Tower iRace 12’6” Inflatable SUP - Review 2023

Review

• DIVEIN.com Score: 3.7/5
• Construction: 4/5
• Stability: 3.5/5
• Maneuverability: 4/5
• Portability: 3.5/5
• Price/Quality: 3.5/5

The Tower iRace 12’6” inflatable paddle board is constructed using military grade PVC and drop stitching technology to ensure its durability and robustness. This single person paddle board is lightweight and extremely versatile.

The iRace is especially efficient in picking up speed and is definitely considered to be Tower’s fastest paddle board package. The board is designed to pick up the maximum amount of speed and its innovative shape and design allow for just that. Although this isn’t the fastest paddle board on the market, it can compete well with professional racing SUPs and gives other premium race brands a run for their money.

The board is also quite stable for a racing paddle board and offers a high range of maneuverability and control when on the water. That said, the Tower accessories in this package are limited and riders are provided with just a paddle and pump. The 3 piece adjustable fiberglass paddle is an upgrade from the Tower Xplorer’s aluminium paddle, however the included high pressure pump is the same. Similarly, no ankle leash or travel bag is included.

Features

• Comfortable, Tower EVA traction pad on deck of the board with parallel lined grooving, allows for better grip.
• Single fin setup, provides speed and allows for better control of the board the faster you go.
• Useful handle at the center of the board for easy transportation and portability.
• D-ring on the front of the board can be used for towing or mooring paddle and D-ring on the rear of the board for attaching a leash.

Accessories

The Tower iRace inflatable paddle board package only includes a limited number of accessories compared to some other brands on the market. Nevertheless, these accessories are high quality, placed in the medium range category. Tower provides a 3 piece adjustable fiberglass paddle and a manual high pressure pump.

• Paddle: The 3 piece adjustable fiberglass paddle provided by Tower is a lightweight and robust paddle. This is a really powerful that gives your strokes a boost on the water. It provides a flexible blade that doesn’t twist or falter easily and makes paddling on his board that extra bit faster.
• Pump: The manual high pressure pump is great for blowing up the board in close to 10 minutes to the recommended 15 PSI. However, we would like to see a dual chamber version with future models of this board as it would make inflation faster and easier.

Stability

Generally speaking, paddle boards made for racing suffer in the stability category, however the iRace inflatable paddle board offers a sufficient amount of stability making the board more accessible to different levels of riders. The raised nose (rocker) of the board helps to avoid water chop and the traction pad helps with grip and comfort.

Although there is a level of stability, this board won’t be supporting any activities like yoga or fishing but the stability offered makes it possible for intermediate riders who have some skill of stabilizing the board on the water to ride this board effectively.

Maneuverability

The Tower iRace has a good level of maneuverability, as the board not only tracks well but the included fiberglass paddle makes small changes to the direction of the board effortlessly and efficiently.

Due to the slightly decreased level of stability, some technical maneuvers are hard as they jeopardize the riders balance more than others. For example, back steps turns can be quite hard on this board, however once mastered, this paddle board can provide you with the speed and control to beat race competitors on the water.

Portability

At only 27lbs the Tower iRace is somewhat more portable than the Tower Xplorer. Tower paddle boards have only provided riders with a central board handle, making it harder to transport the board as there are no nose or tail handles. When deflated the board becomes very small and can be rolled up to 1’ in diameter and 35” in width making it as small as a sleeping bag. On the other hand, no travel bag is provided and paddlers will need to find their own container for this paddle board.

Price/Quality Ratio

Given the speed and control that the Tower iRace offers riders and the exceptionally good quality materials used in the board’s construction, this board is valued at a fair price. The iRace allows paddle boarders who want a speedy racing/touring experience an inflatable option for travelling.

Although it is to be considered a mid-range board, the iRace can compete well with more premium inflatable boards but doesn’t have the capability to race against super fast paddle boards such as hardwood boards. Also, the Tower package doesn’t include a leash or travel bag and this retracts from the package’s value. That said, the included fiberglass paddle is great quality and the pump is also quite decent.

Optional Accessories from Tower

• Tower 3 piece adjustable carbon kevlar paddle
• Tower 12v electric paddleboard pump
• Tower iSUP D-ring accessory

Do we recommend it?

We recommend the Tower iRace for paddle boarders who want a fast, intermediate to advanced level board for racing and touring. This paddle board is not the fastest paddle board on the market but it will definitely provide the speed boost you’re looking for when racing other paddlers or covering distances.

If you have a solid level of balance in the water and want an inflatable paddle board that can increase your speed and control of the board, the Tower iRace inflatable paddle board is the board for you.