Nixy Venice Cruiser Inflatable SUP In-Depth Review

NOTE:  There is an updated review of this board.  Please go to NIXY Venice G4 Inflatable SUP Review for the latest information and photos of this paddle board.

The Nixy Cruiser is a really fun, very stable, easy to paddle stand up paddle board that is great for beginner paddlers and those who want to take their yoga practice to the water!

With the wider 34” width this board is very stable. I found it to be quite comfortable not only when paddling over waves and wake from speed boats but also when bringing out the dogs and when paddling with a child.

The shorter 10’6” length and tapered nose keeps this board nimble and gliding smoothly. I found it to be more responsive than one would think for a wider SUP.

A 34” wide paddle board is never going to be fast but the overall comfort level of the Venice is extremely high.

Plus considering yoga SUP’s are typically extremely slow because they are usually larger boards, I found the length to width ratio of the Venice to be quite a nice combo.

The stability is there for yoga practice yet the tapered nose and shorter length keep it gliding smoothly when paddling around.

5 BEST FEATURES

• Strong Dual Layer FUSIONtech Construction
• Extra Stable For Beginners and Practicing Yoga
• Can Easily Hold Up To 300 LBS.
• Paddle Holder On Side Of Board
• Carbon Side Rails for Extra Rigidness

VIDEO #1

The video below shows me paddling the Venice on one of my favourite local lakes. You can see how stable it is when cruising on calm water and even when paddling over some waves.

I also found this board to be easy to climb back onto when in the water.

SPECS

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MOST IDEAL FOR

There’s no doubt that the extra stability that the Venice offers is ideal for practicing yoga and for beginner paddlers.

I found it great for doing stretches, pushups and different core exercises.  It is extremely comfortable for this type of activity.

VIDEO #2

In the 2 minute video below you can see me using the board early one morning to practice my basic yoga moves, a few pushups and stretches.

I also found it to be great for paddling with dogs and kids as well. I personally think the Venice makes for a great multi-purpose family SUP.

STABILITY

Although not that long the 34” width makes this board extremely stable. Beginner paddle boarders will appreciate the comfort this offers. It’s a great SUP to start off with and build your skill level.

When paddling in choppy water and when dealing with waves from boats it feels very solid.

YOGA

It feels very stable and safe when doing yoga poses and core exercises.

If I was going to use a board strictly for yoga then I might prefer a slightly longer SUP that didn’t have two sets of bungee systems.

The back bungees are at the very tail and out of the way. The front bungees could possibly get in your way when doing yoga.  I did notice my hands or feet sometimes touched them when practicing yoga poses. – Not that it was a big deal.

However in my experience most people who want a yoga SUP also want to use it for paddling and cruising around.

The older yoga paddle boards were massive. Consequently they were great for yoga as they offered a lot of stability but they felt like slugs to move through the water and were not enjoyable to actually paddle.

A board like the Venice is a little more multi-purpose. You can feel comfortable practicing your yoga moves but also really enjoy actually standing up and paddling.

Therefore the double set of bungees makes sense and are handy for storing your water bottle or dry bag.

PERFORMANCE

For what this SUP was designed for I think the performance is pretty great. It’s stable when you need it to be and easy to propel forward and turn.

It is noticeably slower when out paddling with someone on a leaner SUP but for yoga, beginner paddlers and cruising around having fun it’s awesome.

PADDLING WITH KIDS

The stability of the Venice is perfect for bringing out the kiddos. We attached a seat to the center D-rings and had a child sit there comfortably while we paddled. It worked great and everyone was comfortable!

If you don’t have a seat the kids can simply sit on the soft traction pad.

I also found that it was easy for a child to climb back onto the board from the water if they go for a swim or jump off the board.

PADDLING WITH DOGS

My dogs are small and very used to paddling with me. I take them out on every board I try so they’re pros at this point regardless of the size of the SUP.

However even if you have a larger dog I think they would do great on the Venice.

VIDEO #3

The quick 1 minute video below shows me paddling the Venice with my two dogs. They are totally comfortable on this ISUP.

There isn’t a huge amount of space up front with the tapered nose but there’s enough width and space for a dog to sit comfortably.

COLOR OPTIONS

The Venice comes in 4 different colour options:

• Aqua
• Purple
• Blue
• Red

I have the red board and love it but all the colours look fantastic and really stand out on the water!

CONSTRUCTION

Nixy uses the latest technology for the construction of their inflatable stand up paddle boards.

The dual layer FUSIONtech construction creates a very rigid and strong board that not only feels great to paddle but should last for many, many adventures.

As an added bonus the Carbon side rails create extra rigidity making the Venice feel extra solid when practicing yoga or when paddling through waves and chop.

MORE IMPORTANT FEATURES

GRAB HANDLES

Besides the padded centre carry handle there are also front and back grab handles that can either be used for carrying the board with two people, for grabing the board when in the water or for pulling the board to shore.

D-RINGS

There are a total of 12 D-rings on this SUP.

4 are being used by the front bungees and 4 are being used by the back bungees.  Then there is also one on each side of the center of the board that can be used to secure a kayak seat if wanted.

There is also one stainless steel D-ring at the back tail of the board for securing the leash and there is one underneath the nose of the board that can be used for towing.

