Red Paddle Co Explorer: 12’6 vs 13’2
It’s an obvious giveaway in the name; the Red Paddle Co Explorer inflatable paddle boards were created for long days out on the water, and are loaded with numerous features to make day-long touring as convenient as possible. When inflated, they bear all the hallmarks of touring boards, such as long waterline length for maximum glide, and extra runners underneath the bungee tie-downs, to provide better tracking when it is loaded with gear, to name a few. I suppose though the real benefit is the fact they are inflatable, allowing you to pack them down in the Red Paddle Co bag, pop them in the boot of your car and go afar; much more conveniently transported than a hard touring paddleboard. With two sizes to choose from, and with each size having their own unique applications, are the Red Paddle Co Explorer the ultimate touring stand-up paddle boards? We discuss this in the following Boardroom Review.
Red Paddle Co started in 2008, so they have been around for as long as inflatable SUPs have; they are rightfully the market leaders, pushing the envelope with their technology further and further each year. Their aim is to deliver as authentic SUP experience as possible, with their foundations built on their mantra that riding an inflatable paddleboard shouldn’t be a compromise. Red Paddle Co’s inflatable paddleboards are incredibly rigid, so much so that the uninitiated often question whether they are inflatable at all! Yes, many passers-by at the London Boat Show stopped by the Red Paddle Co stand to give the inflatable SUPs a squeeze: their responses were the same every time – ‘Is it really?’ The amount of people who are genuinely amazed by rigidity of these boards speaks for itself, and it is no wonder why Red Paddle Co have such a sterling reputation.
Red Paddle Co’s range of inflatable SUP now range from the ‘Whip’ at 8’10 to a 22’ monster known simply as the ‘Dragon’. The core of their range is the ‘Ride’ group, a family of boards featuring the classic oval, all-rounder design – the jack of all trades of the Red Paddle Co family – intended to provide their riders with stability, without sacrificing manoeuvrability. However, all-rounder boards are only going to perform so well, especially when your environment demands a more specialised board. All-rounder boards will struggle navigating choppier conditions, and on longer journeys you will find the board’s rounder shape will leave you wanting, in terms of glide and tracking. If every paddle stroke is worth ‘100’, the more efficient the board the nearer to your ‘100’ you’re going to get back as forward motion. For example, on a 10’6 x 32” inflatable board, you might expect to get back ‘65’-‘70’ in terms of reward for the effort you’ve put in. What that means for the paddler is that they will expend more energy over a shorter time, which on a long day can spell the difference between making it to the end of the day or going home early. On a more specialised board such as the 12’6 Explorer, you might look to get back ‘80’ in terms of reward, whereas the 13’2 Explorer might return ‘85’ or ‘90’.
In this way, the Red Paddle Co Explorers truly are designed to ‘go the extra mile’, and whilst there are two board sizes in the range to choose from, they are worlds apart in terms of overall board shape, in addition to various other subtleties, giving each board a unique flavour.
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The Explorer Boards: 12’6 vs 13’2
The Explorer Boards: 12’6 vs 13’2
Some people, myself included, have often wondered why the 12’6 and 13’2 Explorer are even part of the same family – superficially, they are two very different boards, and not just regarding their length. In this section, we will touch upon some of the differences between the two and find out which each excel at.
The Red Paddle Co 13’2 Explorer+ was introduced due to a high demand in the USA market, for would-be explorers looking to traverse the rivers and Great Lakes of North America. The 13’2 Explorer was a resounding success, not only in North America, but in the UK and Europe, surprising our sales team at the SUP Company and Red Paddle Co alike. However, this immediate success is easily understood once you paddle the board, as it is simply that good.
The Red Paddle Co 12’6 Explorer is the shorter of the two, although a length of 12’6 is still long enough to provide exceptional glide and long distance cruising potential. However, it is slightly wider than its counterpart, clocking in at a width of 32” and giving the 12’6 Explorer a massive edge with regards to stability, particularly when stood in a neutral paddling position for going forwards (which, on a touring SUP, we assume you’ll be doing most of the time). That’s not to say that the 13’2 Explorer is unstable – the 12’6 Explorer is just very stable indeed.
