Nixy Manhattan G4 Plus Review

In this review, we go through all the specs and features of the Nixy Manhattan G4 Plus. We go through its on-water performance, specs, and features.

We also actively compare it to some other of the Best Touring Paddle Boards to see how it compares. Of course, this review would not be complete without comparing this SUP to its older brother, the original Manhattan G4.

To see the Original Manhattan G4 Review click here. 

Nixy Manhattan G4 Plus Paddle Board Review Ratings

Below is how I Rated the Nixy Manhattan G4 Plus model. Click the Links below to jump to each section in the article.

Total Score: 8.5/10 (Average of Below Numbers) 

• On-Water Performance – 8.4
  • Stability 7.5
  • Tracking  9
  • Speed  9
  • Maneuverability 8
• SUP Construction – 9
• Board Features – 8
  • Deck Pad 8.5
  • D Rings 7
  • Deck Bungees 7
  • Action Mounts: 9
  • Handles 8.5
• Accessories – 9
  • Backpack 9
  • Paddle 9
  • Pump 9
  • Fins 8
• Set-Up/ Take Down – 8.5

Who Should Be Using The Nixy Manhattan G4 Plus

The Nixy Manhattan G4 Plus’s main reason for existence is so that Nixy has a more stable touring SUP that can be used by more paddlers. 

The original Nixy Manhattan G4 SUP proved to be pretty unstable for taller, less experienced paddlers unless you found a sweet spot on the board. Meaning that you are paddling at a comfortable clip while standing in a good spot. 

Thankfully the Manhattan G4 Plus has added some width which makes the board more stable compared to its predecessor. This gives the SUP a bigger audience in terms of people wanting a touring board that they can actually stay on.

Is this the most stable touring paddle board you can paddle? No, but it is a step in the right direction for the Manhattan series. 

What SUP Activities Can The Nixy Manhattan Be Used For?

The Manhattan G4 Plus can be used for a few more uses compared to the original Manhattan. 

Touring Paddlers

Despite the Manhattan Plus being a few inches wider compared to the original Manhattan series. The main use of this SUP will still be for touring purposes. 

Despite being a few inches wider the board still has a tapered design which helps with speed and traveling long distances with less effort. 

“One piece of advice I would give is to swap another fin onto this SUP. While the included dolphin fin can do the job it’s more of an all-around fin that is meant for boards like the Newport, Monterey, and Venice boards. 

If you install another fin from Nixy or another manufacturer you will have a bit more tracking and a bit more stability due to the greater amount of surface area that a touring fin provides in the water.”

– Editors Notes

Longer Day Paddles 

Not everyone wants to go on a 12-hour + touring excursion. But often times people who are on a SUP for more than an hour straight want something that’s more efficient to paddle so they can go longer and cover a greater amount of distance. 

This is where the Manhattan Plus comes in compared to the original Manhattan. The Manhattan plus is easier to stabilize when you are in the middle of the board. Meaning you won’t have as many excursions overboard due to the extra few inches of width provided by the plus. 

In most cases, day paddlers will take that little extra bit of stability and support over pure speed and fall overboard multiple times per trip. 

Training Purposes

From a pure training standpoint, this SUP will probably be easier to practice proper paddling technique compared to the original Manhattan due to the extra bit of width you get from the middle and tail of this board. 

This allows you to not be on as much of an edge compared to the Manhattan which means you can work on finding your proper paddling form that suits your body the best. 

SUP Racing

For SUP racing purposes I would actually recommend the original Manhattan due to its smaller width and therefore skinnier frame. But none the less if you are a bit new to SUP racing you can use this board to get your feet under you. 

It won’t be the fastest board in the field, as oftentimes that designation goes to Starboard and Red Paddle race boards. But it will be much more efficient to paddle than grabbing your all-around board and lagging a long way behind. 

Kayak Hybrid

If you were looking for a board that might be able to keep pace with thinner kayaks then this board may be a good candidate. The Manhattan Plus features 2 D Rings on the sides of the board for Nixy’s kayak conversion seat and kayak blade attachment. 

