Starboard 10'8" X 33" iGO DELUXE iSUP Review
Pros
- Very stable thanks to being 10’8 x 33’’ and having a balanced plan shape.
- Glides across the water at a nice cruising pace without having to put a ton of force behind each paddle stroke.
- Excellent balance between all of its core performance abilities: speed, tracking, and maneuverability.
- Long-lasting and durable thanks to the welded rail technology and the high-quality construction materials and precise construction processes.
- Easy to carry to and from the water thanks to the included shoulder carry strap.
- Sleek, professional-looking design that you can’t ignore. The blue and red color scheme is a Starboard standard.
Cons
- Comes with a higher price tag than some all-arounds on the market.
Popular beginner all-around iSUP dimensions meet remarkable performance capabilities.
Like a baby bird taking its first flight after leaving its nest, the Starboard 10’8×33’’ iGO Deluxe has the instinct to know exactly what to do when it hits the water.
After the first few minutes (or perhaps seconds) of paddling and reviewing the Starboard 10’8’’ x 33’ iGO Deluxe, I knew it was going to be an easy one to write about. To start, it’s very stable. It not only has great primary stability, but also great secondary stability too, meaning that it’s stable as you stand upright without moving, but also when you paddle in choppy conditions or walk around the deck. Even when you purposely rock the board from side to side, you remain in balance. It’s also zippy, ‘listens’ to which direction you want to take it in, and glides across the water like butter spreads across bread (or something like that).
We think the Starboard 10’8 iGO Deluxe would be a great SUP for paddlers who:
- Want a stable all-around board from a high-performance brand
- Values excellent construction processes that create lightweight, rigid boards
- Prefer a board that has better maneuverability than tracking: the 10’8’’ length swings more in this direction as opposed to the 12’’6 version of this board which is the opposite.
Starboard 10’8 iGO Deluxe: Spec Sheet
- Main Category: All-around
- Board Dimensions: 10’8 x 33 x 6
- Listed Board Weight: 19.8 lbs
- Listed Max Capacity: 265 lbs
- Recommended PSI: 15 – 18
- Fins: 8’’ single center fin
- Materials: fusion PVC and welded rails
- Warranty: 2 years
Performance Review of the Starboard 10’8 iGO Deluxe Stand Up Paddle Board
Overall Score: [9.4/10]
- Stability: 9.1/10
- Speed: 9.2/10
- Tracking: 8.9/10
- Maneuverability: 9.2/10
- Construction Quality: 9.8/10
- Features/Accessories: 9/10
Stability Rating: [9.1/10]
As can be seen by looking at the photos of this SUP, it maintains a considerable width throughout much of its length. Its widest point of 33’’ is smack in the center of the board where you stand, and has little taper as you travel about a foot towards the tip or the tail. This gives it a large amount of even surface area in direct contact with the water. Plus, 33’’ is about one inch wider than a typical all-around of this length, which enhances the stability even more. It comes to a nice point in the nose for a bullet-like plan shape, while the squared-off tail further enhances stability and gives the board a plan shape aligned with good speed, tracking, and maneuvering.
All in all, most paddlers will find it to be quite a stable board regardless of weight or height. However, if you are a very tall person, your center of gravity will be higher and you may find more stability in a longer board such as the Starboard 12’ iGO Deluxe.
Speed Test: 9.2/10
| Top Sprint Speed: | 5.4 MPH |
| Average Cruising Speed: | 4.5 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.
The speed of the Starboard 10’8 iGO outperformed our expectations.
So, why didn’t we expect it to go this fast? All-arounds are shorter and wider than most boards, which affects speed. And square tails can create more drag on the water, which increases tracking but can also slow the board down. However, in this case, the high level of stability in combination with the lightness of the board (only 19.8 lbs), makes it easy to get this board up to speed quickly and maintain a fast stroke rate. And the faster you paddle, the faster the board will go. So for an all-around style iSUP, we are pleased with the speed results.
Tracking: 8.9/10
The Starboard 10’8×33 iGO Deluxe tracks very well for an all-around style SUP. Due to the well crafted plan shape – the pointed nose, extensive wide zone, square tail, and continuous curve on the edges that come to a pointed nose – it is a high performer in general. We found ourselves only needing to switch paddle sides about every 8 or 9 strokes, but that number will vary from person to person depending on your paddle form. The more correct your paddle form is, the better your tracking will be. Considering this board is a high-performer, it’s a great board to practice your form on because you will notice a difference in how straight you paddle fairly quickly. If you need help with your form, check out our video How To Improve Your Paddle Technique.
It comes with an 8’’ swept-back fin. A straight fin will be better for stability and tracking, but luckily this SUP comes with a US fin box so you have the ability to interchange fins.
Tracking is the one area where this board is not as great as its “older sibling,” the 12’ x 33’’ iGO. Because the 12’ has a significantly longer waterline, it has slightly better directionality and thus better tracking.
