Wavestorm 9'6" Stand Up Paddle Board (Costco)

Wavestorm 9'6" Stand Up Paddle Board Package

If you're a Costco member, you're in luck!! The stores carry this SUP package in-warehouse for $299, and the website offers a 2-pack of the same board for $599 with free shipping.

Each paddle board package includes everything you need to get out on the water (2 of everything in the 2-pack) - the 9'6" board, an adjustable aluminum and plastic paddle, a straight cable ankle leash, a plastic fin, a rubber gear lash system on the nose, a picture-rich basic assembly/user's guide, and a terry cloth board sock. Everything except the leash is color coordinated, even!

The board is constructed of a soft foam with 3 stringers for strength and stiffness, and a bonded slick plastic bottom for speed and maneuverability. The fin mounts into a standard surf/windsurf toughbox using a Phillips screw and fin plate, with a small amount of adjustment available. The leash mounts with a rope loop to the leash plug on the tail of the board.

Specs:

• Weight: 24lbs (26.4 with fin and leash)
• Dimensions: 9'6" L x 33" W x 5.25" T / 195 L
• Weight capacity: Up to 275lbs / 125kgs
• Top Deck IXL Textured Traction Pads
• Ingress Tail Area Traction Pad
• Strong EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) core with 3 x Marine-ply stringers
• Water Barrier Skin (WBS) with Patented GFT™ (Graphic Film Technology)
• High Density HDPE slick bottom skin
• Bolt thru fin box system with 9" Flat Water Fin
• High quality Polyurethane leash
• Centered carry handle
• Adjustable paddle included (2.8 lbs)
• Soft Protective board sock included

Assembly:

The shipping box this comes in is a total pain! It's huge and slippery as heck, so it's definitely a 2-person job getting it loaded and home! Inside the box, everything is shrink-wrapped in plastic with cardboard backing.

Assembly using the owner's manual is a 10 minute or so procedure....just peel back the tape on the fin box, remove the Phillips fin screw, slide the fin pins into the box and slide the fin back, line up the hole in the front of the fin with the hole in the fin plate, put the screw back into the fin hole, and tighten the screw. Flip the board over and slide the rope loop on the leash through the farthest rearward plug on the deck, then thread the rest of the leash through the open end of the loop and the board is ready to go! To adjust the paddle, pull the adjustment collar out, slide the handle to your desired height, marked in centimeters on the shaft, (most recommend stretching your arm straight overhead and setting the paddle handle so the wrist can just hook over the top of the handle knob as a starting point), then slide the collar back onto the neck so the pin in the collar snaps into the correct hole in the handle shaft and the collar clicks in fully. You are now ready to hit the water!!

Pretty!! Note the gear lash.

On The Water:

As a solid 200+ lbs, with my first experiences at SUPing having been on a 11' boards, I was more than a touch concerned about the Wavestorm's 9'6" length and stated 195 liter volume having the ability to float someone my size without being super tippy. The literature/box states a maximum payload of 300 lbs, with a suggested max rider weight of 275 lbs, but those numbers are often aimed at more advanced riders. It turns out I shouldn't have worried one bit! As only my 3rd time on a board, I was flabbergasted to go right from all-fours to standing and paddling this one just moments after hitting the water - nothing got wet except my feet!!

A pretty night for a paddle!

On the water, it moved nicely and rode the small wind ripples well, getting even better when paddled strongly using the core muscles. It's short length makes it a touch twitchy and it suffers a bit in the tracking department - those looking for better tracking will want to slide the fin all the way to the back of the toughbox, and use a paddle stroke very close to the board with a short J-stroke at the end.

The deck is soft and grippy and amazingly comfortable in bare feet. The extended grip section on the back even allows one to use this as a surf board if desired. The leash's ankle wrap is not the most padded, but it does the job and doesn't dig in or irritate at all. The paddle, as well, does the job, although it's a bit heavy and the blade is pretty flexy.

Really? This was just from putting the fin in.

The biggest gripe I have after my first foray is the craptastic "Water Barrier Skin". In just the time it took to put the fin and leash on, load it in the car, ride it, and load it back in the car, plenty of damage occurred to that "skin". The only good part of this is that the EPS construction will allow it to continue to float and perform regardless of the damage to the skin, and small digs can be resealed with any non-solvent glue, like Gorilla Glue Clear. One way to combat some of the damage that can occur during storage and shipping is to use the included board sock; however, that has its own set of pitfalls. The biggest is that it is a complete and total pain to actually put the sock on the board. Because it's a stretchy terry cloth material, it sticks to any Velcro in a 5 mile radius, including the leash ankle strap, and every single piece of grass, twig, or leaf will stick to the sock. Ugh!!! Once the sock is on, of course, finding the carry handle in the middle of the board becomes an exercise in touchy-feely hide-n-seek!

I didn't even see this until I hit the water.

Just from loading it in the car!

Pros:

• COST!! How can you beat less than $300???
• Light weight
• It will continue to float no matter what you do to it
• The deck is soft and easy on the feet
• The slick bottom skin is surprisingly speedy
• Few boards at this price point have all accessories and lash straps included (Who am I kidding - there ARE no other boards at this price point!!)
• Everything just works - no muss, no fuss
• Super flotation for larger people
•  Its smaller size makes it easier to transport and store
• Great beginner, family, or loaner board

Cons:

• The "Water Barrier Skin" SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS
• Tracking could be better
• The paddle is a bit heavy and flexy
• The board sock SUCKS

Overall Impressions:

If you're looking to get into the SUP market and don't want to spend a lot of money only to find out you hate it; if you're on a budget; if you're looking for a family/loaner board; really, if you are in the market for a low-cost board for any reason, this is a GREAT buy. It really just works, and works well. The positives FAR outweigh the few negatives on this one. I really couldn't be more pleased with this purchase! Many, many thumbs up!!!!👍👍👍👍