Blackin XL 6.0 Review 

In this Blackfin XL 6.0 review we disect how this board perfoms and how well thoughout it actually is after numerous tests in lakes and coastal river conditions. We also went through a 4-hour paddling session with a bigger/ taller friend who put the board through its paces.

We also discuss what uses you can use this board for and go through the pros, cons, and the board’s specs from nose to tail. Stay tuned to learn more! 

Blackfin XL 6.0 Review Ratings

Below is how we rated the Blackfin XL 6.0. SUP The ratings are based on the below-accumulated averages. 

Total Rating: 8.4 / 10 (Accumulated Ratings Below)

• On-Water Performance – 8.1
  • Stability 9
  • Tracking  8
  • Speed 7.5
  • Maneuverability 8
• SUP Construction – 9
• Board Features  – 8.9
  • Deck Pad 8
  • D Rings 8.5
  • Deck Bungees 9
  • Action Mounts: 9.5
  • Handles 9.5
• Accessories – 8
  • Backpack 
  • Paddle 
  • Pump 
  • Fins 8
• Set-Up/ Take Down 8

Who Should Be Using the Blackfin XL 6.0?

The Blackfin XL will have a wide audience that will find the board useful. It’s a great board for both beginners and intermediate paddlers alike that can be used in a lot of different circumstances. This is an especially great pick for bigger/ taller paddlers who may have trouble standing on standard 10’6” paddle boards. 

You can use it as your fishing vessel with accessory action mounts like rod holders, cup holders, and Rack capabilities. 

It can be used as a multi-day paddling machine with its 6 rows of bungee tie-downs and spare D rings where you can rig bigger items. The 4 D rings can also be used as a paddle board kayak hybrid for a seat which is sold separately. 

This is one of the more sturdy paddle boards around with triple-layer PVC construction with carbon side rails. 

“I know it’s tough because my pinky toe came out worse for wear when I accidentally smashed it against the rolled board!”

– Derek’s Notes

What SUP Activities can the Blackfin XL be used for? 

Due to the onboard accessories, the Blackfin XL can be used for a few different things. An honorable mention would be as a SUP yoga board although there are a lot of mounts and doohickies that may make your foot/ hand placements less than ideal. 

Recreational Paddling

Recreational paddling is the most common use for the Blackfin XL by most of the paddlers that buy it. The board is capable of paddling in a bunch of different flat water conditions and can be used to go through tidal areas or face some winds. However, I highly recommend leveling up your experience level before tackling this. 

It’s also a very good board for day paddling thanks to its more hydrodynamic profile. The pointed nose helps displace the water well while its longer 11’6” length helps the board glide in the water well despite having a slightly wider than average 34” width. 

Expedition Paddling

If you look around paddling forums and social media you will often find the Blackfin XL mentioned as a recommended pick for multi-day paddling treks. The board’s 485 lb maximum capacity along with its construction makes it a good pick to load up with gear without worrying about the board bending or springing a leak (As long as proper care is taken with the board to last a long time).

SUP Fishing

Action mounts and Scotty mounts turn this board into a verified fish stalker and a top Fishing paddle board pick. The board is stable enough to feel stable while casting and offers enough room for add-on accessories that will make your life a whole lot easier. 

First off, for fishing folks, the fishing rack (sold separately) can be used to not only hold your fishing rods but also give you something to hold onto as you cast. This is an especially ideal feature when you are just learning to fish from your SUP. 

The 8 Action Mounts offers lots of placements for things such as rod holders, cup holders, fishing spears and push poles. You can also use the set of free D rings in the back to hold a hard or soft cooler of your choosing for drinks or as a bait bucket. 

A Tandem SUP 

Thanks to its large maximum weight capacity you can use this board as a tandem board as well. We put the board to the test by adding two people onboard while eating a bunch of snacks at the dock. The Blackfin XL more than held up its end of the deal including holding one of our taller paddlers and being stable throughout a variety of conditions faced that day on Hayward Lake. 

Blackfin XL On-Water Performance

Rating Factor	Score	Average SUP Score (All Around Boards)
Total On-Water Score	8.1	8.0
Stability Score	9 /10	8.3
Tracking Score	8 /10	7.8
Speed Score	7.5 /10	7.7
Manueverability Score	8 /10	8.1

The Blackfin XL had good on-water metrics for a board of its dimensions. Blackfin has been a long-running series that has allowed the parent company iRocker to make improvements to the board and tweak the way the board performs with each new generation. So how did this generation of the Blackfin XL 6.0 SUP released in 2024 do?