Maneuverability: 9.2/10
While I may be sounding like a broken record at this point, the Starboard 10’8 x 33’’ maneuvers nicely. Once again, its well crafted plan shape allows for great performance, maneuverability included. Also, the swept-back fin style enhances maneuverability compared to a straight fin. Once again, you have the ability to swap fins hassle free.
We found the board to respond quickly to our paddle movements regardless of which specific paddle stroke we used. It is also quite an easy SUP to do step-back turns on because the nose pops right out of the water as you use your body weight to sink the tail. And since it has a high level of stability, you won’t find yourself wobbling all over the place as you start to spin. Pro tip: keep your paddle in the water at all times as a way to leverage your balance.
Maneuverability is an area where this board outshines its “older sibling,” the Starboard 12’ x 33’’ iGO Deluxe. Being 16’’ shorter than the 12’ iGO, it’s easier to steer in the direction you want to go.
Construction Quality: 9.6/10
Starboard tells us that the 10’8×33 iGO Deluxe is constructed with Starboard’s woven drop stitch core, which means the base fabric is a woven material and the inner threads are oriented in an ‘X’ pattern. They’ve also stiffened their rails by applying two layers of PVC instead of one, but kept the weight down by using the fusion method to adhere materials together (using heat and pressure) rather than glue. Additionally, they use carbon rail bands for added stiffness and strength. Lastly, Starboard heat welds their seams to reinforce their airtight seal and limit the risk of seam failure.
Clearly, Starboard prioritizes lightweight and rigidity in their Deluxe models, which pays off in terms of performance. While the Deluxe models are more pricey than Starboard’s Zen boards (constructed with linear drop-stitch), you get what you are paying for. Take it from us, since we tested the Starboard iGO Deluxe side by side with the iGO Zen: you can feel the performance difference between the two when out on the water, and it shows in our bend test.
Board Stiffness:
Stiffness Test: 0.875” 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.
Considering this board is the Deluxe model and has excellent rigidity, it comes as no surprise that it bent less than an inch in our bend test. When boards bend over an inch, we consider it a good score. So needless to say, a 0.875’’ bend test result is fantastic.
Features/Accessory Review: [9/10]
Features:
The 10’8×33 iGO Deluxe has a sharp look to it that encapsulates its high-performance abilities. Starboard’s iconic blue and red color scheme is very distinctive and classy. The hull is a sleek gray and the deck is a deep blue with light blue and red accents. It’s very vibrant, so you might have people staring at it when you whip it out at the lake (or any body of water)!
The deck pad has diamond grooves that are great for slip resistance and comfort.
On the nose of the board, there is a modest bungee cargo area suitable for a small dry bag or small personal accessories like a water bottle and shoes. This SUP doesn’t have enough cargo space for loading it up with days worth of gear, but that’s fine because it’s an all-around board and not meant for long adventures.
There’s a raised kick pad that is subtle but prominent enough to let you know when you are at the end of the board.
The PVC on the deck has a diamond pattern to it (not the deck pad itself), but we aren’t sure what Starboard does to achieve it and we have reached out to ask them. It’s a Starboard staple and we want to know how they do it!
Included Accessories:
When you purchase the Starboard 10’8×33 you also get
- A Starboard ‘Re-Cover Bag’ which is big and roomy for your board + accessories. It’s made out of recycled plastic bottles and it takes about 30 bottles to make 1 bag. It’s high quality and has mesh pockets inside for the fin.
- Starboard Tiki Pump – in our opinion, this is one of the best hand pumps you can buy. It’s very efficient and packs down so you can bring it along without it being a burden. It’s a triple-action pump so it inflates the board quickly. It’s a high-quality piece of equipment and we want to give it the kudos it deserves (but if pumping by hand isn’t for you, check out the top electric sup pumps).
- Shoulder Carry Strap. This is a great feature that hooks onto two D-rings on the board’s rails. It makes it a lot more comfortable to carry the board down to the water, especially if you are carrying two boards at once!
- Lightweight ankle cuff leash
- 8’’ ‘Net Positive’ fin
We want to see Starboard widen the velcro strap on the leash so it fits around the calf. As it is now, it only fits around the ankle. Also, it’s quite long so it tends to drag in the water. But other than that, we love the straight leash and see great value in all of Starboard’s accessories. Lastly, a paddle is not included. Since this is an expensive board yet it’s an all-around suitable for everybody, we would like to see Starboard include a paddle option in the package.
Summary Review of the Starboard 10’8×33 – 2023
The Starboard 10’8×33 iGO Deluxe is an admirable iSUP built by a team that we have come to admire. This board demonstrates that they have found a sweet spot when it comes to added stability without limiting maneuverability, speed, tracking, or a lightweight build. If you are looking for a high-end all-around board where you will certainly be getting what you pay for, then we can’t recommend the Starboard 10’8×33 iGO Deluxe enough.
Happy paddling! We hope you enjoyed this review of the Starboard 10’8×33 iGO Deluxe. If you have any questions or comments please leave us a comment below!
Laura Coor
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