Nixy Newport G5 SUP Review
Pros
- Great all round family fun performance
- Impressively light weight - super easy to carry!
- Gotta love that lively, maneuverable feel
- Loads of fittings and options for accessories
- Added board width improves stability while still maintaining fun, lively feel on the water
Cons
- Would like to see the front bungee option made bigger
- A bigger/more upright fin might be a better option for most buyers
The Newport has been the family fun all-rounder in the Nixy range for many years, and now comes to us in its 5th edition. The G5 model has a wider tail plus a few other modifications to the plan shape. As our reviewers found, the changes are most definitely all for the better.
10’6 x 32” is the classic all rounder paddleboard. Pretty much every self-respecting paddleboard brand has a 10’6 x 32”, and Nixy are certainly no exception; the Newport has been the anchor in their paddleboard range since the earliest days of the brand. It’s just such a great general purpose size; big and stable enough to be ideal for learning on, yet still small enough to be fun and have a lively feel.
While we’ve always enjoyed reviewing the various iterations of the Newport, our feeling has been that it’s definitely more orientated towards maneuvering rather than maximum stability and straight line performance, and has thus been more of a smaller person’s board. So we were delighted to see that Nixy have adjusted the Newport’s design towards a wider, more square tail shape, in line with the general trend in paddleboard shapes over the past few years. This has had the effect of increasing the board’s stability, and also a positive impact on the straight line performance in general, while detracting very little from the overall maneuverability, as we will detail in this review.
We think the Nixy Newport G5 would be a great SUP for paddlers who:
- Want a great board for general all round fun paddleboarding
- Loves having a whole lot of accessory fitting options
- Appreciates a board that tips the scales at under 20 lbs
- Likes the idea of being able to choose their own set of accessories rather than having to get the whole set as it comes
Nixy Newport G5: Spec Sheet
- Board Category: All-round
- Listed Board Dimensions: 10’6 x 32” x 6”
- Measured Board Dimensions: 10’6 x 32 x 6”
- Listed Board Weight: 21 lbs
- Actual Board Weight (board only, not inflated): 18.8 lbs
- Listed Max Capacity: 300 lbs
- Recommended PSI: 15 psi
- Fins: Single 9” swept-back US-box fin
- Paddle: Not supplied as standard, choose from options at purchase
- Board Shell Construction Materials: dual layer PVC
- Drop-stitch type: woven
- Price Range: $695
- Warranty: 3 Year Warranty from date of purchase covering everything outside of normal wear & tear
Performance Review of the Nixy Newport G5 Stand Up Paddle Board
Overall Score: 9.1/10
- Stability: 8.7/10
- Speed: 8.6/10
- Tracking: 8.6/10
- Maneuverability: 9.2/10
- Construction Quality: 8.9/10
- Features/Accessories: 9.2/10
Stability Rating: 8.7/10
While the overall width of a board is the biggest factor in determining its stability, the plan shape has a huge influence on this aspect of performance. The previous generations of Nixy Newport had a plan shape very much oriented towards maneuverability and a lively feel rather than out-and-out stability.
The Nixy Newport G5 still has a significantly curved outline, but the tail has been widened in comparison to the G4 model, which has definitely increased the stability in comparison to its predecessor. However, the single swept-back fin and relatively high nose rocker (thus reducing the waterline length) are still very much more about giving the board a loose throwabout feel rather than maximizing stability, which is why overall, we’re still scoring the board a little bit lower in this performance characteristic compared to the wider tailed, more parallel plan shape offerings that many other brands have moved towards.
Nevertheless, for beginner paddlers of around 180 lbs or less, the board has ample stability for learning on, and heavier riders who’ve already mastered the basics will also not have problems in this department.
Top tip: A very easy fix to crank a bit more stability out of the board will be to replace the swept back fin with a bigger, more upright fin.
Speed Test: 8.6/10
| Board | |
| Sprint Speed: | 4.9 MPH |
| Average Cruising Speed: | 3.6 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 35-40 strokes per minute for approximately 30-60 seconds and record the average speed.