By comparison, the Red Paddle Co 13’2 Explorer+ is only 30” wide – combined with eight inches of extra length, the 13’2 has increased gliding and tracking ability when compared against its smaller counterpart. Because the 13’2 Explorer is proportionally thinner, it comes with RSS battens, rods that are inserted down the side of the board, which Red Paddle Co say stiffen boards by 35-40%. We believe this to be less on a 6” board such as the 13’2 Explorer – closer to 15% we reckon – but nonetheless, the addition of RSS battens makes the 13’2 considerably stiffer than the 12’6 Explorer.
Despite their differences in length and width, there is only a 10L disparity in volume (surprisingly the 13’2 has the smaller volume) – this also means that the boards share the same rider weight upper limit of 150kg plus cargo. As such, they are both equally suited for larger riders.
Both feature tapered noses, or ‘displacement hull types’, which are excellent at producing additional glide, forcing the water to part, producing a smoother forwards movement. However, at the other end of the board we find that the tails are two very different shapes. The Red Paddle Co 12’6 Explorer has a more rounded tail, much like an all-rounder type board such as those in the ‘Ride’ family – this translates into it being easier to turn, as well as steadier whilst doing so. The Red Paddle Co 13’2 Explorer+, on the other hand, has a much squarer tail. This gives the board a greater surface area (in contact with the water) towards the tail, providing additional stability, particularly in tipping from side to side. The 13’2 Explorer also features a diamond-cut deck, as opposed to the crocodile-skin deck of the 12’6 Explorer, giving it better grip underfoot by having a deeper tread, and shedding water more effectively.
Both feature a US Fin Box, as well as a FCS II Touring SUP Fin that features a wear and corrosion resistant pin and barrel mechanism, with no moving parts. The fin itself has a depth of 9.14” and a base length of 7.23”, which together with the consistent chord length throughout the fin, amplify the stability and tracking. The trailing edge of the fin has a slight concave shape, which benefits by releasing the water more quickly, contributing to the overall speed of the board. However, the FCS II Touring SUP Fin’s overall streamlined design gives it a fair bit of maneuverability, meaning they perform well in small surf. This seems quite unlikely if you’re on a 12’6 or 13’2 Explorer, but feel free to give it a go! The addition of this fin is a great improvement over the 2016 editions of these boards. It’s worth noting that, if you have a 2016 or earlier version of either of these boards, unfortunately the fin box is not long enough to take the FCS fin.
The Explorers also feature two sets of runners – one by the fin and one by the nose – which enhance the boards’ tracking and minimise lateral drift. This comes into play especially when the board is loaded up with cargo, the extra weight giving the runners a pronounced effect on the water, and further enhancing tracking. Whilst the runners are great, they do add to the already naturally less maneuverable longer board – to overcome this, you have to move that little bit further back to release the nose runners from the water, if you want to produce a quicker turn.
Both feature cargo nets up the front, and whilst both have the option to carry cargo behind the paddler, the 12’6 Explorer just has D-rings which you can add a second bungee to, whereas the 13’2 Explorer already has a bungee, as well as non-slip strips to secure your gear. The forwards bungee net on the 13’2 Explorer is almost double the size of the 12’6 Explorer.
2016 saw the entire Red Paddle Co range go on a diet, yet not at the cost of them becoming any less a paddle board. Thanks to huge innovation in the materials used, the boards have become substantially leaner. Called Mono Structural Laminate or MSL for short, Red Paddle Co have implemented this novel way of manufacturing across all their inflatable paddleboards. They started from scratch and questioned why the material was produced the way it was. Over a period of 2 years and a significant testing programme, the MSL process was refined until it was deemed right for production. So, what is MSL? Well the whole MSL process is done at the raw material stage by carefully calibrated machinery developed specifically for this process. The result is a consistent and high level of cosmetic finish that has all the durability and strength properties of Red Paddle Co’s previous double layer construction. And because this process is done at the raw material stage these boards now benefit from torsion stiffness as the material is put under tension when the paddleboard is inflated. The result is an on average a 2kg lighter and more rigid inflatable paddleboard. 2016 Red Paddle Co paddleboards also roll up smaller – making packing down and get them into the wheeled backpack bag even easier.
2017 has seen the ingenious MSL construction process carried over to the new Red Paddle Co range, maintaining the excellent finish, lightweight design yet incredible rigidity underfoot. This lightweight feel is essential for touring – thankfully something both Explorer boards possess – enabling you to paddle further without tiring as quickly!
