- Note: My personal pictures below are of the older Whopper model. The 2018 model has been redesigned.
This is an awesome board. I had the opportunity to review it, got to keep it for a little while, tried it out several times on different water ways and at the end I can honestly say that I did not want to give it back.
There are so many positives with the Whopper. It is best suited for ocean surf and whitewater but I think equally as fun to paddle on flat water as well.
It is stable, highly responsive and very well made. Starboard has two inflatable Whopper SUP’s… the Whopper Zen which is 5.5” thick and the Whopper Deluxe which is 6” thick.
Specs
Whopper Zen
- 10 feet long
- 35” wide
- 5.5” thick
- weighs 22 lbs.
- air pressure – up to 18 PSI
- can hold up to 265 lbs.
- has three attached fins
- 1 year warranty
Whopper Deluxe
- 10 feet long
- 35” wide
- 6” thick
- weighs 25 lbs.
- air pressure – up to 18 PSI
- can hold up to 265 lbs.
- has one 9″ FCS Connect removable fin
- 1 year warranty
Material: 4” or 6″ linear drop-stitch core, covered by high-strength PVC fabric
Pros: Very responsive, stable width, nice fin attachment, light weight, tracks well, large deck pad, comfortable carry handle, can hold quite a bit of weight, fantastic carry bag
Cons: Not super fast (to be expected for a board of this size)
Check Prices
Check price at PumpedUpSup.com.
Check price at GreenWaterSports.com.
More In-Depth Info
The Whopper Zen inflatable SUP is a LOT of fun to paddle.
It is best suited for ocean and whitewater surf but it paddles nicely on flat water as well.
The ten-foot length and 35-inch width makes it an ideal size for paddling through chop and surfing waves.
I found it quite stable even with the 4” thickness. My boyfriend who weighs 190 lbs. thought he would prefer the 6” thickness of the Whopper Deluxe but still did okay on the Whopper Zen.
Setup
Setup was easier than many other inflatable stand-up paddleboards for two reasons.
1. The backpack carry bag is designed in a way that it is very fast and easy to get the board in and out of the bag.
Besides the draw cord and clips on top there is also a front zipper that allows you to unzip the bag all the way down the front.
This is one of the best bags I’ve seen and would love other ISUP companies to take note and add this front zipper option.
As anyone who has bought an inflatable SUP will know, the bags are fantastic and easy to carry but getting the board back into the pack after use can sometimes take a bit of work.
It normally takes a bit of practice and a little frustration to get it rolled up properly so that it fits nice and neat inside the bag. The Astro carry bag eliminates those troubles and I can’t say enough about how simple it is to get the board in and out. Love this bag.
2. The second thing I loved about this board that made it easy to set up is the fin attachment.
There are several different types of fin attachments and I find some easier to attach than others.
First of all it has two smaller side fins that are attached to the board.
The large center fin (6 ¾”) is removable and attaches by sliding into a slot and then pushing a clip through to secure. It’s extremely easy to attach. See the pics below to get an idea what I mean.
Both of these things might not sound like that big of a deal but they make a big difference in the ease of setup as well as ease of deflation and packing the board back up after use.
Inflation is quick. I used my electric pump which inflated the board in about a minute. Very fast.
The inflatable Whopper stand-up paddle boards can hold a lot of air pressure making them very rigid. They can be inflated up to a maximum of 18 PSI which is quite high compared to other inflatable SUP’s.
I inflated it to 14 PSI which was as high as my electric pump would go and found it to be totally rigid and strong.
Performance
Performance was good. The length and width are not ideal for fast paddling but overall I was impressed even in flat water.
It turned very easily and quickly and was a lot of fun to maneuver. This board doesn’t weigh much, only 22 lbs., so it takes very little strength to paddle. It’s also very easy to carry to and from the water.
The extra width (35”) gives you a good stable platform when taking on waves. The width also means that the Whopper can be used for yoga or fitness as well.
I found the tracking to be quite good considering the length and width.
I’m not a whitewater paddler but the Whopper Zen has all the right features to be good on whitewater as well. Just take off the center fin if in shallow rivers.
Important Features
The Whopper ISUP has a few really nice features worth mentioning:
- Bungee deck tie down cords up front to secure gear. I liked that the bungee cords on this board were placed closer to where you stand as opposed to at the very front of the board.This makes for easy access to gear, plus if you paddle with your dog like I do there is space for him to sit up front without having to sit on the bungee cords.
- There are 4 D-rings up front with the bungee cords attached to them, as well as one D-ring at the back of the board for a leash and one up front underneath for towing if necessary.
- Very rigid drop stitch material. Starboard says this board has top and bottom high tensile rail bands creating a Parabolic Anti-Torsion System. All you really need to know however is that it is super rigid. For those who want extra stiffness to support more weight the 6” Astro Whopper Deluxe is an ideal option.
- Great cushioned carry handle. The carry handle is unique in that it has cushioning. It helps greatly with comfort and being able to carry the board further without your hand aching.
- The PVC deck and bottom coating are machine rolled under high pressure and high temperature to maximize adhesion. This creates a strong board that can withstand a fair amount of abuse.
The Down Side
The only downside I could see is that it is not that fast and truthfully I wouldn’t expect a 10’ long, 35” wide board to be fast.
It was designed for surf and rivers, which is where it excels. However I wouldn’t hesitate to paddle around on this board for fun on flat water as well.
I would also love it to have a longer warranty but all of the Starboard SUP’s only have a 1-year warranty.
