The Body Glove Performer inflatable stand up paddle board has a unique and interesting shape and design.
It is fairly wide at the centre but tapers dramatically at the nose. The 34” centre width provides a nice stable platform to stand on and the tapered nose helps this board to cut nicely through the water.
We found it easy to paddle on flat water lakes, rivers and ocean bays. It turns quickly with little effort and although I wouldn’t classify it as a super fast ISUP, it didn’t feel sluggish and it glided nicely.
I also like the bright yellow colour on the board. It really stands out on the water keeping you very visible to other watercraft.
This inflatable SUP was designed with families in mind and has several key features that make it very appealing for paddling with kids and dogs.
It comes with a complete package that includes:
- 11’ Performer ISUP
- 3-piece aluminum paddle
- backpack carry bag
- SUP leash
- dual action hand pump
- cell phone dry bag
- repair kit
SPECS FOR THE PERFORMER
- Length: 11’
- Width: 34”
- Thick: 6”
- Weight: 24 lb.
- Max Load: 320 lb.
BEST DEAL: Go to Bodyglove.com to check for the best price for the Performer iSUP.
MATERIAL: Heavy duty PVC material with triple layer centre stringer and double layer side rails.
BEST SUITED FOR: Touring, cruising, flat water, families
PROS: Lightweight and easy to carry, decent glide, fast turns, easy to maneuver, large bungee cargo area, large comfortable traction pad, neoprene cover on centre carry handle, front mount for attaching GoPro, reinforced nose bumper for added durability, nice package gets you on the water with everything you need (except your PFD).
CONS: No large touring fin, feels a bit wobbly in wind and chop, no front or back grab handles.
MORE IN -DEPTH INFO
This is a board that can be shared by adults and kids alike. It is specifically designed for families with added reinforcement in key areas to keep it strong and always ready to hit the water.
We enjoyed paddling the Performer 11 in particularly on flat water lakes and rivers.
It is very responsive and overall quite easy to paddle.
The 34” centre width makes for a nice comfortable platform that any person of any age can feel stable standing on.
The wider centre is also great for paddling with a child or a dog.
We had no problem paddling the Performer with our two little dogs Seth and Jax and they seemed very comfortable.
Although it wouldn’t be my personal choice for paddling with a large dog, it is certainly doable if you have the skill or the will. 🙂
IMPORTANT FEATURES
FRONT BUNGEES
The large front bungees include 6 lash points and make it easy to store your gear and essentials.
We easily stored a dry bag, water bottle, our flip flops and PFD under the bungee cords and they were very secure.
If you would like to bring along a cooler you could easily tie it down to the 6 lash points.
TRI-FIN SYSTEM
The tri-fin design on this board with three smaller attached fins is typically seen more on whitewater SUP’s as opposed to on touring boards.
Although the fins are durable and great for families planing to put a lot of wear and tear into this board, this tri-fin design noticeable affects the tracking and stability.
We found the back end to feel wobbly in wind and chop and the tracking a little harder to control.
The three built-in rubber fins do make it fast and easy to get on the water as there is no fin setup involved, just unroll and inflate.
However we found them to bend easily when the board was rolled up and packed away.
For families intending to simply cruise around and have some fun on the water, this setup won’t be a problem. For longer touring sessions, a larger fin would definitely be nice to have.
Back D-Ring
The back stainless steel D-ring is perfect for securing your board leash.
LARGE EVA DECK PAD
The diamond groove EVA traction pad is a fairly good size giving you lots of room to comfortably maneuver and grip your feet.
There is ample room to stretch or do a little SUP yoga as well.
FRONT ACTION MOUNT
There is a mount on the front of the board that can be used to secure your GoPro camera. This is a really nice added feature and not something you often see on other inflatable SUP’s.
With this mount you can capture all your best family moments on the water!
CENTER CARRY HANDLE WITH NEOPRENE COVER
The neoprene cover on the centre carry handle is another cool feature on the Performer 11.
Besides making the board far more comfortable to carry any distance, the strap has a velcro holster that can be unraveled and used to secure your paddle when not in use or to secure a water bottle to the board while you are paddling.
REINFORCED NOSE BUMPER
The reinforced nose bumper is a unique feature to this ISUP and one more thing that makes this board ideal for families with kids.
