Shipping Update - Canada Post Strike
July 2022

Gear Review: 11'3 Sport SUP—The Goldilocks Board for Red Paddle Co

Guest Author: John Holman / Todd Avison
Photos by: Geoff Holman

You want to go fast but you aren’t a racer. You want to tour longer but aren’t on an expedition. You want a fun, efficient and well-built board for everyday, all-round use. This is the Goldilocks mission that Red Paddle Co was on when it came up with the new 2022 11’3” Sport MSL Inflatable Paddleboard. They understand that not everyone is out for speed and efficiency and yet there is a segment of paddlers out there that need something more than the traditional Ride series that has made Red Paddle Co so popular across the globe.


It is interesting being able to test this board as I am an owner of both a 10’8 Ride and a 12’6 Race board from Red. One is skinny and fast while the other is wide and stable. The 11’3 Sport comes in as just right! Red has added some nice features that we see across the entire line this season such as a comfortable deck pad, new tie down system and action cam mounts. Add to that the all-new Red Paddle Co ATB Transformer Board Bag and this is a winner of a set up.

The Colour Purple

This season the 11’3 comes in a special edition purple colourway. Red often release special edition colours and I think it is a cool branding thing they do so you have the chance to have something a little more unique out there. When I first saw this purple board come out of the bag, I was a little taken aback. It is definitely purple! After riding it and seeing it out in the environment I really grew to like the colour. The matching paddle is a nice touch too. It is not included with the board though but a worthy companion to this set up.

Time to Ride

My first time out on the 11’3 Sport was a slightly windy day with a little ripple in the water. This gave me the opportunity to test out the stability of the board right away. I am a little bigger paddle at 6’3 and just over 200lbs (of Winter weight!) so I think I was on the bigger size of who Red intended this board to be for. Nevertheless, I found right away that the board was nice and stable and sat a little lower in the water. If you haven’t compared a hardboard to an iSUP, there is a noticeable difference in ride height between the two styles. The 11’3 is the first iSUP I have paddled that rode a little lower down. It was still nice and solid underfoot give that it used the RSS batten system that is proprietary to Red Paddle Co.


After a few times out on the board I began to notice its unique characteristics and what made it stand out. The first thing to note is the maneuverability of the board. It can be moved around at will. There is a kick on the rear underside of the board that keeps the tail a little higher in the water and reduces and cavitation. I found that with an iSUP riding a bit lower in the water (which I liked) the tail staying a bit up made navigating this board an easier task.

That being said, the Sport 11’3 doesn’t track as straight as my Race board or the Voyager 12’6 I recently tested. That is ok because the versatility on this board is greater than any other Red Paddle Co board I have paddled. I could see riding flat water, choppy water, moving water and even getting this into the surf. I think that is the intention of this board. More versatile performance without making a purpose-built board like a race or tour board.

Details, details, details

I may be a bit biased, and I don’t hide that I am a big fan of Red Paddle Co. This is for several reasons. My 10’8 was my first board and is what made me fall in love with a life of paddleboarding. I have also tried and own boards from a few other brands and none of them come close to the build quality of Red. The MSL build process is superior to any other brand I have seen on the market. And the ones that are of similar toughness are always noticeably heavier. I feel that Red Paddle Co is run by paddle addicted people like myself and their attention to detail is the proof.

The Sport 11’3 has a deck pad that feels amazing on the feet. They even went so far as to make the traction out of little versions of their logo! The new tie down system is very easy to adjust, even with one hand. The integration of the standard US fin boxes and new Red Paddle Co fins is an example of well thought out design. These small details matter because we are in a time now when there is a flood of cheaper alternatives in the iSUP market.

They show loads of features but when you look closely, they really feel like they are glued on in an effort to add to the features list. Red carefully plans out what board needs what and then seamlessly integrates those designs.

Get Pumped Up!

The new Titan II pump from Red Paddle Co is crazy good. I always have a had a love/hate relationship with pumping up my boards. I love it because it is an awesome warm up to the paddle. I hate it because it takes time and I just want to paddle! Well, with the new Titan II pump you can get your board comfortably inflated in about 5 minutes. That is faster than my electric pump that is super loud and for some reason I keep burning out. The Titan II also breaks down a little smaller than the original Titan pump which I really like. It also has a switch to go from dual chamber to single chamber. A nice upgrade from the plug switch on the old Titan.

Without a Paddle It is Just a Board

Red has really stepped up their game in the paddle department. In years past I have opted for paddles from paddle specific manufacturers. Red always seemed like the paddle was an after thought. And it was. They were in the process of building the best inflatable SUP on the market. That is not the case now. The new Red paddles I tried were both high quality, had good feel in the hands and I really liked how they broke down and fit in the bags.

For the Weekend Warrior, the After Work Paddler, the Aspiring Adventurer

I find in the paddleboard world you either get a specific, purpose built board or a very generic board. Red Paddle Co has come up with a board that is for the person who wants more but isn’t stuck into one category. This board can easily be used by a beginner. Someone just starting out but who recognizes that a quality, well thought out and well built board will last them for years to come. It can also be for an avid paddler looking to up their game a bit, or for a more experienced paddler looking for something to ride with they aren’t racing or touring. I was unsure of this board at first. I didn’t know where it fit. Then when I got to know it a bit more I understood it’s place in the water. This is the Goldilocks board. It is just right.