Thurso Surf Waterwalker 11 - Review 2023

Review

• DIVEIN.com Score: 4.7/5 
• Construction: 4.7/5
• Stability: 4.8/5
• Maneuverability: 4.5/5
• Portability: 4.7/5
• Price/Quality: 4.7/5

If you’ve landed a Waterwalker 132 you’re not gonna be disappointed. Unless you’re supping competitively, you’ll be pleased every time you stand up–in calm waters or chop around the coastline. This is a board you can get really good at too, playing around with back-step turns, changing your stance and touring around with a cooler. This package makes this SUP a worthwhile addition to your summer fun.

Features

• The wide body on the 132 also has a spanning  deck pad that’s textured for comfort and grip. Standing up on a good deck cuts down on fatigue in the feet and ankles making this quality worth noting.
• The 2 plus 1 quick lock fin system gives you some versatility. When starting out or touring all three fins are steering the board straight and true. But being able to use only the main fin gives the board more maneuverability and performance potential. The gentle toe in shape of the two smaller fins provides better grip too.
• Maybe the most surprising and superior bit of this board is the paddle. Once you take a few strokes with this carbon fiber shaft you never want to pick up an aluminum paddle again. The nylon blade is perhaps on the heavy side, but the dual concave, dihedral form creates both lift and thrust at a total weight of 33 ounces. It’s really fantastic.
• You can get superb traction from this board. How? It’s the combination of the crocodile-diamond deck pad and the kicktail that facilitate it. The new upgrade didn’t take the performance matters lightly – rather, it emphasized the importance of having a sleek paddling surface that makes it easy to cut through waves and make tricky turns.
• There are plenty of D-rings for cargo and the growing list of accessories available to paddlers. Clothes and drybags as well as coolers are welcome, as well as the optional kayak seat that Thursosurf sells.
• Two velcro straps to hold the paddle are surprisingly useful when chilling, drinking/eating or exercising
• The action mount camera in the front of the board will let you document your aquatic adventures.

Accessories

The Waterwalker 132 package is solid. There’s an amazing fiberglass shaft paddle, a dual-chamber/triple-action pump called the chimera, a backpack with wheels, a standard coiled leash, a repair kit and a strap to make packing down a cinch.

• Paddle: The 3-piece carbon paddle is sweet. It’s light, it floats and has a dihedral blade form that gives you good thrust and tracking. It’s compatible with the kayak set (sold separately), snapping another blade in on the handle end of the shaft.
• Leash: Pretty standard item. Does what it should.
• Pump: The double-chamber pump with 3 settings allows you to inflate the board faster. You’ll get your board inflated in around 5 minutes when pumping at a steady pace. The deflate option is also an advantage for getting the board packed up. Pretty sweet.
• Backpack: I’ve used this backpack for transporting dive gear. It’s a pleasure having enough space to fit everything in without having to be a master dissectologist.

A nylon compression strap to secure the deflated, rolled board together for easier packing.

Stability

Stability is absolutely capital on this SUP. With paddle straps to hold the shaft, it’s become clear that this board was designed with SUP fitness also prominent in Thurso’s thinking.

Whether performing yoga or paddling through a canal with a lot of boat traffic, even beginners will benefit on the balance side of things. Taking wake in from the sides isn’t a problem and the nose’s rocker form  and weight of the board allows you to crest oncoming waves.

Maneuverability

Even though this is a beginner board there is room to evolve as a paddler thanks to the three removable quick lock fins. With three fins holding your course you can track well, but with just the main fin cutting through the water and stepping back with your weight, this heavy board pivots surprisingly well. The slight toe in of the smaller fins will give you better grip.

Portability

Even though on the heavy side, it’s evident that this 11 foot board was designed to be travel-friendly. Getting it in the backpack makes that clear, with the wheels located smartly on the outside of the bag to avoid the shoulder straps interfering with their rolling along an airport, boardwalk or in a train. 

Being able to remove all three fins makes it easier to roll up–especially after sucking all the air out with the pump–and pack away, but it also means the 132 can be stacked on a car with other SUPs or stashed alongside the deck of a boat. It makes a difference. This definitely makes up for cumbersome weight of the board

Price/Quality Ratio

With so many SUPs on the market, competition is crazy. But whereas some companies either make compromises in quality or throw in a bunch of nice, but useless, accessories, Thurso Surf charges a reasonable price given the level construction and the performance potential of this board. All the extra layering means it’ll withstand punishing trips to and from the beach, but it also means the board will be slightly warmer in the colder months giving your bare feet some comfort. You’ll have it for a while for both learning to stand up and getting to be an ace.

Optional Accessories from Thurso Surf:

• The compatible kayak set
• Thurso Surf Nylon Paddle Blade
• Thurso Surf PVC SUP Deck Cooler Bag
• Thurso Surf Universal Waterproof Phone Pouch
• Thurso Surf Polarized Sunglasses

Do we recommend it?

Yes, we absolutely do. If you have a little experience, want a SUP for the family, for casual touring or want to do Yoga, this is absolutely a board you won’t regret buying.