and test it out.
In order to put this board to the test, my husband and I spent the past month paddling it near our home in Santa Cruz. We both love adventures and wanted to see if the board was stable enough for open ocean paddles, but speedy enough so we could take it on longer expeditions.
I’m a very experienced paddler and typically paddle a narrow raceboard, so touring boards feel extra wide and stable to me. My husband only paddles a few times a year and is a lot less experienced, so we took turns paddling the Sport Plus to see if it would satisfy a wide range of ability levels. Spoiler alert: It does.
There’s a lot to love about the Sport Plus. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
What I Love About the Sport Plus
There’s a lot to love about the Sport Plus, and really any board from Red Paddle Co. While the board itself is high quality and fun to paddle, Red Paddle Co. thinks through every detail of the board’s construction, as well as all the accessories it comes with. The pump and bag are exceptional, and the board is fast yet stable.
The double-barrel pump is very efficient. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
The Pump
Pumping up an inflatable paddle board takes some more. Most iSUP packages include a pump, but rarely are they high-quality. The Titan 2 Pump included with the Sport Plus is the exception to the rule.
The Titan 2 Pump is a double-barrel pump that delivers twice as much air with each pump, greatly cutting down on the amount of effort required on your end. To cut down on storage space, the base folds up, and the handle is removable. I have tried a lot of pumps in my 13 years of paddling, and the Titan 2 is hands down the best one I have ever come across.
Wheeled bags are a game changer for transporting heavy boards. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
The Bag
Most iSUP packages come with a bag, and usually, I just think of them as a place to store the board. But the ATB Transformer Board Bag included with the Sport Plus is thoughtfully designed to make packing the board and transporting it as easy as possible.
First of all, the bag is spacious enough to easily repack the board and all of its accessories. It has an outline of a paddle to show where it fits into the bag, making the Tetris game of repacking a bit easier. The pack includes ergonomic shoulder straps as well as exterior compression straps that help you cinch down the bag so it can be as small as possible.
The Sport Plus packs down small, so it’s easy to get it back in the bag. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
But the biggest selling point of the bag is the wheels. I like to travel with my paddle board, and while backpack straps are helpful, it can be challenging to carry a board through the airport. Wheels are a game changer and make it so easy to wheel your bag to your car, to the beach, or through an airport. It’s a small thing, but for me, it makes a massive difference.
The rocker stiffening system (RSS) makes the board extra rigid. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
Rocker Stiffening System (RSS)
According to the board’s description, the rocker stiffening system is “a patented breakthrough that has been developed to significantly increase the rigidity of inflatable boards by up to 50%.” I can’t speak to that specific percentage, but I did find that inserting the battens into the side of the board made it feel more like a traditional hard board than an inflatable.
The first time I paddled the Sport Plus, I inflated it fully and attempted to insert the battens into the side of the board, and I wasn’t able to. The next time, I put only a tiny bit of air in the board, and I was able to insert them without any trouble. Make sure you get them fully inserted and secured – you don’t want any plastic sticking out should you fall and bump it. You can also paddle the board without the battens inserted, and it still delivers a secure ride. But with them, the paddling experience is even better.
Measuring 12’6″ x 28″ x 4.75″, the Sport Plus cuts through the water efficiently. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
The Board
Measuring 12’6″ x 28″ x 4.75″, the Sport Plus is longer and narrower than most inflatable boards. That added length and slimmer design allow it to cut through the water more easily and help protect your shoulders from the awkward strokes that are required with a wider board. It also helps cut down on the fatigue that you’d feel paddling a larger, heavier board.
Most inflatable stand up paddle boards are 6″ thick, but the Sport Plus is 4.75″. That thinner design allows the board to move faster through the water and makes it easier to turn and maneuver. The rocker stiffening system helps on both of these scores as well.
The EVA deck pad feels good underfoot. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
The Accessories
Another thing to love about the Sport Plus is the accessories it comes with. I already touched on the stellar bag and pump, but the board also comes with the RSS battens, a fin, leash, a repair kit, and a cell phone case. The 9″ touring fin is high quality and screws in like a traditional surfboard fin, so you know it’s secure while you’re on the water. However, it does not come with a paddle.
The 9″ touring fin is high quality. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
The Sport Plus has a low-profile center handle for carrying as well as handles on the nose and aft. To ensure you can carry all of your gear atop your board, the Sport Plus features a six-point front cargo net with stainless D-rings. The board has additional D-rings throughout for extra gear and a camera mount on the nose for capturing all of your adventures. Finally, the EVA deck pad covers roughly 3/4 of the board and feels comfortable underfoot.
The Sport Plus may be a tad unstable for new paddlers. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
Drawbacks of the Sport Plus
Overall, the Sport Plus is a stellar board, so I don’t have much by way of complaints. The board is pricey. But it also stands head and shoulders above most other inflatable boards in terms of quality and performance, so I guess the old adage is true: You get what you pay for. But for the price, I do wish the package included a paddle.
At 28″ inches wide and 4.75″ thick, the Sport Plus is narrower than most inflatable paddle boards, making it a bit less stable. But those dimensions are also what make the board fast. The rocker stiffening system helps combat this, but the Sport Plus isn’t the best board for beginners. But if you have some paddling experience, you should be good to go.
Paddling the Sport Plus on the Soquel Creek in Santa Cruz. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
The Competition
If you’re newer to paddling and want a more stable board, the BOTE LowRider Aero is 36″ wide and incredibly stable. The board also doubles as a kayak, so if conditions are too rough, you can simply convert it to a kayak and paddle sitting down. But the board moves significantly slower through the water.
Or, if the Sport Plus is outside of your price range, the ROC Kahuna is a great budget board. Priced at $220, it’s an incredibly affordable board, but it’s not as high quality as the Sport Plus, nor is it as durable. It also sports more of an all-around shape as opposed to a touring shape. A step up from the ROC Kahuna is the iRocker Cruiser 7.0, which costs $650 – it also features an all-around shape and includes an electric pump.
The Sport Plus is a great board for long paddles. Photo: Rebecca Parsons//The Inertia
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a fast, stable board to cover long distances on, the Red Paddle Co. Sport Plus is a great option. Measuring 12’6″ x 28″ x 4.75″, the Sport Plus is thinner and narrower than most iSUPs, allowing it to be incredibly hydrodynamic. Although the Sport Plus is a bit pricey at $1,349, it’s well made, comes with high-quality accessories, and is backed by a five-year warranty.
check price on Green Water Sports check price on RED Paddle Co
Editor’s Note: For more options, including hardboards, here’s our overall Best Paddle Boards Review. Or if you want to check out other inflatable boards, take a look at our Best Inflatable Paddle Boards Guide. We’ve also reviewed The Best SUP Paddles and The Best Lifejackets for Paddleboarding. Need something to wear when paddling? Here’s our guide to The Best Board Shorts, The Best Sun Hats, and The Best Rashguards. For more paddling gear reviews and features on The Inertia, click here.
