NIXY California Newport
- 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 NIXY Newport is an overpriced inflatable SUP that comes in an incomplete package. This standup paddle board comes a la carte meaning any add on for the board (including the pump, bag, paddle, leash, etc.) is not included in the purchase. The Newport is an all around paddleboard that was designed with short distance and flatwater paddling in mind. Priced at $755, this board sits in the mid-tier market in terms of affordability but due to the fact that it doesn’t come with anything needed to get you on the water, it can be considered to be priced quite high since the normally-included basics are all add-ons.
First Impressions
Honestly, our first impression was that of confusion. During unboxing of the product we quickly realized that the package came with absolutely nothing other than the board. There was no pump, no leash, no paddle, no nothing. Luckily for us we had all those items on hand to be able to get the board inflated and tested on the water but this was a major red flag in terms of user experience. The fact that you have to buy a pump separately for this product, which is an essential piece to get the board to even be usable, is a major bummer and can easily be missed by someone buying the board. Another fail here is that once inflated, the board has a call out on the nose of the board that talks about a bump towards the nose being perfectly normal when in our experience it is not normal. In fact, it seems like quite the opposite and more of a design flaw in the board. The fact that it had to be pointed out as ‘normal’ indicates prior customer complaints / concerns. Another red flag. And to add even more confusion, the board emphasizes safety in its design features but the fact that it doesn’t come with one of the most valuable safety tools, a leash, seems to be a misalignment. When it comes to the board itself the graphics are pleasant and eye catching and was fairly lightweight and easy to carry around. On the water, the board wasn’t terrible and had an average quality to it but it wasn’t as stable as we would have hoped for a 32” wide board. The glide was also slower than average and had a bit of a drag to it. Overall, this board was disappointing to say the least. At over $750 for just the board and nothing else included to even get the board functioning this is extremely overpriced and the package, or rather lack thereof, just doesn’t make sense. There are many other options available for a lower price point that offer a complete package and better user experience.
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
AverageDurability 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
Somewhat 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
SlowGlide 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 NIXY website.
Features
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Dimensions
10'6" x 32" x 6"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
21 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
300 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
300 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, Bungee Tail, D Ring, 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
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 |
|---|
Previous Models 2020
The overall impression of this board is that it's trying to compete at the slightly lower level price point between $500-$800. It comes with a lot of bells and whistles which is something more unique for something at this price point. We're not the biggest fans of these graphics but if you're indifferent then this might be a very good package for you. Now let's get into the nuts and bolts of the package. Starting with the cons, the board comes with a three fin (thruster) setup and the fin system is something new that we haven't seen before and it did take us a few minutes to figure out how it worked and didn't seem like it was a solid system. Another con here was that the traction pad did feel a bit slippery and while the board does come with a paddle which is a nice feature, the paddle was pretty clunky and undermined the paddling experience. Moving on to the pros, the board has a very nice shape with the rocker being right on point. It's stable, has a nice glide and comes with carbon reinforced rails which did seem to give the board a bit more rigidity. The board also comes with a shoulder strap to assist on carrying the board, a leash and plenty of bungee cords. Overall, if you're looking for a board that is a bit stiffer in this price point range and you're okay with the graphics you should really take a look at this. Other than the paddle, it's a good board. Love the rocker, love the stability and love the glide.
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