Pink Paddle Sport MSL 800 Standup Paddleboard Assessment

The western crimson cedar and hemlock forest was peacefully quiet, nearly eerie. Propelling our standup paddleboards easily by means of the undisturbed water, my associate and I reached a slender inlet lined with vibrant inexperienced bur-reed and lily pads.

“It seems like we are able to get by means of!” I exclaimed. Shallow and crystal clear, we may see a rainbow of rocks atop the lake mattress.

Swoosh! A large creature darted beneath our standup paddleboards, under the floor, taking pictures straight down the channel. “Whoa! Did you see that? It gave the impression to be too quick to be a beaver,” I mentioned.

Primarily based on our analysis, Champion Lake would reopen and practically double in dimension once we reached the opposite facet of the inlet. We waited a number of minutes to see if an animal resurfaced, however nothing did. I began to query what I’d seen, and a breeze picked up, making the water a bit uneven, however we paddled on to discover the park’s hidden shoulder of the lake.

In brief: Effectively-rounded and steady, the Pink Paddle Co. Sport MSL ($1,099) is an inflatable standup paddleboard that feels simple to paddle on lakes and rivers as a result of it glides easily and speedily alongside a straight observe, requiring fewer alternating strokes. With a lean rail, it sits nearer to the water than different boards. The marginally tapered and pointed form, plus a little bit of nostril rocker, will increase its effectivity. The one fin is lengthy at 9 inches, which helps direct a straight path by means of glass or chop. To prime it off, the package deal consists of top-of-the-line journey SUP luggage in the marketplace, plus a waterproof telephone case.

Thumb by means of the opposite extremely rated, field-tested watercraft in our Finest Standup Paddleboards purchaser’s information.

Subject Testing the Pink Paddle Co. Sport MSL 800 Inflatable Standup Paddleboard

5 complete minutes later, on the opposite facet of the Champion Lake passage, a fuzzy creature appeared on the water’s floor. “A loon!” Generally known as divers, their giant, webbed toes can propel them as much as 20 mph and 200 toes deep whereas looking for fish.

Two darker loons bobbed to the floor, and a few chicks climbed on their backs. Full of colourful speckles, the male leaned his head again and let loose a protracted howl. “Wow, it appears like a wolf!”

That day with the loons, I explored the centermost of the Champion Lakes for a number of water miles.

I additionally examined the Pink Paddle Co. Sport MSL on transferring, turbulent water, together with a 12-mile stretch of British Columbia’s Higher Slocan River with class II rapids. Beneath the sky-reaching Valhalla Mountain Vary, I swept a glassy, open-water 2.5-mile loop on Slocan Lake, with a depth of practically 1,000 toes.

All through spring-to-fall adventures, I didn’t deliver alongside quite a lot of smaller dry luggage, and I’m about 5’6″ and 135 kilos. A few different paddlers additionally examined the board, ranging as much as 5’11” and 163 kilos. From glassy cruisers to attention-grabbing whitewater, this inflatable SUP is well-rounded and constructed for effectivity.

Streamlined Quantity & Form

Pace and easy monitoring are the M.O. of the Sport MSL. Different standup paddleboards I examined require switching sides for every paddle stroked, however this board cuts straighter. I hardly needed to change sides.

It rides noticeably decrease to the water with a 4.7-inch rail depth, which makes it really feel smooth in comparison with thicker 6-inch designs just like the BOTE HD Aero.

The silhouette is tapered and barely rockered on the nostril, so if wind picks up prefer it did on Champion Lake, it slices by means of the chop, no drawback. A squared-off tail helps keep stability, and the 9-inch touring fin companions completely with excursions on open water. The lengthy fin is designed for monitoring and stability, and it attaches tool-free with a fin screw. General, the Sport’s form is great for lakes and an awesome possibility for rivers, too.

Adjustable Rigidity, Drag Discount

Pink Paddle Co. tucked in considerate, progressive particulars. Most notably, the board’s rigidity might be personalized. It consists of the model’s Rocker Stiffening System: two plastic battens that slide into pockets within the rails (earlier than inflation), which increase stiffness by 30%. It spreads the load all through the board, so it doesn’t bow, decreasing drag and growing velocity. Manufactured from high-strength polycarbonate, they’re pliable and sturdy.

At 5’6” and about 130 kilos, I didn’t want them. However heavier paddlers or anybody loading down for expeditions will admire the additional stiffness, particularly for extra turbulent water and river waves.

Should you’re lower than 165 kilos, the battens usually are not obligatory. (However should you weigh much less, you might insert the battens and inflate the board to a decrease psi, decreasing pump time.) All you do is inflate the board to 1 psi, slide the 2 stiffeners into the slits alongside the perimeters, and end pumping up the board to fifteen psi. You deflate the SUP earlier than eradicating it for storage.

A delicate rubber shelf additionally reduces drag on the underside of the tail, which is a novel attribute I haven’t seen on different SUPs. Extra generally, there’s a raised EVA kick pad on the again, which helps footwork once you shift weight towards the tail.

