In these Maddle Paddle Board Reviews, we got our hands on the Maddle SS24 Free Spirit signature SUP.
After paddling this board in lake and ocean conditions I got a good read on the board and let you know exactly my thoughts. Everything from my on-water thoughts, what I thought about the accessories as well as a rather surprising event that had to do with the paddle.
I reveal all below!
What Did We Think of Maddle Paddle Boards?
We believe Maddle’s SS24 SUP is a great board for beginner to intermediate paddlers who want to paddle in calm lakes, slow-moving rivers, and calm coastal conditions. After taking the board out for a long 4-hour paddle we found that the board was a good Jack of All Trades board that did a lot of things good.
One thing I did find was when I put in harder paddling strokes the paddle handle completely snapped. Now it was sitting in the sun for a few hours so that may have contributed to it but I still have never had a paddle handle snap in my testing.
Other than the paddle, the board came with all the accessories needed to get your paddling adventure going.
Maddle Paddle Board Reviews Ratings
Below is how we rated the Maddle SS24 Paddle Board. Click on the links below to jump to each section.
Total Score: 7.75
- On-Water Performance – 8
- Stability 8
- Tracking 8.5
- Speed 7.5
- Maneuverability 8
- SUP Construction – 7.5
- Board Features – 7.6
- Deck Pad 8
- D Rings 7.5
- Deck Bungees 7
- Handles 8
- Accessories – 7.1
- Backpack 7.5
- Paddle 6
- Pump 7
- Fins 8
- Set-Up/ Take Down – 8.5
Pros:
- The board is lightweight: Easy to carry and transport from car to shoreline.
- The board is responsive in the water: If you dip a paddle into the water to stop the board it responds with little effort on your part.
- The board is priced well for its quality: I would choose this over most Amazon or big-box retailer boards.
- Comes with everything you need to get started: Comes with bag, pump, paddle, leash, repair kit, and detailed instructions booklet.
- Great board for a few hours on the water: Great for recreational paddlers and people who are new to paddle boarding.
- These boards have some unique designs: Including Barbie and Ken boards
- Kayak Seat or Shoulder Strap Compatible: Has 4 free D rings that will allow either accessory to clip on.
Cons:
- The paddle snapped when I did hard strokes: After trying out some harder strokes the handle to the paddle completely snapped on me. I will detail below in the paddle section.
- The bag is a bit of a tight fit: I recommend using the deflate option of the pump to get air out so that the board fits into the bag.
- Accessories and onboard features underwhelming: Not much really distinguishes this board from the competition besides price point and its design.
Who Should Be Using the Maddle Paddle Board
The Maddle Paddle board is meant to be a stylish and simplistic board to use for a day out on the water. It’s a good board for 80% of paddlers who want to try paddle boarding or have at least some sort of experience paddle boarding.
It is not, however, a great board to go on long treks with nor would it be a good specialist touring paddle board as its hull is rounded and has little rocker which creates more drag compared to touring ISUPs.
Beginner/ Intermediate Paddlers
This is a fantastic board to learn on for many paddlers without being too slow in the water. It has the standard All Around board profile which makes it a Jack of all trades boards where it will do most things good but does not specialize in anything.
It won’t be the most stable paddle board you will ever try and there will be a little bit of a learning curve for those who have never stood on a board or have specifically only tried hard paddle boards. But after a few sessions, you start to get used to the feel of the board and get more confident as you put more hours into the sport.
It’s also a good board for intermediate paddlers who want this board as a backup option or something for their friends to join them. It is a responsive board so it can be a bunch of fun to paddle the board around for a few hours and maybe try some tricks in the process.
This board is best for calmer water conditions like lakes or very slow-moving rivers. I have paddled this board in coastal conditions as well although that takes more skill in reading the conditions etc.
What SUP Activities Can the Maddle SUP Be Used For?
Maddle is more of a cruise-along-the-water kind of board that is geared toward newer paddlers. But you can do a few different activities on this board.
Recreational/ Day Paddling
This board is ideal for a day on the lake with friends or a mini trip around the lake that will last the span of the day.
