Tahoe Rubicon (2014 Model) Board Review

tahoe-sup-rubicon-2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make and Model:

Tahoe Rubicon (2014)
Dimensions:
Length: 12’
Width: 30”
Thickness: 5”
Volume: 269L
Fin Setup: Single touring fin
First Impression (on land):
Visual:
This board looks like it’s ready to camp and travel. It’s simple looking design and plain graphics give it a rugged look. The color scheme is one of my favorite, they are no nonsense, but it’s very pleasing to the eye.
Features:
This is a no frills go outside and paddle camp kind of board. It has four tie-down plugs up front that are spaced out enough to hold a fair amount of gear. The above deck handle is comfortable and makes it an easy board to carry. The smooth deck pad looks comfy, and it’s very large.
Weight:
The weight is not listed on the Tahoe website; my calibrated arm thinks it’s about 32-35lbs. It feels on the heavy side, not overly so.
Construction:
Heavy duty is what comes to mind right off. I kind of wanted to throw it off a building, or drive over it to see how much it could take. I didn’t,  but I wanted to. This board is made out of a honeycomb plasticish type composite. This is probably were the extra weight comes in, seems worth it to me. 
On The Water:
Note: Primary stability is how the board feels when at rest and not moving. It’s how twitchy the board is when standing at rest; it’s often the first impression of how stable a board is. Secondary stability is how far you can lean on the rail without going in. This is usually what gets you wet. It’s not uncommon to have a board that feels unstable at rest and have awesome secondary stability. If this is the case, it will be twitchy to stand on and then be stable once moving or really leaned on its rail. Some boards have awesome primary stability. Then, once leaned on the rail, it will seem to let go and in you go.

Primary stability:
I actually felt a little twitchy the first time I got on it, didn’t think I would get wet, but it was sensitive. After a couple minutes it felt great and I was able to walk around with ease. Might have been me honestly, sometimes I long periods of time without getting on a touring or race board. Lots of time on my rental boards tends to make me wobbly for a bit.
Secondary Stability:
This felt great, didn’t think I would fall at all. The only times I did fall was playing around doing yoga poses and seeing how far on the tail I could get. Even then it was really stable.
Speed:
Not crazy fast, no slouch either. I wouldn’t enter this board into a race, wouldn’t hesitate for a long paddle with lots of gear, though. This board doesn’t have the best glide, sure is comfy anyway.
Turning:
This board turns and tracks great. No need to take huge steps back to turn quickly. It tracks very straight and will tend to go where you point it.
Deck Pad:
This is my favorite feature of the board. Every board manufacturer should be looking at this deck pad. It’s comfy and it has great traction. The smooth surface is also comfortable for taking breaks during long paddles.
Best Use:
Flat water cruising is best for this board. On a glassy day I could comfortably paddle all day. I’ve taken it in some upwind, downwind and side wind, all of them in some decently high wind scenarios. Wasn’t my favorite board on choppy days. Doesn’t seem to have the glide for downwind and head on chop seems to submarine the board. It’s predictable and stable through it all, but it was a hell of a workout keeping up with the group on different types of boards.
Price Range:
$1190.00 as tested
Pros:
• Comfortable for long trips
• Can carry 300lbs
• Super tough construction
• Awesome deck pad

Cons:
• Not 12’6” (its 12’)
• Heavy
• Poor glide characteristics
• Carry handle could use stronger materials
Final Impressions:
This is a great board; I’d highly recommend it for a first time board buyer. It’s tough construction makes it great to learn board care, its built like a floating tank. The honeycomb construction is super strong and can take some abuse. I’d also highly recommend it as a short expedition board.  Its overall design is forgiving in the rough stuff and stable enough to get you through it. Overall it’s a great buy.

By: Chris Woodruff
Owner: Paddles By The Sea
What: Paddle Board and Kayak Rentals and Tours
Where: 3321 Bridge Plaza Dr Vero Beach FL
Contact: 772-444-7871
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