NIXY Huntington G4 9’6″ Compact Inflatable Paddle Board Review

Compact, lightweight and ultra fun.  That’s how I would describe the 2021 NIXY Huntington G4 Compact inflatable stand up paddle board.

Although it is a smaller board at only 9’6″ long it is surprisingly stable and comfortable to ride.  The 32″ width really helps with that and I absolutely love how responsive it is.

The Huntington isn’t designed to be a fast board but it feels like it zips along nicely because of the fact that it doesn’t take much effort to paddle. I love using it to cruise along my local mountain lakes and rivers.

It is also very responsive and takes almost no effort to turn making it a really fun board to paddle.

If you want to keep your iSUP package light and portable, this board is perfect.

COMPACT OR ULTRA COMPACT?

Worth noting there are two different options for the Huntington G4.  There’s the Compact package or the Ultra Compact package.

The difference between the two is that the Ultra Compact Huntington is designed slightly different so that it folds up into a much smaller backpack (see picture below).

I have an older model of the Ultra Compact Huntington and it is awesome for backpacking, motorbike trips and hiking your SUP into remote lakes or waterways.  Click here for my review of the Ultra Compact Huntington G3 iSUP.

However the regular Compact Huntington, which is the one you are seeing in this review is basically the same compact board but it comes with the regular size NIXY backpack with wheels.

Having the larger backpack with wheels is nice because it makes for very easy transport whether you are traveling through an airport or just rolling it to and from the water.

SPECS

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COLOR OPTIONS

The Huntington G4 Compact comes in two really nice colour options as you can see below.  The blue or the green.  I’m actually not sure I could pick a favourite with these two colour options, I love them both.

VIDEO REVIEW

You can check out my Youtube video below to see me inflating and paddling the Huntington G4.  In this short video I cover all the main points of what you need to know about this paddle board.

WHO IS THE HUNTINGTON G4 BEST SUITED FOR?

This paddle board is best suited for those who want to travel light.  The Huntington is easy to inflate, easy to carry, easy to transport and fun to paddle on lakes, rivers or in light ocean surf.

It will best suit riders who weigh 200 lbs or less as the smaller size will feel less stable for a larger rider.

However it can hold up to 250 lbs. easily and has a decent width of 32″ so if you feel comfortable on a SUP and really want a compact board it can certainly hold the weight.

It is ideal for camping and traveling and is quite versatile in that in can handle well on different types of water.

WHAT ABOUT PERFORMANCE & STABILITY?

I really enjoyed the performance of the Huntington.  The smaller size is really easy to maneuver even when dealing with wind and chop.

It doesn’t weigh much but it’s solid and still feels solid on the water.  It tracks straight and glides fairly well.

I am used to paddling a longer SUP so for me it feels quite different to ride a shorter 9’6″ long paddle board.  However I was happy with the stability and felt comfortable very quickly and found myself really enjoying how easy this board is to maneuver.

It tapers at the nose but stays fairly wide at 32″ through the body and only tapers just slightly at the tail.

That width really helps to keep this board stable even with the smaller overall size and provides a comfortable platform to maneuver through the water.

It wouldn’t be my choice for all day explorations as I would prefer a larger board myself but for day trips, travel and just cruising around having fun, the Huntington is really cool.

HOW DOES THE HUNTINGTON G4 STAND OUT?

There are three things in my mind that make this iSUP stand out and worth taking a look at.

1. ULTRA PORTABLE AND LIGHTWEIGHT

I’ve said it over and over in my reviews, a light weight board is really nice to have.  It just makes it so portable and easy to take anywhere.

Yet what you need to be careful of when looking at a lightweight paddle board is that it doesn’t weigh less because of thinner materials.

That’s not the case with the Huntington G4.  This board is constructed properly so that it is still compact and light yet durable and strong.

2. DURABLE CONSTRUCTION

The NIXY Huntington is made with dual layer woven drop stitch material with fusion technology and has reinforced carbon side rails for added rigidity.

