NIXY Venice G4 Cruiser Inflatable SUP Review

The NIXY Venice G4 is the board you want for ultra stable cruising, fitness activities such as SUP yoga, fishing and paddling with passengers be they two or four legged friends.

The Venice is the ultimate cruiser and the 34″ width provides lots of space to feel comfortable.

Yet what I like most about this board is the fact that even though it is wider and can hold heavier loads it is still really lightweight and easy to carry.

This isn’t a fast board by any means but it shines for how multi-purpose it can be.

Want to cruise around on lakes and bays? The Venice does that nicely.  Want to try your hand at a little SUP yoga?  The Venice works for that too.

Interested in fishing from your paddle board?  Yes that’s very doable as well.  You can even secure a seat or two and bring the kids along for the ride.

SPECS

Wordpress Table Plugin

COLOR OPTIONS FOR 2021

I have the Blue Venice G4 Cruiser that you’ll see in my pictures here but it also comes in a Teal or a Purple option as well.

RATHER WATCH A REVIEW VIDEO?

Check out my video below for a summary of everything you need to know about this paddle board and see it in action on the water.

WHO IS THE VENICE BEST SUITED FOR?

Being such a multi-purpose board makes the Venice a popular choice for many different people with a wide range of interests.

It is definitely beginner friendly so if you are new to SUP you can feel confident that you’ll get comfortable quickly on this paddle board.

With the wider center base and tail it also feels quite stable in wind and chop so if you live in an area with lots of wind or wake the Venice is a good choice as well.

I have always liked the NIXY Venice for SUP yoga or fitness activities on the water.  Some yoga iSUP’s are boxy and extremely sluggish to paddle.  So although they are stable for doing yoga they aren’t fun to cruise around on.

Whereas the Venice feels good to do both yoga and stand up paddling, thanks to the tapered nose and tail and great NIXY construction.

Also important to note is that the Venice G4 Cruiser is rated for riders up to 350 lbs. so if you need a board that can hold some extra weight with no flex it does that well.

It can also easily support paddling with a large or small dog.

NIXY VENICE G4 ON THE WATER

The video below is a quick 1 minute clip of me paddling at my favourite mountain lake.

I tried out a few yoga moves to give an idea how stable it is but please note that although I do love to practice a little yoga here and there, it is not my specialty and I’m sure many of you could do much better than me in that department.  🙂

HOW DOES THE VENICE FEEL TO PADDLE?

All paddle boards feel a little different to ride and things like shape, construction, fins, size etc. can all factor in to how well it performs on the water.

It can be so hard to know how a board is going to feel without trying it out so I will do my best to explain.

The light weight design does not feel flimsy.  In fact the board feels really solid.  The construction is excellent so there are no issues with flex, it is very rigid even when loaded with extra weight.

The traction pad feels soft and comfortable when starting out on your knees yet grippy enough when standing.  Going from kneeling to the standing position is very easy on this board, easier than most because of the wider width.

It takes a little more effort to propel forward than a leaner SUP but the design is such that once you get moving it glides quite well.

I don’t find the glide quite as good as the slightly leaner and more tapered NIXY Newport G4 all-around board but for easy cruising I think most would be quite happy with it.

Since the Venice is a little on the shorter end at 10’6″ long it is still easy to maneuver even with the 34″ width.

It does take slightly more effort to turn but overall it is a very comfortable and easy ride without being too boring.

WHAT ABOUT QUALITY OF CONSTRUCTION?

With so many boards on the market now it is important to understand what makes a good quality inflatable SUP.

NIXY has got this down and they make really great quality boards.  They use the latest Fusion Tech construction with dual layer woven drop stitch PVC material.

On top of that they add carbon fiber side rails for extra rigidity.

This combination creates a lightweight yet very strong board and you can feel it as soon you inflate one of their iSUP’s .

Added to the good construction is quality parts such as premium one-way valves, a UV protected EVA deck pad, thick adjustable bungees and strong removable fins.

I like that NIXY doesn’t skimp on the quality of not only the construction but also the parts, features and accessories.  It makes for one heck of a nice package that you can feel good about owning.

WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT FEATURES?

The Venice Cruiser is loaded with features that I think are extremely functional and will help make your paddle boarding or yoga experience extra awesome.

On the 2021 Venice G4 you will find:

DUAL ADJUSTABLE BUNGEES

There are two bungee systems, one at the nose of the board and one at the back tail.

