Gili 11′ Adventure Inflatable SUP Review

With the Gilli Air, the brand caught our attention as to how good it was under the $500 price range. The launch of Gilli Adventure got us a little excited. Although this board is a touring board is different from Gilli Air. Gilli did it again by producing a high-quality product under a limited price range. Gilli is also doing its part of giving back to nature as a part of its sales goes back to conserving the oceans, and its packing is wholly made from recyclable material.

Important features:

Dual set of Bungees – This board is equipped with 2 sets of bungees. The larger set is located at the nose of the board. It is enough to carry any equipment you want to bring along. The next bungee is at the rear of the board. This one is smaller but still big enough to take a cooler bag or shoes in it. They hold on the objects with a tight grip.
D rings – The board has in total 17 D rings, which makes it more customizable and taking things along becomes easier. 7 D rings are used by the front bungee cords whereas 4 are used by the rear bungee cords. There are 3 on each side of the board which can be used to attach accessories like a seat or carry more equipment. Lastly, there is a D ring at the end of the board, which can be used to tie the leash.
Handles – There in total 3 handles on the board. One in the centre is padded, which makes it easier to carry the board around. Then there are handles on each side which makes it easier to carry the board to the shore.
Fin System – The board comes with a 9” removable fin which helps in tracking and stability. Then are the 2 pre-attached fins that help in steering and manoeuvrability.
Traction Pad – The board has a soft brushed EVA traction pad which makes it easier and more comfortable to do activities like kneeling and doing yoga. Although the board as such won’t be classified as a yoga board, even that can be done due to a highly stable design.

Accessories:

Backpack – The bag that comes with the board is easy to carry. It has padded straps and additional straps for the waist and chest. This provides greater comfort, and taking the board becomes an easier task. It also helps to store the board away from sunlight.
Paddle – Gilli is known for providing some high-quality paddles. This board comes with a 3 piece carbon fibre paddle. The carbon build makes it easier to use and causes less shoulder and arm fatigue.
Leash – There is also a coiled leash that comes along with the board. This helps you as in cases when you fall off, the leash will not let the board drift away.
Dual Action Hand Pump – This is a standard accessory when it comes to inflatable boards. The pump takes around 7 – 8 minutes to fully inflate the board. If you want to do it in a way that does not break a sweat, then you should go for electronic pumps.
Repair Kit – Every inflatable also comes with a pretty general repair kit with some glue, patches and a valve tightener.

Specs:

The board has a length of 11’ and is 32” wide and 6” thick. These dimensions make it stable and easy to paddle. Also, the board weighs 19 lbs and can carry a weight of 290 lbs. Experienced paddlers can go for higher weights. The material is an MSL Dual-layer PVC which makes it light yet sturdy and robust.

Performance:

This board outdoes its predecessor for sure when it comes to performance. The board is shaped explicitly for better touring performance. There have also been some changes in the accessories and material used. The board is highly stable due to its 32” width and a decrease in its width when coming towards nose and tail. Along with this the board made sure that the speed is maintained and I was surprised with this ability of the board. The best tourers are those, which have a proper balance of speed and stability. It handles choppy waters with complete smoothness, due to the rocker in the nose.

This is an affordable tourer and can now be bought at a discounted price of $630

Gilisports.com