Nobody should be buying a 10’6 for its speed properties; if you want to paddle fast then you’ll always be better off with a longer board. So what we’re really looking at when we test a board like this for its speed is how easy it is to paddle a bit faster. The Nixy Newport G5 performs quite nicely in this respect; its light weight and responsive feel combine to allow smooth and easy cruising when you step up the pace a bit. The nose progresses nicely over small bumps, and the wider tail on this iteration of the Newport also helps stabilize the ride. We haven’t yet had the chance to do a head to head with the G4 but according to our data, we’re pretty sure it’s a bit quicker than its predecessor in this fast cruise mode.
We did find that the board quite quickly reached its natural top cruising speed, and trying to push it any faster required a lot of effort for relatively little reward. It’s definitely not a sprinter by nature. But this is relatively common in boards of this size and style, and is unlikely to be an issue for most people looking for a 10’6 all-rounder.
Tracking: 8.6/10
The same factors that we discussed in the stability section of this Nixy Newport G5 review come into play once again when we discuss the tracking. The curvy plan shape, single swept-back fin (as opposed to the three fin configuration on the Newport G4) and relatively high nose all inevitably take a slight toll on the tracking capabilities. However, the board still performs reasonably well.
Tracking is always a tricky one to assess because experienced paddlers will tend to naturally introduce their own ‘tracking override’ factor, with advanced paddle stroke techniques – and this is a whole lot easier when the board is light and responsive, as is the case with this Newport. The better the paddler, the better the tracking will seem to be.
Again, the bottom line is that on a recreational all-rounder like this, perfect tracking isn’t of major importance anyway. But if you are finding the tracking to be an issue, then putting a larger fin into the board will certainly help.
Maneuverability: 9.2/10
As any regular reader of our reviews will know, tracking and maneuverability tend to be opposite sides of the coin. If one is down, the other will be up! The Nixy Newport G5 is no exception to the rule. It has a playful, lively, easy to maneuver feel, quick and responsive to change direction. The reality is that while Nixy have indeed widened the tail compared to the previous versions of the Newport, they haven’t actually widened it very much. Plus which, changing from a three fin configuration to single fin has loosened up the tail quite considerably. So the board most definitely still has a ‘small-tailed’ loose and turny feel!
Indeed, while it’s probably not high on your list of priorities unless you happen to live by the coast, this is a board you could actually take out into small surf and have fun riding a wave or two. And on the lake, it’s fun for spinning round with paddle turns and tail sink turns. If you do want to fully explore its tail sink turning capabilities it would be worth removing the rear bungee so you can get right to the back of the deckpad.
Construction Quality: 8.9/10
The Nixy Newport G5 features a woven dropstitch core. If you’re new to the world of iSUPs and are wondering how they maintain their board shape when inflated to crazy high pressures, it’s worth giving ‘drop stitch’ a google to see what it’s all about. In simplest terms, two sheets of polyester fabric are tied together by thousands of 6” super-light threads, which is why the board doesn’t just turn into a sausage when it’s inflated. There are various ways of creating dropstitch, and the woven criss-cross approach utilized by quality brands like Nixy is generally regarded as the best.
Dropstitch isn’t airtight, which is why the board also requires an outer shell of airtight PVC. Nixy uses a fusion of two layers, laminated together with heat and pressure, rather than glue. Fusion has become pretty much the industry standard in terms of delivering a light yet stiff and durable construction.
The top and bottom of the board are joined together by gluing and welding a side layer of PVC around the rail of the board, and then adding a further PVC layer on for extra reinforcing.
All in all, it’s a good quality, durable construction process, but what really stands out is that Nixy have managed to do this while keeping the weight of the board extremely low. Indeed, the actual weight of just over 19 lbs comes in at several lbs under the manufacturer’s quoted weight. Any board under 20lbs qualifies as impressively light in our books, and you can definitely feel the performance gain from the light weight when using the board. (It’s also much appreciated when carrying it, too!).
