Starboard iGO Review: The All-Rounder People Start With

If a brand has one board bought more than any other, at Starboard it is the iGO. Here is why, and when an all-rounder is not what you want.

The short version

• iGO One with paddle — 669 €, the cheapest entry.
• iGO Inflatable with paddle — 749 €, sizes 10'8"×33", 11'2"×31+", 12'0"×33".
• iGO Inflatable without paddle — from 1 049 €, in Deluxe, Deluxe Sun and Deluxe Wave.
• iGO Wing Ready — 799 €, with foil inserts.

What makes it an all-rounder

The sizes answer that better than any description.

10'8" × 33" is 325 × 84 cm. Exactly the middle: wide enough to stand confidently, short enough to turn.

Compare its neighbours: Touring starts at 12'6", All Star is 14'0" × 24.5". The iGO sits where people begin.

The 33-inch width is the key parameter. As covered in our size guide: from 32 inches a board forgives balance errors. The iGO clears that with room to spare.

Three sizes, three scenarios

10'8" × 33" — up to 85 kg, calm water, beach trips.

11'2" × 31+" — slightly longer and narrower: better glide, slightly less stability. A sensible second step.

12'0" × 33" — over 90 kg, paddling with a child aboard, or carrying gear.

The rule: size up if unsure. Extra volume hinders an expert and rescues a beginner.

The paddle package: more important than it looks

A version with paddle at 749 € and without at 1 049 € looks strange until you do the sums.

A standalone Starboard paddle runs from 79 € to 239 € depending on material. So the package is not "a board plus a stick" but a real saving.

With one caveat: packages include an entry-level paddle. If you already know you will cover distance, it is smarter to buy the board alone and add a carbon paddle — we cover the difference in our paddle guide.

For a first board the package is right. There is no point starting with a 219 € carbon paddle.

What Deluxe, Deluxe Sun and Deluxe Wave mean

Three constructions of one board, and they differ in more than "general quality".

Deluxe — the range's base inflatable construction.

Deluxe Sun — a variant with different deck finishing.

Deluxe Wave — biased towards waves.

Deluxe Lite — lightened, supplied in paddle packages.

In practice: in a first season the difference will not show. Choose on size and price rather than the word after the slash.

Separately: the iGO Wing Ready

A version at 799 € with foil inserts — more interesting than it sounds.

It lets one board cover SUP now and a try at winging later, without buying a second board straight away.

An honest limitation: an inflatable with inserts is a compromise. Serious wing foiling needs a dedicated board, and we explained why in our foil range guide. But as a way to sample a discipline without a second purchase, it works.

Who it suits

A first board. Width, volume and price converge here.

A family at the beach. Stable, inflatable, fits in a boot.

Anyone unsure what they will do. An all-rounder gets in the way of nothing.

Who it does not suit

Distance paddlers. Take a Touring at 12'6" to 14'0".

Racers. All Star or Sprint.

Wave riders. You want hard: Surf, Wedge, Spice.

Anyone certain about wing foiling. Buy a wing board rather than a Wing Ready.

Common questions

Which iGO size at 80 kg?

10'8" × 33" for calm water. Over 90 kg, or paddling with a child, 12'0" × 33".

Package with paddle or separate?

As a first board, the package: an entry-level paddle and a saving. If you plan distance, add a carbon paddle later.

How do Deluxe, Deluxe Sun and Deluxe Wave differ?

In construction and finishing. In a first season it will not show — choose on size and price.

Can I wing foil on an iGO Wing Ready?

You can sample it, since it has inserts. Serious wing foiling needs a dedicated board.

How does the iGO differ from the Touring?

In length and job: the iGO at 10'8" to 12'0" is the all-rounder; the Touring from 12'6" covers distance.

Where to buy

iGO with paddle from 749 €, iGO without paddle from 1 049 €. To read: how to read a size and inflatable versus hard.