Stability

Upon standing on the board I felt the board to be what I expected. A stable and stiff board that won’t cause very much side-to-side wobble. However, as I noted in the video, there is a bit due to the board’s narrower shape compared to other 34” wide all-around boards that tend to have a “fatter” shape. Is this the most stable paddle board we have tried? No, but it shouldn’t be. 

The Blackfin XL is meant to be a multi-purpose board that can blend long-distance paddling with a stable platform. And from that aspect, Blackfin did an incredible job, especially for those fishermen who need to paddle longer distances to get to some good honey holes. 

Larger paddlers new to paddle boarding will benefit from the XL’s longer length and wide 34” width. Especially when doing that first “Bambi stand” on the board. Even for someone more experienced I really appreciated the fact that the board remained stable as I was putting both slow and hard paddle strokes in.

I was also able to lean on the rails during harder paddle strokes knowing that the board would not be super touchy as I leaned to each side. 

Tracking

The Blackfin XL managed to track 7 strokes a side as per my tracking test on a calm section of the Nikomekl River. For an 11’6” board it was a good score but there were some other boards that had similar dimensions such as the Nixy Monterey and the Gili Meno 11’6” which did slightly better tracking scores. However, the details in these comparisons are fairly minor. 

Tracking Factor	Paddle Strokes	Average Paddle Strokes (All Around)
Paddle Strokes To Keep Straight Course	7	5.8

What helps with the board’s tracking is the inclusion of 5” side fins which provide between 1-2 strokes a side. These 5” side fins will add drag but in turn will also keep your board pointing straight for more strokes. Keeping the side fins on or taking them off is a tradeoff that you may have to test yourself to see which you prefer. 

Speed

When paddling against some wind and tide the Blackfin XL was able to handle the task well. Compared to a similar board like the BOTE HD Aero I thought the slender design of the Blackfin XL 6.0 was able to go against wind and tide quite well in comparison. To get this board up to its capable speed I highly recommend:

1. Practicing a paddling technique that fits best with the structure of your body
2. Have a nice lightweight paddle like a carbon or carbon hybrid type that is lightweight and easy to do harder strokes with

It was also a very comfortable board to get into the rhythm of things as you were doing your strokes. Once you get a feel of the board you can lean on the rails to give you some extra tracking on the water. 

Maneuverability

The Blackfin XL has decent maneuverability metrics. I managed to do 4 reverse sweep strokes for a 360 which is a pretty good reading for an 11’6” SUP with side fins on. Its reverse sweep stroke rating challenges shorter boards that are around 10’6”. The board is heavy though, so you do have to put a bit of force into each stroke as you do this motion though. 

Manueverability Factor	Paddle Strokes	Average Paddle Strokes (All Around SUP’s)
Paddle Strokes for Reverse Sweep Stroke	4	4.2
Paddle Strokes for Reverse Side Paddles	12	13.3

The Blackfin XL was able to do 12 reverse side paddles which is a better score than some other boars that have a similar length. Once again some more effort had to be put into each stroke as this board is on the heavier side of all-around inflatable paddle boards. 

Blackfin XL 6.0 Specifications

• Type of Board: Recreational/ Tandem Use
• Length: 11’6″
• Width: 34″
• Thickness: 6″
• Weight: 29 Lbs
• Maximum Capacity: 485 Lbs

The Blackfin XL is constructed of a triple-layer PVC coating with carbon side rails and reinforced seams. For the Blackfin series, iRocker uses an extra layer of carbon side rails and reinforced seams. They do this for two reasons:

1. For extra rigidity on the sides which helps reinforce the sides and make the board feel a little more stable
2. Extra layer on the sides to protect against bumps and bruises from exterior elements such as rocks, docks, etc. 

The overall construction of the Blackfin XL consists of a dual layer of PVC sandwiching thousands of strands of linear drop-stitch material inside. The board is then sealed on the sides with an extra layer to reinforce the seams and a carbon side rail on each side. 