This is the latest in iSUP technology that creates a very durable yet lightweight inflatable paddle board.

For this reason NIXY is able to make a smaller iSUP that is very light and compact yet still very strong.

3. FUNCTIONAL FEATURES

The board is small and loaded with features but it isn’t cluttered.  All of the features are very functional and usable.  You’ll really appreciate them while on your paddling adventures.

FRONT & BACK BUNGEES

At the front nose of this board there is a smaller 4-point bungee system with adjustable and removable bungees that can be used for storing a small dry bag, your flip flops or a water bottle.

The back 6-point bungee system is slightly larger and able to hold more gear.

With both bungee cargo systems there is decent space to load up with any gear you’d like to bring along for the ride.  Also both bungees are reachable from the center of the board for easy access.

PADDED CENTER CARRY HANDLE

The nylon center carry handle has a padded neoprene cover for added comfort.  You can remove the cover if you want to let the handle dry out but having it attached  makes a big difference when carrying the board as it helps to protect your hand.

NOSE & TAIL GRAB HANDLES

There is also a durable nylon and plastic grab handle at both the nose and the tail of the board.

The one at the nose is located on the side of the nose making it easy to grab from the water.

The one at the tail is located at the very back behind the deck pad.

These handles can be used for pulling the board to shore, grabbing from the water and carrying the board with two people.

You’ll be surprised how much you use these handles and it’s really nice to have one at both ends.

4 ACTION MOUNTS

I absolutely love the action mounts on the NIXY boards this year.

The Huntington G4 has an action mount at the nose just above the front bungees as well as two more 3/4 of the way back on the traction pad and another one at the tail by the back D-ring.

With these action mounts you can not only secure an action cam but they can also be used for attaching a cup holder, a phone holder, a camera mount and fishing rod holders.

All of these accessories can be found on the NIXY website.

I find that I use the cup holder a lot and I’m sure I’ll get good use out of the action cam mount as well.  These are definitely a bonus feature.

14 D-RINGS

Most of the D-rings are being used by the cargo bungee systems however there is also one on either side of the traction pad that can be used for securing a seat if you’d like to paddle the board kayak-style.

There is also a D-ring on the back tail for securing your leash and one D-ring under the nose of the board that can be used for towing.

With all of these D-rings. you will have no trouble securing any accessories or gear that you are bringing along for the day.

CARBON FIBER REINFORCED SIDE RAILS

NIXY uses a carbon fiber reinforcement in their side rails, which are supposed to help with rigidity.

It’s a nice feature although debatable if necessary for recreational boards but a little added rigidity is never a bad thing and it just adds to the good construction.

SOFT UV PROTECTED TRACTION PAD

The NIXY logo stamped deck pad is soft to stand on with lined grooves. It is UV protected and covers a large portion of the front of this board.

SUP deck pads come in different grooved options and it can just be personal preference which you like best.  The lined grooves are popular lately and it looks nice for sure.

I’m not a huge fan of the way the lines feel under my feet but it’s not something I think about as I get paddling and overall the traction pad is very comfortable whether standing or kneeling.

ONE 9″ REMOVABLE CENTER FIN

There is one 9″ removable fin on the Huntington.  The fin easily screws into the fin box and can be secured in only seconds, no tools required.  It’s really easy to secure and remove.

The fin box is US/FCS™ compatible so you can also switch out the fin if you choose to.  However the board performs great with the center fin attached, it makes a big difference.

QUALITY OF CONSTRUCTION

I’ve never had any issue with the quality of construction for any of the NIXY paddle boards, which I think says a lot.  I have older NIXY boards that are still going strong and I feel their newer boards are just getting better and better.

They use the latest technology to build their iSUP’s with dual layer laminated woven drop stitch construction.  The result is a lightweight and rigid board that is very durable.

These are good quality paddle boards that are priced quite well for what you are getting.

INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE

The accessory package is top notch, nothing is skimped on.  With the Huntington G4 inflatable SUP package you also get:

CARBON FIBER HYBRID PADDLE

The carbon shaft paddle breaks apart into 3-pieces making it easy to store in the backpack.

It is adjustable from 67″ to 84″ so you can tailor the height for whoever is using it.

It has a shaft diameter of 28.5mm and a 90 sq inch blade.  It is a good standard size that will suit most people for recreational paddling.

The t-grip handle feels smooth and easy to grip and the paddle itself weighs only 25 oz so it feels great to use. It’s light, durable, it floats and it’s a big step up from many of the aluminum or fiberglass paddles that often come in other inflatable SUP packages.

If you wanted a more customized paddle size NIXY also offers some really nice super lightweight all carbon fiber SUP paddles with different blade sizes and designs.

TYPHOON HAND PUMP

The dual chamber triple action NIXY G4 Typhoon hand pump will inflate the Huntington quickly.  It took me 6 minutes and 42 seconds to inflate this board with steady pumping.

The pump works great, you can switch the settings to make inflation easier as you go.  It’s still a bit of work but it is an efficient pump for sure.

The pump is big and a little heavy at 4.37 lbs. however the handles are removable and the legs fold up for easy portability and storage.

There is also an integrated pressure gauge so you can watch your progress.

OPTIONAL ELECTRIC PUMP

If you would rather save your energy for the water, NIXY also happens to have a fantastic electric pump option as well.

The NIXY Ventus Electric Pump is capable of inflating multiple boards without overheating.  It secures to the 12V connection in your vehicle and shuts off automatically once it reaches the set PSI level.

In my experience once you have tried an electric pump you don’t want to go back to hand pumping.  It makes life easier. 🙂

HYBRID SUP LEASH

The 10′ SUP leash has a part straight, part coiled polyurethane cord for versatility.  It stays out of the way of your feet while paddling but doesn’t drag in the water as can happen with a full on straight leash.

The velcro ankle strap comfortably secures around your ankle, there’s no rubbing or itching.  The other end of the leash secures to the D-ring on the tail of your board.

3-WHEELED BACKPACK

I love the NIXY backpack.  It is big and functional and durable.  It fits the board well and provides ample pockets and space for every accessory.

It zips open on three sides making it easy to take the board out of the bag and place it back inside.

The padded shoulder straps can be adjusted for your height and the waste and chest strap help with support.

The bag does feel large when I carry it on my back and I can feel it hitting my thighs as I walk.  I wouldn’t want to backpack too far with it but it’s perfectly fine for walking a little distance to the water and back.

Plus it has 3 durable wheels so you don’t even have to carry it if you don’t want to.  You can roll it like a suitcase to any destination.

Additional awesome features on this board include:

• Cargo hooks
• Side paddle pocket holder and cinch straps
• 3 padded and very durable carry handles
• Pockets to insert the shoulder straps when not in use
• Drainage grommets on the side pockets for drainage.

The bag itself weighs 5.75 lbs.  When fully packed with the Huntington paddle board and all accessories it weighs 30 lbs.

REPAIR KIT

All inflatable SUP’s come with a repair kit and in the NIXY kit you’ll find a couple of PVC patches, repair glue and a valve wrench.

WARRANTY

All NIXY inflatable stand up paddle boards come with free returns within 30 days and a 2 year warranty that covers everything outside of normal wear and tear.

IN SUMMARY

Bottom line, if you want a smaller compact paddle board that is lightweight and durable, the Huntington G4 is probably one of the best options out there.

Keep the max weight of 250 lbs in mind as this is a smaller board but price point is good, the overall package is great and the board itself is super fun.

Don’t hesitate, this one is a winner.

WHERE TO FIND THE BEST DEAL

You will find the best price and warranty for the NIXY Huntington G4 Compact inflatable paddle board directly at NIXYsports.com.

 

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