Tantrum Tow Ropes 12’6” ISUP Review

paddling the Tantrum Tow Ropes 12'6" ISUP

Tantrum Tow Ropes has a few well priced, nicely designed inflatable SUP’s on the market. This past month I really enjoyed testing out their 12’6″ touring model.

It is designed to glide quickly through the water while still providing decent stability and rigidity with the 6” thickness that this ISUP offers.

I really like the shape and design of this board and I think it would suit a large range of people from beginners to intermediate paddlers.

It has some nice features that make it very functional and portable. Plus the whole package is priced very well.

Specs For The Tantrum Tow Ropes ISUP

  • 12’6” long
  • 31” wide
  • weighs 28 lbs.
  • can hold up to 320 lbs.

Material: Constructed with three layers of PVC fabric

Pros: Glides nicely, easy to turn, good traction pad, several D-rings, bungee system for securing gear, fairly fast, comes with a paddle

Cons: Bag is lacking in some areas, felt a little unstable when paddling in waves, no D-ring under nose of board for towing and no center D-rings

More In-Depth Info

carrying the 12'6" Tantrum Tow Ropes board

The 12’6” Tantrum Tow Ropes inflatable SUP has a really nice shape to it.

When I first took it out of the bag the feel and construction reminded me of the majority of other inflatable SUP’s that I’ve seen… nothing wrong with it, the construction seems solid but it didn’t feel like a top of the line board.

However once I rolled it out and inflated it I noticed how streamlined it is.  I think this is a cool looking SUP.

Looks are one thing but I wondered how it was going to perform. The first time I took it out was on the ocean.  I noticed right away how quickly it got moving and picked up speed.

On small waves and choppy water, it did feel a little ‘tippy’.  I would say it felt slightly less stable than other boards of similar size.  However I was very pleased with how nicely it glided.

The pointy nose and streamlined design cut through the water easily and it took very little effort to get it moving.

I did notice that I had to focus a little more to stay balanced with the 31” width however I got used to it quickly and really enjoyed paddling this board.

The next few times I took it out was on flat lakes. This is where I found it excelled the most.

On flat water, this ISUP moved quite fast and glided smoothly. The tracking is great and I found I was much more comfortable.

paddling the Tantrum Tow Ropes 12'6" ISUP in Vancouver

It is 6” thick so it is still very rigid and stable even when carrying a lot of weight.  It takes a little more focus when paddling in choppy water but overall the stability is good.

I would say beginners might have a trickier time with it initially but you would get used to it quickly and ultimately really appreciate the performance level.

Important Features

Fins – There are three fins on this board. Two small side fins that are attached and one large removable center fin.

I found that when using the three fins together the tracking was really good and they helped with the stability.

If you are in shallow water or taking on some small surf, then you may want to remove the center fin and only use the side fins.

The fin configuration provides good versatility and the fins are solid.

The way this fin clips into the fin box is unique to this board as far as I know.  I’ve never seen another attachment like this one.

It is easy to clip in. There are no extra parts to have to worry about. Once attached it is very secure.

ISUP fins

Bungee System – There is a front bungee system for securing gear.

The bungee system is not overly big due to the fact that the nose of the board is quite slim and pointy.

However I was still able to secure a fair amount of gear for my cold weather paddling outings and found it easy to access from the center of the board.

bungee tie downs

D-Rings – There are five metal D-rings. There is one at the back of the board for attaching your SUP leash as well as four D-rings up front securing the bungee cords.

It would have been nice to have one more D-ring underneath the nose of the board for towing, but it certainly isn’t critical.

There are also no center D-rings for a seat attachment which makes no difference to me but for those who like a seat option you can always add extra D-rings yourself if needed.

D-ring for SUP leash

Pump – The pump that comes with this board is decent.  It takes some effort to get to the 15 PSI mark but it is doable.

I much prefer using my electric pump when inflating stand-up paddle boards personally.  I find it makes getting on the water far easier.

However for first getting started, this pump will work fine.  It has two settings making inflation a little easier and has an ergonomic design and built in gauge so you can check the PSI level.

Traction Pad – I like the design on the traction pad, I think it really stands out.

The pad is thick enough to be quite comfortable to stand or kneel on and it is glued solid to the board.  I saw no issues with it.

It isn’t super long as you can see in the picture and there is no rear kick tail.  However for flat water paddling and straight touring it is comfortable.

Tantrum Tow Ropes inflatable standd-up paddle board

Carry Handle – There is one carry handle at the center of the board.

It is made of nylon and feels strong. It lies flat while paddling.

Bag – The backpack carry bag has some pros and cons.

The bag seems solid and fairly well constructed. It is made of rugged nylon. It is quite long and wide enough to fit the board but there is no stretchy give in the material.