Rating Factor	Score	Average Score (All Around)
Construction Score	9 /10	8.3

These materials offer extra rigidity which allows the Blackfin XL to have a large 485-pound maximum capacity that allows you to add an extra passenger onboard. The downside to these extra materials is the fact that it creates extra weight. At 29 lbs the Blackfin XL is a big boy! So smaller paddlers may want some help carrying this board to the shoreline.

Blackfin XL Board Profile 

The board’s profile can be characterized as thinner compared to many other 11’6” long 34” wide boards based on appearance. 

Blackfin makes sure that they have a board that is thin enough to act as a touring SUP while still keeping the stability of a good 34” board. They do this by making the nose and tail skinnier while broadly widening the middle of the board to eventually hit 34” width. 

By nature, an 11’6” paddle board will always be more stable compared to a SUP that is 10’6” when the width is the same length as you have that extra surface area to support you in the water. 

The Blackfin XL 6.0 is not the sleekest in its class though. If you want a board that is more responsive and maneuverable take a look at the Blackfin Ultra CX which we did a review on. The Ultra CX will not have the same stability but we found it to be a really fun lightweight board to paddle.  

Blackfin XL 6.0 Onboard Features (Whats On Deck)

Rating Factor	Score	Average SUP Score (All Around Boards)
Board Features Score	8.9	8.1
Deck Pad Score	8 /10	8.3
D-Rings Score	8.5 /10	8
Deck Webbing Score	9 /10	8.1
Action Mounts Score	9.5 /10	7.8
Handle Score	9.5 /10	8.2

If you are looking for a paddle board with a good amount of doohickies and onboard features the Blackfin XL is one of the better ones that allows you to add those features onboard.  Below we go through them from nose to tail. 

Blackfin XL Deckpad

The deckpad takes up just about ⅔’s of the board which is a good amount for a board that is marketed as a possible tandem SUP. The deckpad is striped in the middle with little Blackfin stamps going throughout the area of the deckpadding. These stamps provide some extra grip, especially if you want to start tackling more difficult onboard maneuvers such as pivot turns. 

While these stamps help provide some grip for you, your family, and/or a furry friend, boards that offer diamond-grooved deck padding with more aggressive edges tend to grip your feet better.

Blackfin XL 6.0 D-Rings

The Blackfin XL 6.0 offers 18 D rings on its board. Sixteen of these can be used for strapping different sizes of gear. For the full summary of D rings…

• 6 D rings used for Front deck bungees: These can easily be removable to put your rigging set-up in. 
• 6 D Rings used for the rear deck bungees: Once again can be removed.
• 4 free D rings in the middle: This can be used for kayak seats or strapping down a cooler to sit on while you paddle. Can also be used for bigger overnight gear such as tents and tarps and big drybags/ backpacks. 
• 1 Towing T Ring: Good for getting towed by a boat (slow speed of course). This can especially be handy in emergency situations where the weather may have turned on you. 
• 1 Leash D Ring: obvious but this is where you lash your SUP leash to. 

Overall this D ring set-up is one of the better ones because it gives you a lot of possibilities for add-on attachments and strapping gear to the board. 

Blackfin XL Deck Bungees

The XL 6.0 much like its predecessors offers 6 rows of removable bungee deck webbing. 3 rows in the front and 3 in the rear. Meaning if you are going on a SUP adventure with some friends, you will be the one carrying a lot of the gear. 

“It worked out like that for our adventure with this board. Most people had 2 rows of bungee deck webbing so for our little lake picnic the Blackfin XL was the one to be counted on to carry the cooler of food and drinks.”

– Derek’s Notes

What I like about all of iRocker’s new generation (2020 – onwards) boards is the fact that all bungee deck webbing has clips that allow you to clip the bungees any which way you want. So that you can have 6, 4, 2 rows, or even no rows of deck webbing in the way. 

You can also assort the deck webbing to how you see fit making them crisscross, go straight, or even go from the farthest row to the closest to you. 

I like to have the items I use most (like dry bags, water bottles, etc) upfront and items I use less (speakers, sandals, bigger coolers) towards the back of the board. 

