Gili Sports Komodo Inflatable SUP Review

If you want versatility the Gili Komodo is your SUP. This is an all-around board that is great for cruising, fun for yoga, ideal for paddling with your dog, wide enough to be stable for beginners yet not so big that it’s cumbersome to carry or transport.

The 10’6″ length is small enough to be easy to handle. The 33″ width provides a wide center platform for great stability and the tapered nose keeps it gliding easily through the water.

This board is really fun and nicely designed. It’s loaded with features and comes in some fun color options.

I have found that the Komodo is ideal for paddling with my dogs and I have loved trying out a few yoga moves on this ISUP.

I often take several boards out at a time when I am reviewing different boards and the Komodo has been a favorite amongst my friends.

SPECS

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COLOR OPTIONS

Gili offers three color options for their Komodo paddle board.  I have the first color option below which has a really pretty design that definitely suits a yoga board.

However the Komodo is not simply for yoga it also makes for a great cruiser and with these three color choices the Komodo will suit all different tastes.

VIDEO REVIEW

Rather watch a video?  Check out my quick review video below that covers all the important details you need to know.  Plus you can see the Komodo in action on the water!

BEST SUITED FOR

This is truly a multi-use board so it will suit a wide variety of uses. Whether paddling on lakes, rivers or ocean, practicing your SUP yoga moves, or taking out the family the Komodo delivers.

It handles all day adventures well but is equally as fun to take out cruising for a few hours with friends.

The Komodo is easy, light and portable and I have personally really enjoyed taking this board out on multiple different adventures.

PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY

At 33″ wide the Komodo feels very stable and secure. It’s not a large board but it has a wide center and it is able to hold a lot of weight, up to 340 lbs.

A 33″ board is never going to be fast and normally I’m not a huge fan of the wider boards as I find they take more effort to paddle and get moving.

Yet I really enjoyed this board despite the 33″ width and felt extremely comfortable when out with my dogs and when doing yoga.

The tapered nose and tri-fin configuration helps keep this SUP gliding well and I didn’t notice much drag at all.

You’re not going to keep up with a longer leaner board on the Komodo but if you want a nice cruiser that is going to feel comfortable in multiple different situations the Komodo fits the bill.

YOGA

Although this isn’t strictly a yoga board it happens to be ideal as a portable yoga SUP.

It’s not as stable as some other yoga SUP’s I have tried that don’t taper as much at the nose.

However what I like about the Komodo is that it’s still fairly stable yet still fun to paddle.

Sometimes yoga SUP’s are really boxy and consequently not a whole lot of fun to paddle.  They may be very stable but they are likes slugs moving through the water.

Whereas the Komodo can be used for both yoga and cruising and be equally as enjoyable for both activities.

For this reason I think most people will really love this paddle board and the functionality that it offers.

My beginner yoga moves are nothing compared to what the real yoga masters can do but I love testing my balance and strength on the water.

Doing yoga on a stand up paddle board will really test your core and take your practice to a whole other level!

QUALITY AND DURABILITY

This board is made with triple layer fusion technology so it is durable and strong yet lightweight.

It is very rigid when inflated to 15 PSI and feels solid on the water. I didn’t feel any flex at all when doing yoga on this board even with my dogs were on board as well.

It can hold a lot of weight, up to 340 lbs. so you can feel free to load it right up and know that it will still be very rigid when paddling.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

The Gili boards this year have a ton of convenient features.  Their boards are fully decked out to help you have the most fun on the water.

Below are the important features to be aware of…

REMOVABLE FRONT AND BACK BUNGEES

One of the well thought out features on this paddleboard is the removable front and back bungees.

If you need the full length of the traction pad to be clear and free for doing yoga or stretches then you can easily unclip the bungees and remove them.

However if you’re out cruising you can secure your dry bags under the bungees to keep your essentials safe and within reach.

The 6-point front bungees provide a particularly large area for storing gear. The back bungee area is a bit smaller and perfect for storing a water bottle and a smaller dry bag.

GRAB HANDLES

There are several grab handles including one at the nose and tail as well as padded side handles on the front and back bungees.

With all these grab handles there’s lots of options for grabbing onto the board from the water from on the board or to use as tie down points.

PADDED CENTER CARRY HANDLE

The center handle has some good padding so that the board feels comfortable to carry.

The Komodo only weighs 21 lbs. so it’s extra easy to carry especially with the padded handle.

SIDE PADDLE HOLDER

The two velcro straps on the right side of the board easily secure around the shaft of your paddle to hold it in place so you can be hands free.

This is particularly useful if you are doing yoga as it keeps the paddle off the board and out of the way.

It can also be handy when carrying the board so that you don’t have to carry the paddle as well.

