Gear Review: Solstice Lanai SUP

Value Rating: 9 Durability Rating: 8 Overall Rating: 9 Location of Test: Detroit Lake Duration of Test: 2 hours Product Name: Lanai Product Brand: Solstice Best Use: Recrational, touring, and flatwater paddleboarding Size: 10' 4" x 31" x 5" with a 9 1/4" fin The Full Review: The Lanai is like the Daniel Larusso (you know, from The Karate Kid) of paddle boards. Quiet, humble, smaller than the rest, but when it comes time to perform it gets up and it kicks some ass! This board was put to the test in some heavy, choppy headwind waters as well as given a run for its money in a downwind run. How did it do? Well, not only am I still here to write this review, I also now have one hell of a fun paddle boarding experience under my belt. I took this board to Detroit Lake without having any idea of what the lake was like. When I got there, I realized this wasn't going to be a leisurely, fun-in-the-sun paddle. It is a big, L shaped lake tucked in the crevasse of some Cascade peaks. The steep shoreline was perfect conditions for some gusty wind and weather to pass through. And that's just what I got. I threw the board into the water and headed straight into the wind. Here's how it went. The first thing I noticed was the tracking capabilities of the Lanai. Given the right stance on the board and reading of the wind, I was able to paddle on the same side stroke after stroke, switching occasionally only to make minor adjustments. The second thing I noticed on this board was the added benefit of the rocker in the front of the board. Believe me, you notice it in a headwind. The rocker allowed the board to take on oncoming waves with ease. Rather than crash through them, the Lanai was able to gently absorb them and send the board up and over them without much cost to your forward trajectory. Definitely a bonus. Given the planing hull design of this board, it also comes complete with great stability. You won't find yourself rocking back and forth at all on this board. When it comes to riding downwind on this board it handles it with the class of a sophisticated luncheon (I hear they're classy, not sure if I've ever been to a luncheon). Slide your feet back on the board and set up in an offset stance and all you have to do is throw the paddle behind you as a rudder and let the good times roll. The board does all the work. It is responsive enough to alter its path simply by leaning and really responds if you throw in a paddle stroke or two. Its stability allows you to ride the wind without worry of falling off the side. Thumbs up! The Good Great stability! With a 31" wide deck and planing hull underneath you're setup to do yoga, pushups, check your twitter, dance to the YMCA, whatever it is you do on your board. It's going to stay stable underneath you. This is a great beginners board as well as a great board for anyone who wants to get out in some choppy water and be able to push through it. The Lanai has a large EVA traction pad that is extremely comfortable on bare feet. Some boards have a tough, poorly designed pad on top, not the case with the Lanai. It covers all options for where you might want to stand on the board. This adds to it's ability to be a workout platform. The rocker. I can not say enough good things about the rocker on this board. For being a relatively introductory inflatable SUP this rocker in the front is a very nice, often overlooked, touch. It really increases the versatility of this board. The Bad: After taking this board out I don't have a bad word to say about it. I took it out planning on paddling a calm lake and instead I got extremely windy, rainy and choppy conditions and the board came through like that was the plan all along. I do believe, however, that there is a limit to the amount of chop this board would be willing to handle. I think that limit is rather high, but something to consider if you plan on purchasing an extremely rugged board. As far as design and logistics of this board go though, thumbs up all around. Very easy to use, responsive and a great all around board. The Bottom Line: I would recommend this board to a friend. The rocker, the stability, the tracking, everything about this board makes it a great purchase for any skill level.