The nose of paddle boards can often get banged up on rocks or gravel. The extra reinforcement on the nose really adds to the durability factor of the Performer 11 and will help to make sure it has a long life.
2 CENTER D-RINGS
There is one stainless steel D-ring on each side of the carry handle that can be used as tie down points.
TRIPLE LAYER CENTER STRINGER
The triple layer stringer adds a lot of toughness and durability.
This is one more of those family-friendly features as it will really help with wear and tear from kids and dogs.
The centre stringer also adds a little extra rigidity. When fully inflated to 15 PSI we found the board to be very rigid and strong.
PERFORMANCE
All things considered the Performer is quite versatile and we feel that beginners to more advanced paddlers could feel comfortable quite quickly on this board.
The tapered nose really helps it to cut through flat water nicely and we found it particularly enjoyable to use on calm water lakes.
In wind and waves however we found that the nose could easily get pushed sideways making us put in more effort to keep it on a straight course.
With the tri-fin design this board is very responsive and fun to practice quick maneuvers. A larger touring fin however would have helped with the tracking and overall stability for touring.
We feel that regardless most beginners and families with kids will have a lot of fun cruising on flat water lakes, rivers or calm ocean bays.
SETUP
Setup for the Performer could not be any easier or faster. Simply take it out of the backpack, unroll and inflate.
There are no extra parts to secure except for your board leash. The hand pump that comes with this package works well and we had it inflated to 15 PSI within 8 minutes of arriving at the water.
BACKPACK
The durable nylon backpack that comes with this package has adjustable padded shoulder straps as well as a waist strap and chest strap for added support.
There is a stainless steel D-ring on each shoulder strap for securing extra gear if needed, which we thought was a nice touch.
The bag is roomy and can easily fit the board and all accessories. It has a heavy duty zipper that zips around all three sides making it very easy to get the board in and out of the bag.
We really like that this bag has three carry handles, one on top and one on each side.
Not all bags have side carry handles and we find them really useful for taking the bag in and out of the car.
There is also a clear zippered pocket at the front of the bag that can be used for storing smaller items.
At only 24 lb. this inflatable SUP is very portable. We had no trouble carrying it a short distance in the backpack to the water (32 lb. in backpack with all accessories) or carrying it when inflated.
It can be stored in a small space and easily transported in the trunk of your car, stored on a larger boat or even taken on a bus or airplane.
BOTTOM LINE
This board makes it easy for the entire family to get out on the water.
It is durable and fun and should hold up well with a fair amount of use and abuse.
WHERE TO BUY
You can sometimes find this paddle board at Costco. However every time I check lately it seems to be sold out.
However it is usually available for purchase at the official BodyGlove.com website.
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I have also had an issue with the side seam coming un stuck. I have re glued 6 x 2inch sections along the seam. Interesting that other people have had issues. I contacted bodyglove who say they will ship a new board. Bought mine in May 22. Still waiting for a tracking number. Some UK suppliers have recalled boards due to gluing issues due to faulty glue in the main manufacturers process.
We purchased two new Body Glove Performer 11 around July 4th 2022, because we had tried my sister’s board and really like them. We have used them twice. One board developed a leak in the upper side seam and deflated very quickly. This was obviously a manufacturing defect. We tried calling customer service but were referred to their website due to “high call volumes “. Going on day 3 and have contacted customer support three times (customerservice@surf9.com) according to the literature we received. Also contacted body glove.com via web form and have received no response. VERY DISSATISFIED with Body Glove at present. I am a long time paddler, both canoe and kayak and would not recommend Body Glove at this time.
Hey Kathryn, I really appreciate your comment. I have recently heard similar stories from others who have Body Glove boards. I think that company is so big and sometimes maybe it’s better to stick with the smaller SUP companies where good customer service is what they are all about. I’m so sorry you are having that issue, I hope it gets resolved quickly!
I bought two and they did the same thing. I used them once.
Jim Greene. thanks so very much for the reinvention of the 11′ performer for 2022. Amazing improvements since the early 2021 board. More stable, faster in the water while paddling, surfs very well despite the very wide tail, top quality electric pump, beautiful design work, comfortable decking, tons of tiedowns for things like a seat system and go pro mount. Amazing work from Bodyglove for this year. Could not be happier.
Hi, I really like this board, however when I pumped it with air it seems like the pressure gauge doesn’t really work. I stop when it feels firm but wondered if I should keep going.
