Thurso Surf Max Multi-purpose iSUP
Pros
- Heaps of stability - extremely user-friendly and supportive for heavier riders.
- Great for cargo carrying or for multiple people on board.
- Despite its size it still has performance to offer
- A whole lot of fun for learning to do step-back turns on!
- With the kayak seat option and multiple paddle holder fixings, it’s great for sit-down cruising too.
- Considerably lighter than previous versions of the Max 11’6, due to the new improved construction.
- That all-over deck-pad is fabulous, giving the board huge versatility for activities such as fishing, yoga or just getting a whole lot of people on board!
- Great having that option to choose just the accessories you want at check out.
Cons
- Not quite as fast or maneuverable as some of the other super-stable boards we’ve reviewed this year.
- The cargo straps aren’t ideal for carrying something small like a water bottle. (But you can easily fix this by putting your own bungee cords onto the board using the D ring fixings.)
Thurso Surf have upgraded the construction of their popular multi-role Max 11’6 – how will it affect the performance?
The Thurso Max 11’6 is marketed as their ‘multi purpose’ board. “SUV-like versatility”, the website claims. We’ve reviewed it several times since it first joined the Thurso range, and have always rated it highly, our one proviso being the weight. Weight is always an issue with a bigger board, and for sure the Max is big! Its size is very much what it’s about; Thurso have crammed a whole lot of width into that 11’6” of length, to maximise the board’s stability, because if a board is super stable you can do a whole lot of things with it. However, that stability has – up until now – resulted in rather a lot of pounds and ounces.
So over the past few seasons we’ve seen Thurso Surf move to woven dropstitch and fusion construction, and now they’ve changed the rail construction too, all adding up to a whole lot of weight saving. The same great shape but lighter sounded very good to us, and in this review we’ll tell you all about what we think of this new improved version of the Max 11’6 Multi-Purpose.
We think the Thurso Surf Max 11’6 would be a great SUP for :
- Paddlers wanting a super stable platform for fun easy paddling
- Anyone who likes a whole lot of uncluttered deck area for exercise or activities
- Families wanting a board that can easily carry multiple riders (including pets!)
- Paddlers wanting a board with a great set of fittings and cargo carrying potential
Thurso Surf Max 11’6: Spec Sheet
- Board Categories: All-around, large paddlers, hybrid SUP/kayak, Fishing
- Listed Board Dimensions: 11’6 x 34 x 6”
- Measured Board Dimensions: 11’5.5” x 34 ¾” x 6 ¼ “
- Listed Board Weight: 25.3 lbs
- Actual Board Weight (board only, inflated): 25.6 lbs
- Listed recommended Capacity: 180-240 lbs
- Listed max capacity: 370 lbs
- Recommended PSI: 12-15 psi, max 20psi.
- Fins: Flexi 9” dolphin center fin, plus 2 side fins.
- Paddle: 3-piece carbon nylon (as an upgrade option)
- Board Shell Construction Materials: Double layer fusion, with welded rails
- Drop-stitch type: X-Woven
- Price Range: Mid
- Warranty: 30 day full refund, 2 year full warranty (with conditions)
Performance Review of the Thurso Surf Max 11’6 Stand Up Paddle Board
Overall Score: [9.5/10]
- Stability: 9.6/10
- Speed: 5.9/10
- Tracking: 9.2
- Maneuverability: 9.2/10
- Construction Quality: 9.5/10
- Features/Accessories: 9.4/10
Stability Rating: [9.6/10]
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).
The Thurso Surf Max 11’6 is a classic example of the now well-proven concept of taking the classic touring board shape (square tail, pointed nose), and pumping it up with some extra width, so as to increase the stability without taking away those fundamental touring board characteristics. From our very first review of the Max 11’6 when it first hit their range, we knew that Thurso had done a great job with this, maintaining decent glide and reasonable speed while massively increasing the weight carrying capacity of the board.
The very generous (nearly 35”) maximum width extends a good way forward and behind the central standing area, which gives the Max huge amounts of both primary and secondary stability, which is where the ‘multipurpose’ capability comes from. The board can carry a lot of weight (i.e. multiple people, people + pets, etc), but just as importantly, you can move around on the board easily. (In our initial review our 120 lb reviewer was able to jump up and down standing entirely on one side of the centerline without being able to tip the board over! This makes the board well suited to asymmetric activities such as fishing, when your weight regularly ends up away from the centerline, particularly if you’re reeling in a big one!