Staying seated will give you a lot more stability compared to standing. And when you are on a thinner touring board like the Manhattan you will be able to travel at a faster clip compared to paddle boards like the Newport which also has kayak conversion capabilities. 

On-Water Performance

So How does the Manhattan Plus fair on the water? And perhaps an even better question is how does it compare compared to the original Manhattan?

Rating Factor	Score	Average SUP Score (Touring ISUPs)
Total On-Water Score	8.4	8.4
Stability Score	7.5 /10	7.5
Tracking Score	9 /10	9.25
Speed Score	9 /10	9.13
Manueverability Score	8 /10	7.75

Stability

In my experience the Manhattan G4 Plus has good stability for a touring board but there is more side to side play which you have to get used to when standing on the board for the first time. It gets better as you get more used to the board.

Infact you actually start prefering it. Especially when you are paddling at a decent clip and you get used to the extra play of the secondary stability.

The Manhattan Plus will have improved stability over the original Manhattan. As mentioned above this is due to its increased 30” width and wider tail compared to the original.

This means that this SUP opens the gates to newer paddle boarders who want to give touring a hand without falling into the water as often as they would have originally imagined. 

Sure this SUP won’t be as stable as the Newport, Monterey, or Venice, but it is a lot more manageable for those who want to learn SUP touring. 

This SUP also opens the doors for larger paddlers who would have previously struggled on the original Manhattan. Someone who is my size (about 6’0 and 185 lbs) will have an easier time on this SUP as opposed to those who are over 200 lbs due to these wider dimensions.

“The trick with paddling touring boards starting out is standing in the widest place of the SUP (the middle) and keeping momentum. Once you have found your stride you can rinse and repeat those movements with little issue.”

– Editors Notes

Tracking

Being a touring SUP this board will be one of the better trackers in the Nixy Line-up although in my mind it falls a bit short of boards like Starboard 12’6” touring SUP or the 12’6” Voyager from Red Paddle. 

Straight out of the box, the Manhattan Plus uses a dolphin fin, which will help the board track well from a standpoint of someone who has previously paddled all around boards. But the dolphin fin has less surface area in the water compared to a touring fin. This extra surface area in the water prevents side-to-side movement which in turn helps the board track better. 

I actually conducted an experiment with tracking. Below is a table of strokes you get on this board per side. The below results were all done on a calm lake and can be found in the middle part of the above video.

Fin/ Tracking Method	Strokes Per Side
Dolphin Fin	5
Touring Fin	7
Touring Fin While Leaning on Rail	10

Speed

This is one of the reasons you are looking at this board right!? Well, the obvious good news is that this board will allow you to gain more speed per stroke (I hope you’ve worked on your paddle stroke!) compared to an All Around board like the Newport series. 

But from a pure speed perspective, this board will be a hair slower than the original Manhattan. Simply due to the fact that the original has 2” less width in the middle and a narrower tail which creates more drag. 

Still, in the speed department, the 12’6” Manhattan Plus does a pretty admiral job and will be quicker than other all-around manufacturers that have touring line-ups with a similar price range. 

A lot of this will come down to manufacturing details. The Manhattan Plus features a stiffer construction with its woven drop stitch fibers and carbon rails on the sides, top, and bottom that add to the board’s rigidity. 

This gives the board less bend or “sag” in the water which makes it in turn more efficient and streamlined to paddle. 

Maneuverability 

This will be the weak point of this SUP. But that goes for all touring boards. Thankfully Nixy has included a stomp pad on the back of the board that allows you to do pivot turns for quick turning. 

I will say, learning pivot turns on this SUP will be much easier compared to the original Manhattan line because the tail is wider which will put you on less of a razors edge when learning this maneuver. 

The board will take about 7 reverse sweep strokes at a standstill to turn fully around. Which is actually comparable to some longer all around boards I’ve tried.

We also conducted some manueverability tests with a dolphin fin vs a touring fin

Fin	Side Paddles	Reverse Sweep Strokes
Dolphin Fin	16	7
Touring Fin	21	6.5

Nixy Manhattan G4 Plus Specifications Deconstructed

• Type of Board: Touring
• Length: 12’6″
• Width: 30″
• Thickness: 6″
• Volume: 335 L
• Weight: 23 Lbs
• Maximum Capacity: 350 Lbs

Nixy has always been one of my personal favorite manufacturers. This is due to the fact that they are very precise, both with how their SUPs are made and the thoughtful details that go into the construction of the boards. 

