A Good Board, a Good Time
If you’ve ever pictured paddle boarding in your head, then you’ve probably had images of moving through a serene landscape. Endless blue skies and a strong sun up above. It’s beautiful and peaceful. But it takes more than just any SUP board to make it a reality.
There are so many details that bypass the eyes of a beginner or someone that hasn’t ever paddle-boarded before in their life.
This is a shame because all the effort and quality that goes into making these paddle boards aren’t fully appreciated. What I found is that the Body Glove Performer 11 is one such paddle board.
With a triple-layer stringer construction and tapered nose, it’s these tiny details that showcase its character. A novice won’t be able to notice the ingenuity that went into making this board, but they’ll surely feel the performance and quality as they paddle with it.
Body Glove Performer
The Price of “Body Glove Performer” varies, so check the latest price at
The Body Glove Performer at a Glance
Body Glove boards are known for being generally good options for paddle boarders of all skill levels. They are all-inclusive. Despite being best suited for beginners, the Performer 11 is sized in the medium-range category.
It’s got a weight capacity of three hundred and twenty pounds. A grown adult will be able to bring their child along or even their dog but not another adult. That is unless both weigh on the smaller side of the scale.
As for the length, it is eleven feet long, which is a pretty great size. Not too tall that you’ll have trouble maneuvering it but not so small that you wouldn’t be able to take a bag or bring along some company.
At its widest point, its width is thirty-four inches across. Definitely on the higher end of the range, which is good. More width equals greater stability. Being that it’s a beginner paddle board, stability is definitely a must.
The Body Glove weighs around forty pounds. Personally, I had no issues transporting it around outside of the water. However, I would understand others having difficulties moving an eleven-foot paddleboard on their own.
While there was nothing extraordinary about its specs, this is what makes the Performer 11 accessible.
The Build of the Body Glove Performer
I’m going to use the next two sections to break down Performer 11. First, I’ll be starting off with the build and features that make up the body of Performer 11. What each part does and how that affects the ride of this fantastic board.
Stand-up paddleboarding requires more than just something to float on and a paddle blade. Each inclusion into a board, such as built-in rubber fins and a center carry handle, brings with it its own list of pros and cons.
What I will say, is that this inflatable sup didn’t rock the boat. Sticking to tried and tested features allowed it to gain consistency across the board.
The Front Bungees
Any water sport that has you on some kind of vessel would not be complete without a cooler or snack box. Sure, bringing something like this along is easy when on a kayak. This is because most kayaks have storage compartments for this sort of thing.
Some kayaks even allow you to remove the kayak seat for extra storage space. But how well can a paddleboard accommodate your bring-along? Obviously, inflatable paddle boards will not be able to fit as much as a kayak can but the Body Glove at least provides you with a dedicated space with d-rings.
Near the very front, you’ll find a bungee setup. You can use this cargo space to place a paddleboard cooler box or bag. The bungees are built-in, saving you the time and headache of having to set it up yourself.
One thing to keep in mind is that due to the tapered nose of the board, the amount of space provided to the bungee storage area is less than other paddle boards. If you are searching for a paddleboard that can bring along your entire cache, you may have to keep looking.
Although, assuming you are a beginner, this board has more than enough space available for you to store your water bottle in a small dry bag using the D-ring.
Three Fin Setup – Three times the Fun
Alright, so this is where some of you may take issue with the Performer 11 iSUP. There won’t be a need for a fin box. What I mean is that the fin setup of this paddleboard is fixed. The fins are not detachable and you have to work with what you’re given.
This can become an issue for several reasons. First, should one of the fins break or receive damage of any kind, then that is it for your paddleboard. You won’t be able to swap them out and you’ll have to make do with a repair gear. Even then, there is some damage that no one can fix.
What I can tell you to put your mind at ease is that the fins are durable. They’ve got a better tracking design that has them performing excellently. Furthermore, their placement ensures that they handle most of the work without burdening you.
Had this been a solid paddleboard then perhaps these fins would have been a bigger issue. However, the Performer 11 is an inflatable sup. As a result, it becomes much easier to accommodate it at your home or inside your vehicle.
If you can look past the fact that the fins are fixed that helps to keep the board straight, then there isn’t much more to complain about.
Large EVA Deck Pad- a Stable Platform
It’s important to have a stable platform for you to stand on when paddleboarding. I mean, isn’t the whole point of a paddle board to stand on it? Even if you prefer to sit down when paddling, a quality EVA deck pad goes a long way.
I was left impressed with the deck pad of the Body Glove iSUP. It’s a traction pad that has been logo embossed into the board. Just the right amount of class for me. This pad also covered a majority of the Body Glove’s surface, certainly the widest parts.
The large space gives you plenty of room to find your perfect stance. There’s so much space available that you can even comfortably do some yoga on it. Although I personally don’t see the hype. Every time I try yoga something pops that shouldn’t be popping.
Anyways… with or without shoes on I always felt as if the grip was able to get a good hold of me and vice versa. I don’t have any complaints. It’s a high-quality board with a solid traction pad that gives you plenty of room to work with.
