Red Paddle Co 11’3’ Sport MSL800
Pros
- A wonderfully well-balanced design that gives excellent performance at whatever speed you want to drive it.
- Really good stability for a 32” wide board.
- User-friendly enough to be a great first time board yet sprightly enough to go so much further.
- Upgraded construction and lighter weight for 2025.
- Excellent carrying bag and really good hand pump as part of the kit
Cons
- A little bit light on fittings compared to some of the competition (but we love all that uncluttered deck space too!)
- Most other brands now fit a split-style US finbox which makes rolling up the board a lot easier than the full length US finbox that Red are still using.
The Sport 11’3 effortlessly straddles the divide between all-around and touring performance in this high quality package
The Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3 has been in the Red Paddle Co range for quite a few years now. The Sport range initially started out with the Sport 11’0, a sleek and speedy machine that felt like a rocketship compared to the all-rounders in Red’s Ride range, but at just 30” wide was less suited to inexperienced paddlers unless they were sub 160 lbs. So Red pumped the design up a bit to create a more stable board, adding 2 inches of width and a tiny bit more length, and instantly had a major hit on their hands with the Sport 11’3. For 2025 the board is aligned in Red’s Futures range, and is built using Red’s new MSL800 manufacturing process to reduce weight and increase stiffness.
So how would the board fare in our review; would it still impress us or have other brands now caught up? All will be revealed in this review, but to keep you reading we are happy to confirm the following:
We think the Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3 would be a great SUP for:
- Paddlers wanting a board that can take them from beginner right through to advanced levels of paddling
- Offers a whole lot of stability yet high performance too
- Comes with a 5 year warranty and the backing of one of the most well established names in the iSUP business
Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3: Spec Sheet
- Board Category: All-round, Touring
- Listed Board Dimensions: 11’3 x 32 x 4.7″
- Measured Board Dimensions: 11’3 x 31 ¾ ” x 5”
- Listed Board Weight: 20.94lb
- Actual Board Weight (inflated): 21.5 lbs
- Listed Max Capacity: 110kg (240 lbs)
- Recommended PSI: 15-22 PSI
- Fins: 9” US box touring fin.
- Paddle: Choose between Cruiser Tough, Hybrid, Prime, Ultimate
- Board Shell Construction Materials: MSL Fusion
- Drop-stitch type: MSL®800 double-drop-stitch material
- Price Range: High
- Warranty: 5 year (as long as you register the board within 3 months)
Performance Review of the Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3 Stand Up Paddle Board
Overall Score: [9.7/10]
- Stability: 8.2/10
- Speed: 7.6/10
- Tracking: 9.2
- Maneuverability: 8.7/10
- Construction Quality: 9.8/10
- Features/Accessories: 9.1/10
Stability Rating: [8.2/10]
The stability score shown here is a global rating, based on comparative performance to all other sizes and styles of paddleboards (other than multi-person boards).
As mentioned in the introduction, the Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3 was designed to be a more stable version of the highly successful Sport 11, and Red absolutely achieved this goal. The 2” extra width has been intelligently applied, increasing the overall volume in front of and behind the standing area, widening the tail yet maintaining those smooth harmonious lines in the plan shape which give this board such a beautifully well balanced feel. Red Paddle Co’s smaller boards also benefit from using 4.7” dropstitch, putting the rider closer to the water than on 6” boards which instantly makes a positive difference to the feeling of stability.
So don’t be fooled by what may seem like a low score for this section, our stability ratings are global, to give you an idea as to how the board being reviewed compares with the most stable and least stable offerings on the market. Stability is the most fundamentally important aspect of choosing a board – if it’s not stable enough for you to paddle comfortably, other parameters are pretty irrelevant! Ultimately, a 32” wide board like the Sport 11’3 can never offer the stability of a 34” wide board, but we can certainly confirm that compared to other 32” wide boards, the Sport 11’3 scores really well. In other words, it’s extremely stable for its size.
Red Paddle Co’s suggested maximum rider weight of 240 lbs for this board seems pretty much spot on. However, we’d throw in a corollary to this recommendation; if you are up around 240 lbs and tall with it, particularly if you have the athletic male physique of broad shoulders and lots of upper body muscle, then you probably need a wider board – especially if you’re new to paddleboarding, or have any balance issues. Check out Red Paddle Co’s new 11’6 Ride which absolutely excels in this department, earning one of the highest stability scores we’ve given out for a long time; a massive 9.7/10.