Overall, it’s a very stable platform. Note that our stability score of 9.5 is a global score, i.e. this is how the board scores in relation to all (single-person) paddleboards. This is one of the most stable SUP platforms that you will find. There are a few boards that score higher, due to being thinner, or having even more heavily tweaked plan shapes, but they’re few and far between.
Thurso Surf rates the Max 11’6 as being suited to riders in the 180-240 lbs range. With regard to the lower end, lighter people can certainly use this board with no problem, particularly if they’re tall. They will notice the extra width but there’s absolutely nothing stopping them from using the board very effectively, particularly in more specialist roles such as fishing. As for the 240 lbs suggested upper limit, we think they’re being a bit hard on themselves here, we’d bump that up to 265 lbs very happily. Particularly as the board is 6” thick (actually 6 ¼ “ by our measurements) so it has a whole lot of buoyancy and rigidity, well suited to carrying heavier riders.
For multiple persons, or persons+pets, or indeed persons+cargo if you’re thinking of loading the board up for some adventuring, the suggested max capacity of 370 lbs again seems very realistic.
Speed: 5.9/10
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.
As mentioned in the Stability discussion, the Thurso Surf Max 11’6 still maintains what is essentially a touring board plan shape, despite the pumped-up width. And this works very much in its favour when it comes to how well it slips through the water.
Cruising
In this mode the Max 11’6 is pleasantly comfortable. Thanks to that touring-oriented plan shape it doesn’t feel too draggy despite all the width, it doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to keep it moving. It’s only when you’re paddling next to someone on a narrower board that you realise you’re not going quite as fast.
Fast Cruising
When you step it up a bit, the Thurso Surf Max 11’6 responds pretty well; it is happy to be paddled a bit faster and doesn’t try to put the brakes on like more rounded-nose boards tend to do. A smaller (particularly shorter) person will notice that they’re definitely working harder, but bigger folk – which after all is who this board is designed for – can naturally exert more power anyway, and shouldn’t find it too challenging to keep up with family and friends on narrower all-round boards.
Going Hard
While you’re never going to find a 35” wide board that really enjoys maxed-out paddling, the Thurso Surf Max 11’6 is most certainly not the worst performer that we’ve encountered in this respect. Yes, you’re having to throw a whole lot more energy at it, but it does respond. This is one area where the 6” thickness does pay dividends; it really helps keep the board rigid when you’re cranking, too much flex being one of the main issues when trying to force a wide board through the water.
Overall
The Max 11’6 is never going to be winning races as there’s just a lot of board to push through the water. Nevertheless, at cruising speeds it’s very comfortable, and we’d certainly be much happier taking this board for a longer paddle than many other 35” designs! It’ll still take a while to get there but the ride itself will not be unpleasant. So while it’s not hugely fast overall we’re quite happy to give it a relatively good score for its speed performance. (Remember that our speed scores are ‘global’, to give you an idea as to how this board compares to the full range of all other SUPs on offer).
It’s good that the Max does offer reasonable performance in this respect since it’s actually quite a big gap from this board to the next biggest sizes in the Thurso range, respectively the Waterwalker 132 or the Expedition 150, both of which are great designs but with considerably less weight carrying capacity.
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 in its size. In the case of the Thurso Surf Max 11’6 the scores compare to other boards in the 10’0 – 11’6 all-purpose category.
The Thurso Surf Max 11’6 tracks pretty well for a board with so much width. The touring-style plan shape, and the width in the tail help the board cut a clean line through the water, and having three fins under the tail definitely helps too. Having said that, the center dolphin fin is very swept back and flexy. Replacing the fin with something bigger and stiffer, such as the touring fin that the Thurso Expedition boards are supplied with, can significantly improve the tracking performance yet further.
Shorter riders will definitely notice that their paddle is entering the water at quite an angle, an inevitable consequence of all that width. For taller riders it’s less of an issue, but still one of the main reasons why this board isn’t scoring as highly in the tracking department as a narrower design of the same length.
Overall, the Max gets a higher than average score for tracking in comparison to other boards of this general size.