NON-SLIP SOFT NIXY TRACTION PAD

The soft Nixy traction pad has a similar comfortable feel as a yoga mat. I found it to provide ample grip when paddling but it’s also soft enough to feel great when stretching, relaxing and doing yoga moves.

I also found the traction pad really comfortable for just laying down. Is there anything better than relaxing and floating around on the water?!

PADDLE HOLDER

The paddle holder is a great feature for a yoga board. You can safely store your paddle in the paddle holder on the side of the board while doing yoga so that it is completely out of the way yet safe.

DUAL BUNGEE SYSTEMS

With the front and back bungee systems there is ample space to store a dry bag or any gear you need to bring along for the ride.

Although the bungee area isn’t large we had no trouble storing a decent sized backpack under the back section and a cooler bag under the front bungees when out on an all day adventure.

CARBON SIDE RAILS

We love that Nixy has added carbon side rails to their paddle boards. This bonus feature makes their inflatable SUP’s really stand out from the rest.

The carbon side rails add ridigness to the board making not only the performance better but also keeping it solid when loaded up with lots of weight.

3 TOOLESS REMOVABLE FINS

The three fins are removable so you can customize them depending on the type of water you are paddling in and the experience you are after.

Most people will likely use all three and I found that with the three fins attached the back end was more stable.

The fins secure with a little screw that is easy and quick to attach.

There is one large 9” centre touring fin as well as two 5” side fins.

SETUP

Once you take the board out of the bag, unroll and take off the valve cap.

Make sure to push the valve pin in so that it pops up. Once the pin is in the ‘up’ position no air will escape while pumping.

Attach the hose to the Typhoon triple action hand pump and start pumping with the pump set on the # 1 position.

Pump until the board takes shape then switch the pump to the #2 setting.

I used the #2 setting until I reached about 8 to 10 PSI, then switched to the #3 setting for easier pumping.

At the #3 setting I was able to finish inflating the board to 15 PSI.

With the Nixy Typhoon triple action hand pump it took me 7 minutes and 7 seconds to inflate the Venice G3 to 15 PSI.

If you don’t want to bother with manually pumping the board yourself then another option is to use an electric pump.  These are the best electric pump options for ISUP’s.

Once inflated attach the 3 fins and secure your leash to the back D-ring.

Once you know what you are doing the whole process takes under 10 minutes!

INCLUDED IN PACKAGE

The Nixy ISUP Package is a good one. Included with your paddle board you also get:

• Heavy Duty 3 Wheel Traveling Backpack
• Nixy Typhoon Triple Action Dual Chamber Hand Pump
• Three-Piece Fiberglass Paddle
• 10′ Hybrid Ankle Leash
• Shoulder Strap
• Repair Kit

TRAVEL BACKPACK

The Nixy ISUP backpack is one of the heavier-duty ones we have seen.

It is big enough to fit the board and all accessories and still have a bit of room to spare for a towel or a few other smaller items you might want to bring along.

The 3-wheel system works great for pulling the bag through an airport or even just pulling it to and from the water.

The padded shoulder straps are adjustable and the waist and chest clips provide added support.

Although this backpack can be worn on your back I personally found the whole package a bit heavy for carrying and preferred to just pull the bag with the wheels.

The bag also includes multiple straps for securing more gear, an ID pocket and a large front zippered pocket for storing the smaller accessories such as the fins and leash.

NIXY TYPHOON PUMP

Nixy is one of the few companies that offer the dual chamber triple action hand pump. Although a little heavier to carry this pump works great and makes inflating your board a little easier.

With the integrated pressure gauge you can watch your progress and see when you reach your desired PSI level.

With the three different setting on this pump it took me 7 minutes and 7 seconds to inflate the Venice to 15 PSI, which isn’t necessarily any faster than pumping with a regular double action hand pump but I would say it is a little easier to use.

3-PIECE FIBERGLASS PADDLE

The paddle easily clips together and can be adjusted from 70” to 86” in length.

This paddle features a comfortable T-grip handle and wide nylon blade. It also floats so no worries about it sinking if it falls in the water.

SHOULDER STRAP

The shoulder strap is another little extra that Nixy is including in their package.

You can clip the shoulder strap to the front and back bungee D-rings or we even clipped it to the centre D-ring and paddle holder clip, which also worked just fine.

The shoulder strap is a nice little extra in this package. It’s not something that I personally use much as I find the board just as easy to carry with the center handle.

However it does provide extra support and will free up a hand if you need it.

HYBRID ANKLE LEASH

The 10’ hybrid SUP leash secures to your ankle and to the back D-ring on your board.

The coiled cord stays out of the way of your feet and doesn’t drag in the water.

With the leash attached your board will not get swept away from you if you fall in the water.

SUMMARY

I have really enjoyed paddling the Venice G3 ISUP. It’s a lot of fun to use in all different situations.

If yoga is your thing you’ll love the stability and versatility that this paddle board provides.

Beginner to novice paddlers will also appreciate how comfortable and stable it feels to ride.

With all the great colour options, the Venice looks vibrant in the water and really stands out.

This is the perfect board for fitness and all kinds of summer fun!

WARRANTY

All Nixy paddle boards come with a great 2-year warranty and risk free 30 day return policy. The warranty covers everything outside of normal wear and tear.

WHERE TO BUY

Click Here For The Best Deal On The Nixy Venice G3 Yoga ISUP At NixySports.com.

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