SCOUT INFLATABLE PADDLE BOARD
Summary
Since the usable deck space is so large compared to the overall size, this is also popular with the SUP yoga crew. Some have found this to be so good for yoga that they think this is what it was designed for. Let’s take look for ourselves and see what the ISLE 10’6” Scout is all about.
Pros
Designed for bringing passengers aboard.
Massively stable so that it can be used for a variety of activities.
Padded backpack is spacious enough to bring additional gear.
Includes beautiful and functional carbon fiber paddle that easily adjusts.
Board is lightweight but still damage resistant.
Cons
Hose for the air pump is pretty flimsy and may need to be reattached during inflation.
No option for a 3-fin setup.
Paddle isn’t designed to float. It may float for a little while, but water will enter the shaft.
A back grip handle would be nice so that you can drag the board without worrying about damaging the fin.
Paddle is aluminum. At this price point, we would expect at least fiberglass.
A bit on the expensive side.
Table of Contents
ISLE markets this as a family board that was made to have smaller passengers like kids or pets. Everything about this board makes it family-friendly yet still hip. It’s tough enough to handle any normal hazards you many run across either underwater or aboveboard (we’re looking at you puppy nails).
| Length | Width | Thickness | Weight Capacity | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11' | 33" | 6" | 315 lbs | 21 lbs |
Performance
As with any yoga or family board, this board is incredibly stable, even for its size. When you move around in relatively calm water, you move your body from side to side and not feel like you’re going to tip over. Another aspect of this is getting on the boar from the water. When a board is too light or narrow, the board want to flip over when you try to get on. This isn’t the case with the Scout.
Since this board uses a single fin, tracks extremely well in most waters. However, the tradeoff is that this single fin will cause extra drag which causes the board to have a noticeable drop in speed and maneuverability. Just remember that this isn’t an oversight — that’s part of the whole idea of a slow but steady family/yoga board.
Remember that this is more of a flatwater SUP and while it can handle moderate-sized waves, it’s not designed for that. Again, that single fin plays a role here. If you really want to enjoy surfing with a SUP, you should be looking at a tri-fin board since not only will it give you the needed stability, it will actually create additional speed so that you can get ahead of the wave.
Features
You can tell that this was designed by paddleboarders. ISLE made an all-around that has some storage on the back when you would normally expect it in the front. This is to allow the entire front portion of the board to be usable space. That usable space is covered by a large EVA foam pad that’s balanced being between super comfy and strongly non-slip.
There’s a grab handle up front that helps you move the SUP in and out of the water with a central handle on the deck that’s rounded and reinforced to make sure you are always in control even when your hands or the handle itself are wet.
If you have the kiddies on the deck with you or if you’re twisting yourself into pretzel doing yoga in the middle of a lake, you’ll be happy to know that the above-mentioned traction pad was redesigned and made from super cushy brushed EVA. Even if you’re going to be on your feet the whole day, this pad will make sure that you don’t slip off and that your feet don’t feel like you were just dancing at a wedding all night.
The high-pressure valve on the back plays a big part in what this SUP can do. If you’re going to have more people on this board or plan or going on choppier water, you’ll want to inflate to a higher level. This valve on the back will allow you to inflate up to 17 PSI without any trouble, a full 2 PSI higher than what is generally recommended.
Board Design
At 10’6” in length and a 32” width, the board itself is what we’d consider a pretty standard size for an iSUP. The deck is 6” thick which is exactly what we’d expect from a board in this class. While not the thickest board out there, 6” is enough to make sure that you have respectable weight limits without any issues.
Speaking of weight, there’s a lot of information out there about the limits. ISLE rates the board at 240 pounds on their website and 270 on the box. However, users report they’ve had well over 300 pounds without any issue. Given the thickness of the board, we would be inclined to believe that, though going over the recommended weight can affect performance.
On the back of the deck, there’s a modest-sized bungee area for storage. It isn’t a lot of space but this isn’t designed for touring, so you might only need a small dry bag or snack at most. The side of the deck has a velcro attachment for holding the paddle so that it doesn’t take a dip in the water when you want to.
There are 5 D-rings attachments, as well, though the back ring is meant to be used for the included ankle leash or to attach to a dock. Some items, such as dry bags, often have a clip where you can connect to the one or more of the rings.
Construction
All things considered, this is a light board, weighing in at a lean 21 pounds. ISLE was able to do that using a process they call AirTech Fusion. They only use 2 layers of military-grade PVC compared to the 3 or 4 of similar boards. That would normally be a red flag of the cutting corners, but what they did was use extra dense material so even though it’s only dual layer, you could hit that sucker with a hammer and you wouldn’t have a problem.
But…please don’t actually hit it with a hammer and if you do, don’t say we told you to.
The bottom of the deck has a single-fin setup. They used a universal fin box which means that you’re free to swap out the included fin for a third-party one if you want to get adventurous. Why use a single fin when other boards use 3? In a word: stability. One large fin will give you the greatest tracking and stability albeit at the cost of speed and maneuverability. Even so, with the type of board this is, a single fin is probably for the best.
Included Accessories
- ISLE Manual Dual-Action iSUP Hand Pump — allows you to inflate the board faster since you’ll be sending in air both on the upstroke and downstroke
- ISLE iSUP Travel Bag — padded straps and back which gives you maximum comfort if you find yourself traveling with it for a while
- ISLE 3-Piece Adjustable SUP Travel Paddle — aluminum paddle that folds for easy storage in the backpack
- ISLE 8’ Coil Leash — attaches to the rear D-ring to make sure that even if you fall off the board, you won’t get abandoned
- ISLE Nylon Touring Center Fin — this fin is detachable for easy storage, transportation or even stacking of you have multiple boards
Optional Accessories
- ISLE 12v Electric iSUP Pump — Perfect option if you don’t have the time or patience to spend about 10 minutes with the hand pump. Even plugs into a car cigarette lighter so you can inflate right at the beach.
- BP20-1 Electric Pump with Chargeable Battery — an even better choice if you want to inflate in a remote area where you don’t have a car with you.
- ISLE 15L Dry Bag — designed for the amount of storage this SUP provides with its bungee storage area.
- MTI Fluid 2.0 Inflatable Belt Pack Life Jacket — Keeps you safe no matter the conditions around you.
SUP Availability
If you’re looking to add the ISLE Scout to your arsenal, there are two ways to do that online. You can either going through their own page[i] or through Amazon[ii]. As of now, is no difference in price between the two options, but ISLE give you the option to pay in installments through Affirm.
Our Verdict
Going out paddleboarding with your family is a wonderful experience that is sure to make happy memories. That’s why we’re glad that ISLE made a board like the Scout — a stable, fun board that is ready to go within minutes right out of the box even if you’ve never set eyes on an iSUP in person.
Of course, we don’t want to forget about our yoga-enthusiasts out there! In all honestly, even though this is marketed as a family-friendly SUP, a large percentage of the people who buy this board do so for SUP yoga. If your main purpose is for yoga or fitness, this board would suit you just fine, though there are other boards that are out there specifically for yoga since they’re wider.
This board is a great choice is still on the expensive size. You can get other SUPs in this with similar stats and better accessories at a similar or even cheaper price. For that reason alone, we wouldn’t put it at the top of our must-have list, though otherwise, it’s good for what it is.