Maneuverability: 9.2/10
Maneuverability scores are based on comparative performance to boards of a similar general length and style. In the case of the Thurso Surf Max 11’6 the scores compare to other boards in the 10’6 – 11’6 all-purpose/touring category.
It’s quite hard to assign a maneuverability score for a board like the Thurso Surf Max 11’6. On the one hand, it’s really big so inevitably it takes more effort to make it turn. However, because it has a lot of width and thus curve in the plan-shape, particularly in front of the rider, it’s still a lot more ready to turn than a narrower board of similar length. So, while a smaller person would probably find it a bit of a battleship to maneuver, a big strong guy with lots of leverage will love the way it is so easy to change course on.
So because it’s essentially designed for bigger people, we’re going to come down on the side of saying that the Thurso Surf Max 11’6 is actually reasonably maneuverable. It’s easy to change course going forward with sweep strokes or cross-bow turns, and the big wide tail is excellent for step back maneuvers. It’s a bit harder work to turn with reverse sweeps, due to that wide tail and the three relatively big fins that you’re having to work against.
If you’re not specifically concerned about maximising the tracking performance, then try removing the side fins, to loosen the board up, particularly in those reverse sweeps. But overall, it’s still fairly good considering its size.
To understand more about turning styles and how to do them, check out our how-to video
Construction Quality: 9.5/10
The Max construction has been refined significantly over the past few years, moving from double layer PVC to fusion construction (a huge weight saving right there), and this year the big upgrade is in the rail construction, now utilising welding technology.
Inside the board
The drop stitch is woven, for greater rigidity and stability, and a bit of weight saving too, a smart choice with a very big board like this, with a whole lot of fibers inside!
Top and Bottom Skin
The outer skin of the Thurso Max 11’6 utilises dual layer fusion construction, with two sheets of PVC fused together onto the drop stitch substrate. This fusion process is light yet strong, and widely regarded as the leading construction in iSUP board manufacture.
Rail construction
The sides of the Thurso Max 11’6 feature welded rails, a new upgrade for 2025. The extra carbon reinforcement in previous models has now gone (which we don’t have any issue with, since we were never fully convinced that the carbon made much difference anyway), and the sides of the board are now glued and then heat-welded to the top and bottom material, the welding adding an additional layer of integrity to the construction.
Overall
At the beginning of this review we commented on the rather heavy weight of the previous versions of the Max 11’6. The excellent news is that the welded rails, fusion construction and woven dropstitch have come together to create what is now a respectably light yet pleasingly stiff and well made platform.
Board Stiffness: 1 ⅛ ” bend
Just over an inch of deflection in our bend test is a pretty good result, and reflects what we felt on the water. A wider board naturally has more stiffness anyway, as does a thicker board, but it still requires good quality construction and materials to achieve a result as low as this.
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: [9.5/10]
Features:
The Thurso Surf Max 11’6 is available in the one color scheme, as shown here.
The deck-pad covers pretty much the entire top surface of the board, which we really like. It’s great for carrying extra people, cargo, pets, or just moving around the board easily if you’re using it in fishing or exercise mode. The EVA pad is embossed with the Thurso logo and grooved throughout for better drainage. It has a good and grippy feel underfoot.
The deck fittings and fixtures remain comprehensive, although the set has been scaled down just slightly from previous models. Earlier versions of the Max 11’6 had extra handles for seated passengers, and a fish measuring ruler built into the deck. Those have gone, and the criss-cross bungees replaced by lateral webbing straps, leaving the deck area rather less cluttered.
Working from nose to tail, the board has a carrying handle at the nose, and an action camera multi-mount, of the style that can either take a slide-in or screw-in fixing.
Then we have three well-spaced webbing cargo straps attached to D rings. The very generous nose width on the Thurso Max means that these straps are long; you have a whole lot of area for cargo carrying! The straps are also easily removed, which is great for freeing up deck space if you’re using the board in multi-person mode.
Our only issue with the webbing straps is their stretchiness. You can’t easily tension this out, so we did not find it an ideal set-up for smaller items, particularly something like a drink bottle, especially as the straps are too far apart for more than one to be in play. Fortunately, this is easily resolved by using some bungee to create your own criss-cross cargo system, as indeed Thurso used to deploy on this board. This is why we very much like the Thurso Surf approach of using steel D rings to secure their straps; it gives far more options in how you actually choose to set up your cargo carrying system.