If you want to do some longer paddling sessions you should replace the paddle with something of a fiberglass/ carbon hybrid as they are lightweight and less taxing after 3 + hours put in. However, for just an hour on the lake, an aluminum paddle is just fine.
Paddling With a Small Passenger
You can theoretically have a smaller passenger onboard like a dog or child (in both cases don’t forget their life jacket!). But I would not say this would be the best SUP to do this on due to:
- the lack of deck padding expanding all the nose of the board
- No passenger handles for a young one to hold onto
Kayak Hybrid
This board is accessible to be used as a kayak hybrid but you will have to get the seat for it! There are a lot of different options on Amazon which are decent for an hour paddling in kayak formation. If you are older or have an iffy back like I do I’d recommend an inflatable seat that is uplifted so that less pressure goes onto your back/ legs for extended periods of time.
Maddle Paddle Board On-Water Performance
Rating Factor | Score | Average SUP Score (All Around Boards) |
---|---|---|
Total On-Water Score | 8 /10 | 8.0 |
Stability Score | 8 /10 | 8.3 |
Tracking Score | 8.5 /10 | 7.8 |
Speed Score | 7.5 /10 | 7.7 |
Manueverability Score | 8 /10 | 8.1 |
The Maddle offered good all-around on-water performance. It features 3 removable proprietary fins that help you tweak how the board performs in the water.
The board overall did fairly well in most areas but was not extraordinary in any one area of our On-Water Metrics. Watch the above video to see my On-Water Performance test with the Maddle Paddle Board.
Stability
The Maddle offered the stability that I thought it would for a board that is 10’6” long and 32” wide. Will this be the most stable board to paddle? No, if you want a very stable board look at SUPs that are 34” wide and 11 – 11’6” long. However, it blends stability with speed, maneuverability, and tracking ability making it a middle-of-the-pack kind of board.
For those who are just starting, I’d recommend paddling on your knees and getting used to the behavior of the board first before just jumping in and standing. There’s nothing wrong with sitting either!
For those who want to take their first steps to stand on a paddle board, I included footage on how to do that in the Onboard video above :).
Tracking
Perhaps the area of this board that impressed me the most was the Maddle SS24’s tracking ability. The board was able to do 8 strokes of paddling on the left-hand side and 7 paddling on the right. I averaged it to be about 7.5 strokes a side as the tide had a part to play and the board was slightly on an angle with the tide coming in behind the board.
Tracking Factor | Paddle Strokes | Average Paddle Strokes (All Around) |
---|---|---|
Paddle Strokes To Keep Straight Course | 7.5 | 5.8 |
This tracking score is one of the better ones, especially coming from a 10’6” board. The average tracking score of all the all-around paddle boards we have tested is 5.8 strokes a side.
The tracking ability is greatly helped by the 5-inch side fins that come with the new Maddle proprietary fin system. In my experience testing a lot of paddle boards I find these 5” side fins add around 2 extra strokes a side to the board. Better yet if you want more speed or maneuverability you can take the side fins off.
Speed
I’ll get this out of the way now, the Maddle paddle board is not the most hydrodynamic paddle board around. However, because of its lightweight design, the board certainly could accelerate! I found myself having a good rhythm and even being able to lean on both sides to really maximize my stroke.
I felt the Maddle could have been even more hydrodynamic if the board had a bit more rocker on the nose. I did notice as I was doing some of my harder strokes that the nose water collected around the nose which made it plane over instead of parting it neatly like other all-around paddle boards with a higher degree of rocker do.
Maneuverability
When testing maneuverability we like to do reverse sweep strokes and side paddles as those are some of the easier paddle strokes to do for folks like you to try at home. Reverse sweep strokes are also one of the best ways to quickly avoid obstacles and turn around on a dime.