Blackfin XL Mounts

If you like Action mounts and Scotty mounts you are in for a treat! You get a a lot of different mounting options with the Blackfin XL. More so than just about any other iRocker paddle board. These action mounts allow the Blackfin XL to transform into a cruising, fishing machine. From the iRocker store, the action mounts can support the following items:

• Cellphone Holder
• Action Mounts
• Rod Holders
• Waterproof Speakers
• Sand Spears and Holders
• Cup Holders

To name a few… These accessories are M6 threaded (the size of the bolt thread) and in my experience can fit other paddle boards that have the same thread count. 

The Scotty Mounts can be used for fishing racks or other devices that have the “Scotty Mount” designation. Take a look at the Scotty Mounts website to see the options available.

Blackfin XL Handles

This SUP has 7 handles, 3 of which can be used for carrying. All handles are covered with a neoprene covering which in my opinion is the best material due to its softness on the hands. This doesn’t sound like much but it’s key for those longer treks to and from the water. 

Typically you will use the center one the most to carry the board to and from the water. Be warned though, the board is on the heavier scale of inflatable paddle boards. So if you are a small-medium-sized paddler it may make sense to get a friend or on-looker to help you out carrying it to the shoreline from the front and rear handles of the board. 

Finally, there are side handles on the front and rear bungees for passengers such as small kids or an adult to grab onto. We recommend that any passengers furry or otherwise go toward the front of the board so that you can easily monitor them while paddling. ‘

Blackfin XL Accessories Explained

I have some bad news folks. Blackfin packages from 2023 onwards don’t come with the same amazing accessories as they used to. Things such as the bag, paddle, and pump do not come with this package. They can be had at a discount at the iRocker.com checkout. Having said that, we did get our hands on a few of the accessories so we can detail our experiences with them here. 

Rating Factor	Score	Average SUP Score (All Around Boards)
Accessories Score	8 /10	7.9
Backpack Score	N/A	8.1
Paddle Score	N/A	7.8
Pump Score	N/A	7.6
Fin Score	8 /10	8.1

So What does come with the Blackfin XL 6.0? The 6.0 package comes with the fins, leash, repair kit, and the board. 

Blackfin XL Bag

Thankfully we managed to get our hands on the 6.0 XL bag that is sold separately. It’s a brand-new bag for 2024! In terms of SUP bags, it’s certainly respectable and we like the amount of pockets it features. I did find the bag was a bit snug for the paddle board and I found myself having to roll and re-roll the paddle board to get the board properly in. Because it is snug this limits what you can truly put into the pockets of the bag. 

But on the other side of the coin packages that are snug certainly take up less room in your trunk or storage area. My personal preference has always been baggy styles of bag but everyone looks for different things. 

The bag offers a generous amount of backpadding on the back which will encompass a good amount of paddlers who are different shapes and sizes. There is also paddling on the straps although we do feel that the padding could have been more substantial as that is where a good amount of the pressure is situated.

We did appreciate the padded waist straps that were a generous size. This helps contour the bag to your back securely for those longer treks to the shoreline. 

For those interested in dimensions and measurements the bag dimensions are 34″ x 14″ x 11″ (86cm x 35.6cm x 28cm) which is one of the more compact bags of the premium -mid-tier SUPs. 

iRocker Electric Pump

A Piece I would highly recommend adding to this package (remember it comes at a discount at the checkout with this board) is the iRocker electric pump. I’ve had some disagreements on this on my YouTube channel, however, in my humble opinion an electric pump would be classified as a necessity if you plan on paddle boarding at least a few times a month and you hate the manual pumping process. 

The iRocker electric pump is one of the better ones in the industry. The display is clean-looking and shows you the PSI (or BAR) that you have set the point to as well as the PSI that the board is currently at. There are also settings for high PSI and Low PSI options. I find the low PSI especially helpful for complimentary items such as floaties, inflatable kayaks, or even camping essentials such as air mattresses. 

We do wish that they had a (-) minus button as well as the (+) plus button that would help get you to the desired PSI more quickly as opposed to having to press plus many, many times to get to the PSI you desire.

Blackfin XL Fins

The fins on this board are a proprietary easy clip system, which in my experience is one of the fastest to install. The XL comes with two 5” side fins and a center dolphin fin which is a good hybrid for stability and speed. 

