Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro iSUP Review
Pros
- A fast and fun touring/adventure SUP that is quick and easy to turn into a kayak or even a tandem kayak. Its long and wide dimensions + a high carrying capacity (375 lbs) make this a fast board that can easily support 2 people.
- Super stable! The intense rigidity makes this board beginner friendly even as a long and narrow SUP. Its incredible bend test result is comparable to the broader and shorter boards in this series.
- Fast and smooth. At 14 feet long and 31 inches wide with a pointed nose and tail, this is the fastest board in the Explorer Pro series.
- High-tech construction for increased durability yet lighter weight! Their new cross-woven drop stitch core + a single-layer fused PVC makes for a high-quality and high-performing board.
- Intense rigidity yet still portable thanks to Isle’s new Infinity Fiber Stringers. These stringers are on the SUP's top, bottom, and sides and function like the snap bracelets we had as a kid - rigid under tension but still roll up easily.
- Clean look but is easy to hook up the kayak conversion and other gear thanks to the new Isle Link system.
Cons
- Not much to say here - this SUP impressed our entire team with its build and performance. The one tip we have for anybody who buys this SUP is to make sure you clean the deck pad with water after each use. It can hold on to dirt if you don’t rinse it off.
A stable and quick touring/adventure iSUP that is also a super fun recreational kayak for one or even two people
Let us start by saying that our Isle 14’’ Isle Explorer Pro review is going to be a lot of us saying, “We love this SUP!” and “It excelled in this category.” And that’s because, well, we love it so much that we gave it an overall score of 9.9.
The Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro is the fastest iSUP/Kayak conversion in the Isle Pro series. At 14’x31’’x6’’ with a pointed nose and tail, it is built to move fast and glide across the water but also holds up to 375 lbs of weight. The high speed of this board makes this a tremendous touring SUP/Kayak, and the increased carrying capacity makes it a great adventure board too. You can ride solo and strap on camping/fishing gear or you can take your buddy with you and paddle together quickly but comfortably.
It’s a board that truly excels at being both a SUP and kayak. Thanks to the extra length of the Explorer 14’ vs the Isle Explorer Pro 12’ we also reviewed, one of our favorite way to paddle this board is as a tandem kayak. It’s great because it’s long enough and has a high weight capacity so that two people can easily fit, but it’s also high-performing and fast so you can work together to get in a good workout or cover long distances without feeling heavy on the water.
Just like the other boards in the Pro series, the Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro is extremely rigid and durable, shocking us in not only our bend test results but also how it performs on the water. It also has a unique system for strapping on gear called the Isle Link system, and other neat features that we will get into in this Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro review.
If you came to this review looking for an (in our opinion) top-ranking touring/adventure board, you have come to the right place. Let’s dive in!
We think the 14’’ Isle Explorer Pro would be a great SUP for paddlers who:
- Want a touring/adventure SUP that is also a kayak for up to 2 people
- Are looking for a fast SUP that doesn’t sacrifice much stability
- Like to adventure and want a SUP/kayak with a high weight capacity (375 lbs)
- Want a touring/adventure board with extreme rigidity and high-quality construction
14’’ Isle Explorer Pro: Spec Sheet
- Main Category: Touring/Adventure
- Board Dimensions: 14’x31’’x6’’
- Listed Board Weight: 27 lbs
- Listed Max Capacity: 375 lbs
- Recommended PSI: 17
- Fins: Split US fix box, 9’’ touring fin
- Paddle: Not included in the kit
- Materials: Isle’s Airtech ProLite™ (thick single-layer PVC, welded Powerfuse™ inner rail, and 6 InfinityFiber™ stringers
- Warranty: 4 years
Performance Review of the Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro Stand Up Paddle Board
Overall Score: [9.9/10]
- Stability: 9.7/10
- Speed: 9.5/10
- Tracking: 9.5/10
- Maneuverability: 8.3/10
- Construction Quality: 9.8/10
- Features/Accessories: 9.8/10
Stability Rating: [9.7/10]
We hope that the picture of Michael and Justin on the board together solidifies for you that this board is very stable! Even with two larger guys on the board, there is barely any flex or side-to-side rocking.
The board is 14’ long and although it tapers towards the pointed nose, the point on the tail is formed from two straight edges coming together at an angle. This makes it so the tail isn’t squared-off but has a square componentry to it, which increases the stability. We love this design because it enables the board to be able to hold higher weights while remaining stable.