Manueverability Factor | Paddle Strokes | Average Paddle Strokes (All Around SUP’s) |
---|---|---|
Paddle Strokes for Reverse Sweep Stroke | 4.2 | 4.2 |
Paddle Strokes for Reverse Side Paddles | 10.2 | 13.3 |
This board did around 4.2 reverse side paddles for a 360 which is about an average score for an All Around board. In Fact it did the exact same score as the Nixy Newport G5 SUP which does not have side fins. When doing all these on-water tests I had the side fins on the entire time so this score would improve if you took the side fins off.
In terms of reverse side strokes the board did a 360 in 10.2 strokes which is once again about the average of what All-around boards do. The reverse side paddles are just a way to get a more exact reading of the maneuverability of the board. They are nice to use just to do some casual turning without putting much effort into them though!
Maddle Paddle Board Stats Deconstructed
- Length: 10’6″
- Width: 32″
- Thickness: 6″
- Weight: 14 lbs
- Maximum Capacity: 350 Lbs
- Materials: MSL Double Layer Fusion Construction
Maddle Paddle Boards are made of a dual-layer fusion technology that they label as MSL double-layer fusion construction. What this means is that 2 layers of PVC are heat-pressed together to make a stronger bonding layer as opposed to 1 layer of PVC.
Rating Factor | Score | Average Score (All Around) |
---|---|---|
Construction Score | 7.5 /10 | 8.3 |
This dual layer fusion surrounds thousands of drop stitch threads that are attached by drop stitch space yearns which are woven into one side of the fabric and threaded through to the other side to attach the drop stitch threads. These threads holds the SUP together when the board gets to a higher PSI. You can actually see evidence of the threads of drop stitch with the little indents that you see patterned throughout your board.
Having bounced on the board enough while on the water it definitely felt more rigid then other Amazon boards such as Serenelife which uses a single layer PVC.
Maddle Board Profile
The Maddle Paddle board has a pretty standardized All around board profile although I did find that this specific board had less rocker on the nose. While this will add a bit more stability it does increase the drag of the board when you are paddling intentional strokes. This is neither good nor bad, it just depends on what you value out of a paddle board.
For beginners this board offers a good platform to for learning how to stand and do some basic paddle strokes. Have fun with it and don’t put too much expectation on yourself! You’ll get it eventually!
Maddle Paddle Board Features (What’s On Deck)
Rating Factor | Score | Average SUP Score (All Around Boards) |
---|---|---|
Board Features Score | 7.6 | 8.1 |
Deck Pad Score | 8 /10 | 8.3 |
D-Rings Score | 7.5 /10 | 8 |
Deck Webbing Score | 7 /10 | 8.1 |
Handle Score | 8 /10 | 8.2 |
The Maddle SUP deck is fairly bare-bones and simple. This is nice for beginners as they don’t have to worry about tripping on things when they are learning to paddle board. The Maddle is designed to be the board to hang out and have fun on for a few hours.
Maddle Deck Pad
Maddle has a relatively simple design but upon closer inspection, it was cool to see that it is filled with “Maddle” writing which is the element that gives your feet more grip when the board is wet.
In my experience paddling a lot of hours on the lake and doing some coastal testing the deckpad felt grippy on my feet thanks to the aforementioned “Maddle” writing.
The deckpad takes up ⅔’s of the board which is about standard with all around paddle boards. It will be enough if you have a smaller passenger riding with you in the back. Although at the front the PVC near the deck bungees may be too slippery for paws or hands.
Maddle D Rings
Maddle has a standard D ring arrangement with 12 D rings.
- 4: taken up by front bungee deck webbing
- 4 : taken up for the front and rear handles
- 4 : free D rings in the middle of the board that can be used for a shoulder strap or kayak seat
We do appreciate that the Maddle Paddle board came with free D rings that allow you to attach a kayak seat or possibly a cooler should you feel thirsty enough.
What I found interesting was that the D rings aren’t attached like normal ISUP D rings but rather they have a plastic piece attached that is a completely different color compared to the board. It’s an interesting choice that Maddle made for design’s sake. Something I would suggest when folding the board is to be wary of these plastic pieces. Make sure they are flat on the ground and not on the rolled part.
