Atoll Archipelago 12’6 Inflatable Paddleboard
Pros
- Excellent blend of efficiency and stability, especially with gear onboard
- Good glide and cruising efficiency once up to speed
- High build quality and rigid construction
- Versatile feature set with adjustable cargo management system
- Great option for adventure touring and multi-day trips
Cons
- Heavier than expected, which affects acceleration
- Not as fast or efficient as narrower touring boards
The Atoll Archipelago 12’6” is Atoll’s long-distance, adventure-focused inflatable SUP designed to carry you, and plenty of gear, deep into the backcountry or downriver. With its 12’6” x 31.5” footprint, it slots into the touring/adventure category but leans more toward comfort and stability than outright speed and performance. It’s a well-built board with a smart feature set and a versatile design, but trades in a little speed and efficiency for comfort and capacity
We think the Atoll Archipelago 12’6 would be great for paddlers who
- Want an adventure-touring or expedition-style iSUP that can support a multi-day trip on the water, especially in rougher conditions
- Prefer a balance of speed and stability rather than focusing on one or the other
- Frequently switch between touring and all-around use
Atoll Archipelago 12’6: Spec Sheet
- Main Category: Touring
- Board Dimensions: 12’6” x 31.5” x 6”
- Board Weight: 28 lbs
- Max Capacity: 350 lbs
- Recommended PSI: 15 PSI
- Fins: 9” all-around, US fin box
- Paddle: 3-piece w/ carbon shaft and nylon blade
- Materials: Fusion PVC w/ woven dropstitch core; welded seams; PVC stringers
- Price Range: Medium
- Warranty: 2 years
Performance Review of the Atoll Archipelago 12’6 Stand Up Paddle Board
Overall Score: [9.5/10]
- Stability: 9.3/10
- Speed: 9.2/10
- Tracking: 9.5/10
- Maneuverability: 8.5/10
- Construction Quality: 9.6/10
- Features/Accessories: 9.2/10
Stability Rating: 9.3/10
The Atoll Archipelago 12’6 is an expedition-style touring board, and what that really means is that its length and shape are designed for long distance paddling, but it also has a bit of extra width compared to a traditional touring SUP for additional capacity and stability.
Atoll lists the Archipelago as being 31” wide, but ours measured a full 31.5”, that’s not a huge difference, but with narrower boards a half inch can make them feel more or less stable on the water. With this extra half-inch of width and a very wide, square tail, the Archipelago is one of the most stable adventure-touring iSUPs available.
At 28 pounds, the Archipelago is a heavy board, but that aids in its stability. A heavier board resists tipping better than a light board, and the extra mass helps it punch through rough water without jerking to a stop between paddle strokes.
The listed maximum weight capacity is 400 pounds, however Atoll also lists their, much wider, Outrider iSUP at 400 pounds of capacity. In paddling the Archipelago and based on its overall shape and size, we think that 350 pounds is a more accurate overall weight capacity for full usability. This is still quite high for a touring SUP, and combined with its stable shape also makes it a great choice for larger paddlers looking for a faster board.
Speed: 9.2/10
The key to designing a faster, more efficient paddleboard is to add length and remove width. There are a lot of other factors there, but those two are the biggest.
This is a board built for efficiency over distance, not racing. If you’re a beginner or a larger paddler looking for a confidence-inspiring touring SUP, the Archipelago’s speed is great. But if you’re chasing race-level acceleration, this isn’t it. But that’s also not what it is designed for.
At 12’6” long, the Archipelago has the waterline to carry solid speed and delivers excellent glide once it’s moving. But its higher board weight and wider profile means it is not as quick to accelerate as some lighter, narrower touring boards. However, once you’re cruising, the board maintains momentum nicely, and its extra weight can even help it punch through chop with less effort on longer paddles.
The speed score given above is a comparative rating to other sizes and styles of paddleboards, whereby 14’ raceboards would be scoring in the high 9s, and the widest all-round boards or surf-orientated shorter boards would be in the 5s or below.
Over the many years that we have been reviewing paddleboards at supboardguide.com, we have experimented with numerous different methodologies for speed testing, involving various hardware and software solutions. However, none have proved replicable; even using the same rider in the same conditions the numbers would vary from day to day, and of course when using different riders, or even just a different paddle, the results would change significantly. For this reason, while we still test all boards in cruise mode, fast cruise mode and then push them as hard as we can, we no longer give ‘absolute’ speed data (ie 5.5mph etc) – which ultimately doesn’t really matter unless you’re specifically looking to compete – and now report more on the general feel of the board when asked to perform.
Tracking: 9.5/10
The Archipelago features a very straight, parallel shape through the mid section of the board. This helps the board track straighter in the water and helps guide your paddle in a straighter stroke path. Combined with the longer 9” fin under the tail and a longer waterline from the 12’6 length, the Atoll Archipelago has good tracking performance over long distances.
