Update, 16 April 2024: After the Erlkönig (Test below), we have now been able to inspect the series product, the Starboard "Roll" 2024, with some detailed improvements. With its more compact dimensions, the board appeals primarily to SUP beginners and families who value good tipping stability and plenty of space on deck more than maximum travelling speed on long tours. With the new roll technology, the boards take up very little space in the boot. This also applies to the standard 10'8'' x 33'' board.
The soft material is identical to the Erlkönig (below), but the fin box is much more delicate, elegant and streamlined and the board is very easy to roll very tightly. Starboard's plan is for the board to be wrapped around the pump and then fit into the narrow-cut bag (which works well), but the rolled board alone becomes a really thin sausage that can be stuffed almost anywhere. The light weight makes for very easy handling on land, which gives the board a playful touch. At 6 inches thick, all iGO boards are stiff and stable.
SUP with welded seams
The welded seams remain a special feature, which look very clean and should be more stable than glued foils. Two large tensioning nets hold a lot of material, and additional rings allow a kayak seat to be fitted (photos in Gallery above).
Original, first test of the Erlkönig:
At 9.4 kilos, the iGO is already one of the lightest SUP boards in the premium board segment, even if it is not an absolute featherweight. The supple material is easy to roll up and the new fin box with its deep cuts bends well around the rolled-up board at the end, resulting in a handy roll overall. This also avoids critical kinks at the end of the fin box (which can lead to damage) when rolling up.
Special feature: welded edges
Starboard also has a special feature with the iGO ZEN Roll: the edges are welded without glue using an innovative technology. This makes them much more durable, environmentally friendly and lighter than conventionally glued edges. The special thing about laminated edges is that it is technically very demanding to weld the round shape of the front and rear edges. The result certainly looks very clean on the test board.
Practical test: stable and suitable for touring
At 11 feet two inches, the iGO is a hybrid of all-rounder and compact touring board. You can feel this from the very first paddle strokes: The lightweight board is easy to accelerate and holds its course well, the 31 width in the centre allows a clean paddling technique, the board appears more agile than family transporters of the same length and 33 inches wide. Without paddle pressure, the board runs at around four and a half kilometres per hour, in the somewhat brisker touring mode, over six kilometres per hour can be maintained over longer distances and in a short sprint, the needle jumps to over eight kilometres per hour. All in all, this results in a brisk touring speed - in the board class under 12 feet in length.
The board tracks well, the wide bow is only raised gently and at a flat angle, allowing it to glide smoothly over the water. The board offers sufficient stability for light SUP beginners, but heavier beginners should perhaps opt for a 32 or 33 cm width. What you can definitely feel is the slightly lower thickness than usual, measured at 15 centimetres. This means that the board finds a stopping point early on when tipping sideways, thus minimising the tree trunk effect. At the same time, the board feels stiff even with a paddler weight of 85 kilos.
We tested a board from the pre-series; the series version, which will be available from January 2024, will use a further developed dropstitch (the threads on the inside of all iSUPS), which further increases stiffness. To turn around, you can either stay in the centre - as expected, the compact board turns quickly - or go up to the wedge-shaped pad at the tail: even in this standing position, the board gives the more experienced paddler sufficient safety.
With so much praise, there is only one permanent point of criticism: the Velcro fastener of the leash supplied, which is supposed to enclose the ankle, is more suitable for stork legs than for Bavarian hiking calves and cannot really be fastened properly over a thick dry or neoprene suit.
Deleted text passage: According to Starboard, the test board was still a current leash, the leash of the 2024 series boards is said to have been changed.
SUP Magazine review of the Starboard iGO ZEN Roll
The 2024 Starboard iGO 11'2'' x 31+'' offers a wide range of use because it turns well and still runs straight on tours. The width of 31 inches appears to be a very well-balanced choice for stability and yet fast progress. At 9.4 kilos and with a particularly compact pack size, the board is easy to transport and stow. The welded construction probably represents the highest standard of workmanship currently available.
- Price: 799 Euro
- Available from January 2024
- Info under www.star-board-sup.de