Speed: 7.6/10
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.
The Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3 isn’t quite so performance-orientated as its smaller brother the Sport 11, but still possesses a very decent turn of speed thanks to that ‘touring-esque’ plan shape and a beautifully balanced volume distribution. The hard release edge on the tail also plays its part; it’s noticeable that the wake is significantly reduced compared to other boards with otherwise similar tail shapes.
Cruising
The Sport 11’3 undoubtedly has a faster cruising pace than wider / more round-nosed all-round paddleboards of similar length. In this mode it just slips very easily through the water, and is very forgiving of less-than-perfect technique.
Fast Cruising
Paddling at a harder pace, but still comfortably aerobic so it’s sustainable over a good distance, with a cadence in the low 40s.
The Sport 11’3 thoroughly enjoys this sort of paddling, and is very happy to be pushed along at a decent pace. It’s a great board for anyone wanting to use their paddleboard for fitness and working up a bit of a sweat.
Going Hard
You do start to notice that extra width when you push really hard, but thanks to that beautifully well balanced feel, the Sport 11’3 is still happy to be driven at a good pace. As a useful comparison, it’s not that dissimilar in dimensions (particularly width) to Red Paddle Co’s excellent all-round board, the Ride 10’6 – but the Sport 11’3 is both significantly faster, and significantly easier and more enjoyable to paddle fast.
Overall
If speed is your main goal then you’re probably going to need to look at something longer, and Red Paddle Co have an embarrassment of riches in this department. The Sport 12’6 is a classic design offering good user-friendliness and significantly more performance, while the Explorer range offers more speed and more stability. But if you are wanting to stick with the sub sub-11’6 board class, then the Sport 11’3 offers one of the best combinations of speed and stability that you’re going to find.
Tracking: 9.2/10
Tracking ultimately comes down to board length; a longer board will almost always track better than a shorter board of the same general width. So our tracking scores are intended to show how a board compares to other boards of similar size. In the case of the Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3 the scores compare to other boards in the 10’6 – 11’6 all-purpose/touring category.
The Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3 tracks very comfortably, benefiting from the long straight section in the plan shape and the wider tail, both of which play their part in locking the board onto its course. The large stiff fin with its high-area touring shape also helps keep the board on track. Overall, the tracking performance compares well to other boards of this size, especially those of a more rounded plan shape.
Maneuverability: 8.7/10
Maneuverability scores are based on comparative performance to boards of a similar general length and style. In the case of the Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3 the scores compare to other boards in the 10’6 – 11’6 all-purpose/touring category.
This is perhaps the only area of performance where the Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3 isn’t scoring significantly above average for its class. The board design is more about straight line paddling – it’s that old trade-off of tracking vs manouevrability. However, it’s never too much of a problem with sub-11’6 boards – they’re still small enough to be turned without too much effort. It just takes a few more strokes! The reduced thickness also makes the board feel a lot more stable in the turn when you’re really cranking some force on that paddle.
One area of manoeuvrability that the Sport 11’3 does get a good thumbs-up from our reviewers is with stepback turns. The wide tail makes it very easy to move back on the board, and the board feels very responsive and ready to spin.
As always, if you do want to improve the turning performance, changing to a smaller/more swept-back fin placed right at the front of the finbox will loosen up the feel of the board quite a bit.
To understand more about turning styles and how to do them, check out our how-to video
Construction Quality: 9.8/10
Red Paddle Co have been at the forefront of iSUP construction techniques, and were the pioneers of the ‘fusion’ construction model, whereby layers of PVC are fused directly to the dropstitch substrate with heat and pressure. Many brands now use a similar process, but Red has had longer to perfect and refine it than anyone else. For 2025 they’ve introduced some new construction labels, and the Sport 11’3 features their MSL800 process.
Inside the board
The drop stitch used inside the Sport 11’3 is quoted at 4.7” thick, but actually measures 5”. The drop stitch is X woven, which is lighter than the traditional ‘V woven’ dropstitch yet still offering excellent rigidity.