In the Manhattan Plus you get an advanced FusionTech Dual Layer machine laminate with Woven Drop Stitch Material. What the heck does that all mean? 

Nixy uses advanced manufacturing processes that many more expensive boards like Starboard, Red Paddle, and now iRocker Ultra boards use. 

They use two layers of PVC and machine laminate them together to create a stronger layer. This requires less glue which saves time, weight, and man effort while increasing the board’s durability. 

The Woven drop stitch process uses stronger threads which is used in a “wicker” sort of pattern to give the SUP even more strength under pressure which gives the board more rigidity. 

Another thing that stands out with Manhattan is that it uses strips of carbon on the board. 

• 2 Strips along the Bottom length of the board 
• 2 Strips along the top layer of the board
• 1 Strip on each side of the board 

These carbon layers to some degree help with the rigidity of the board which gives off less bend and therefore drag while paddling. The carbon strips on the sides also act as an extra layer of protection for some of the most sensitive parts of the board. Which is usually the sides, the part that holds everything together.  

Nixy Manhattan Plus Board Profile

Probably one of the biggest questions you have about this board is:

What are the Main Differences between the Manhattan G4 Plus and the Manhattan G4?

The truth is, there’s not a lot! But the main difference between the two boards would be the board’s profile. The Nixy Manhattan Plus has a bit of a thicker profile that may have taken some inspiration from the Gili Meno 12’6” series. 

This makes the Manhattan G4 Plus a more beginner-friendly paddle board due to its wider width and tail. 

These small differences result in the board being more stable to paddle. As some of the previous complaints from both reviewers and customers were the fact that the original Manhattan G4 was hard to stand on, specifically for taller paddlers like myself. 

And really what good is a narrower touring paddle board when you end up falling in every once and a while? It seemed the original Manhattan was a beast that needed to be ridden a good amount of times before really getting the handle of it. 

While with the Manhattan Plus, will feel more stable and allow you to enjoy that same touring profile with more stability. 

Another difference is that the nose of the Manhattan Plus features less of a rocker which gives you more “board to balance on” since its nose is mostly planted in the water. Although waves may affect the handling a bit more, especially when the wave is hitting from a side angle. 

What’s On Deck

Rating Factor	Score	Average SUP Score (Touring ISUPs)
Board Features Score	8	8.1
Deck Pad Score	8.5 /10	8.5
D-Rings Score	7 /10	7.3
Deck Webbing Score	7 /10	8.2
Action Mounts Score	9 /10	8.5
Handle Score	8.5 /10	8.75

Below are some things that are featured on the Nixy Manhattan Plus SUP. In terms of features when compared to the original Manhattan there are minimal changes in this department.

Nixy Manhattan G4 Plus Deckpad

The deck pad on the Manhattan Plus takes up about half of the SUP. Which is pretty standard for many touring-style boards. The Manhattan Plus features a striped deckpad which does a sufficient job holding your feet in place. 

The deck pad is also embossed meaning when you take a close look at it there are small Nixy label indents on the deck pad to help provide further grip in the board. 

As with many touring boards, the Manhattan Plus features a stomp pad on the rear to help control the longer board with maneuvers like pivot turns. 

“If you are new to touring boards and doing advanced maneuvers you should expect to fall into the water a few times before getting the hang of it. But the good thing with the Manhattan Plus is that the tail is a thicker width which will make the process a bit easier to manage compared to the original Manhattan board.“

– Editors Notes

Manhattan Plus D-Rings

The Manhattan G4 Plus features 10 D rings where 6 are occupied with the cargo webbing at the top of the board. 

Like the original Manhattan, this SUP features 2 D rings on either side of the board in the middle. This can be used for Nixy’s kayak conversion seat. 

Nixy Manhattan Plus Deck Bungees

The Nixy Manhattan Plus features 3 rows of bungees at the top of the board which can be used for a small backpack, SUP bag, and maybe a water bottle or two on the last row. 