Gear Provider: Distinctive Bungee Design, Delicate Seize Handles

Up entrance, three beefy bungee straps and 7 D-rings let me safe a dry bag or gear. I like that I can take away the bungees to unencumber the attachment factors for multiday journeys. I wouldn’t suggest relying on the bungee straps for rigorous whitewater, as a result of they’re threaded by means of, not mounted.

One of many bungee straps has a 3rd D-ring close to the rail, which creates a small loop for holding gear: good for my water sneakers. Whereas I wouldn’t suggest leaving gear there throughout whitewater runs, it’s a pleasant spot to stash objects on easy sections the place you need fast entry.

Three roomy, delicate, plush seize handles are positioned on the nostril, tail, and heart of the board. Extra handles are included on different whitewater-focused SUPs, just like the NRS Clear 96, which has 5 complete with three within the heart. However I discovered that three handles have been a lot efficient.

I used the handles for dragging the board into and out of the water, carrying from the seashore to the truck, and once I’d pull myself again onto the board after swimming breaks. An adjunct mount is close to the nostril to connect cameras and telephones, however I didn’t use it.

Straightforward Journey: Giant Rolling Backpack

Pink hit it out of the park with this included journey bag, the ATB Transformer Board Bag. The wheeled 134L bag is value $300 by itself. It comes with delicate handles and is without doubt one of the greatest SUP journey luggage I’ve used. The previous journey bag I examined with the Pink Wild was completely different, and this one has huge enhancements.

Three soft carry handles make grabbing the bag simple for loading into the truck mattress. A fourth inflexible deal with is on the underside, between two robust wheels that I used to roll the loaded bag throughout gravel and grass to the rig.

Alongside the again, you possibly can pull out two shoulder straps with a chest strap and a hip belt. One other giant loop deal with sits between the shoulders.

With sturdy buckles, 4 compression straps lie throughout the perimeters, making the load extra streamlined for once you put on the pack. Inside are two giant mesh pockets with Velcro closures. A paddle blade pocket is positioned in opposition to the again. One other roomy zippered pocket is on the skin. The outside has a lockable zipper, and there’s a plastic ID holder, which tops off the explanations this bag is well-suited for airport journey.

Cellphone Case & Tremendous Pump

Pink tosses in a waterproof telephone case — a intelligent bonus I haven’t seen in another packages. My extra-large iPhone has a case on it, and it may barely match contained in the included telephone case. As soon as inside, I may function my display screen by means of the plastic.

The double-chamber Titan Pump rapidly pumps up the SUP in lower than 5 minutes. Despite the fact that the toes fold up for storage, the form is cumbersome. However I just like the icons on the psi gauge, which visually spotlight the completely different psi ranges wanted for a canoe, wind board, or SUP.

Tradeoffs

No board excels at all the pieces. The 9-inch fin offers glorious monitoring and is sturdy however might be limiting in shallow or rocky rivers. A shorter fin isn’t included with the package deal, so it’s both go huge or go naked.

Whereas a restore package is included, it is available in a foldable case moderately than a typical screw-top canister. Although a flatter design, I choose the dry tube, as a result of it retains all the pieces contained, well-preserved, and dry.

At 32 inches vast, the Sport MSL dealt with rapids in whitewater however didn’t pivot rapidly or take up movement in waves like a extra rockered, surfy-oriented design. If operating rapids is the precedence, I’d suggest the NRS Clear 96 or 110, or the Pink Wild, that are extra upturned, playful, and sit greater off the water. The designs are wider for weathering waves, too: the Wild and Clear 110 are 34 inches vast, whereas the Clear 96 is 36 inches.

The deck pad, whereas grippy, isn’t the softest beneath naked toes or knees. (I’ll admit, my toes are delicate, however I choose a smoother texture.)

Whereas the included hand pump fills the board rapidly, it feels cumbersome to deal with or journey with. And the most important miss? No paddle within the package deal.

Conclusion: Glorious Single-Board Quiver

If I may solely hold one SUP for all of my adventures, the Pink Paddle Co. Sport MSL can be on the prime of a really brief checklist for me.

This SUP strikes comparatively effortlessly and quick — I even loved lake paddling alongside a good friend on a strong paddleboard. With confidence, the Sport glides rapidly by means of glass, dices chop, and might deal with average whitewater.

It’s planted, plows straight, tracks superbly, and carries gear with ease. With seven D-rings and detachable elastic bands, plus the Rocker Stiffening System, this design is adaptable. It may be personalized for paddlers of various weights, in addition to carrying heavier, bulkier hundreds for multiday journeys or lengthy days out.

With one-of-a-kind thought, the board has an elastic loop for water sneakers, and the package deal features a waterproof case that hangs round your neck.

Whereas it’s not particularly constructed for technical whitewater and will use a paddle, the general design makes Pink’s Sport one of the gratifying, all-around inflatable SUPs I’ve paddled. Should you plan on largely paddling lakes with rivers sprinkled in, make sure to extremely contemplate this one.