NRS Thrive Inflatable SUP Review

Introducing today’s inflatable stand up paddle board, we got to give some credit to the person behind it because he honestly did a great job.

NRS or Northwest River Supplies is a brand that’s completely owned by its employees; that happened when Bill Parks, founder and president of NRS, decided to sell his company to the people who work there and that is something you don’t hear often. Instead of selling his legacy to a businessman who’d pay so much more he found peace of mind leaving it in the hand of the people he trusted to be working side by side for and with him.

The result of such a policy is a work environment that brings the best out of everyone because they’re all 100% engaged and involved. Consequently, we can consider NRS inflatable SUPs to be on top of this industry’s pyramid with quite an interesting and variable boards’ collection.

As to not drag this any longer, today’s review is going to be about the NRS Thrive iSUP which is one of the sharpest and most popular all-round boards.

NRS Thrive Review – Features & Specs

Measurements

One of the things we really liked about the NRS Thrive is that it comes in 4 different sizes with different maximum weight capacity:

• The 9’10” Long x 30″ Wide x 5″ Thick (180 lbs)
• The 10’3″ Long x 32″ Wide x 5″ Thick (200 lbs)
• The 10’8″ Long x 34″ Wide x 6″ Thick (250 lbs)
• The 11′ Long x 36″ Wide x 6″ Thick (275)

Looking at it, NRS wanted everyone to find the perfect iSUP for their weight and size in general, and for an all-round iSUP, the Thrive has what I’d personally call the perfect dimensions to carry out its purpose.

Take the 10’8” Thrive for example; width here is beyond what most brands would offer given its length.

Those 34 inches are going to guarantee you a very stable board that’s up to performing and covering different water activities in different water conditions. That being said, you just need to choose the Thrive’s size you think is best for you.

Quality

Having reviewed plenty of inflatable products, we can now say that one may tell a good iSUP just from the looks of it and the NRS Thrive looks really good. The details are super neat and all parts are perfectly glued together resulting in a really sharp body.

That’s on the outside, now the inner core of the Thrive is built using drop stitch material that has become a necessary component to each and every iSUP because it makes sure the board remains in its initial and best state even after years of inflating and deflating. Also, the heavy duty PVC material covering the Thrive’s body makes it resistant against the harsh environments and circumstances that it might go through.

Further, Proprietary Axis Technology™, which is an “acrylic stiffening agent integrated in the deck, improves stiffness and performance without adding weight or making the board harder to fold and store.”

Now anything beyond this is actually up to you; the Thrive is definitely up to some beating given its strong, innovative and durable construction but if you really want to prolong your board’s life you got to be a friendly user and make sure you use and pack your iSPU safely.

Features

• The most prominent feature about an iSUP is usually the traction pad. The Thrive got a really good one that covers two thirds of its body on all 4 sizes. This pad does a great job keeping you on your feet when the board is in action.

• On the board’s tail, there is a kick-pad that’s meant to make maneuvering the board doable and a lot more accessible. This kick-pad is basically part of the traction pad and both they add more density and stiffness to the board.

• Newt, there is a front storage area with 4 rigid D-ring and bungee cord so that you can secure any personal belongings or needed equipment to the board. There are 3 additional D-rings to cover for safety leash attachment, toeing and securing a water bottle.

• The Thrive is featured with 4 carry handles instead of 1; a central one to make transporting the inflated board using one hand possible, while the other two are strategically located to let you hold on to them when lying flat on the board or when moving it around using someone’s hand.

• The last handle is at board’s end so you can easily drag it out of water.

• Another essential feature is definitely the navigation system, the Thrive comes with 3 removable and interchangeable fins so that you can customize the performance of your board anyway you like.

• The most innovative feature about the Thrive is one which we didn’t happen to find anywhere else; a pressure relief valve to prevent accidental over-inflation. This way, it’s almost impossible to damage your board due to high air pressure.

Packaging

NRS packages might not be the perfect complete one but whatever the package offers is something of real quality that is sure to maintain a great performance for years to come. The Thrive’s package includes:

• A  high-pressure pump with pressure gauge,
• Three Allwater fins,
• One Touring fin,
• A carry bag
• And a repair kit.

Looking at it, the only thing that’s missing is a paddle and that’s not something new not even to most prestigious brands. Thus, we’d recommend you to order one along with the board or simply use an old one that you own.

Performance

A board like the NRS Thrive is destined to do great things because you can’t really put that much work and innovation into something that can’t handle versatility and lots of practicality. The Thrive is the perfect board for touring, yoga, flat water and why not surfing sometimes.

The variety of sizes will allow users with different skill levels and body weight to choose what’s best for them, thus, starting with beginners to advanced level paddlers, everyone should be happy with one of NSR’s Thrive iSUP.

The kick-pad and the navigation system offer a great deal of maneuverability and control over the board which is a plus when it comes to changing water conditions. You’re guaranteed a smooth straight tracking in flat water while you’ll be able to take on some waves and choppy water as well.