As an expedition or adventure-touring board, the ability to keep moving toward a (very) distant target is critical, so we were a bit surprised that the Archipelago comes with an all-around or “surf style” fin rather than a higher surface-area touring-style fin. But, the Universal Standard fin box makes it easy to swap the stock fin for almost any fin you want to adjust the tracking performance.
Maneuverability: 8.5/10
As a longer board that is focused on tracking, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the maneuverability is lower than what we’d expect from an average all-around board (like the Atoll 11’ or even the Atoll Outrider). In addition to its extra length making it harder to turn, the higher board weight means more effort is required to change course (thanks, inertia!).
On the up-side, the wider tail shape keeps it consistently stable when walking to the tail for a quick pivot turn, though we would like to see a raised kick pad here to prevent accidental walk-offs and give you more control when lifting the nose.
Steering the board is most effectively done from the nose using bow-draw strokes. These intermediate-level paddle strokes turn the nose toward the paddle and can easily be turned into a forward stroke to keep up your momentum while turning.
Construction Quality: 9.6/10
Atoll has seriously stepped up their construction with the Archipelago. In addition to the new woven drop stitch core and new dual-layer fusion PVC shell, Atoll has added several stringers throughout the board for additional rigidity.
Like their other new iSUPs, the Enclave and Outrider, the Archipelago has PVC stringers around the sides of the board. But the Archipelago also gets a PVC string on the deck and a carbon fiber textile and PVC stringer on the hull of the board for even more rigidity. This does come at the cost of additional weight, but on an adventure-touring iSUP, that extra rigidity and extra material means better long-distance performance and durability.
Speaking of durability, Atoll also upgraded the seam construction with heat-welded seams for a permanent mechanical bond between the deck, hull, and rail layers. This helps improve the overall longevity of the board and makes it more resistant to heat damage when the board is not in use.
Board Stiffness:
Stiffness Test: 1.0” Bend
Our stiffness test is performed by placing the SUP on top of two sawhorses that are set 7’ apart. We then measure the board before and after loading 150 lbs onto the board’s midpoint (usually across the center handle). Of course, this test does not mimic the SUP’s behavior on the water, but it’s an unbiased way for us to understand how certain construction methods affect stiffness and overall performance of each paddleboard.
In our bend test, the Atoll Archipelago 12’6 bent just 1.0” with 150 pounds of weight. That is a great result for a touring-style board, though it isn’t the best we’ve seen – even from Atoll. One reason why is the relatively low board pressure for this type of construction. We’d love to see Atoll increase the recommended pressure from 15 to 20 PSI to really make the Archipelago incredibly stiff.
On the water there is no real noticeable flex when paddling normally, but we do still feel a little bit of flex in very rough conditions and when walking on the deck of the board. Overall, the Archipelago has great rigidity, but we think it could be even better with just a bit more internal pressure.
To ascertain the rigidity of each board we review, we have been using our own specific laboratory bend test process since 2021. The board is inflated to its maximum recommended PSI and positioned exactly on our measuring jig. 150lb weight is then applied to the standing area to see how much bend it causes. While this isn’t an exact replication of the weight distortion that occurs when a rider stands on a SUP board in the water, it still gives a very useful comparative tool in determining the relative stiffness of the various board construction processes.
Features/Accessory Review: [9.2/10]
Atoll has built the Archipelago specifically for expedition-style touring with a stable shape and tons of room for cargo.
The Atoll Archipelago 12’6 is built for hauling everything you need for multiple days on the water. There are 20 nylon loops lining the edges of the board for easily securing your cargo and balancing it across the board for optimal performance. It would be nice to have a couple more tie-down points at the tail of the board as the current arrangement doesn’t let you take as much advantage of that wider tail shape as you potentially could.
There aren’t many other features on the board, but there is still a threaded accessory mount on the nose, and velcro paddle holders on the right side of the deck.
Included Accessories:
The Atoll Archipelago comes with a core set of quality accessories:
- 3-piece carbon shaft paddle w/ a nylon blade
- 9”all-around-style fin
- Coiled leash
- Repair kit
- Double-action pump
- Padded backpack
The Archipelago comes with a straightforward, functional kit. The fiberglass fin is a nice upgrade over basic nylon ones, and the bag is well-sized and better in person than it appears online (though we wouldn’t mind seeing some wheels added). Like Atoll’s other new iSUPs, the Archipelago is only available in one color option. It would be nice to see a few other color options besides ocean blue.
Summary Review of the Atoll Archipelago 12’6
The Atoll Archipelago 12’6 is a stable, capable, and confidence-inspiring inflatable touring SUP that’s ideal for paddlers prioritizing comfort, carrying capacity, and versatility. It’s not the fastest touring board on the water, but it’s an excellent choice for adventure paddling, expedition-style touring, or larger riders who want more speed without sacrificing too much stability.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading through our review of the Atoll Archipelago 12’6, and encourage you to hit us with any questions or suggestions in the comments below.
Until next time, stay safe and happy paddling!
SupBoardGuide
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