“One thing I will say is that I would have preferred to see the Manhattan G4 Plus add a few rows of removable bungees in the back. 

I mean why not? They designed this SUP to be more stable and accessible to more paddlers so why not add the extra couple of rows in the back in case you are doing longer touring excursions? 

Even for paddles that last a couple of hours long I almost always end up using both deck bungee areas with my Newport and Monterey SUPs.”

– Editors Notes

Manhattan Plus Action Mounts

One area that does differ compared to the original Manhattan SUP is that the Plus features one extra action mount in the back. 

Nixy tends to like to put a lot of action mounts on their board which I can see the value in. However, for touring boards you really only need to use action mounts like drink holders, action cam holders and phone/ camera holders. 

Things like rod holders are a bit unrealistic to have for a touring SUP in my opinion. 

So if it was my ultimate board design I would have chosen 3 action mounts near the front of the board while leaving the rear more open with 2 rows of D rings to carry extra gear onboard. This feature I believe is much more useful for a touring SUP compared to extra action mounts. 

Nixy Manhattan Plus Handles

The Manhattan Plus features 3 handles on the board’s front, rear, and middle. The bottom and rear handle are made of nylon with a soft plastic covering to make it soft on your hands. The middle handle is nylon but features a nice and soft neoprene cover on it to make carrying this board easy on your hands. 

Thankfully this board only weighs 23 lbs so it should be manageable to carry to the shoreline for most folks. 

We personally feel that there should be an extra set towards the top of the deck pad slanted on the sides similar to other touring board models. 

This will make the SUP easier to run with in case you enter it in some SUP races. Carrying a SUP this way also feels less clumsy because the handle is more towards the edge of the board and not as high up on your arm. 

Nixy Manhattan Plus Accessories Explained

The Manhattan, like most of Nixy’s boards, has a lot of high-quality accessories included in the package. 

When comparing the Manhattan Plus to other touring brands, the accessories that come with it provide a good amount of value. 

Rating Factor	Score	Average SUP Score (Touring ISUPs)
Accessories Score	9	8.8
Backpack Score	9 /10	8.8
Paddle Score	9 /10	8.8
Pump Score	9 /10	8.7
Fin Score	8 /10	8.3

Nixy Manhattan Plus Backpack

The Nixy Manhattan Plus bag is, in my opinion, one of the best-designed bags in the business. The backpack provides you with a lot of room as well as a good amount of back comforts and holding points. These are in my opinion, some of the most important aspects of a SUP bag. 

First, let’s talk about the bag profile itself. The bag is a bit bigger on average which can have some disadvantages when it comes to being compact. However, when you are coming back tired from the water and you want to put everything away, you are rather thankful that you have a bigger baggier backpack compared to a tight compact one. 

The 3 roller wheels I believe are very well throughout as the 3rd wheel in the middle provides extra support on the bottom when rolling the board in. Allowing the middle to keep its shape and support the load while being wheeled. The wheels are good for grass, gravel, and pavement in my experience. 

Let’s talk about pockets. The Nixy bag has some of the biggest front pockets I’ve seen from most SUP manufacturers which I like because it’s big and spacious. You can fit PFDs, water bottles, or other miscellaneous things inside. You would have trouble doing something similar with other SUP bags.

Inside the backpack is the big pocket which in my experience can fit the SUP most of the time. But as you get a bigger SUP the fit will be a bit tighter. So I advise that you use the pump to deflate the board completely to that it can fit better in the bag. 

One of the things I like is the fact that the bag has 3 fin pockets inside although I do wish they labeled them as Gili does with their bags. 

The paddles come apart and can fit in the side slots and be clipped into place with the buckles on the side. This gives you more room inside the bag and is a rather clever design. 

Many times putting the paddle in is one of the last things you do and it’s often one of the hardest to fit inside the bag. So having outside pockets is smart and easier on you. 

The bag comes with plenty of back support and comfort. Would I use it on a multi-mile hike to get to a water destination? Probably not as I stated before the bag is big and the wheels add extra weight to the SUP. 

Nixy Manhattan Plus Paddle

While this may not be the most ideal paddle for touring SUPs. The paddle that comes with the Manhattan Plus package is better than most paddles I’ve tested that come with board packages. Below are some of the specs.