A great addition to the 2017 Red Paddle Co line up comes in the form of a new-found partnership with RAM Mounts, the world-leading accessory bracket manufacturer, and have added a special screw thread to all their inflatable stand up paddle boards. This thread housing is compatible with RAM Mounts products, enabling you to now securely attach a range of accessories, from GPS devices and action sport cameras to fishing rods. The fantastic thing about the RAM Mounts system is its flexibility, the foundation of which is the 1” Tough Ball (RAP-B379U-M81208) and the 1.5” Tough Ball (RAP-379U-M812510). These highly durable ball sockets are compatible with a wide range of RAM Mounts products, allowing you to mount your equipment safely and securely.
The Explorer inflatable paddleboards are unique among the Red Paddle Co Range, having multiple RAM Mounts ports as opposed to only one. This is clearly with their touring and exploration focus in mind, allowing you to mount multiple accessories to the Explorers and giving you the freedom to improve the quality of your journey without having to choose just one accessory to mount. The Red Paddle Co 12’6 Explorer features two ports towards the front of the board, whereas the Red Paddle Co 13’2 Explorer+, in addition to these two, has an additional RAM Mount towards the tail.
What you mount on them is up to you, but having a GPS device to hand whilst simultaneously chronicle your journey with your GoPro, all whilst your fishing rod is cast out is but one, zany example. Alternatively, you can use them all for the GoPro/camcorder, providing three different angles to capture the action, allowing you to produce some truly unique footage.
The versatility and range of RAM products that are compatible with Red Paddle Co inflatables really is incredible – you can find more information about the RAM products here.
As a standard package the Red Paddle Co Explorer inflatable paddle boards comes with their adjustable 3-piece Alloy paddle. Solid construction, with a robust PU / Nylon blade this paddle adjusts from 220cm to 170cm. We found the ergonomic fit of the handle sat nicely in the palm of your hand, while the foam grip on the upper part of the paddles shaft was very comfortable. Like most Alloy paddles it is a bit weighty but if it is going to see some family use or simply a wide range of people and abilities then it is a decent paddle that easily can stand up to the abuse. If, however, you are buying this paddle board for ‘you’, then we would recommend upgrading your paddle to a higher, lighter weight spec such as the Carbon Convertible Nylon or Carbon Leverlock options. Check out your options here
The pump which comes with all Red Paddle Co paddle boards (except ‘The Whip’ 8’10 – comes with the single cylinder HP Pump) is called ‘The Titan’. And it certainly lives up to its name. Initially, inflatable SUP’s came with high volume pumps from a Kiteboarding background and while they inflated the boards quickly, you could never get the all-important high pressures. So, brands started to include smaller high pressure pumps. While you could now get to the pressures required, it took ages to get their because you didn’t have the same large volume of air blasting into the board. So, Red Paddle Co had a light bulb moment, what if you combined both! Although they look simple on the outside, there is some clever patented stuff happening on the inside. The result is you use both cylinders to get the volume into the board. Because you are using two cylinders, it is lot quicker than any other pump. Once you can’t get any more air in, normally around 8-12PSI (depending on the person doing the work), you remove a simple toggle from the back of the handle and just use the high-pressure cylinder all the way up to the desired pressure of 18 – 20PSI as shown on the fitted gauge.
2017 has brought with it several changes to the Red Paddle Co Titan pump, chief among which are the changes to the pump fittings, which are now more universal and compatible with a wider range of valves (such as kitesurfing, large inflatables and more). The pump gauge has also been modified to display the appropriate pressures for different sports, making it easier to find new uses for your inflatable SUP, allowing you to get the very best out it. In addition to this, the information stickers down the side have been presented in a clearer format, giving you information on the technique used, minimising the risk of injury. It also now comes with a kite leash, to help keep your kite from flying off whilst inflating it – conveniently this also doubles up as a strap for the handle!
The Red Paddle Co Titan pump is excellent. If we were being picky, the only downside is its size. Because of this pumps very nature, two side by side cylinders, it was always going to be a big pump. However, the bag easily accommodates both the pump, board, paddle and leash so it is far from the end of the world. It is also worth noting that the Red Paddle Co Titan also only works on the down stroke, it is not a dual action pump. This is because on pumping an upstroke you use your smaller muscle groups, namely your triceps at the back of your upper arms, and due to the large volumes of air you simply won’t manage it.
The Red Paddle Co Titan Pump comes into its own with the Explorer inflatable paddleboards, due to their high volume of the boards and because the Titan Pump pushes out air so fast, it really is a blessing, letting you inflate your paddle board in next to no time.
