iROCKER Cruiser Ultra 3.0 Inflatable Paddleboard
Pros
- Extremely compact and portable - without losing any performance or stability
- High level of stability, even compared to other 34” boards
- New welded seam construction for better durability and heat resistance
- Included rechargeable pump adds a lot of value and portability to this kit
- New Magnetite accessory mounting system
- Versatile features without crowding the SUP deck
Cons
- In the future, we’d like to see the 5-piece paddle adjustable to shorter heights as it is currently limited to best fit paddlers 5’4 or taller.
iRocker’s new Cruiser Ultra 3.0 expands on the previous version both literally and figuratively. The already super-stable board has a new 34” width making it even more stable than before, but still fits easily into the compact Ultra backpack that is roughly half the size of a standard iSUP bag.
In addition to the new width, iRocker has added new magnetic accessory mounting points (dubbed “Magtite”) and the Ultra 3.0 iSUPs feature a new welded rail technology that improves the overall longevity and durability of the board, particularly in hot climates.
This all-inclusive cruiser iSUP packs a lot of board into a small package. And did we mention it also includes a new 5-piece paddle and rechargeable electric pump?
We think the iROCKER Cruiser Ultra 3.0 would be great for paddlers who
- Want a stable, high-volume SUP while still enjoying the benefits of a compact board
- Prefer a more laid back paddling experience, rather than an intensive workout
- Want the option to bring anything and everything they can think of on the water
- Want a truly portable electric pump (no car required) included in their iSUP kit
iROCKER Cruiser Ultra 3.0 : Spec Sheet
- Main Category: All-Around, Inflatable
- Board Dimensions: 10’6 x 34” x 6”
- Listed Board Weight: 19.8 lbs
- Listed Max Capacity: 320 lbs
- Recommended PSI: 12-16 PSI
- Fins: 5” Twin-fins w/ snap-lock fin box
- Paddle: 5-piece w/ carbon shaft and nylon blade
- Materials: Fusion PVC w/ woven dropstitch core; welded seams
- Price Range: High
- Warranty: 3 years
Performance Review of the iROCKER Cruiser Ultra 3.0 Stand Up Paddle Board
Overall Score: [9.6/10]
- Stability: 9.8/10
- Speed: 8.8/10
- Tracking: 8.8/10
- Maneuverability: 9.6/10
- Construction Quality: 9.6/10
- Features/Accessories: 9.8/10
Stability Rating: [9.8/10]
The newly designed Cruiser Ultra 3.0 takes the already stable Cruiser Ultra 2.0’s shape and adds an entire extra inch of width. The new 34” shape, combined with an extra-wide square tail, makes the Cruiser Ultra 3.0 incredibly stable, and the most stable of iRocker’s new Ultra 3.0 lineup.
We’d recommend the Cruiser 3.0 for any beginner paddler under 250 lbs and 6’2’ish. It’s also a great board for anyone looking for an easy-traveling fishing board or sharing with a small pet or child – though space is limited by the smaller deck pad size.
Speed Test: 8.8/10
| Top Sprint Speed: | 5.25 MPH |
| Average Cruising Speed: | 4.2 MPH |
To obtain our speed test results, we use a Speed Coach Sup 2. This gives us accurate readings on how fast we are paddling and our current stroke rates. For the top sprint speed, we paddle as hard as we can for approximately 10-15 seconds and then record our average speed. For the casual test, we paddle at 40-35 strokes per minute for approximately 30-60 seconds and record the average speed.
As an extra-wide cruiser style paddleboard, we didn’t expect the Cruiser Ultra to be the fastest SUP on the water. However, it did perform within its size-class in our speed testing.
Top sprinting speeds were relatively low, but held steady against other 34” cruisers. The Cruiser Ultra 3.0 does have a bit of flex when paddling this hard which slows the board down in this test. But, it didn’t flex so much that the board became bouncy or suddenly changed course with each paddle stroke.
At cruising speeds, the Cruiser Ultra 3.0 was smooth and easy to paddle with no real noticeable flex. Again, it kept pace with other 10’6 x 34” boards and didn’t feel like it was being pushed through the water or lurching with each stroke.
It is a little slower overall than the new CX Ultra (11’ x 33”) and a little slower in the sprint speeds compared to the iRocker Cruiser 7.0 (10’ 6” x 34”) due to the rigidity difference.
Tracking: 8.8/10
The previous Cruiser Ultra 2.0 had excellent tracking thanks to its twin 9” fin setup. The new Cruiser Ultra 3.0 comes with twin 5” fins and does take a small hit in its tracking performance because of it – but not much.
Even with an extra-wide shape, the Cruiser Ultra 3.0 still tracks quite well when using a proper vertical paddle stroke. In fact, I didn’t notice a difference in tracking at all between the Cruiser Ultra 3.0 and the longer, narrower CX Ultra 3.0!
With more casual paddle strokes, the Cruiser Ultra will tend to wander a little more from side to side, but it ultimately feels more like a slightly narrower all-around than a wide cruiser when it comes to tracking.
Maneuverability: 9.6/10
Maneuverability is the biggest performance improvement with the new Cruiser Ultra 3.0.
The shorter 5” river fins run shorter for shallow water, have enough surface area to keep you paddling straight when you want to, but they don’t get in the way when you need to turn. Even with two fins, the Cruiser Ultra 3.0 is still faster to turn in a circle than many single-fin all-around iSUPs.
By using the Cruiser Ultra’s stability and tilting the board a little, you can smoothly and quickly turn 90° with a single paddle stroke. That’s crazy fast! Normally paddle boards turn significantly faster when you use a reverse sweep stroke, but the Cruiser Ultra 3.0 is nearly equal whether you are paddling forward or reverse.
