Aqua Marina Coral

Looking for a very lightweight, all-around inflatable board that’s affordably priced? The Aqua Marina Coral might be just what you had in mind. At just 10’2”, this small standup paddle board is designed for all-around short-distance paddling and would be a good choice for beginner paddlers with a smaller stature. The Coral in 2 color options (purple or pink) and comes fully loaded with everything needed to get out on the water which includes the board, paddle, leash, fin and pump. So if you’re looking for a one-stop shop when it comes to getting an iSUP, this board does come with it all. In terms of affordability, this board sits at the lower end of the mid-tier market with an MSRP of $649.

Let's take a moment to give credit where credit is due. Aqua Marina has come a long way since we first started reviewing their boards six years ago. Back then, there was certainly room for improvement, but we're happy to report that they've made significant strides. First of all, the construction is much, much stronger than it used to be. And the graphics: the purple and green color scheme here is expertly coordinated, with color-matched accessories and even a color-coordinated fin. (They also have another colorway available that we reviewed last year, scroll down for more information on that). But what really stands out are the features. The toolless fin is a creative design that allows for easy installation. And the number of attachments on this board is truly impressive. We've never seen the type of bungee attachment that they’re using before, and it's definitely a unique feature worth noting. All the bungee cords we’ve seen are either a net or a round shape. Here, the bungees are flat. Next, of course, a critical part of any inflatable paddleboard is the pump, and Aqua Marina has stepped up their game here as well. Note, not all pumps are created equally. Some of the earlier pumps from Aqua Marina, for instance, weren't as powerful, weren't as large, didn't have as much capacity, some of them even leaked. But here you have a dual action pump so that you can get a lot of volume in really quickly. The dual-action pump allows for quick and easy inflation, with a high-pressure setting that can take the board up to 15 PSI. The quality of the pump and board materials overall has definitely improved, with fewer issues with leaks or latch problems. Another upgrade this year is the leash that’s included in the package. Last year, the board came with a mesh, sort of fabric leash which seemed somewhat flimsy but this year the leash is up to industry standards and includes a coiled leash. Now on the water this board was very easy to maneuver and the stability was quite good for its size. Note though, this board is on the smaller size so the stability will lessen when you scale the size of the paddler. Smaller paddlers this board will be stable, larger paddlers this board will start becoming more unstable. Transporting the board was also incredibly easy. It’s VERY lightweight and easy to carry. And to add to it, it comes with a shoulder strap that eases carrying even further. For reference, the board features Aqua Marina’s Double Stringer Technology which is a quality construction that allows for portable packing and is a durable yet affordable solution. The suggested rider for the Coral iSUP would be only lightweight and paddlers of smaller stature. Average sized paddlers could get away with paddling on the board but it would require a bit more skill to be able to comfortably glide away. Overall, we're impressed with the improvements that Aqua Marina has made over the years. This board is a testament to their dedication to quality and innovation, and we're excited to see where they go from here.

Aesthetically, the Coral has a very simple graphic colorway yet it instantly draws your attention with the bold and bright magenta color with a hint of light pink across the board. The rest of the package matched either the board or the branding; the fin, paddle, and backpack all have the same magenta coloring with a hint of light pink, and the pump and fin that the board comes with are red and black like Aqua Marina’s branding and the box that the board comes in was really beautiful with graphics. One thing that caught our attention was the leash that came in the package. The standard with leashes across multiple watersports industries is a leash made with TPU or resin materials that make the leash quite durable and strong. The leash included with the Coral board looked to be made of a mix of mesh and cord, which is a lower quality than the standard that is normally seen so that’s something to keep in mind. Also worth noting, the paddle that was included is a bit on the heavier side so that might affect the amount of time spent on the water since it will likely tire you out faster. Now on to the experience in handling the board on and off the water. First major thing that’s noticeable when picking up the board is how incredibly light it is. The board weighed ~19lbs and was super easy when carrying to and from the water. Because this board is designed for smaller paddlers, the weight here makes the board nice and easy to handle. For reference, this board is made of Aqua Marina’s Drop Stitch Light Technology with their signature HF Welding Technology, which is where the lightweight characteristics stem from. Another standout on the board design was the thickness of the board. The standard we typically see for most inflatables on the market is usually 6in. but the Coral is just 4.7 inches. While this does have some perks and contributes to how lightweight it is, it does make the board less stable and buoyant for the average-sized paddler, which is the category where our review team falls so it was a bit more difficult to find stability and glide when testing the board. Again, that being said, smaller paddlers shouldn’t have an issue. The suggested rider for the Coral iSUP would be only lightweight and paddlers of smaller stature. Average sized paddlers could get away with paddling on the board but it would require a bit more skill to be able to comfortably glide away. Overall, if you’re a paddler of smaller stature, looking for something very affordable that comes in a very lightweight and complete package, consider giving the Aqua Marina Coral a second look.