I found length wise there is lots of room and it fit the board nicely.  There is no drawstring at top but you can roll the extra material down and then clip it closed.

Width wise it seemed a bit snug to me. It fits the board fine as long as you have it rolled up really tight. However I found the side fins would get caught trying to get the board back into the bag and because there is no give in the material it was difficult to fit the bag over the fins.

It definitely fits, but I did find it to be a bit of a struggle. Therefore it took a little longer to pack away.

The bag has adjustable padded shoulder straps that are fairly comfortable to carry.

A very big pro that I like with this bag is the red mesh pockets at the bottom that can hold your paddle.

You can place the blade of the paddle in the mesh pocket and use the clips on the side of the bag to secure the shaft. This is a very convenient feature and I appreciate the thought that was put into that.

There are no other pockets however and a front zippered pocket to secure the fin and repair kit would definitely add to this bag.

ISUP backpack

Paddle – A really nice bonus with this board is that it comes with a 3-piece paddle.

The paddle is height adjustable and because it comes apart into three pieces, it is very easy to travel with.

It is a basic paddle but works fine.  The paddle will get you started then you may want to upgrade it down the road or keep it simply as a travel paddle or as a backup.

Setup

Take the board out of the bag, unroll, inflate, then attach the fin. All in all setup is a very fast process.

That’s what I love about inflatable stand-up paddle boards… they are super portable and easy to get on the water.

taking the Tantrum Tow Ropes ISUP to the water

unrolling 12'6" inflatable SUP

12'6" Tantrum Tow Ropes at Buntzen Lake

ttr12

Performance

The performance of this board was actually very good.

It is a nice length at 12’6” long. The length and the leaner 31” width as well as the nice streamline design make it glide really nicely through the water.

It is a lot of fun to paddle. It tracks straight even in waves and I found it easy enough to maneuver as well.

paddling the 12'6" Tantrum Tow Ropes ISUP off Kits Beach in Vancouver

It can hold a lot of weight (up to 320 lbs.) and still perform at an optimal level.

I did find it less stable than some other boards of similar size so it required a little more focus when paddling in choppy water.

However I also found it easy to get used to and I liked that it picked up speed easily and glided well on flat water.

Except for having to put in a little extra focus the best way I can describe paddling the 12’6″ Tantrum Tow Ropes board was that it felt effortless.

ttr13

The tri-fin configuration adds some stability and really helps with tracking.

The nose of this board bends up a little bit. I found this helped when plowing through waves.

Overall it is simply a lot of fun to paddle.

Tantrum Tow Ropes SUP family paddle boarding

The Negatives

I do wish there was a little more width to the backpack carry bag. The material is not stretchy and fitting it over the attached side fins takes a little effort.

This wouldn’t stop me from buying the board as ultimately the SUP does fit in the bag, but a little more width would make putting it away easier.  An extra zippered outside pocket on the bag would also be nice to have.

For inflation I found that my regular electric pump did not have the right size attachment for the valve on this board. That rarely happens.

I ended up using the Airhead electric pump instead, which worked fine. There were no issues with the hand pump that comes with this board however. It secured easily to the valve.

Other than that there is not too much to complain about. The board paddles well, is light enough to take anywhere and would suit a large range of people.

More Pictures

paddling the Tantrum Tow Ropes ISUP in Vancouver

ISUP valve

stand-up paddling at Buntzen Lake on 12'6" Tantrum Tow Ropes board

Final Thoughts

I like that Tantrum Tow Ropes includes everything in the SUP package that you need to get out on the water right away.

The board comes with a backpack carry bag, a hand pump, a 3-piece paddle, a repair kit and the removable center fin.

I think for the price, this package is a good buy.  They give you a lot for an affordable price.

This ISUP is a lot of fun to paddle and the size makes it convenient for so many different riders.

I had it loaded up with extra gear and my dog and felt really happy paddling this board around.

It comes in two nice and bright color options… orange or blue.

Comments

  1. Francisco Pena says:

    I’ve had the 12′ version for about 4 years now and it is still my favorite board. I’ve tried a lot of boards over the years mostly inflatable ones all different brands.

  2. I noticed on Tantrum Tow Rope’s ebay store that they’re selling a new “race edition for experienced riders” which is only 26 inches wide: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-RACE-12-6-Blue-Stand-Up-Paddleboard-6-Board-Inflatable-SUP-Paddle/112054799453

  3. Tad Atkinson says:

    recently purchased my wife a full sup package from http://www.tantrumtowropes.com and I could not be more happy. fast shipping, product as described, packed well.
    The pink 12’6er she recieved has been great. We are in South Carolina and we frequent the coast but live on a lake in the foothills…….the nose handles the sublte chop of our trips to the beach {she loves the low country marsh waters} and our daughters frequently pile on with her at home on the lake without fear of tipping.
    The 8 yr old carries inflates and sets up all by herself……..there can be no reasons for delay when the girls come ask me if they can go paddle! Great gear…..thanks Tantrum tow ropes!