THREE REMOVABLE FINS

The Komodo comes with a larger snap-in race fin and two smaller snap-in side fins.

The fins are easy to clip into the fin boxes and really help with tracking. I preferred the performance of this board with all three fins attached and found the back end to be less wobbly with the three fins secured in place.

However you can customize them based on your needs.  If you are paddling in very shallow water you will want to remove the racing fin.

THREE ACTION CAM MOUNTS

Love the action mounts on this Gili board.  There is a built-in action mount with a D-ring on the nose of the board. This is perfect for attaching your action cam to catch your yoga poses or paddling adventures.

There are also two small action mounts on the front of the deck pad as well.  These are great for securing a camera, cup holder, or your action cam there as well for a different view.

18 D-RINGS

With 18 stainless steel D-rings you have lots of options for securing gear, a kayak seat, a cooler, an anchor and/or your leash.

The two D-rings on each side of the deck pad are perfect for attaching a seat or a shoulder strap and the D-ring at the rear of the board is where you will want to attach your leash.

DECK PAD

There are three different types of deck pads on this board.  The front of the pad is very smooth, the center part where you stand and where you will be doing most of your yoga moves is smooth with lined grooves.

The lined grooves help with a little traction while paddling but still feel soft and comfortable for yoga.

The it transitions into total smoothness for the blue and turquoise arrows on the pad and then the back end has diamond groove, which offers even more traction.

Basically it’s soft and comfortable whether standing or kneeling or doing yoga.  The diamond grooves at the back end help with extra grip for foot placement when stepping back.

INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE

The Gili ISUP package includes everything you need to get on the water except your lifejacket.

With the Komodo ISUP you also get:

• 3-Piece SUP Paddle
• ISUP Backpack
• Dual Action Hand Pump
• 8′ Coiled SUP Leash
• 3 Fins
• Repair Kit

3-PIECE SUP PADDLE

With this package you can choose which paddle you would like to include.  You have the choice of a fiberglass paddle, a carbon shaft/nylon blade paddle or a full carbon fiber paddle.

The fiberglass paddle is the cheapest option and this paddle weighs 34 oz., the carbon shaft with nylon blade paddle is the mid price option and weighs 29 oz.  The all carbon fiber paddle is the most expensive option and the lightest paddle at 27 oz.

Regardless of which paddle you choose all three of the paddles float, are durable and fully adjustable from 67″ to 86″.

I was using the fiberglass paddle with this board and although the paddle was very comfortable to use I usually prefer a slightly lighter paddle with at least a carbon shaft.

If you are able to spend slightly extra for the lighter paddle it is fully worth it as you will be able to paddle further with less fatigue.

BACKPACK

I really the backpack that comes with this package, it feels extremely good on your back (Not all ISUP backpacks do, believe me.)

This one has really good padding on the back area as well as on the shoulder straps and the waist strap.

The straps can be adjusted for a proper fit and for extra comfort.  I didn’t mind carrying this bag at all.  Besides the fact that it hits your bum as you walk, which all ISUP backpacks do, it’s quite comfortable and easy to trasnport.

The bag zips open on all three sides so it is easy to get the board in and out.  It is also large enough to hold all of the accessories easily with a little room left over for extras like a towel or other gear.

It has multiple pockets for storing the smaller accessories.  There are zippered pockets everywhere on this bag so you’ll have no problem organizing it as you need.

The cargo hoops on the front of the bag are a nice touch and the padded handles make it easy to lift.

The only thing that would make this bag better are wheels however no complaints here as it’s still very portable as is.

DUAL ACTION HAND PUMP

The dual-action hand pump works quite well.  It takes me just over 6 minutes to inflate the Komodo with this pump.

The handles and base are removable so you can keep it very compact when storing in the bag.

8′ COILED SUP LEASH

Most inflatable SUP’s come with a SUP leash as it is a very important safety item.  Gili has matched their leashes to the colors on their boards, which is kind of fun.

The leash is a good one, it’s padded and durable and feels good to wear on your ankle.  The coiled leash part stays out of the way of your feet while you are paddling.

3 FINS

As mentioned before this package includes three fins, one racing fin and two smaller side fins.

The fins only take seconds to clip in and remove.

WARRANTY

All Gili inflatable stand up paddle boards come with a great 2 year warranty and 60 day ride it guarantee.

IN SUMMARY

To wrap it up, I really love this board.  Unless you are looking for more speed I can’t imagine anyone not being happy with the Komodo.

It’s a cool inflatable SUP, nicely designed, well priced and versatile.  If you’re looking for an easy cruiser that can also do double duty as a yoga board then the Komodo is the perfect choice!

WHERE TO FIND THE BEST DEAL

Click here for the absolute best deal on the Komodo inflatable SUP at GiliSports.com. They offer free shipping and have a great sale going on right now.

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