The Sea Eagle Needlenose is very popular and is the stand-up paddleboard I use most often.
This is a great instructional video that Dan from Sea Eagle put out that should help answer any questions you have regarding the set up of this board.
In particular what I found super helpful with this video was the instructions on how to roll the Needlenose back up once it’s deflated so that it can be effectively and easily stored back in the backpack carry bag.
I have had many questions on fitting this board back into the backpack. For most of us it has been a little tricky because of the hard pointed nose.
However in this video Dan shows us a simple solution that works really well (around the 3 minute mark).
Click here to read our full review of the Sea Eagle Needlenose inflatable SUP.
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Sea Eagle Inflatable SUP Comparison Chart
Sea Eagle Needlenose 126 Racer Review
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Hi,
My wife, daughter (adult) and myself have never done this before.
We are considering buying either a Seaeagle Longboard or Needlednose as starters and ongoing boards (as we get better at it).
What would you recommend as a starter board but with the future board in mind?
I am hoping to avoid buyers remorse of “this board is nice” BUT “I wish we had bought the XXXX board”.
Sorry, loaded question. I appreciate your opinion and reply because we don’t know anything about this sport.
Hi Dan, It depends on the type of water you will be paddling on. The Needlenose can definitely go faster than the Longboard. However the difference is most noticeable on flat water. It cuts through the water beautifully and glides smoothly. It can handle some waves and chop as well but flat water is where it excels. I find I am always happy to get back on my NN after reviewing other boards. The hard tip nose does make it a slightly bulkier package when rolled up. The Longboard is more versatile and a little quicker to maneuver. It paddles well just isn’t as fast as the NN… but definitely not a slug. Truthfully as a beginner or more advanced paddler you would be totally fine with either, you can’t go wrong. Just depends if you want faster speed on flat water or more overall versatility. Hope that helps!
I have a question. I am a good (older) surfer that currently surf’s an 11ft Surftech Munoz. I am pushing 230lbs (on a bad day–220 to 225lbs most of the time). I want to purchase an inflatable SUP for small surf/travel. Small surf being 3ft or less. Which one would you recommend? I want to purchase it right away, because I am leaving on a surf trip to SoCal on the 20th of April.
Thank you
Hi Bill, There are a few options that would suit your needs. NRS has two ISUP’s that would work well for you… the Czar 6 and the Earl 6. The Czar is 9’6″ long and made for surf. The Earl 6 is 10’6″ long and more of an all around board but works well for surf too. Red Paddle Co has the 10’8 Ride, which is probably the easiest to maneuver and best quality of the bunch, but more expensive. It is versatile, great for surf and comes with a backpack on wheels – great for traveling. The Sea Eagle Longboard is a cool board and great for surf. It has an 11′ or a 12’6″ option. The 12’6″ will be able to hold more weight but of course the longer length may not be what you’re looking for. I feel you would be okay with the 11′ board even though it says max weight of 220 lbs. I find that as long as the board is 6″ thick, it can usually hold a lot more than they say. One more option that I think is ideal for traveling is the 10′ airSUP. This board is great for surf and only weighs 17.5 lbs making it perfect to travel with. I haven’t reviewed the 10′ option of this board (I reviewed the 9’6″ board) but you can get more info on Amazon. Hope that helps, good luck and have a great trip!