  4. What kind of electric pump would you suggest for your TTTR 12 foot/the one that cost 550??

    • Allison says:

      The BTP 2-stage pump or the BTP single stage pump are the ones I use most often. They are a little noisy but they work well and are quite powerful. Airhead also sells an electric pump that works well and costs less but it’s much slower.

  5. I would also like to say thank you for the review. I got the Tantrum Tow Ropes 12’6″ board after reading you take on it and I really like it!! Also got my wife the Tantrum Tow Ropes 10′ board which is great! Thank you!

    • That is so nice to hear, thanks Randy!! Happy paddling!

    • Hi Randy,

      I want to get one of these for my wife but the photos on the tantrum site almost look a bit enhanced.
      Can you tell me what colors you purchased for yourself and you wife and how they looked in real life?
      Also have they remained the same as they came or have they faded?

      thanks so much,
      Mike

      • Mike-
        I bought the 12’6″ pink board. It’s not quite as neon as the site but still a very nice pink. She gets a lot of compliments on it. We wipe it down after each use and it hasn’t faded at all. Couldn’t be happier with the board!

  6. Great review! The site is great keep it going. I have this board on my list. How is this compared to others at this price point?. Like Ten Toes, Tower and some others? Or would it be better to spend up a little? Just concerned about quality and longevity. There’s so many to choose from. Thanks again!

    • Hey Shawn, Glad you are finding the reviews helpful!! I have been paddling the Tantrum Tow Ropes board for several months now and I have to say I quite like it. For the price it paddles well, which I think is due to a nice shape and design. The price is excellent and the lower price does make me wonder how well it will hold up compared to a more expensive board. So far I have had no issues. The longer length and more streamlined design make this board paddle faster than the Ten Toes and I think even more so than the Tower board. Quality wise I would say they are quite similar.

      • Thanks for the reply. That’s good info to know. You just don’t know about the smaller companies sometimes. There’s another ISUP brand I saw that was on USA Today’s 10 list for gadgets to take on a trip. http://www.nixysports.com/. Might be worth a review. Thanks again

        • Yes funny you mentioned that. I am just reviewing the Nixy All Around 10’6″ board right now 🙂
          Nice board for sure. Comes with everything needed to get on the water. The paddle that comes with it is heavy but the bag is a nice design. The board itself is similar to many others but it’s a nice package. The review will be posted first week of May.

  7. Connie Larivee says:

    Hi
    I bought a Seaeagle NN126 about 1 1/2 yrs ago after reading your site and the posted reviews. Am really happy with it and want to get a second board. Was thinking of the Tantrum tow rope board because it is such a good deal and you really seemed to like it. Do they feel similar at all? The nose looks really angled up does do chop a little better? Thanks for your time . C

    • Hi Connie, Really glad you are happy with the NN126! I do like the Tantrum Tow Ropes board. It is not as fast as the Needlenose however it is just slightly more stable. I personally prefer the NN but the Tantrum Tow Ropes ISUP paddles well and you are right the upturned nose does handle chop quite well. Plus you really can’t beat the price considering what you get. I wouldn’t hesitate with it, it’s a good board.

      • I bought the tantrum tow ropes board and am really happy with it. It’s exactly how you described it. Thanks for the input and all your reviews. Was wondering if you had any ideas for 12’6″ board similar in style but with less weight. Trying to find a board with decent speed but lighter for traveling. THX Connie

        • Hi Connie, Really glad to hear you are happy with the Tantrum Tow Ropes board! I have been using it quite a bit lately and it is holding up well and still fun to paddle 🙂
          I do know of one board that is similar in shape and size but lighter. The airSUP 12’6″ is worth looking at. It only weighs 19 lbs. so would be ideal for traveling. I have only reviewed their 9’6″ board (airSUP 96L) but liked it a lot I would think the 12’6″ would perform very similar to the Tantrum Tow Ropes. However it costs quite a bit more unfortunately. Saturn has an 11′ board that weighs only 17 lbs. It’s a cheaper board and won’t perform quite as well as the other two but the price is right. It’s called the Saturn 11′ Ultralight. Good luck!!

        • Hi Connie,

          Can you tell me what color you purchased?
          Want to buy one for my wife but I want the color to be vibrant and not fade into something dull and cheap looking.
          Thanks!
          Mike

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