Airhead Cruise
- Written by Staff
- Published in Reviews
- Comments::DISQUS_COMMENTS
Only best products in a given category receive “A” grade.
Overview:
Paddle Board Highlights
Who is it for?
The Airhead Cruise is an inflatable standup paddle board best suited for intermediate paddlers who are looking for an all around board that’s also affordable. The board is lightweight and easy to carry weighing in just over 20lbs making the board easy for paddlers of all ages to handle. The board is best suited for short to mid-range paddles of no more than 3-5 miles around the beach and/or local lakes. At $799 the board sits at a great price and is in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.
First Impressions
For first impressions of the board, the graphics and color are pretty good, the shape design is standard for an all around board, and the construction seems somewhat fragile. The graphics on the Airhead Cruise are fairly basic with the the board being mostly white in color and the deckpad giving it the pop of color that it needs. The board was very easy to carry and felt stable while paddling with it’s 30in width. The glide felt average which is to be expected for an inflatable all around board. While the board construction allows the board to be pretty lightweight it will need to be handled carefully and taken care of thoughtfully so that the board will have a long lifespan. Overall, the Airhead Cruise is a board that most people should be able to easily stand on and paddle away.
Benefits
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Primary Use
All AroundPaddle Boards fall into two broad categories, All-Around and Specialty boards, with all-around designed primarily for recreation while speciality boards for top performance in specific disciplines
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Durability
FragileDurability is largely a result of the board construction and shape, with more durable boards typically carrying more materials (added layers, PVC, etc) and as such adding to the weight.
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Stability
StableStability is a product of construction and shape, where boards w/ 30”+ wide and 200+ liters in volume offer plenty of stability for your AVG adult while a board under 26” wide is a challenge.
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Glide
AverageGlide is a result of board shape and construction, w/ boards weighing under 30lbs and designed for racing offering best glide while recreational boards normally being on the slow side
Learn more on the Airhead website.
Features
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Dimensions
10'6" x 30" x 4"Industry standard in board dimensions reads: L (length, from nose to tail) x W (width, from rail to rail at midpoint length), and H (height, from top to bottom of board at midpoint length).
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Weight
20.08 lbsStandup paddle boards tend to fall into 4 different weight classes: extremely lightweight (under 20 lbs), lightweight (20-28 lbs), average weight (28-35 lbs), heavy (above 35 lbs).
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Volume
n/aVolume is a key metric to determine how much weight a board can carry. Boards w/ 200+ liters offer most floatation with boards under 150 liters typically for high-performance surf
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Capacity
210 lbsCapacity is the max cargo weight a stand up paddle board can carry, considering not only the paddler’s weight but whatever else the paddler may choose to carry alongside him/her.
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Add On's
Bungee/Comes with Bag and PumpAdd-on’s include bungee cords, a minimalist way to haul things; Connexsup, which allows for all sorts of attachments, even fishing rods; and FCS II/Connect, for easy fin instal.
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Handle
StrapHandles directly affect carrying ease, with external grip handles (Liftsup & EZgrab) offering most comfort, Internal Ergo Grip the mid-tier comfort, and box handles as least comfortable.
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Holders
NoFishing rod holders and/or paddle holders can make paddling that much more pleasant, esp. when needing holders for the rod or having a safe place for the paddle during yoga.
Sizes Available
| Length | Width | Thickness | Volume |
|---|
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