Top and Bottom Skin
As mentioned earlier, Red pioneered the fusion process and the new MSL 800 process is a further refinement of that. Red are reticent about giving too much away about how they make their boards, but we do know that they use a special method and set of materials to bind their reinforced PVC layer to the underlying fabric layer. The exact specifications, materials and thicknesses are unique to Red. Apparently the process name refers to the weight saving rather than the weight – it’s 800 grams/square meter lighter than their previous MSL material.
Side Construction
Whereas most brands utilise side panels to connect the top and bottom layers, Red have a different approach, they bring the top and bottom layers together to create that ‘monocoque’ construction. It’s a labour intensive process but over the years it has undoubtedly given Red boards performance and rigidity advantages as compared to the side-panel construction approach. However, the introduction of PVC welding technology when building those side panels has allowed those other brands to close the gap significantly. Red can’t easily utilize welding in their construction process, so their seam fixing remains 100% glue-based. It will be interesting to see if they change their approach in this area over the next few years.
Extra Stiffening Systems
Red Paddle Co introduced their RSS (Rail Stiffening System) in around 2014, inspired by the battens used in windsurfing sails. The RSS batten slides into a pocket built onto each side of the board adjacent to the standing area, to minimise the flex through that area of the board.
Overall
The Sport 11’3 has definitely benefited from the weight saving due to the new MSL 800 construction, and is as well constructed as we have come to expect from Red Paddle Co. It’s very noticeable that Red’s seams and general finish tend to be more accurate and well-aligned than we see from pretty much any other brand.
Normally we’re a bit reticent about paying too much attention to brand warranties, because they’re worthless if the brand were to disappear from the scene! But when a brand has been around for 17 years and is showing no signs of slowing down, we feel that the 5 year warranty offered by Red definitely has value and meaning. Just remember that you do need to register your board to get this warranty!
Board Stiffness: 1.26”
The 1.26” deflection in our 150lb bend test is a reasonably good result for a board of this size, considering the thinner dropstitch being used, which inevitably takes a toll on overall stiffness. We’d expected to find just slightly less flex because of the RSS batten system, but what we’ve noticed with this system is that it doesn’t necessarily reduce the overall deflection in a board, but instead puts more rigidity into that central standing area. So rather than the board ‘hinging’ in the middle when under load, it holds its shape through that center area but hinges in front of and behind the battens when we put it under the spot loading in this test. Anyway, where it counts is on the water, and the board definitely feels pretty rigid underfoot in that environment.
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: [9.1/10]
Features:
The Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3 comes in just the one colorway, featuring Red’s favored palette of elegant shades of blue. We really like the EVA deck pad configuration; with its various grades of grip. The ‘Red’ embossed area gives good grip and is comfortable underfoot, while in the tail area (including the kick pad) has the diamond-cut extra grippy stuff, giving excellent traction underfoot whether you’re wearing neoprene shoes or paddling barefoot.
The Sport 11’3 is relatively light on fittings and features. On the nose we find a well padded carrying handle, plus a screw-in (M6 thread) action camera/accessory mount point. Next up are the three webbing cargo straps, attached to steel D Rings. The straps are not the full width of the nose, so the actual cargo carrying space isn’t huge, but should be more than enough for most day adventures. Having the D rings does mean that it’s easy to replace the webbing straps with criss-cross bungee or indeed any other type of storage fixing should you so choose.
We really like Red’s little trick of putting the extra fixing point on the strap nearest the rider, creating a small loop perfectly sized for holding a water bottle.
Other than the central carrying handle, that’s pretty much it on fixings, until you get right back to the stomp pad on the tail. Behind that is the rear carrying handle and the leash fixing point.
We’re slightly puzzled by Red’s approach to handles. While all three of the handles on this board are absolutely fine, they’re each of a slightly different type and feel, with different mounting systems. This seems just slightly over-engineered. Not that it interferes in any way with the performance or rider comfort, we’re just curious as to why so much attention has been paid to this particular area of development!
So overall, it’s a relatively minimal set of deck fittings compared to most other boards of this type. We suspect that Red Paddle Co has simply decided to major on keeping the board weight as low as possible.
