Chasing Blue Solar Spirit Inflatable SUP Review

Update:  This paddle board is no longer available.

I’m excited about this board because it provides a good budget friendly option for a very stable paddle board.

The Chasing Blue boards are new for this year and an excellent option for beginner paddle boarders who don’t want to pay a fortune for a decent board.

What I like about the Solar Spirit is how ultra stable and easy it is to paddle. I have been using this iSUP a lot while paddling with my three little dogs.

It is SO comfortable to ride. With the 34″ width this isn’t a fast board by any means but for easy cruising it’s fantastic.

SPECS

L x W x T	11'6" x 34" x 6"
BOARD WEIGHT	24 LBS.
MAX LOAD	320 LBS.
STABILITY
PERFORMANCE

VIDEO REVIEW

Don’t feel like reading?  Check out the video below for my video review instead.

WHO IS THE SOLAR SPIRIT BEST SUITED FOR?

At 11’6″ long, 34″ wide and 6″ thick this is a larger board and that makes it very stable.

If you are a beginner paddle boarder and are worried about staying balanced you’ll love the Solar Spirit.

If you want to bring out the dogs and/or the kids for a ride this paddle board will support everyone.

It can hold up to 320 lbs. and still cruise along nicely.

The larger size also makes it great to use in different water conditions and for riders of all sizes.

It’s really easy to paddle on flat calm water but the larger size and max stability really helps you to stay comfortable when dealing with waves and chop as well.

WHAT FEATURES ARE INCLUDED ON THE BOARD?

I was quite impressed with all of the functional features included on this iSUP considering the lower price tag.

Often the lower priced boards are fairly basic and features are sometimes skimped on.

However the Solar Spirit has a lot to offer in this area.

FRONT & BACK BUNGEES

There’s a 6 point bungee system on both the nose and tail of the Solar Spirit.  You can fit quite a bit under these bungees and I find that I use them a lot.

I always have a dry bag stuffed with my essentials for the day in the front bungees for easy access.

The back bungees are usually holding my flip flops, dog leashes and possibly another dry bag depending on how long I am out for.

I remember in the past so many iSUP boards only had one set of bungees on them but I really love having the two sets, they are very handy.

4 GRAB HANDLES

Both sets of bungees include a convenient padded grab handle on either side.  There is also a grab handle at the nose of the board and one at the very back tail.

These grab handles are ideal to grab your board from the water if you fall in or go swimming but also for grabbing from sitting on your board if you need to.

CENTER CARRY HANDLE

The 2″ wide center carry handle is durable and strong and includes just enough padding to make it extra comfortable in your hand when carrying the board to the water.

22 D-RINGS

There are a ton of D-rings on this SUP.  There are 6 being used by each of the bungee sections as well as three along each side of the board next to the deck pad.

Plus there are 2 on either side of the nose and tail handles making a total of 22 stainless steel D-rings.

With all of these D-rings you have multiple options for securing a seat, a cooler or extra gear.

GROOVED DECK PAD

The lined diamond groove deck pad is soft enough to feel comfortable when standing or kneeling but also provides ample traction when paddling.

The deck pad is also quite long so there is lots of space to move around and maneuver.

UPGRADED VALVE

One cool feature on this board is the upgraded valves that make it impossible to over inflate your SUP.

The valve automatically releases any extra air if you pump your board over 15 PSI.  It is recommended to inflate the Solar Spirit to 12 PSI.

PERFORMANCE

A board this size is never going to be fast, that’s to be expected. However it tracks straight, glides nicely and is really the ultimate cruiser.

With the wider width it definitely takes a little more effort to turn but it truly doesn’t matter if stability and comfort are your main goals.

I started paddling the Solar Spirit almost daily with my dogs during our 7am morning paddles before work (my new routine for the summer!). It has been the perfect board for adventuring with my pups.

So although I wouldn’t classify the Solar Spirit as a high performer, I feel that it is a very enjoyable ride that just about anyone could appreciate.

You can check out the Solar Spirit in action in the quick video below…

Also because of it’s size and how stable it is, the Solar Spirit is multi-functional and can be used for paddling on all types of water but also for doing SUP yoga or fitness.

It has a 100% stability rating so it is guaranteed to feel solid on the water and any beginner paddle boarder will appreciate how easy it is to paddle and use.

QUALITY OF CONSTRUCTION

Budget friendly boards in this price range are typically not as durable or strong as a higher priced model and sometimes it’s hard to know what you are going to get.

However this one uses SCW (Superlight Coalitional Woven) Technology, which basically means they are applying a pre-laminated drop stitch fabric to a high density PVC structure in order to create a light and rigid paddle board.

The Solar Spirit is not as strong or rigid as their pro model SUP’s but for the price you can’t go wrong and I have been pleasantly surprised by just how rigid it actually is.

It has easily carried myself and my 3 dogs on multiple adventures.

INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE

This iSUP package includes quite a few fun accessories including:

3-PIECE CARBON SHAFT PADDLE

I love that the package includes a lightweight carbon shaft paddle.  This is a much lighter paddle than the fiberglass or aluminum paddles that you often see in other iSUP packages.

The paddle weighs 28 oz and is quite durable.

It is adjustable from 72″ to 86″ and breaks into three parts with the longest section being 35″.

Plus it floats so if you drop it in the water it won’t disappear on you!

3 ACTION MOUNT SETS

Action mounts are a fun accessory I am starting to see more and more on paddle boards.

The Solar Spirit does not have the action mounts attached to the board however the package includes 3 sets of mounts that you can glue anywhere you want on your paddle board.

These action mounts are perfect for securing a GoPro, action cam or other gear.

DUAL ACTION HAND PUMP

The dual action hand pump works great.  It has two pressure modes so you can start in double action mode until the board takes shape then switch to single action mode so that it is easier to inflate the board up to the desired air pressure.

The pump includes a built in pressure gauge so you can check your progress and it is able to inflate up to 27 PSI. However the recommended air pressure for the Solar Spirit is only 12 PSI.

REMOVABLE TOURING FIN

Besides the two smaller attached side fins there is also one larger removable touring fin that easily clips into the fin box.

I would suggest always using the larger fin if you are padding in deeper water as it greatly helps with tracking and keeping the board moving in a straight line.

If you are paddling in very shallow water the two smaller side fins will be all you need and will help a little as well with tracking and maneuverability.

WHEELED BACKPACK

The wheeled backpack zips open on all three sides making it easy to get the board and accessories in and out of the bag.

The integrated wheels make it easy to pull to and from the water and also makes it ideal for travel.

There is also padded shoulder straps and a waist clip allowing you to easily carry it on your back as well.

One thing that is different on this bag that I haven’t seen before is that it is made with heat insulated materials

The insulation helps to maintain the temperature of the contents, making sure they don’t get too hot or too cold.

REPAIR KIT

All inflatable SUP’s include a repair kit.  This one includes 2 PVC patches, 30g of glue and a valve wrench.

ELECTRIC PUMP

Outdoormaster also happens to be the company that produces the best 12V electric pump for SUP’s.  I have been using their Shark II Electric pump for the last couple years and love it.

If you don’t want to waste your energy manually inflating your board then grab their electric pump as well.  It shuts off automatically once it reaches the set PSI level so you can secure the hose to the valve on your board and walk away.

They are offering a promotion right now where you can get a FREE Shark II Electric Pump with the purchase of any SUP board.  Just use coupon code OMSUP2022 at checkout.

WARRANTY

I was impressed with the 2 year warranty that comes with this paddle board.

Inflatable SUP’s often only come with a 1 year warranty so 2 years is a bonus and speaks volumes of the company to stand behind their product.