Additionally, the board is 31 inches wide. We found this to be a great width because it’s still narrow enough to classify it as a touring board (still speedy), but wide enough that it isn’t solely a touring board and also holds enough weight and has enough space for adventuring. That’s why it works so well as a tandem kayak.
When we intentionally tried to sink the rails on the board as solo paddlers, we experienced exactly what we thought would happen, and were even a bit surprised at the extremity of the results: it’s very stable. It almost feels like the board has a personality of its own and wants to fight you when you try to get it out of its most comfortable position, which is flat and on top of the water.
Of course, this is not an all-around board and does not have a complete oval shape, so it’s going to be less stable than some of the other boards in the Pro series. But we feel like that is noticed only if you are expecting this SUP to be the same shape as an all-around. If you go into it knowing this is a touring/adventure board (which is narrower than an all-around), you will be very happy with its stability.
Speed Test: 9.5/10
| Board | |
| Top Sprint Speed: | 5.95 MPH |
| Average Cruising Speed: | 4.4 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.
For a SUP that also functions as a kayak (for two people!) and is super stable, it is impressively quick.
The only way that the speed would increase on this SUP is if the width was taken in by an inch or two. But that would take away its amazing capability of being a kayak/tandem kayak, which we do not want to see. Once again, our team enjoyed using this board in tandem.
A 5.95 MPH sprint speed is fast, but to put it into perspective, it is .5 MPH slower than the 14’ x 28’’ Starboard All-Star (this is a great comparison because the Allstar is the same length but a few inches narrower). We also think that it’s impressive that we are even able to compare the Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro to the All-Star because the All-Star is a racing SUP!
Conclusively, the Isle 14’ Explorer Pro is way more stable and multi-functional than a race SUP, and only a little bit slower when it comes to speed.
Tracking: 9.5/10
Because the Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro has typical characteristics of a board that tracks well – long and narrow – we expected our tracking test results to be positive.
They were! This board tracks very well and surpassed our expectations. It tracks in a straight line in each different mode it can be paddled, even as a tandem kayak. We found that the closer you get to the maximum weight capacity, the more times you will have to switch sides as you paddle to remain straight, but that’s not uncommon. It turns out we had to switch sides less than we thought we would, even with two large paddlers on the board.
We like the 9’’ touring fin that comes with this SUP and we think it does an excellent job at keeping the board straight in each of its possible modes.
Maneuverability: 8.3/10
If you put maneuverability on one side of a balance scale and tracking on the other, the scale will always be slightly uneven.
In the case of the 14’’ Explorer Pro, the tracking is quite high, so the maneuverability is inevitably slightly lower. That is because this board is long and thin and has the purpose of going straight quickly. If it was too maneuverable, it would not be able to be a high-functioning touring SUP.
However, in this case, our imaginary balance scale is not as uneven as we thought it would be. The maneuverability of this board holds up pretty well, and we are very happy with the results. While we weren’t able to make a speedy quick right-angle turn around a buoy, we found ourselves being able to switch directions with back sweeps pretty easily. It took us about 7.5 back sweeps to turn a full 360 degrees. We all agree that approximately 7 back sweeps to complete a full circle signifies a board that maintains a high level of tracking but also offers appropriate maneuverability.
We also found the step-back turns easier than expected, which we attest to the lightness of the board (27 lbs).
And as a tandem kayak, the maneuverability is quite high when you have two people paddling. With two people being closer to the water and having four total paddle blades, it’s easy to gain control of where you are going.
Construction Quality: 9.8/10
The construction quality of the Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro, and all of the Isle Pro boards for that matter, is hugely impressive. It is what we believe to be industry-changing. And here’s why:
Isle uses their patented technology known as the InfinityFiber™ stringer system. These stringers are placed on the top, the bottom, and the sides of the board (2 on each side). They are the gray material that you can see in the pictures above, as well as the raised ridge that runs down the middle of the deck (underneath the deck pad). You can think of these like the snap bracelets we had as children: when they are outstretched and under tension, they are extraordinarily rigid. But once you snap them out of their tension, they can easily be rolled up. The Isle Pro boards do the same: when inflated, they are rigid beyond belief. When deflated, they roll up nicely. With 6 total stringers on the board, Isle has created the most rigid board we have yet to see or test.