The smaller front nose bungees have been pushed all the way to the tip of the nose, which keeps them out of the way if you are doing yoga or fitness.

Being so close to the nose anything stored under these front bungees could possibly get splashed so it’s perfect for a water bottle or dry bag.

The back bungee system is larger and allows you to store more gear such as a cooler or larger dry bag or backpack.

Both bungees have an adjustable clip allowing you to fit them according to your needs.

3 GRAB HANDLES

Besides the center carry handle there is also a grab handle at both the nose and the tail.

The center handle has a removable padded neoprene cover for added comfort.  The nose and tail grab handles are made with durable plastic and nylon webbing.

3 TOOL-LESS REMOVABLE FINS

All three fins are easy to install and remove.  No tools necessary, simply slide the fins in and twist the little screw until secure.

The 9″ touring fin greatly helps with tracking and the two 5″ side fins help keep the back end stable and the board easy to maneuver.

Unless paddling in very shallow water I would suggest using all three fins most of the time.  I found it much easier to keep the board tracking straight with all three fins attached.

Without all three fins the back end feels a little more wobbly and less in control.

EXTRA LONG UV PROTECTED DECK PAD

The UV protected EVA traction pad is long and smooth providing ample space to stretch out and move around.

This deck pad is unique to NIXY as it has their logo embossed on it.  The pad is particularly soft and comfortable and feels good whether you are doing yoga, just hanging out or paddling.

It isn’t as grippy as on some other boards but it is particularly ideal for SUP fitness activities.

16 D-RINGS

With so many D-ring attachments you have lots of options for securing a kayak seat or two, your SUP leash or to use them as tie downs.

Extra D-rings are always nice to have and this board has 16 of them including one under the nose of the board that can be used for towing.

5 ACTION MOUNTS

The action mounts are a real bonus and something you don’t see all that often, although they are becoming more popular.

They can be used to secure other accessories such as an action cam mount for catching those epic shots as well as rod holders for fishing, a cup holder, a phone holder or even lights.

All of these accessories can be purchased with your board at the Nixysports.com website.

They’re a great way to deck out your board with accessories that suit your lifestyle and needs.

PADDLE HOLDER

NIXY has long included a side bungee paddle holder on their boards.  I particularly find it useful on the Venice since it is ideal for keeping your paddle out of the way while doing yoga.

It only takes seconds to secure your paddle through the side bungee clip whether you are on the water or on land.

It allows you to be hands free if needed while carrying the board or doing other activities while on your SUP and keeps the deck pad free if you are perfecting your yoga moves.

WEIGHT & PORTABILITY

You often expect a wider stable board to be much heavier in weight.  However due to the type of construction that is used the Venice is still very light at only 23 lbs.

I love how portable it is.  It’s easy to carry when inflated and with the shorter 10’6″ length it still rolls up into a compact package and stores nicely in the included backpack.

Having a lightweight paddle board is REALLY nice as it doesn’t feel cumbersome to carry or transport.

SETUP AND TAKE DOWN

It takes me roughly 7 minutes to get fully set up and ready to hit the water.

The Typhoon hand pump included in this package is quite powerful and allows you to inflate the board to 15 PSI in approximately 6 minutes.  It’s a bit of work but all things considered it’s quite fast.

The fins barely even take a minute to install and then you just have to attach your leash and adjust your paddle.

Take down is equally as fast.  I always bring an old towel along to dry off my board after use.

I highly recommend using the NIXY Landing Mat to keep the board from getting dirty as you dry it off.

Depending on where you are paddling there may be dirt, gravel or sand on the ground that will all stick to your board once it is wet after use.  This can make it tricky to clean it properly before putting the board away.

The Landing Mat is a simple thing but I have found it to be SO useful. It keeps my board clean and free of extra debris so I can dry it off and clean it properly before deflating the board and storing it back in the backpack.

Plus it’s really easy to bring along as it fits nicely in the backpack.

PREMIUM ACCESSORIES

Inflatable SUP accessories are another area where big improvements have been made over the years in general.

If you are going to offer a great quality board it’s nice to have really good accessories as well.  This is definitely not always the case with all SUP companies but in this case it certainly is.

NIXY has gone all out with their accessory package and although I like to focus most of my review on the paddleboard itself, it’s hard not to boast about the great accessories that come with it.