Board Stiffness:
Stiffness Test: 1” Bend
Just 1” of flex in our stiffness test is a pretty good result. This is one of the most noticeable and easily measurable differences between the quality brands and the cheaper iSUPs built to the lowest price possible, many of which will have literally twice as much flex as the Newport G5. The board certainly feels good on the water in this respect, with no noticeable flex when you’re standing on the board or cruise paddling. It’s only when you really try to sprint hard at full power that a bit of flex becomes apparent.
To ascertain the rigidity of each board we review, we use our own specific laboratory bend test process. The board is inflated to its maximum recommended PSI and then placed across two sawhorses positioned exactly 7 feet apart. We then measure the distance from the middle of the board to the floor. Then, we place a 150 lb weight on the middle top of the SUP, and measure the distance to the floor again. The difference between the two measurements shows the deflection, or ‘sag’, that the board has experienced due to the added weight. We have been reviewing the stiffness of boards using this technique since 2021 and while it 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 stiffness of the board’s construction process.
Features/Accessory Review: 9.2/10
Features:
The Newport G5 is available in 5 different colorways, choose your preference at check-out on the website. They’re all bold and fun, and match the board’s up-for-it feel.
Nixy are clearly anticipating that paddlers using their boards are going to be wanting to take a whole lot of pictures; this board has no less than 5 action camera mount positions located around the deck! The mounts can of course be used with other screw-in accessories such as rod holders, drink holders and much more.
There are also centrally-positioned D Ring mounts, for a kayak seat or other accessories. The two bungee cord set-ups are generous, but we’d like to see the nose bungee brought back just a bit and/or increased in size. The board feels better suited to carrying heavier cargo up front than on the tail.
We approve of the big easy-to-grab carrying handles at the nose and tail. We’re slightly wary of white webbing, as it often seems to degrade in bright sunlight quicker than darker webbing. However, Nixy have been using white webbing on their handles for several seasons so clearly their webbing is up to the challenge.
On the underside of the board we find a towing eye on the nose, and a single fin box in the tail. The fin supplied is of the swept back variety, which again shows the board’s focus on being lively and maneuverable rather than straight line orientated. A rather neat inclusion is having the fin plate permanently fixed into the fin box, so it’s always there ready for you to easily screw the finbolt into it.
Included Accessories:
with the board, but Nixy has decided to go down a different path. Instead of supplying a bunch of stuff as standard, it is sold with fin only, and you choose which other accessories you want when you order the board.
There is a lot of merit to this approach. While it does make it harder to compare prices directly with other boards, it most definitely prevents wastage. There’s no point including a hand pump with the board as standard if you’re only ever going to use an electric pump, for example. There must be thousands of unused hand pumps out there taking up space in garages around the country. Likewise, many people soon choose to upgrade from the basic paddle most boards are sold with. So being able to opt for the higher quality paddle option right from the start makes a lot of sense.
We have not had the opportunity to review all the various Nixy accessory options this year, but in our G4 review last year we were super impressed with all the Nixy components, particularly the electric pump and carbon paddle, and as far as we are aware there have been no substantial changes to the accessories.
So, your choice will be between purchasing the hand pump or the electric pump, the regular paddle or the high quality carbon paddle with choice of blade sizes, and whether or not you want the bag or leash. (Please note, the only reason for not choosing a leash would be if you already have one. It’s a fundamental piece of safety equipment that you absolutely should not be without. Just because it’s optional with this board does not mean that it’s optional on the water.)
Summary Review of the Nixy Newport G5
Nixy have done a great job with this latest iteration of their classic Newport design. The tweaks to the plan shape have been just enough to give it more stability, tracking and even a bit more speed, yet still kept it feeling light, playful and fun. On top of this, the board now boasts a whole lot more fittings and functionality too.
If you’re looking for a high quality general purpose family all rounder, particularly for paddlers under 180 lbs, then you won’t go far wrong with the Newport G5.
Happy paddling! We hope you enjoyed this review of the Nixy Newport G5. If you have any questions or comments please leave us a comment below!
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