iRocker All Around 10' Ultra: one of the best inflatable SUPs on the market | Photo: iRocker

The inflatable stand-up paddleboard (SUP) market is highly competitive and features several apparently similar models. However, as we've learned with the iRocker All Around 10' Ultra, the secret to quality is in the details.

A simple search for "inflatable SUP" on Google will deliver hundreds of products with close characteristics and sizes.

And to make things even more difficult for the consumer, the price range can be surprisingly elastic, starting from $300 to $1,500.

So, unless you check a comprehensive inflatable SUP guide to help you decide which one to get, choosing the right paddleboard for your weight and goal could be confusing.

What are the features that make a high-quality portable inflatable SUP? Why should you invest more money in a more expensive model rather than picking the cheapest one?

Before making a decision, paying attention to this specific watercraft's attributes is essential, as they generally draw the line between cheap and fragile and durable and high-end products.

iRocker All Around 10': the inflatable SUP is six inches thick and weighs around 20 pounds

Main Inflatable SUP Features

The nature of iSUPs makes them more fragile and delicate than hard SUPs. But, unfortunately, it's the fair price we have to pay for portability.

But an average user will find it easy to make them last longer.

Here are the main features that should be taken into consideration before buying an inflatable paddleboard:

  • Brand reputation;
  • Track record of the model;
  • Construction materials;
  • Overall stiffness;
  • Height, width, thickness, and volume;
  • Weight of the iSUP;
  • Shaft characteristics;
  • User's weight limit;
  • Fin connection system;
  • Type of pump;
  • Extra features;
  • Accessories included;
  • Emergency repair kit;

The manufacturer's history does play a critical role in the buying process.

You shouldn't think twice before buying a SUP from a brand that has not yet gathered a loyal customer base.

iRocker was founded in 2013 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Since then, the company has been launching reliable and highly functional inflatable SUPs, with several models becoming best-sellers in a short period of time.

We submitted one of iRocker's most popular designs - the All Around Ultra 10' - to our ever-accurate and rigorous tests to see if the SUP met the expectations.

As a result, the conditions were relatively simple and far from pleasant - no blue skies, transparent and warm waters, and clean routes.

Instead, we rode the iRocker All Around 10' on low air temperatures, cloudy skies, cold water, and an Atlantic area surrounded by thick seaweed, a rocky bottom floor, and tricky currents.

But before launching into the water, we had to get it ready to ride.

iRocker All Around 10': inflating the SUP at 12 PSI only takes around ten minutes | Photo: iRocker

Inflating the iRocker All Around 10'

The All Around 10' Ultra package contains everything you need inside a colorful and well-designed backpack with multiple zips and pockets.

It has everything in it, from the folded board and fins to the pump and accessories.

If unfolding the deflated board was simple, pumping it up was straightforward and fast.

iRocker's Ultra Series features a 12V electric pump and battery kit that can inflate your All Around 10' in less than ten minutes.

Suppose you prefer to keep the portable battery at home.

In that case, you can always connect the pump to your vehicle's cigarette lighter or use the included alligator clips to get power from any 12V source.

The fin setup chosen is interesting and quite rare these days.

It's a tethered twin flip-lock fin system that is smart and extremely easy to install. Why twin fins? Because they add stability to the ride.

The adjustable, carbon fiber, five-piece paddle allows you to connect all or some of its parts, depending on your height and level of experience.

But the first grand surprise came when we grabbed the board.

It is so light that it doesn't feel like we were carrying 19.8 pounds (8.9 kilograms) down the beach. You can do it effortlessly and by yourself.

Nevertheless, iRocker doesn't sacrifice lightweight for durability and robustness.

They made sure not to save on material quality and incorporated three composite layers of PVC alongside cross-thread drop-stitch construction.

We didn't even inflate the board to the recommended 15 PSI and kept it at 12 PSI.

iRocker All Around 10' Ultra: one of the brand's best-selling inflatable stand-up paddleboard | Photo: iRocker

The Water Test

The experience in the water truly surpassed our expectations, especially regarding overall stability and speed.

The twin-fin system and the positioning of the widest point forward provided the board with an increased surface in contact with the water.

As a result, the All Around has plenty of gliding power and steadiness without sacrificing maneuverability, doing justice to the model's name.

We started our 1.5-mile (2.5 kilometers) test journey on a rock and seaweed-infested shoreline.

Despite being equipped with a double fin system, the iSUP was able to navigate smoothly and comfortably across the water and even scratch the rocks, here and there, without much trouble or damage.

While in open water, we switched paddling between kneeling and upright positions and never lost the control and speed required to challenge small waves and currents.

It is even comfortable to drop the paddle, stay still, and enjoy the view half a mile away from the coastline without losing stability.

The shaft itself proved to be designed correctly and always felt good in all circumstances. And, in case you wonder, it does float in case you accidentally drop it in the water.

From Good to Great

Are there things that could be improved? Sure.

A lighter electric pumping system, easier to carry around, and more inflatable SUP color options would be welcome.

Also, a better and more detailed user's manual and additional instructional videos on how to set up, inflate, and deflate the All Around 10' would come in handy.

Apart from these non-critical details, the iRocker All Around 10' Ultra is a must-have inflatable stand-up paddleboard for the solo explorer who seeks a SUP for life.

The Ultra series model is definitely worth the $649.

Could iRocker be challenged in any way?

We defy the Florida-based watersports company to develop an inflatable stand-up paddleboard for riding waves in the two-to-five-foot range.

If there's a brand with knowledge, expertise, and experience in paddleboard design, iRocker is undoubtedly on top of the list.

Top Stories

On March 7, 2024, Cloudbreak delivered one of the most epic swells in Fiji's big wave surfing history.

Is there any correlation between warmer or colder ocean waters and bigger waves? What is the influence of temperature on wave height?

It's one of the world's most out-of-the-radar big waves and certainly one of the most exciting surf breaks in Latin America and the South Pacific. Bienvenidos a El Buey.

Surfing is all about working the unbroken wave face and maximizing riding time. But how can you optimize and balance these two goals that cancel each other out?