Maddle Deck Bungees
One area we felt this package could have improved was the amount of bungee deck webbing you have on there. There are 2 rows of bungee deck webbing which is suitable for smaller odds and ends such as a drybag, sandals, and a water bottle. This is a good amount of storage for a few hours on the water.
Anything more and you may have to do your own deck rigging with bungees and the 4 free D rings available in the middle. Many SUPs offer at leart 4 rows of bungee deck webbing so we would like to see some more storage capabilities from the Maddle paddle board in the future.
Maddle Handles
The Maddle SUP does offer 3 handles on their board. One on the front, middle, and back of the board. The one you will be using most is the middle as that is the most efficient way to carry the board to the shoreline.
I do like the way Maddle designed their handles. There is nylon on the top with their logo followed by a neoprene bottom. Thankfully when it comes to the handles the board is light enough for most paddlers to grab and walk to the shoreline with relative ease. Just be mindful of sudden bursts of wind that may try to direct your board elsewhere when carrying in.
Maddle Accessories Explained
The Maddle package offers all the accessories you need to get started including a “golden paddle promotional offer. That runs along the same lines as Willy Wonka’s “Golden Ticket” idea. Maddle also provided a copy of their electric pump which I tried with the iRocker pump battery.
Rating Factor | Score | Average SUP Score (All Around Boards) |
---|---|---|
Accessories Score | 7.1 /10 | 7.9 |
Backpack Score | 7.5 /10 | 8.1 |
Paddle Score | 6 /10 | 7.8 |
Pump Score | 7 /10 | 7.6 |
Fin Score | 8 /10 | 8.1 |
Maddle Backpack
One thing I will give Maddle is that their bag is compact. Unfortunately, there are not a ton of pockets associated with it for all the odds and ends.
It would have been nice to have some pockets associated with the package for smaller items that come with the board such as the instruction booklets, ankle leash, and fins. I’m not a big fan of the fins floating around in the big pocket of the bag as that’s a good recipe for losing fins.
The thing that did impress me with the bag was the padding of the shoulder straps. There was a good amount of padding on them which is better than most Amazon boards at the same price point that have little to no padding whatsoever.
There is also back padding to insure nothing hard is sticking into your back as well as waist and chest straps to fit your back securely.
This is a good bag to bring to a hike if you have to walk a fair distance to get to water as it is compact and shapes onto your back well enough. It’s also not bulky and does not feature wheels which would add extra weight to the bag.
Overall for a beginner getting started the bag that is included is pretty decent.
Maddle Aluminum Paddle
It’s story time!
“I took my Maddle board out to the lake with friends to really see how the board would perform 4+ hours on the water. We ended up launching our boards at Hayward Lake. After launching I did some casual paddles and the board and paddle worked as they should.
As soon as I did harder strokes the handle piece to the paddle completely snapped in half. And I can honestly say I’ve never had anything like that to me before with a paddle. Now in the paddle’s defense, it was sitting in the sun for a few hours so I’m sure the materials were weakened by it. But even still a well-made paddle does not snap like that.”
– Editors Notes
So with that in mind, I highly recommend that Maddle makes the handle extension stronger, especially for us taller folks who put more force through the paddle when they want to start paddling at a more vigorous pace.
For those who do want to do some harder strokes, I recommend getting some sort of carbon fiberglass paddle that is sturdy enough to endure some force.
Maddle Single Chamber Pump
The Maddle pump is pretty standard much like many other inflatable paddle boards in that it is a single-chamber dual-action pump.
This means that you have two settings that determine how much air you can pump out of the chambers. When you have the setting on dual action (screw inside the pump) you pump air on both the up and down motion. As soon as the pumping gets harder you can switch it to single action (pump on the down stroke) which makes it easier to pump as you get to the 5-7 PSI range.
“You can also use this pump to deflate the air out of the board. This helps make the folding process a heck of a lot easier! I personally highly recommend this as it will save you time.”
– Editors Notes
In case you are originally confused. The inflate valve says “Out” and the deflate valve says “In” as in the air going out of it into the board and vice versa.
