Driftsun Balance 11′ Yoga Inflatable SUP Review

Stand up paddle boarding is a friendly water sport that doesn’t seem to have failed people who tried it. iSUPs’ industry is in a constant growth line with more products and designs. Now anyone can find an iSUP that’ll work for them just the way they imagined to be.

Yoga enthusiasts got their fair share when it got down to inflatable standup paddle boards; the Driftsun made a board that’s specifically designed to boost the paddler’s stability for a better and more professional Yoga experience.

Today, we’re reviewing the Driftsun Balance Yoga iSUP to see how it is designed to perform its best when it comes to yoga poses and routines.

Driftsun 11′ Balance Review — Features & Specs

Measurements

The Driftsun Balance is relatively a large board with a solid 11 feet in length; a tall adult will be most comfortable performing any kind of routine or yoga position.

It’s also 34 inches wide which is 4 inches wider than many standard quality iSUPs and that’s obviously for a reason; practicing yoga in water demands higher balance skills than it would require on the dry land. Thus, a wider board will provide a more stable platform for this exact purpose.

To enhance the board’s performance, thickness is always a key. The Balance is 6 inches thick, and along with the 34 inches in width; this iSUP gets a high grade for sturdiness and stability.

Quality

This 11 feet iSUP is made of tough and rugged military grade PVC and drop stitch material which are known to be the same material used to build white water rafts and kayaks.

The traction pad added extra stiffness to the board’s body, while the drop stitch technology makes the inner core of the board capable of expanding all the way up to 15 psi, and that allows the board to take its best form and deliver its best performance.

The company guarantees that you can go really hard on their iSUP and it would still maintain its shape and quality. However, as a friendly user, it’s always my advice to take it easy on any inflatable product.

Features

The Driftsun Balance iSUP lacks no feature that would affect its performance. In fact, it has everything an inflatable paddle board needs to be fully and comfortably handled. This board is obviously an all-round iSUP that’s great for recreational paddling, short distance touring and most definitely yoga and acrobatics for its width.

• The overall design of this board is simple and to the point. The color choice is quite peaceful to be honest; bright Blue and Gray always look good in the water.

• Also, the Balance is featured with a soft traction pad that covers more than half its back. The pad has no patterns on it as to leave no marks or bruises on your arms or knees after yoga poses and routines. Not only that; with this pad, you’re 100 percent secured against slipping even if the back of the board was wet.

• Another extremely relevant feature is the trio-fin navigation system that’s both highly functional and very practical. The Balance comes with 3 fins; one of which is large and removable while the other two are like usual smaller and lateral. You’re going to enjoy a smooth tracking especially in flat water, as you won’t find it anywhere near difficult to detach the fin and pack the board.

• Now to make sure your paddle doesn’t drown or get lost while being busy with a nice snack-break or anything at all, you can secure it to the board using the bungee system on the deck. You can also secure anything you might need once you hit the water.

• There are 4 D-rings at the end of the board, and they are mostly meant paddlers who like to use kayak seats. If not, you can use them to secure a cooler if you’re counting on spending the day in the water.

• Inflatable stand up paddle boards are in a way better than hard boards for how easy they are to pack and transport. Once the Balance is fully inflated, you can carry it using only one hand to hold the central carry handle and move around with your other hand free to do and carry other things.

Packaging

The Driftsun Balance comes in a neat and complete package. Once you order the board, you’ll also get:

• A 3-piece lightweight aluminium paddle
• An awesome travel backpack with rolling wheels
• A removable fin
• A repair kit
• A leash
• And a dual-action hand pump

I have to say that all of the accessories here are of really good quality which won’t push you to upgrade any item any time soon. Also, you need to know that there aren’t many packages that beat this one; it’s literally complete and everything in it matches the board very nicely.

Performance

Getting on top of the Driftsun Balance was an easy task; it’s sturdy and rigid which would make it a great choice for entry level paddlers. For people who are only getting this board to practice yoga on it; you’re going to like the fact that wobbliness is part of its performance. Once you find the correct balance point for your body, The Balance will do the rest.

Now using the paddle to cruise in flat water was honestly very pleasant. The board was quite responsive and it tracked nicely which allowed me to keep paddling for a long time without getting exhausted.

A yoga iSUP, however, is not meant nor expected to be fast. The Balance’s round nose does make water resistance very light; still, the board won’t be as smooth as racing or touring iSUPs.