Included in the package is:

• 3-Wheel Rolling Backpack
• 3-Piece Carbon Shaft Paddle
• 10′ Hybrid SUP Leash
• Typhoon Dual Chamber Triple Action Hand Pump
• Repair Kit – Includes glue, PVC patches, valve wrench

Let’s take a closer look at what you get when you own a Venice G4 iSUP…

DELUXE ROLLING BACKPACK

The NIXY iSUP backpack is one of the best out there.  I could go on and on about this bag and all the great features it offers.

It’s big but comfortable to carry but also really easy to pull with the heavy-duty 3-wheel system.  If you want to travel with your paddle board, this bag makes it really easy.

SIZE

The bag is fairly large and zips open on three sides, which makes it easy to take the board out of the bag as well as pack it away after use.  It is 40″ long, 19″ wide and 13″ thick.

WEIGHT

The bag itself weighs 5.75 lbs. but when fully packed with all of the accessories it weighs 39 lbs.  I personally prefer rolling it with the wheels but it’s quite comfortable to carry if you choose to.

LARGE OUTER POCKET

There is a large zippered outside pocket on the front of the board that is perfect for storing some of the smaller accessories or smaller items you’d like to bring along such as a towel or water bottle.

INSIDE POCKETS

Inside the large main compartment are three smaller pockets that are perfect for safely tucking the fins away so they don’t scrape against the board.

EXTRA BACK PADDING

The back of the bag has extra padding, more than I usually see on iSUP backpacks.  It also has well padded shoulder and waist straps making it even more comfortable to carry as a backpack.

SHOULDER & WAIST STRAPS

As mentioned above the padded adjustable shoulder straps and waist strap provide ample support for carrying a full load.

OUTER WEBBING

I really like the extra webbing on the outside of the bag that can be used to connect more items.

3 STURDY WHEELS

The three attached wheels are very sturdy and make it easy to pull the bag from your car to the water or when traveling through an airport.

STRAP POCKETS

There are little pockets to tuck both the shoulder straps and the waist straps into when not in use so that they are out of the way and don’t get caught on anything.

SIDE POCKETS

The side pockets are perfect for storing your paddle or other small accessories.

DURABLE CONSTRUCTION

This bag is made with durable nylon and feels strong and well made.  It also includes reinforced corners for added durability.  This bag should last a long time.

DRAIN HOLES

I love the drain holes at the bottom side of the bag that help to drain out water and sand that might fall off the board when packed away.

CARBON SHAFT 3-PIECE PADDLE

The 3-piece carbon shaft hybrid paddle is lightweight at only 25 oz., adjustable from 67″ to 84″ and has a 90 square inch blade, which is a nice mid range size that will suit most people for recreational paddling.

The paddle feels great to use with the comfortable t-grip handle and the height can be easily adjusted for your size.

With a lighter paddle such as this one you will get less shoulder and arm fatigue.  Plus this paddle floats, so if you drop it in the water you won’t lose it.

10′ HYBRID SUP LEASH

The leash is an important safety item and it is recommended to be used at all times.  If you fall in the water the leash ensures the board won’t be swept away from you leaving you stranded.

This leash is both coiled and straight making it ideal for use in different conditions.

It is 10’ long and 7mm in diameter. It secures to your ankle or calf with a velcro strap and to the D-ring at the tail of your board.

TYPHOON HAND PUMP

The dual chamber triple action hand pump is able to inflate up to 29 PSI.

It’s a larger pump that has removable handles and foldable foot pegs to help it fit better in the bag.

The pump works great and does save a little time and effort when inflating the board.  However it is definitely a heavier pump and adds about 4.37 lbs. to the package.

WARRANTY

All NIXY inflatable paddle boards come with a great two-year warranty.

IN SUMMARY

The NIXY boards are a great example of just how far inflatable paddle boards have come over the years.

From design to construction to features, every detail is well thought out.

The Venice G4 works great for nice easy cruising, SUP yoga and fitness, comfortable stretching, piling on the kids or your dog and even summer picnics on the water.

Regardless of which SUP activity you choose to do with this board you’ll feel secure and stable and have all the convenient features you need to make it a fantastic experience.

WHERE TO FIND THE BEST DEAL

Go to the official Nixysports.com website to find the best deal for Venice G4 Cruiser inflatable stand up paddle board plus free shipping in the US.

Did You Know?
By clicking on any of the above seller links you can help keep ISUPworld.com growing. When you make a purchase after clicking on our links, the retailer will contribute a portion of the sale to help support this site. It won’t cost you anything extra and it’s a simple way to help us fund our gear reviews. Thanks!