Anyone else had this issue?
Thx, Michelle
Hey Michelle, It probably isn’t getting enough air if you just pump until it feels firm. With the inflatable SUP’s you really need to be able to see the pressure gauge on the pump. If it’s not working I would try contacting Body Glove to see if they can replace the pump or try a different one.
I was wondering the same thing, when I blew it up the first time. I kept pumping and then the gauge really did work when the board was 10-15 psi. Gets really solid. It will probably work at lower psi, too.
The gauge won’t show a reading until it’s quite firm and the n it starts working. It’s a bit weird that way but you do want to keep pumping to 15 psi because even though it may feel firm, you’ll be able to tell it’s under inflated once in the water.
Is a “universal” seat compatible with this model?
Did anyone buy an electric pump for it? If so which one?
The Shark II electric pump is the best one we’ve tried and works great with the Body Glove paddle boards.
Serene life makes a rechargeable pump. Total game changer! Pumps 3 boards easily with one charge. No need to plug into a car, or anywhere! Bring on to the beach and make life easier by carrying pack to beach instead of inflated board!
Also comes with USB ports that charges cell phones!
Would someone please post the dimensions of the backpack with the SUP, paddle, pump (everything) in it? Considering purchasing at Costco but need to know whether it will fit in our camper van, along with all of our other stuff. We’re living in our van while traveling North America this year – 2021. Many thanks!!
Can you add a kayak seat to this to use in a sitting position?
There’s no D-rings on the sides of this board, which makes it hard to add a kayak seat. You’d have to purchase some extra D-rings and glue them on so the seat has something to attach to.
The one I just bought at costco does indeed have d-rings on the side. Only one set though.
Love the board….really needs a larger rear fin for good tracking! Can a larger fin be added PLEASE???
I’m just curious if the new paddle floats and has anyone tried it with the new 30% larger fins? I’m wanting to purchase one and am leaning toward this.
I bought one 2 weeks ago. The paddle floats. The fins are all 4.5” inches so tracking can be a little more challenging if you’re pushing this board hard or fast.
However, this board is hard to beat at Costco’s price.
I just got these from Costco too, and hoped the 30% larger fins would be enough. They’re not. It works well on flat/calm water but even then it tracks poorly. When the wind and tide picked up it was a battle.
It’s a good deal from Costco, but it’s definitely a $399 board. Don’t be fooled by the $999 price on Body Glove’s site. The poor tracking is a dealbreaker for me so they’re being returned and I have some Atoll boards on order.
I really agree with you. This board has been so popular because of the price but it doesn’t compare to some of the better models out there. The Atoll boards are great, I hope you love them!
I’ve commented elsewhere on this board as we have one of these as well as a Bic Sport ISUP. It’s a lot of ISUP for the price at Costco. Totally agree on all your review points except that the backpack is poorer quality than our Bic came with. The zipper is small not a full size like the Bic or any surfboard bag.
Also do not care for the center handle as it cuts into the hand more than others. We never use the velcro storage aspect and wish it was a better handle for long carry instead of the design it comes with.
More than anything, wish it came with a fin box for ocean use in wind. Plan to modify it remove the center fin and install one at some point.
Great points Steve thanks for the comment!
Back to report that the valve started to have problems closing. The notches in the detent are catching but still usable. The manufacturers sent me a new valve. Great. But it turns out that changing it is harder than most. The nice wide fin patch combined with the thick stringer material (carbon fiber ! -as if it made a difference)., Well, between the fin patch and the stringer it’s IMPOSSIBLE to grab the inside washer of the valve. Can’t tighten it. Now what? I already returned this once due to a bubble. Body glove ships parts but its not like they offer any tech support. Is my board now useless?
So I revise my assessment. Apart from the size vs tracking issue, there is a design maintenance oversight.
Don’t buy this board if you want one with a replaceable valve. These valves fail and on this design cannot be reinstalled as with others. Ridiculous that a good board can’t be maintained.
I will no longer recommend this one at any price.
Can this board durable enough to be lowered and raised off a wooden dock?
Absolutely. No problem lowering or raising it off a wooden dock.
Thank you for posting this!
Best review I have read on the Body Glove Performer 11. You really helped me to make an educated purchase.
Thanks so much Marco! Glad you have found the review helpful. Happy paddling 🙂