PADDLER 12
Bluefin Nitro 14 ’ x 28 ” https :// bluefinsupboards . com By Helen Nightingale
PADDLER 12
REVIEWS
Price : £ 699
Bluefin Nitro 14 ’ x 28 ” https :// bluefinsupboards . com By Helen Nightingale
The Nitro is Bluefin ’ s new inflatable race board and comes in a package with everything needed to get started , including a fin and paddle . It ’ s perfectly placed for those wanting to start racing or perhaps cover greater distances on day trips .
My first impressions were that the board came well shipped , with most items wrapped in brown paper . Well done , Bluefin . The board , paddle and fin are stylish and designed to go together . The paddle blade is quite unusual , which may cause confusion over the front and back . A bonus point was a picture showing which way around to hold the paddle . I was also pleased to see a US fin box and removable fin because I like to change fins according to the type of race and water conditions .
One negative was that no QR waist leash or information on when one should be used was supplied . However , the ankle attachment supplied was perfectly usable on my own QR belt . The bag felt flimsy and cheaper than others and is the same size as for smaller models in the range , so it wasn ’ t as easy to get the board back in the bag . The fin is large compared to my other race fins and felt plasticky and heavy . However , it is more likely to withstand use in shallow waters or hitting submerged tree roots than carbon fins .
The pump is very compact , with a double chamber and three settings , it is effective and of nice quality . However , being so compact , it took more work to pump the board up compared with taller pumps .
On first trying the board , I used all the standard kit supplied with the package . The waterproof phone pouch supplied fell apart on taking it out of the packaging when still in the car park . It was brilliant to supply one , but the quality made me nervous about taking it on the water . I am small , at 5 ’ 0 and around 57kg . The maximum rider weight for this board is 190kg , so as I do with other boards , I pumped to the minimum recommended PSI . The board did not feel stiff , especially on moving around on it . It felt much firmer and handled better when pumping up to max recommended PSI . The board felt stable , comfortable underfoot , and tracked well .
The supplied paddle felt heavy , and the blade shape needed to be more intuitive to get a good catch . The blade felt thick and heavy , and the pins holding the shaft at the right height felt clumsy and cheaply built . The paddle felt entry-level and more for all-rounder use than racing . An adjustable paddle is ideal for starting out , so you can shorten it as your technique improves , so this is a plus . On changing the paddle from one side to the other , forward momentum noticeably slowed . As I was paddling on still , flat water with no obstructions , I tried out the ankle leash . The ankle strap was the comfiest one I have tried .
I was keen to test a variety of my race kits instead of the packaged ones . Maintaining momentum and comfort was improved by swapping out to a more standard-shaped and significantly lighter race paddle . I have a selection of Starboard and Black Project US box fins , plus a flexible plastic river fin . Only the river fin fitted , but it did fit well . I often train on a river fin , so I used this . The board still felt nicely stable on the smaller fin , and I was pleased with my 2km time trial for a reasonably priced inflatable .
Towards the rear of the board is a rear arch bar in the centreline . This makes it easy to get your feet central while moving to the back of the board . Aside from the arch bar , the board ’ s surface is all the same . Some boards have texture changes or small gaps in the tread , making it easier to tell how far back you have stepped compared to this model . Behind the arch bar is the air valve and then the carry handle at the far back of the board . The air valve sits exactly where my foot falls on step back turns . Although it means I know exactly where my foot is on the board , it wasn ’ t comfortable but was distracting on buoy turns when trying to concentrate on dodging other racers . Despite this niggle , the board felt stable while moving back and forwards and nicely non-tippy while turning . The coiled leash stayed well out of my feet while at the back of the board .
I ’ ve raced the Nitro at club level and greatly enjoyed it . Most of the field were racing hard boards , so there was no equal comparison . It paddled relatively slowly over distance , and it was harder to maintain speed than I am used to on narrower / hard boards . I was very impressed with how well the Nitro performed . I had no worries about losing balance in the chop , and I was even more impressed with how the board handled in a sprint race in a tight pack .
CONCLUSION
This was a super fun board for recreational paddling and racing at entry level . I would happily use it for events like the Trent 100 , especially with the board having bungees for carrying essential kit . It would also be great in GBSUP challenge events and divisional club racing . Quality does seem lower than other inflatable race boards , but the price tag is more affordable . I would prefer more of the price to have been invested into board quality and a true US fin box above providing a paddle , fin and other accessories , which is where quality appears to fall . I will certainly choose to enter fun races with the Nitro and my own paddle but stick to a skinnier hard board for more competitive events .