Bay Sports Tour
- 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?
If you’re looking for an affordable, inflatable paddle board that is designed for touring check out the Tour Signature Series from Bay Sports. This paddle board comes in a few different color ways so you have a few options there to choose what you like best. This board works well in mid to long range distances, anywhere from 3-7 miles plus. The Tour is stable at 32 inches thick and quite durable as well. Priced at $599, the Tour sits in the in the popular mid-tier market in terms of affordability.
First Impressions
As with other Bay Sports SUPs the Tour features unique bungee cords on both the nose and tail of the board that have handles on them, great for kids so they can hang on. There is a multi use action mount that is part of the bungee at the front that you can insert a camera or a GoPro which is also a nice touch. And, on the bottom, the fin setup is 2+1 with the center fin being removable and a nice tool-less system, similar to FCS II. This board is a little different than other touring inflatables with the 5 inch thickness, which does make it easier to carry; however it could compromise the buoyancy with added weight. Graphics here are simple, nothing too bold or over the top. Another nice feature is the board comes in a complete package with everything needed. Board, paddle, pump, leash, repair kit are all included. The fiberglass paddle was also quite nice and the triple action pump worked quite well, making it easier to inflate at those higher PSIs. Overall, this is a nice package for an inflatable touring board.
Benefits
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Primary Use
TouringPaddle 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
DurableDurability 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 Bay Sports website.
Features
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Dimensions
11'6" x 32" x 5"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
19.62 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
292 LVolume 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
374 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 Nose, Multi-use action mount, 4 removable grab handles, 18 stainless steel D rings, Click in 9 touring SUP fin, Bungee Tail, Leash Included, Handle on nose, Handle on tailAdd-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
YesFishing 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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For more detailed reviews and to look at similar models, visit Supconnect.com. If you like this review, give us the thumbs up. Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments. And make sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss the latest news and reviews from Supconnect.