Next up there are a pair of screw-in action fittings, which would work well for rod holders or drink bottles holders, as well as camera mount points. Then we find the front D rings for the kayak seat option. Next up is a set of paddle holder velcro straps on each side, which may at first seem slightly overkill as you’re unlikely to be out there with two paddles, but actually is a really smart idea as it’s great for carrying fishing rods, or of course, if there are two of you on the board in which case there may well be two paddles in play. Plus it just gives you more versatility and options.
Behind the rearmost kayak seat fixings we find yet more action camera mounts; one on each side, making a total of 5 in all. Then we have a nice large uncluttered area of deck space, finishing with two more bungee straps (our suggestion would be to go for three – why not?), and the central leash fixing D ring and another carrying handle.
All in all it’s a well configured deck, with a whole lot of options yet it doesn’t feel cluttered. We really like that many of the fixing points are right out on the edge, and the others are far enough to the side to leave the center area very clear. You could lie down for a snooze on this board very easily and comfortably! A minor suggestion for Thurso; the center handle could actually be slightly less well padded so that it lies more flat, making that deck space even more comfortable and accessible. Now that the construction weight has been significantly reduced, it’s not so critical to have a super well padded carrying handle, and this would make that large expanse of deck space even more user friendly.
On the underside of the board we find the three finboxes. The rear center fin uses a split US finbox, and the fin is supplied with a finbolt but can also be configured with up to three click-in tensioners, so that the fin can just be pushed-and-clicked into position rather than using the nut and bolt to hold it in. While this system works well in theory, the center fin is extremely soft and thus quite hard to get good purchase on to actually push into position, so it wasn’t the easiest to use this way.
The two side finboxes are of the FCS style – the fin is inserted into the box, clicked back into position and then the allen bolts are tightened with the allen key supplied. It’s a little bit fiddly, but in general you can actually get away without needing to tighten the bolts, the sidefin tends to stay in as long as it has been properly clicked back into its correct position. As discussed elsewhere, the very inboard position of these finboxes is unusual.
A big shout-out to Thurso Surf for the extremely nice accessory carry case that their boards now come with, with separate pockets for the fins, bolts, allen keys, repair kit items and the other various bits and pieces. It’s a nice touch that makes it easy to keep everything together and allows you to check at a glance that you do actually have everything before heading off to the beach, rather than having to root around in the bottom of the bag or check separate pockets, as is the usual situation.
Included Accessories:
The Thurso Surf Max 11’6 can be purchased board only (including leash and fin kit, or as a package with the option of including any or all of the following accessories; the backpack, a rechargeable electric pump, life jacket, kayak seat, SUP carrier strap, and the Thurso Surf Carbon Hybrid 3 piece adjustable paddle. Getting the various accessories this way saves money (typically around 20%) over buying them individually, and it’s all good quality kit.
The backpack is spacious and has rucksack straps and wheels. The electric pump is reasonably powerful, and takes about 8 minutes to inflate the board. The Carbon Hybrid paddle is a reasonably good beginner/intermediate paddle, but it would be really nice if Thurso could also offer the option of their higher performance paddle options too, because the Max 11’6 is a versatile enough machine to be of appeal to a wider range of paddlers than just beginner/intermediates.
Summary Review of the Thurso Surf Expedition 138
The ‘narrative arc’ of the Thurso Surf Max 11’6 has been a great journey to watch. It started with a decent shape, and then just got better and better as Thurso Surf steadily refined and improved the construction, making the board lighter and improving the performance.
So now what we have is an excellent example of the super-stable all-rounder category. It still moves and feels like a touring board, but it’s hugely stable and offers a whole lot of uncluttered deck space, creating a really versatile platform. It’ll carry a whole lot of weight, whether in terms of one big rider, multiple normal-sized ones (human or otherwise), or rider + cargo. The full-cover deckpad gives a whole lot of room for fitness work, fishing or just messing around.
Overall we really rate this versatile and user friendly design, and hope to see it continuing as a member of the Thurso Surf line-up for many more seasons yet. And we’ll be very curious to see whether Thurso Surf can continue the narrative arc even further!
Happy paddling! We hope you enjoyed this review of the Thurso Surf Max 11’6. If you have any questions or comments please leave us a comment below!
Bill Dawes
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