Honest, real reviews about Isle's most popular inflatable paddleboard - the Pioneer SUP.
ISLE PIONEER 10'6 INFLATABLE SUP REVIEW - 2020
We love the Isle Pioneer SUP here at SUP Reviews. There are many things you could do with this board. It's lightweight, easily transportable, and a quick set-up. If you are looking for a good all-around paddleboard then this could be a good pick for you.
This board is priced at $745, but Isle usually has a sale on their boards. If they don't have one while you're looking to purchase I would suggest waiting a week or two because it'll only be a short amount of time before they put a deal out there.
Isle Surf and SUP have been in business for over 12 years so it's safe to say they know what they're doing when they make these paddleboards. Every inflatable board comes with a one year warranty, leash, center fin, travel bag, manual hand pump, and paddle.
We're going to do a quick breakdown of our grading systems.
ABILITIES
Let's go over the three most important components for a SUP's performance:
Stability
Glide/Tracking
Maneuverability
Stability - The Pioneer 10’6 is a very stable board for those who are below 220 lbs, or who are experienced paddlers. In our analyzing process, we have three people test the boards out for a fun day on the water. The heaviest person was nearly 200 lbs. That person had no problem staying stable, although he is an experienced paddler.
Glide/Tracking - For being so lightweight, the Isle Pioneer 10’6 felt really nice. It tracks very straight and glides really well thanks to the shape of the SUP and the large, removable center fin that comes with the board purchase.
Maneuverability - I was able to turn the board very easily using sweeping side turns, back paddle turns, and back-fin pivot turns. I feel that Isle did a great job of balancing a large center fin for tracking with two small side fins that help you maneuver easily.
BOARD DESIGN/SHAPE
The Pioneer 10'6 is your classic all-around SUP. It's made for paddling small chop/waves. The nose is rounded and the back is straightforward. This makes the board pretty stable from front to back, whereas if it has a more pointed nose and smaller/thinner tail it would give the board more maneuverability and sacrifice stability.
If you're looking for a paddleboard to explore a lake or the ocean (past the break), this will do a fine job.
From a looks standpoint, I think Isle does one of the best jobs in designing their boards and we consistently see people pick the Isle based on how they look. If you want a stylish, great-looking board then you will love the Pioneer.
FINS
Isle boards come with 2 permanent, flexible side fins and a detachable large center fin in a universal fin box. It is a manual fin, meaning that you have fin hardware to connect and disconnect the center fin on the board. This can be troublesome if you don't tighten it enough and you lose your fin.
The side fins are where I’m torn. I like the fact that I don’t have to worry about or mess with taking them
Two of the three people we have test out the board themselves and report back to us said they don't like the permanent side fins. You can't change out the fins to improve performance and they felt anxiety about setting the board down too hard on its bottom and risking them breaking.
Essentially, with fins, you choose between the ease of use, durability, and performance and we think Isle's Pioneer lands somewhere in the middle. You do get the performance and tracking from the large center fin, but the ease of use and durability of the two side fins.
ACCESSORIES
I do really like the standard paddle that Isle includes with their inflatable SUPs. It’s their hybrid travel paddle, which is a 3 piece paddle (i.e. it breaks down so it fits nicely in the bag) that has a carbon fiber shaft and nylon blade.
My only issue with the paddle so far is that I’ve had one come a little loose on the anti-rattle/twist piece. Basically, just make sure you keep a screwdriver on hand to tighten that up if needed, otherwise you might lose the screw. I have seen this type of set up on a few different paddles and I like the performance benefit you get from having the paddle really lockdown and do think it’s worth the extra hassle of carrying around a screwdriver in my car to make sure those hinges stay nice and tight.
CONCLUSION
Bottom line, we really like the Isle Pioneer 10’6 inflatable SUP and would recommend it for anyone who is looking to paddle around the lake, calm river, the ocean.
The only person we would not recommend the Pioneer for would be a larger person who doesn’t have experience on a stand-up paddleboard. This board has more float than your normal hardboard, but there are a few other boards that Isle offers with higher weight capacities you should check out if you fit in that category (the Explorer, or Sportsman).
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