The Indiana SUP 10'6" Wing is said to be equally suitable for SUP paddling and wing surfing. So why not try out both in one go? All we need is the board, the two additional (wing) fins, a paddle and a wing - plus a tight suitcase with plenty of photo equipment and sufficient drinking water on board.
One board for two disciplines: SUP and wing
The Indiana SUP 10'6'' Wing is 32 inches wide and only 4 3/4 inches thick. This means it can be inflated to the specified 15 psi (1 bar) pressure quite quickly and, at 10.4 kilos, is very easy to handle on land. The carrying handle is sufficiently padded and mounted in the centre of gravity. A flexible rubber edge is glued around the tail, which is designed to improve water shedding at higher speeds. The special feature is the two additional fins, which are mounted for wing surfing and are designed to reduce drift. So I put them in the bag with the wing for now, their time will come later. Bathers watch in amazement as I drag the strange luggage to the launch site in front of Camping Europa in Torbole. High summer - holiday time. At ten in the morning, there is only a slight offshore wind blowing from the mountains onto the lake. It feels like all the holidaymakers have nothing better to do than marvel as I push the board into the water, laden with strange bags and suitcases. Usually, the water is stirred with the paddle here, mostly in Speedos and without luggage. Motivated - and keen to get away quickly - I take my first strokes through the water: the board is really tight in the water for its small thickness and pulls straight ahead well. You stand low, which gives you that surfing feeling, which many people like better than on the thick six-inch boards. The thick boards offer maximum load capacity, but the Indiana 10'6" easily copes with my 83 kilos plus luggage.
The Indiana SUP 10'6" Wing as a SUP
The fairly straight edges and perhaps also the sharp side trailing edge seem to provide good guidance. The bow is slightly upturned and runs freely over the water, even when I paddle slowly into the area where small waves slowly form in the offshore north wind. 10'6" - this is a popular board length for "all-round SUPs". You won't win a long-distance cup with it on flat water, but it is manoeuvrable and a compromise for riding with a wing. I make good progress and usually reach my destination at around six to six and a half km/h after a good half hour and around three and a half kilometres.
The paddle conclusion: The board carries sufficiently, you stand nice and low, it turns very easily and runs, measured against the not exactly typical touring length, above all very straight.
How the Indiana SUP 10'6" Wing works with the Wing
I make myself comfortable at the old Hotel Ponale, unload my bags and explore the grotto next door. It has been raining a lot, the waterfall is gushing out particularly abundantly and blows refreshing, cool air out of the cave exit. Doing a few laps here is fun, the board feels playful, just as you would expect from a 10'6 "x32". In the shade, on the dilapidated veranda, you forget the sweltering heat on the now windless lake. The natural air conditioning provided by the waterfall is effective right up to this point and the time until the south wind blows is very pleasant to endure. The Ora takes just under two hours today before the water starts to ripple. The time has come to fit the additional fins. These are first inserted and then secured with two Allen screws each - which is a little fiddly because the screws are very close to the board and there is little room for the fingers to turn. But it works! When inflating the wing, I try to avoid any contact with rusty railings or protruding threaded rods, a little practice in handling the wing helps a lot in the confined space.
Fast with the paddle, faster with the wing
The bags are lashed down and I slowly fight my way out of the cover into the wind zone with just the lowest part of the three-part paddle, the other parts are already stowed in the wing bag. As expected, the start is easy and a SUP of this size is ideal for practising how to use a wing. You simply stand up, with the wing held loosely in one hand, and can then start sailing in a standing position. At first, the wing still hangs in my hands like a lame wing without propulsion in a barely perceptible breeze, but even with the wing I can make light paddle strokes through the water and fight my way out of the calm.
SUP with wing: Even big boards can't do it without wind.
Further out, a few knots more wind beckon. As soon as the wing "flies" on its own, the board accelerates playfully, travelling at around eight km/h now that the wind is a little more constant, heading home with the wind that is now blowing from the south in the afternoon, typical of Lake Garda. The two small additional fins also make it possible to tack "against the wind" from time to time, so it is also possible to maintain height. Although the fins do not offer the maximum surface area that is sometimes used in this board class, they do noticeably inhibit drift, and an existing feeling for the wind or sail is very helpful for this.
The Indiana 10'8" Wing does not bear the name suffix for nothing, in fact you can practise the basics (turning the wing in the water, lifting, starting, steering) with the wing before switching to a small board with a foil. Ideally, however, the wind should already be carrying the wing during these preliminary exercises, as holding the wing up all the time is quite tiring.
Wing conclusion: The Indiana is great for practising how to use the wing, the board guides sufficiently and turns well with the not overly large additional fins. The thinness gives you more of a surf feeling than on 6-inch boards.
Indiana 10'6 "x32" - the test judgement
The Indiana 10'6 "x32" is one of the moderately wide SUP all-rounders in terms of dimensions, which gives the board a sporty touch. This also makes it suitable for - not too long - SUP tours. At just 4 3/4 inches thick, it is easy to handle and offers a pleasantly deep stance. It is highly recommended as a family all-rounder, and its suitability for wings adds to its value. If you really want maximum load capacity, you should probably go for a thicker 6-inch board. In our test, however, the reduced thickness was only noticeable in a positive way with a paddler weight of 83 kilos and some luggage.
- Length: 10'6'' - 320 cm
- Width: 32'' - 81.3 cm
- Thickness: 4.75'' - 12 cm
- Volume: 243 L
- Weight: 10.4 kg (SUP measurement, inflated, without fins)
- You can find more information here.
- Price899 Euro.