The 14’ Explorer Pro also has a woven drop-stitch core and an extra thick single layer of PVC that is fused to the base layers. Isle uses what they call Powerfusion to heat-weld the layers together, and this technique is so strong that it causes the layers of the deck, the hull, and the rails to fuse into one single layer. This increases the longevity of the boards and eliminates any possible air leakage.
The results this construction process showed us have successfully blown our minds, and we are excited to be sharing this information with you. We seriously think we will see a shift in the industry in response to the rigidity Isle has achieved.
Board Stiffness:
Stiffness Test: 0.4375 inch Bend
In order to attest to the rigidity of each board, we use a bend test curated by Supboardguide. 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.
After we put 150 lbs worth of sandbags on the top middle of the Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro, it bent less than half an inch.
Less than half an inch!!
When it comes to the construction of the boards, specifically the InfinityFiber™ stringer system, it is clear that it creates highly rigid and durable SUPs. We are very pleased that our bend test corroborates what we know about the Pro series from a technical perspective, as well as what we felt when we tested them on the water.
Features/Accessory Review: [9.8/10]
Features:
In the picture above you can see Justin strapping on one of the bungees to what Isle calls their Isle Link system. This system is a series of molly loops that run lengthwise on the left and right sides of the board. Flat and thick adjustable bungees are used to easily hook into the loops.
This is an awesome and unique feature to Isle because it keeps the board deck looking clean but allows you to strap on as much cargo as you please in whatever fashion you prefer. You can crisscross the straps, strap up the entire deck pad, or take them all off and leave the deck completely free and open. It is also what you use to hook on the kayak conversion kit! It only takes about five minutes to strap on the seat and footrest.
There is also an integrated accessory mount on the nose of the board for gadgets such as GoPros or a fishing rod holder.
Included Accessories:
The Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro also comes with a lightweight straight leash, a heavy-duty wheeled carrying backpack, and a 9’’ click-in touring fin.
We like the straight leash because you barely notice it’s there. If you step on it, it flattens out underneath your foot instead of coiling in and around your toes. Also, the backpack is awesome because it’s roomy enough that it’s easy to take your rolled-up board in and out of, and also has pockets for extra accessories.
A paddle and the kayak conversion kit are not included with the purchase of the board, but the website makes it quick and easy to bundle those items at a discounted price. We think this is a practical way to do it because it eliminates the need to buy a paddle if you already have one, and if you know you don’t want to kayak, then you won’t have to deal with the extra gear. However, we highly recommend purchasing the kayak kit because it’s a lot of fun.
Summary Review of the Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro – 2023
Our team had a lot of fun with this board, both as a SUP and kayak. It was amazing to see both Justin and Mathew hop on the kayak together and start paddling: there was no sinking, no tipping, and no need to rescue them! It turned out to be the opposite. The Isle 14’’ Explorer Pro proved to us that it can hold two large paddlers and stay stable, on top of the water, and still get up to speed.
For a board that is 14 feet long and 31 inches wide, it has a great balance between all of its capabilities. Even though it’s long and narrow, it’s only 27 lbs so it’s light enough to easily pop the nose out of the water and start turning in circles.
If you are looking for a stable touring/adventure SUP/Kayak, this board is a great pick.
Thanks for reading and please leave your questions and comments down below.
SupBoardGuide
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Overall Rating
10
Do you think the narrower 31 inch width 14 foot board will be stable. Would it be less stable than a 12 foot board that’s 33 inches wide. I live on oak island nc and there’s no waves a 100 foot out. Usually pretty smooth. I’d use the sup just for getting sun laying out in the sun. Only a small amount of touring. Would a 14 foot board be more stable than your 12 foot board? Even if the 12 foot board was wider say 33 inches or so? I’m a bodybuilder and athlete. 6’3” 250lbs. Stability is my priority. I want confidence it’s not going to flip over.
Michael, the 14′ Isle Explorer Pro is as stable a SUP as you can find that is 31″ wide. However, if stability is your main concern and your only looking to tour occasionally then I would recommend you look at the Isle Pioneer Pro series. At 6’3 and 250 lbs, you will be more comfortable on those when laying on the board. However, they are also super rigid and perform better speed-wise than you would expect given how stable they are.