It’s EVA traction, what you would expect from any premium board.
Front Action Mount
Look anywhere on any social media platform, and you’ll find plenty of clips that are centered around sports. Young people doing daring things all for virtual points that amount to nothing.
However, sometimes we want to take a video or picture of something for our own purposes. A memento, something to remember those brilliant moments once our hair has gone grey and our bodies can no longer take the rough and tumble nature of the outdoors.
The Performer 11 wants to make it easy for you to create such memories. It’s why this paddleboard comes with an action camera attachment. This mount is located front and center. Perfect for getting the right angle.
It’s easy to work with and it won’t take you long to be hooked up and secured. I would like to praise Body Glove for including this. Usually, features like this are left to the solid kayaks. It is very rare to find an inflatable sup with an action mount.
Durability and Longevity
How long something will last is always at the forefront of anyone’s mind when making a purchase. Whether we are buying food, clothing, or some form of entertainment. Paddleboards are no different, especially when they are inflatable.
The most common experience people have with inflatables is balloons. It’s no wonder that they expect anything that fills with air to be flimsy and easy to puncture. Let me tell you that this stereotype does not apply to inflatable sups.
Every inflatable sup that I have ever tried, has always been durable and capable of taking a few hits. Not that you would want to test it. The Performer is no different. It’s got triple-layer stringers as the first line of defense.
A reinforced nose bumper that doesn’t falter upon impact. Drop-stitch technology sealing and holding everything together. I could go on. Everywhere you look, this stand-up paddle board found a way to improve upon its design without weighing itself down.
Should any issues sprout up, you can fully rely on the one-year warranty. Anything minor can be taken care of with a repair kit.
Body Glove Performer
The Price of “Body Glove Performer” varies, so check the latest price at
What Stood out about the Body Glove Performer 11
In these Body Glove Performer 11 reviews, I’ve gone over what Performer 11 is made of and how that factors into its build quality. However, there is plenty more to discuss. From the actual performance of the board to what comes with your purchase. Plenty of details to chew over.
Keep in mind that with any touring boards you use, it’s not the space on deck that determines what you can accomplish but rather the max weight capacity. This is something that becomes especially poignant in regard to everything included with the paddle board.
How Does the Body Glove Performer 11 iSUP… Perform?
I’d say the best performance was the stand-out quality of the Performer 11. I mean who could have expected that? It’s in the name for crying out loud! Now, this wasn’t a fast board, I wouldn’t say that the acceleration was something to marvel at either.
But it’s stable and I never felt like I had to wrestle with it to get to where I was going. Furthermore, the board was stiff and its overall weight helped it move through the water with greater efficiency.
This is what I mean by not having to wrestle with it. Earlier, many of you may have been surprised by the Performer weighing around forty pounds. Certainly more than the average inflatable.
However, this extra weight was put to good use and it only furthered the capabilities of the Performer 11. Great performance and is easy to control and maneuver. Everything that is needed for a beginner to excel.
The Setup
Setting up the new board doesn’t take much out of you. You’ve got the option of either using an electric pump with a pressure gauge or a manual one. Both options give you a good fill without taking too long. A fully inflated board in a matter of minutes at most.
A coil ankle leash comes included and attaching that to yourself and the board is no issue at all. It’s a casual board, so this is par for the course.
Backpack, Repair Kit, and Pumps
For a price tag as high as the one that is attached to the Body Glove you should expect a few goodies. Fortunately, this Body Glove inflatable comes with a cell phone dry bag, an electric pump, a manual pump, a three-piece aluminum paddle blade, a repair box, and a storage backpack bag.
Now that is a serious amount of add-ons. Sometimes we don’t have a way of powering our electric pump. Unless you have the lungs of an Olympian, you are out of luck. But with the manual pump that comes included, you can get yourself set up and running right away.
The cell phone dry bag prevents your valuables from being damaged and the backpack lets you pack everything and take it with you. All in one concise bundle. For any minor scraps and abrasions, simply pull out your repair kit and patch it up.
The 3 piece paddle offers enough length customization so that you can find the right size for you. The Performer is not cheap but it is worth it.
Subtle Design
I’ve made mention of the subtle design choices that litter this board. Each one benefits the Body Glove in one way or another. From the nose design that cuts through the choppy water with ease. To the wide waist that grants you plenty of stability.
The grab handles are placed in comfortable areas and the center handle has a great non-slip grip. Underneath the family-friendly board is a long center fin that acts as the main driver of the Performer.
And of course, I’ve got to mention the GoPro mount. Front and center, something that even advanced paddlers will enjoy.
My Final Thoughts
To be honest, the only thing I didn’t enjoy about the Body Glove was the name. It’s not very creative or catchy. Even with certain controversial features such as the fixed fins and extra wide waist, I couldn’t really detract any points from it.
I understand more experienced paddlers will scoff at having the fins be non-removable but how many beginners and casuals do you know that would care about such a feature? The answer is not many at all and that is exactly who this board was made for.
It’s great, it’s stable, and it’s the Performer 11.
Happy paddling!
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