Wakooda 10‘6” Inflatable SUP Review

Wakooda Water Sports first introduced their inflatable stand-up paddleboards in 2012.

I got to try out their 10’6” ISUP and found it to be strong and rigid. It has some good features and is versatile enough for a wide variety of people.

The best part however is that the price is very affordable and you get great value for your money.

Quick Stats

  • 10’6” long
  • 32” wide
  • 6” thick
  • weighs 18 lbs.
  • can carry up to 220 lbs.
  • air pressure: 15 PSI max
  • has one large removable fin
  • two small attached fins

Material: Korean drop stitch material, 410 denier space yarn and 1000 denier base cloth.

Pros: Light-weight, easy to carry, stable, rigid, tracks fairly well, affordable

Cons: Not that fast

More Detailed Info

The Wakooda 10’6” inflatable SUP is basic in design but strong, comfortable to stand on, functional and versatile.

It’s not going to be the fastest board on the water but for those looking to do some recreational paddling, it’s awesome.

I like the fact that this board is versatile enough to be used by a wide variety of people and age groups.

The 6” thickness makes it very rigid and the size makes it ideal for either flat water touring or light surf.

The 2014 Wakooda 10’6” inflatable SUP’s are extremely light weight.  At only 18 lbs. (6 lbs. lighter than the older models) it is super easy to carry to and from the water.

Setup

Setup is fast and easy. The fin needs to be attached first.  The fin attachment is super easy and fast.  Simply fold back the board at the base of the fin attachment and slide the fin in – see pictures below.  Once the board is inflated the fin is secure.

This ISUP can be inflated up to a maximum of 15 PSI and I found it to be very rigid.   It can hold up to 220 lbs. and still perform well.

Performance

Overall, this Wakooda board was easy to paddle and quick to turn and maneuver.

I didn’t find it to paddle super fast.  The upturned bow doesn’t cut through the water as smoothly as a sleeker or flatter nose.

However the basic design does allow it to handle a variety of conditions fairly well and the shape and design make it quite versatile for flat water paddling or light surf or chop.

The 32″ width and 6″ thickness makes it feel stable and secure.  The size and rigidity of this board make it ideal for many different people.

Important Features

This inflatable SUP has all the basic features covered.

  • It has a large removable skeg that is very easy to attach and remove as well as two smaller attached skegs, which help with tracking straight.
  • There are bungee tie-down cords up front to secure gear. These are handy to secure your flip-flops, water bottle or a small dry bag.
  • It has a large ¼” thick EVA soft deck pad that is comfortable to stand or kneel on.
  • The inflation valve is at the rear of the board opening up the bow for GoPro mounts or other accessories.
  • There is a center carry handle to easily carry it when inflated.

The Downside

The only downside I really noticed was that it doesn’t paddle that fast.

However unless you are used to a faster board, you probably won’t notice the difference.

It paddles nicely and overall is a great ride.

More Pics

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Final Thoughts

What I like most about the Wakooda 10’6” ISUP is the fact that it only weighs 18 lbs. It is seriously easy to carry and I imagine would be easy for most people.

With a board that light you can take it anywhere and it would be ideal for traveling. It rolls up easily into a nice small package.

It is versatile, convenient and fun. I think for the price, it’s a great buy.

Each board comes with an adjustable SUP paddle, a pump with gauge, backpack and repair kit.

Where To Buy

The Wakooda 10’6″ ISUP is unavailable at this time.

Comments

  1. Hi folks. Looking to get my 1st isup and Wakooda is currently selling a GT126 online….It is a 10’6″ but 30″ wide vs the 32″, and 6″ thick. Anyone try this/have this? Any comments? Thanks!

    • Hey Peg, I haven’t tried the GT126 but it should be a nice ride. The pointy nose and tapered tail will help it to glide smoothly and be quick to maneuver. The 6″ thickness will provide a lot of rigidity. The size (10’6″ x 30″) may feel slightly wobbly at first if you don’t have any experience but you’ll get used to it fast and most likely appreciate how easily it moves through the water. Good luck! I’d love to hear your thoughts if you go for it.

    • Ps. for the price they are listing on their website right now (I just checked it) totally worth it!

  2. Hello!

    I bought and I am using the Wakooda for about 6 months.

    I am enjoying it a lot! It is portable and works great for flat waters… I had fiberglass SUP and switched to iSUP due to no storage space…. comparing to fiberglass, the iSUP is not good when you have waves, if those small in lakes, rivers, etc, but for flat waters is the same experience in general. I also bought the electrical DC (car battery) air pump and strongly recommend it.

    Feel free to contact me for more info.

    Best,

    Denis

    • Hey Denis,
      How has the quality of the Wakooda been so far? What other brands did you look at before the Wakooda?
      There’s so many out there its hard to pick one. I don’t want to break the bank but want the best quality possible. Thanks!

      • Hello Shawn.

        Very good quality so far, the SUP has very resistant material and mine looks like new. I am careful with the boards, washing after sea paddling, avoiding pointed objects, inflating/deflating in “clear” surfaces, etc. Watch out the way you curl the board before packing, to properly curl the fins slots, avoiding pressure and rips (I don’t know if this is the correct word in English) in the fabric near the fins. I also recommend that you buy an electric (car battery) inflatable pump, it will make your life easier.