The Red Paddle Co bag system is one of our favourite inflatable SUP bags. Often, we get asked if the boards go back in the bag they came out of and with Red Paddle Co we can confidently say they do. In fact, the same bag serves their entire range of paddle boards, right up to the 14ft race boards, so it easily holds the board, pump, paddle and leash.
On the bag, full length zips make getting the board in and out a breeze. For some brands zips are of little or no consideration but Red Paddle Co show their attention to detail here, as rather than a run of the mill chunky zip, they decided to use a ‘rolled zipper’ because it is harder wearing and not going to seize or become useless if you lose one of the ‘teeth’. This attention to detail is shown throughout the bag as it is really well put together and made from a hard-wearing nylon fabric.
Getting about with a loaded Red Paddle Co bag is a simple affair. The bags have robust wheels with quality bearings which run really easily. Once you make it to the beach or are heading off the beaten path, you have the option of converting it into a back pack. The back-pack straps are wide and well padded, which makes carrying what is a relatively big package; really quite comfortable. The adjustable waist band also provides a good level of extra support.
As a package, we often holiday with ours and find they breeze through airports and come out the other end in one piece (just make sure you stick a couple of jumpers or towels around the paddle section to give them that extra bit of protection). The only downside with the bag is that it is not waterproof and not really suited to sitting on the deck of your board when paddling, but to be honest this is a price worth paying given how good it is – after all it is meant to carry your board, not sit on the deck!
The 2017 edition of the Red Paddle Co bag comes with several innovative changes to heighten its usefulness. The bag is now lined with foil, affording it better protection from the heat. It also now comes with an extra pocket which can be used to store detachable fins, and stretchy straps which can be used to secure your paddle within the bag. In short, the Red Paddle Co bag continues being an indispensable tool for inflatable SUP transportation!
You can see the packed dimensions of the Red Paddle Co bag here
The Red Paddle Co leash is of good quality. The SUP Company supply the Explorer boards with a coiled leash as standard. This is often the preferred option for many as a coiled leash has the benefit of staying on the paddle board and not dragging along in the water, collecting weed, twigs and so on.
As we say in all our reviews – please remember that a leash is an essential piece of equipment and never an option. Without it attached securely to the paddler and their board, if and when you part company with your board, you will lose your board. So please fit your leash correctly and use it each time you paddle.
We often get asked what is the orange tub we have seen in some images? Well it is a waterproof plastic container which containers a small repair kit (some patches and glue – glorified cycle puncture repair kit) – not that we have known anyone need it. As well as a valve spanner for the inflation valve should you ever need to remove it and give it a clean to ensure a good seal.
Also included is a waterproof case for a phone, and instructions in the bag’s internal pocket for your Red Paddle Co paddle board.
In a nutshell, the main difference between the 12’6 and 13’2 Explorer is that the 12’6 has more manoeuvrability and stability whereas the 13’2 has better tracking and glide. The 13’2 Explorer also has three RAM Mounts, whereas the 12’6 only has just two, so the Red Paddle Co 13’2 Explorer+ appears to be the board that’s more geared towards exploration and long days out on the water. This is attested to by the 13’2 Explorer’s huge success, both in the USA and the UK/Europe.
However, for some the decreased manoeuvrability is too much of a trade of – something I can personally relate to – and so the Red Paddle Co 12’6 Explorer may be the board you are more suited to. Whatever your preference, these two boards are the definitive touring SUPs – inflatables are simply far more convenient – and are for the those who are serious about exploration.
Another year goes by and Red Paddle Co continue employing MSL in their construction, producing lightweight inflatables with impeccable rigidity. The addition of RAM Mounts however is huge, especially to boards in the Explorer range, opening a whole world of possibilities in touring, enabling you to make your SUP experience more hi-tech!
Red Paddle Co continue to amaze and astound us in 2017. Be sure to check out future Boardroom Reviews to discover the rest of the Red Paddle Co range and other fantastic SUP products!
Red Paddle Co 12’6 Explorer
Length: 12’6
Width: 32″
Thickness: 5.9″
Volume: 370L
Rider Weight: 150kg +cargo
Red Paddle Co 13’2 Explorer+
Length: 13’2
Width: 30″
Thickness: 5.9″
Volume: 360L
Rider Weight: 150kg +cargo