The only downside to proprietary fin systems is that your fin selection is limited. Especially when compared to the US fin box systems where you can even use surfboard fins that have the same “US Fin Box designation”

There are also lashes attached to the fin boxes that clip into each of the fins to make sure that you don’t lose them should they accidentally come undone or broken. Which is a feature I especially like. For the safety lashes I like to lock them halfway as in previous experiences with the Ultra boards they can be hard to get out once locked into position. 

Blackfin XL Set-Up/Take-Down

The Blackfin XL package in itself is fairly bare bones so setting everything up is not very complicated. 

As mentioned in the electric pump heading we do recommend getting the iRocker electric pump if you find yourself paddling a good amount of the time. In this case, you just have to unroll the board, make sure the pin is in the up position, and inflate. If the pin is in the down position the air won’t hold and you will be swearing under your breath as you have to do it again. 

Rating Factor	Score	Average Score (All Around)
Set-Up/ Take-Down Score	8 /10	8.2

To start everything up set your PSI ( I usually go to 15 for this board) and press “auto” to get the pump started. Once the board is inflated attach all 3 fins for maximum stability and tracking. 

Takedown can get a bit tricky, especially if you purchased the new 2024 Blackfin backpack and want to fit everything back in. Because there are so many onboard attachments pierced and doo-dads on this board you should be careful where you fold. 

Ideally, you want pieces such as action/ Scotty mounts, D-Rings, and fin mounts to be on the bottom or top where the fold is flat, and not on the sides. It will most likely take you a few folds to get this right. But once you do after a few folds the board will favor those spots. 

Because this board is thick I do find it harder to fold at some spots. To aid with this press your hands onto the sides to aid in collapsing that part which then makes your fold easier. Once it’s all together you are good to go! 

About Blackfin (iRocker) SUP’s

Blackfin is a sub-brand under the iRocker name. Blackfin is known for producing high-quality robust SUPs that are heavy-duty, durable, and have a variety of onboard features added to the boards. 

The iRocker brand is one of the most popular ISUP brands in the world that has distribution in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Should you go to irockersup.com you will automatically be transferred to the iRocker store of your region. 

Blackfin Warranty Information

iRocker has a few things to note for 2024 when it comes to warranty information. For this specific Blackfin model, there is a 3-year limited warranty on the seams and a 2-year limited warranty on manufacturing defects on the board itself. 

The limited warranty covers handles, seam leaks, and excessive workmanship damage. It does not cover damage from exterior elements like excessive sun, overinflation, punctures caused by rocks or other objects, etc. 

The Blackfin return policy is 45 days and must be registered to the official online store. The board must be in like new condition. 

They show you how to return the board here. 

Where to Buy the Blackfin XL 6.0

You can purchase the Blackfin XL on the iRocker website! Typically the best times to buy are when paddle boarding is out of season or just about to go into season in springtime. 

Comparable Boards

The following are boards that offer similar metrics and handling capabilities as the Blackfin XL 6.0

Gili Meno 11’6” SUP

The Gili Meno has a lot of the same characteristics as the Blackfin XL 6.0. However, it is 5 lbs lighter which may make this a more manageable pick for smaller to medium-sized paddlers. The Meno 11’6” features a few extra D rings in the back and a diamond-grooved deck pad in the back for extra grip. 

You can see the full Gili Meno 11’6” Review here.

BOTE HD Aero 11’6”

The BOTE HD Aero has similar dimensions although the way the board is designed it is more for fishing purposes and less for long-distance paddling. The BOTE HD Aero also offers more accessories with the package including a paddle sheath with holds your paddle on the nose of the board while you cast or take a break. 

You can see the full BOTE HD Aero 11’6” review here. 

Should You Get The Blackfin XL 6.0 SUP? 

The Blackfin XL 6.0 is a robust and very solid board (RIP Pinky Toe) that can serve a wide range of purposes. It’s a great board to get if:

• You want a long-distance touring board that can take on a lot of weight
• A good tandem board for you and your kids/dog or friend/ significant other to paddle on
• You want a well-constructed board that is solid and can take a beating in the great outdoors
• You want a stable board to fish off of and add fishing-related accessories to
• You are a bigger/ Taller guy or gal who may find the traditional 10’6” all-around paddle board tough to stand on. 
• You want a board that gives you a ton of onboard options while out on a paddle

Do you have any experience with your Blackfin XL SUP? Let us know on our Facebook page!