        Best,

        Denis

  3. Michelle says:

    Hi there. Thank you so much for your wonderfully detailed reviews of so many boards. This is such a great resource! I am considering purchasing my first paddle board after having tried them out a few times and doing sup yoga while on different vacations. I’d like something pretty versatile that will probably mostly be used for paddling relatively flat water and doing yoga, but I’d also like to be able to take it down smaller rapids on our river once I feel confident enough to do so (I have done it with a guide before, but not on my own) and possibly to the ocean for light surf. I travel a good amount and possibly being able to fly with the board would be awesome. Because I’m not sure how much use I’ll get out of the board, I’m trying to limit my costs and have narrowed it down to these boards: the Wakooda 10’6″ reviewed here, the Isle 10ft, the Tower Adventure (both the original 9’10” and the newer 10’4″), the Ten Toes Emporium, and the Isle 10’4″ women’s board. Any thoughts on which of these might be best, or if I’m missing something in this price range? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

    • Hi Michelle, So glad you are finding the site helpful!! For portability and traveling the Wakooda is hard to beat. It rolls up into a very small package and is super lightweight. This board is just easy in every way. It is good on flat water and would be fine on rivers and light surf. For traveling I’d probably recommend upgrading the bag to one of the backpacks with wheels but otherwise I think this board is worth the price. I was quite impressed with the Ten Toes Weekender as well and it would make a good all around board. It is slightly leaner and very easy to maneuver. The leaner width might not be as good for yoga however. The Isle boards are quite stable and also good for all around use. I like the size of the Women’s Isle SUP. I’d like it to have bungee cords for securing gear but it’s probably nice not to have them for yoga use. When I take friends out they seem to love the Wakooda because it is stable and so easy to paddle. It tends to be a favorite. The Tower boards are extremely stable but basic in performance. I’d personally go for a Wakooda or Isle over Tower. So ultimately the Isle and Tower are going to be super stable for yoga but not perform quite as well on flat water. The Wakooda is easy and paddles well, good for yoga although you lose a little space because of the more tapered nose – nothing major though. The Ten Toes is not quite as stable but good in every other way. Hope that helps! 🙂

      • Michelle says:

        Allison, this is really, really helpful! Thank you so much! One more question: if it weren’t for the lack of bungee cords on the women’s Isle (which I suppose you could add D rings and cords if you wanted), would you have a preference between that board and the 10′ all-around one? It seems like the women’s one might be slightly more stable for yoga but a little slower for everything else? Debating between those and the Wakooda now thanks to your help. Thanks again!

        • I do like the extra length of the Isle women’s board and it would definitely suit your needs. Extra D-rings are cheap to buy and easy to glue on if you found you needed them. I think the Isle board would offer more stability for yoga than the Wakooda… but like you said probably be a little slower in the water, but I don’t think it would be a huge difference.

  4. Hello, hope you’re fine.

    Due to storage space issues, I am selling my fiberglass 10″ SUP, and will buy an iSUP.

    I am 185lbs, and my use is flat water rivers, sea and lakes, for exploration, relaxing, etc.

    I liked the wakooda price for what it offers, but I am in doubt if it paddles well for my use, and if it’s resistant.

    Please, If you have other brands/options to indicate, I will appreciate.

    Thanks.

    Best,

    Denis

    • The Wakooda SUP is a perfectly good board and I like paddling it a lot. I don’t think it’s the strongest board out there but for the price, it’s excellent. It is good for paddling on flat water, lakes and ocean so I think would suit your needs fine. Even with the lighter weight, this ISUP can withstand a fair amount of abuse. Another option that would be ideal for you is the Red 10’6″ Ride. it is extremely well made, very strong and paddles well. However of course the price is much higher. The Sea Eagle 11′ Longboard might also suit you well. This model has been improved upon over the years and I believe provides good value for the money. Hope that helps.

  5. This ISUP is about six pounds lighter than most of its 10′ 6″ competitors on the market. My guess is that that weight comes out of the material the ‘board’ is made of, suggesting that it is probably not as durable / resistant to bumps, dings, and scratches as the others are. Your thoughts?

    • I find often the super light boards are not as resistant to scratches. I think you sacrifice some of the strength and rigidity with the way the extra light boards are constructed. However I have to say that when inflated and when paddling this board, I didn’t notice any difference at all in rigidity and the material felt strong. I don’t think there would be any issues for most paddlers but it’s something to be aware of if you think your board is going to take a lot of abuse.

  6. Hi!
    I found out a paddle board wich brand looks like this, but is Wahoo.
    Do you know if it is good?
    8′ x 32″ x 6″.
    I don’t know if 8′ has a good performance both in flat water, river or surf.
    Thank you.

    • Wahoo is the same company as Wakooda so it should be a decent board. I wouldn’t want an 8′ board for touring on flat water personally as it won’t be that fast. However it would be great for surf and rivers and perfectly fine recreational fun on flat water.

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