My Pics
Final Thoughts
Bottom line is I loved this board. The Whopper is very versatile and ideal for a large variety of people.
With the two different thickness options, in my opinion this is one of the best 10 foot long ISUP’s out there for beginner to intermediate paddlers.
Plus it looks great. Starboard in general tend to have really cool designs on them and they think of every little detail.
Where To Buy
Click here for the Starboard Whopper Deluxe at PumpedUpSup.com.
Click here for the Starboard Whopper Deluxe at GreenWaterSports.com.
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I have a Starboard Astro inflatable that I’ve owned for 3 years, and probably used 20 times. Last time out it blew a seam. Took it to a local inflatable dealer and he attempted to repair the seam. He thought he was successful, l but the next time I inflated it, another seam blew, so basically the board is now junk, I understand that there is only a one year warranty, but I don’t consider a $1200 inflatable to be a throw away item. Very disappointed in the product.
Hi Donna, That is SO disappointing to hear. I love the Starboard SUP’s and haven’t had any issues with them myself. What a shame… I hope you contact Starboard directly. I know they only have a one-year warranty but it would be worth a phone call.
Hi,
Great web page, great reviews!
I am looking to buy my first iSUP and the Astro whopper is one of the optionsthe other is the RedPaddling Co9’8” Ride. I am an intermediate SUPer which is looking for something to Surf and wonder around if there are no waves or go to the lake for a stroll, not bothered about long distance performance.
My main concern is that I am 6’4” and 217Lbs and I am hesitating between the 4” and 6”. Also how in your opinion whichis more suitable for my physical characteristics? Starboard or Red PaddleCo?
Thanks
You can’t go wrong with either Starboard or Red Paddle Co ISUP’s. They both make really high quality products. For your size I would definitely suggest a 6″ thick board. The 4″ thick board is going to handle a little better and you might be okay especially if you are an intermediate SUPer. However just from my own experience, every person I have paddled with that is even close to 200 lbs. or over has very much preferred the 6″ thick boards. The 6″ thickness will be more rigid for you and definitely provide more stability. The Whopper is going to suit your size better than the 9’6″ Ride. However I would suggest considering the Whopper Deluxe or the 10’6 Ride, which I really think will suit you better. The Ride is going to be more responsive and the Whopper will be slightly more stable. Hope that helps!
If you can’t tell, I’m researching a ton since it’s an investment, and haven’t been able to make up my mind. I read some not such great things about the Sea Eagle brand and now I’m looking at the Starboard Astro Whopper Zen (I think this is the 2015 version of the Whopper Fun). I’ve used the Starboard regular boards in SUP yoga classes and really liked them. Do you prefer this to the Sea Eagle?
I love the Starboard ISUP’s, I find they think of every little detail. My favorite board to paddle is the Sea Eagle Needlenose by far. However you rarely hear anything negative about the Starboard SUP’s and they are definitely popular. I think the Whopper Zen would be a really great choice and it would definitely suit your needs.
What would be the disadvantages of the 6inch board. It sounds like your boyfriend would prefer it. I assume it would be more rigid and maybe more stable but not quite as manuverable. Would it be faster or slower?
I am about 160 pounds and 5″ 10″. I am a beginner so maybe I wouldn’t be able to appreciate any difference between the 4 and 6 inch thickness.
Thanks,
Gregg
You are exactly right, basically with a 6″ board you are giving up a little bit of maneuverability for extra stability. I don’t find it to be a huge difference when paddling on flat water but you will notice the difference when surfing where fast turns and tricky maneuvers are more likely. I don’t actually find a 6″ SUP to be slower, I think that depends more on the design and shape. With the inflatables the 6″ thickness definitely provides a little more rigidity and stability when carrying more weight. With your height and weight I really think you could go either way and be fine. Also I found that the Starboard Whopper was more rigid and stable than most other 4″ thick ISUP’s I’ve tried. It’s a great board.
I weigh 120 pounds, am 5’2″ , have read every review for each board on this website and this one is my favorite- the astro whopper fun. I am an intermediate paddler. Do you think the 4 inches thick would be suitable for me . I’d like for this to be an all around use board that I could even do yoga in if I wanted. I love to paddle flat water but also rivers,ocean, surf etc, I love the look of it, the fact that there are bungee straps and the light weight of it. My only concern is the 6 inch option… Your review said you did fine with the 4 inch. Do you think 4 inches would be enough sturdiness for all of the uses I’ve listed based on my weight? Thanks for your awesome review site. Been so helpful to me as this will be my very first SUP purchase.
Hi Mandy, yes for sure I think the 4″ thickness would be great for you and perfect for all the uses you mentioned. I totally agree, the Whopper is an awesome board and perfect for all-around use. I found that with the design of this board, the 4″ thickness was sturdier than many other 4″ thick boards I’ve tried. I definitely think you’ll be fine.
I liked this review,, It has it all, I really am a fan of this board without even tried it.
Starboard makes evreyhting with quality and style, I really trust this compagny and products,,
I think I will buy it ! thanks for this review
Thanks Monika, I agree… great company, awesome board!
Thanks for the review. Nice to see some SUP reviews out there, to help with purchasing decisions. Love the pics, too.
Thanks for the review, it help me to decided to get Whopper Fun for my gf and myself a Astro Blend Fun. May i ask what is the maximum psi for Astro Blend Fun? I’m 85kg and i feel like it slightly sink/curve with 15psi.