This does make the Cruiser Ultra 3.0 the most agile of the new Ultra 3.0 boards as well – perfect for those on-water “board meetings” with your friends and for the occasional angler who wants to quickly change positions between casts.
Construction Quality: 9.6/10
This latest version of iRocker’s Ultra series paddleboards are lighter than ever. The new Cruiser Ultra 3.0 shaves almost 2 pounds from the previous version’s weight, and is over 4 pounds lighter than the iRocker Cruiser 7.0
iRocker has done this by changing a few things on their build. They still use a lightweight cross-woven dropstitch core and lightweight reinforced Fusion PVC outer layers for the body of the board. The new Ultra 3.0 series boards now use a welded interior seam to connect the top, bottom, and rails together and make the board air tight. Welded seams typically last longer and are more resistant to heat failure than glued seams. The rails are made with a new type of reinforced PVC material that feels a little thinner, but also features a tough texturing pattern on the outside. Finally, the top and bottom of the rail is covered with another strip of reinforced PVC for additional protection of that rail edge.
The new construction is lighter weight than the previous generation and we did see a reduction in rigidity when comparing them in our bend test.
Board Stiffness:
Stiffness Test: 1.42” Bend
In order to attest to the rigidity of each board, we use a bend test curated by Supboardguide.com. In order to obtain the results, we inflate the board to its maximum recommended PSI and then place it across two sawhorses that are 7 feet apart. We then take a measurement in the middle of the board. Then, we place 150 lbs worth of sandbags on the middle top of the SUP. Last, we record its displacement (the movement from its original position). We use this method for every board we test as a way to mathematically compare boards across a common denominator.
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.
The Cruiser Ultra 3.0 bent just a bit over 1.4” during our bend test. That is more flex than the previous Cruiser Ultra and Cruiser 7.0. But, on the water, the only time we felt that extra flex was during our speed test while sprinting the board. Otherwise, the Cruiser Ultra 3.0 feels pleasantly stiff while standing and paddling normally.
Features/Accessory Review: [9.8/10]
iRocker expands on the feature set of Cruiser Ultra 3.0 with their new Magtite accessory mounting system. The extra width also improves the Cruiser’s overall capacity and stability.
The Cruiser Ultra 3.0 is equipped with fully removable front and rear cargo areas, kayak seat compatible D-rings, and 2 multi-use action mounts, and 2 new Magtite magnetic accessory mounts.
We also really love the comfort and grip of the Cruiser Ultra’s grooved and stamped EVA deck pad, though you’ll notice it is split down the middle to allow the board to fold ‘hotdog style’ before being rolled up and packed away.
Our suggestion to iROCKER would be to extend the deck pad further back to the tail to provide even more grip during stepback turns or just otherwise give paddlers a bit more room to move about the board.
Included Accessories:
We’ve been impressed with the high value iROCKER has included in their Ultra 3.0 iSUP kits. Included with the iROCKER Cruiser Ultra are the following accessories:
- 5-piece carbon shaft paddle w/ a nylon blade
- iROCKER Rechargeable Electric Pump
- 5” snap-lock fins (x2)
- 10’ coiled leash
- Waterproof Accessory Pouch
- Water-resistant Compact roll-top/front zip backpack
We love iROCKER’s decision to upgrade the Ultra kits with a new rechargeable battery electric pump. This completely changes how truly portable the Ultra 3.0 boards are. Rather than needing either a separate hand pump to paddle off-grid or be tethered to a car to inflate your board, the new iROCKER Power Pump can inflate your board multiple times on a single charge and fits easily into the compact backpack.
The updated Ultra backpack is now labeled as Water Resistant – this means the materials and closures are able to prevent water intrusion from splashing or light rain for short periods of time, but it is not fully waterproof. The entire front panel of this 2’ x 1’ bag unzips, making it super easy to just place the rolled up SUP inside. There are also pockets to store your 5-piece paddle on either side of the interior of the SUP bag. Once re-zipped, the top opening of the bag can be then used as a roll-top. This is when we load in our accessory pouch (right on top of the SUP in an easy-to-reach spot), towels, a change of clothes, etc. When closed, the exterior of the bag also provides some storage options with a total of 3 external pouches, adjustable bungees on the front panel, and molly loops on the shoulder straps that are perfect for clipping on a water bottle or keys.
If that isn’t enough, the bag itself is large enough to easily fit the entire included kit, plus everything you need for a day on the water – snacks, drinks, towel, etc – while still securely closing.
The included accessory pouch is labeled as being waterproof (a perfect place to store your pump if you are taking your kit with you on the water), but I would be hesitant about calling it fully immersion proof for more than a brief dip. We still recommend a fully-waterproof and immersion-rated dry bag to keep critical items safe and dry.
We’d like to see iROCKER re-work the 5-piece paddle to make it able to adjust to a shorter height. Because of the multiple sections, the handle can’t fully retract, and may make the paddle too tall for paddlers under 5’4”. I’d also like to see the compression straps for the top of the bag moved lower down so you can fully tighten the bag when it isn’t full to the brim.
Summary Review of the iROCKER Cruiser Ultra 3.0
In short, there’s a lot to love about the iROCKER’s Cruiser Ultra 3.0. It takes the relaxing experience that the original Cruiser, compact form of the Cruiser Ultra, improves the stability, expands the feature set, lightens the board and includes an upgraded electric pump. That’s pretty incredible and is the sort of improvement we love to see.
The Cruiser Ultra 3.0 is high capacity, paddles smoothly, tracks and turns easily, and looks great.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading through our review of the iROCKER Cruiser Ultra 3.0, 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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