I did also get a chance to use their electric pump which looks like a hair dryer.
I didn’t really get a full reading on the pump’s capability because I used the iRocker battery to plug the pump into so it didn’t get the full power from the car. It pumped the air into the board fairly slowly so I had to swap it out for something more powerful as I had a lot of paddle boards to fill that day!
Maddle Fins
Maddle used to have 3 slide in fins similar to what the Retrospec Weekender has. However, they have recently changed this and now have a proprietary fin system which I think is an improvement. The proprietary fin system helps make the fins extremely easy to install and you don’t have to worry about them getting stuck.
Another thing I like about paddle boards that feature 3 fins is that you can tweak the fin set-up to change the handling of your board. If you are looking for more speed and maneuverability you go with just the center fin. If you prefer that the board paddles in a straight line and is a bit more stable in the water then add the 2 side fins.
Finally, if you are paddling in shallow waters you can just put in the 2 side fins as well! I show how to install the fins in the Review video above.
Maddle Set-Up/ Take Down
The Maddle paddle board was pretty straightforward to set up although I made it a bit more complicated than I truly needed to. When we set up the boards at Hayward lake, we had to travel with a lot of the SUPs in the wagon about 10 minutes away from the car.
Rating Factor | Score | Average Score (All Around) |
---|---|---|
Set-Up/ Take Down Score | 8.5/10 | 8.2 |
I tried using the electric pump that Maddle kindly provided me but I felt it did not give me enough power to hook up the electric pump battery so I switched it with a different electric pump.
The set-up was pretty straightforward once all the air was in the board as all I had to do was put my belongings in the deck webbing and clip on the fins and away I went paddling!
I found this board was pretty easy to take down as well. Because it is a dual layer fusion and the fact the board was sitting in the sun for a bit, the board was easy to fold. Starting from the nose I made sure that all the plastic D ring mounts were at the bottom of each fold and not on the edges to ensure no pressure was on them.
After that I folded up the board put it in the bag and then the rest of the accessories such as the paddle, pump, repair kit, and fins, and was off after a long day on the water.
About Maddle Paddle Boards
Maddle is a Canadian paddle board company which is located in Montreal. They are known for their stylish and unique paddle board designs. Maddle labels their boards by year. In this instance, their SS24 board is from 2024.
Maddle Warranty and Returns
Maddle offers a 2 year Limited warranty that includes:
- Board body (chamber and drop stitch construction_
- Fins and fin boxes
- Deck pad
- D rings, bungee cords
- Lash points
- Handles
- Bag
- The Pressure release valve
As with most other paddle board manufacturers, it does not cover external damage by elements such as rocks, sunken logs, over-exposure to sun, or other negligent damage by the user.
In terms of returns, Maddle offers a 30-day return period. When returned the board must be in like New condition and include all of its packaging. You must also register and pay for the return shipping at a discounted rate as well as pay a 10% restocking fee.
Where to Buy Maddle Paddle Boards
You can buy Maddle Paddle boards from the Maddle Website or on Amazon.ca.
Comparable Boards
The following boards are comparable to the Maddle Paddle Board
BOTE Breeze
The BOTE Breeze is a relatively simplistic board meant for beginners similar to the Maddle. It comes in two different sizes (10’6” and 11’6” long) to fit both medium and larger paddlers alike.
Nixy Newport G5
The Nixy Newport G5 has very similar dimensions compared to the Maddle but has better construction put into it. The Newport G5 has more onboard accessories such as action mounts and it has 3 more rows of deck rigging in the back.
Click here to see our Nixy Newport G5 Review.
So Is the Maddle Paddle Board a Good Pick?
The Maddle ISUP is a great pick if you are new to the sport and want a stylish paddle board to hit the water with. It’s a good starter board for about 80% of paddlers and comes at an affordable price point that makes it accessible for almost everyone.
The Maddle board also offers a solid introductory package that gives you everything you need to hit the water.
What did you think of the Maddle Paddle Board? Let us know on Facebook.