On the underside we have the single fin configuration. The central US-style finbox is full length, rather than the split style now found on most other leading brands because it makes a board easier to roll up. Red have been developing their own bespoke twist-on US finbox mounting system over the past few years and have now rolled it out on some of their other models, and it’s very clever, even better than the split style finbox system. However, until Red have this on all their boards, or adopt the split box system on boards they’re not going to put the twist-on system on, they’re looking a little bit behind the curve in this department. (The split finbox does also retain the advantage of no additional parts to lose or break). It’s only a minor detail and doesn’t impact on the performance of the board at all, but having become so used to split style US boxes now it’s quite a shock to encounter the ‘old’ style!
Included Accessories:
Red Paddle Co boards come with the ‘ATB’, the most heavy-duty and feature-rich carrying bag that you will find in the iSUP arena. It’s super durable and extremely voluminous, but what really makes it so great is that the hip belt and rucksack straps can easily be detached, turning it into a super practical piece of luggage for air travel. On a recent long haul flight we took board, paddle, two wetsuits and everything else needed for a 3 week back-country adventure, all in the one bag to check in. And stayed within the economy class weight limit!
The Titan II pump meanwhile, is also a classic. Red was the first brand to introduce double chamber pumps and they remain the easiest and most efficient way to inflate a board by hand.
The Sport 11’3 is not packaged with a paddle as standard but can be purchased with any of the main Red paddle range.
Summary Review of the Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3
So how best to describe the Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3? Red markets it as a ‘step-up from an all-rounder’. But we’d actually say that in many ways it is the perfect all rounder. If you’re looking for a board that has plenty of stability and user-friendliness to learn the basics on, but can then take you smoothly and easily along the journey into better paddling, and going further and faster, then here it is. This may well be the only board you’ll ever need!
And yes, to acknowledge Red’s marketing, for sure it is also a perfect step-up from the ubiquitous rounded-nose 10’6 x 33” learning board that most people start their paddleboarding career on. If you want to stay in that general size and stability of board but you want a whole heap more classy performance, the Sport 11’3 will fill that role perfectly.
Overall, the Sport 11’3 merges the roles of beginner/general-purpose board and small tourer perfectly, in a really high quality package with a delightfully smooth and classy feel. Yes it’s a bit light on fittings compared to the competition, but other than that it’s a real standout in every way, and the upgraded construction and reduced weight for 2025 have done it absolutely no harm at all!
Happy paddling! We hope you enjoyed this review of the Red Paddle Co Sport 11’3. If you have any questions or comments please leave us a comment below!
Bill Dawes
Latest posts by Bill Dawes (see all)
- Thurso Waterwalker 132-12 iSUP Review – 2025 - June 18, 2025
- Red Paddle Co 11’3 Sport MSL 800 iSUP Review – 2025 - June 17, 2025
- Red Paddle Co Ride 11’6 iSUP Review – 2025 - June 16, 2025
Thank you for the great review. Your thoughts on the differences between this 11’3 Sport and the longer one 12’6 Sport in terms of stability? Like in a harbour with big boats coming and going, and touring between some coastline islands, which one would be more appropriate? Thank you.
Frank,
If stability and distance are important to you, then extra length will help out. I’m a huge fan of the 11’3 sport, but think the longer 12’6 would be better for what you are describing.
How do you think this would handle in the ocean?
I think it would handle fantastic in the ocean, and is one of the boards I’m anxious to take out and try surfing in smaller waves with when I can.
You mention “its very stable, yet also lightweight with a 240 lbs weight capacity can be exceeded even by beginners”.
I am on the top edge of this weight limit so wondered if I should look elsewhere?
I would be using it on rivers and sea.
I currently have a Slingshot Crossbred which I don’t find too stable
Trevor,
I’m not familiar with the Slighshot Crossbred, but I’d recommend going for the larger 12’6 sport if you are close to that 240 lb weight limit.
I just finished reading the review, and I’m really impressed with the Red Paddle Co 11’3″ Sport SUP! The durability and performance details you mentioned are definitely convincing. I love how versatile it seems for both touring and some casual paddling. Thanks for sharing your insights! Can’t wait to hit the water with it!