• Type: 3-Piece Adjustable Paddle
• Length: 67” – 84”
• Shaft Diameter: 28.5 mm
• Weight: 1.54 Lbs (25 oz)
• Blade size: 90 sq inch nylon blade
• Handle: T Grip

“In my experience paddling both the Monterey and Newport, the paddle has a really nice feel to it. The shaft is partially carbon so it feels good on the hands. The T grip handle contours nicely to the palm of your hand. I’ve been on excursions that have been almost 3 hours using this specific paddle and I’ve had no issues with it. 

When spearing the paddle down for a stroke it grips the water and there is little bend in the blade thanks to its thicker composition. This helps give you more concrete and precise strokes as you are moving through the water.”

– Editors Notes

However, if you want something more performance-oriented and lightweight check out Nixy’s array of performance 100% 3-piece carbon paddles.

• 86 square inch: 1.29 Lbs, for paddlers under 145 lbs
• 88 square inch: 1.32 Lbs for paddlers under 140 lbs – 190 lbs
• 94 square inch: 1.32 Lbs for paddlers under 140 lbs – 190 lbs

As you get more experienced touring and want to go for longer distances then it will make more sense to get a lighter-weight carbon paddle. The larger blade will give you more power, while the thinner-bladed paddle will create less drag and therefore give you slightly faster strokes. 

Nixy Manhattan G4 Typhoon Hand Pump

My manual pumping days are probably coming to a close since I have 3 electric pumps now. But from my experience of using manual pumps, this one has been the best I’ve used so far. 

The Typhoon hand pump has 2 chambers and has 3 stages to it. 

When you are starting to pump up the entire board you want to have all chambers firing so to speak. So you turn the nobs to the 3-stage setting. I pump until I get to about 5 PSI where it starts getting difficult. I then switch to the 2 stage and keep pumping until that gets difficult and then do the 1 stage for the higher PSIs. 

Nixy also sells an electric SUP pump that I would recommend. In Fact, the folks at Nixy recently did a test and were able to pump up 10 different-sized boards up back to back. 

Nixy Manhattan Plus Fin

This is the one thing that I believe Nixy should have gone about differently with their accessories. The Nixy 9” dolphin fin is a fine fin for recreational paddling as it tracks well, while not being too much of a hindrance for maneuvering the board.

BUT I do feel that Nixy should have included a Racing fin with the SUP instead of a recreational spec dolphin fin. The Manhattan Plus is a SUP primarily used for covering longer distances at a faster clip and the whole point of a narrower touring board is to get more tracking and speed. So why not include a fin that reflects that?

Thankfully Nixy does have a US/FCS fin box that allows you to swap fins not just from Nixy but just about any paddleboard or surfboard fin manufacturer that carries that same designation. 

Nixy Manhattan Plus Leash

The leash that comes with the Manhattan Plus is a 10’ leash that has dual swivels on the ankle and connection points to avoid entanglement. The cord is made of polyurethane and in my experience, the leash is comfortable to wear. 

Nixy Manhattan G4 Plus Set-Up/ Take Down

The Manhattan G4 Plus is relativly easy to set-up and take down thanks to the boards baggy backpack. The triple action dual chamber hand pump will also make things easier compared to a single chamber pump as you can get more air out of the pump and into the board.

I personally only inflate my boards with an electric pump these days. Most of which will fit the board. I personally use the Outdoor Master Shark II pump to inflate this board but Nixy also has its own electric pump called the Nixy Ventus. Starting off I like to pump the board to 15 PSI to get started.

Rating Factor	Score	Average Score (Touring ISUP)
Set-Up/ Take-Down Score	8.5 /10	8.3

After coming back from an adventure on the water I personally like to rinse the board off with a hose. If you launch off a boat launch they ussually have a hose already there. From there I dry the board off and then fold it starting from the tail. Like many Nixy SUPs the inflation valve is actually on the nose. Which I personally don’t mind actually because you can get the perfect folds in with the tail from the start rather than adjusting later on. It also gives you a good baseline and keep the package more compact due to the nose wrapping around the board.

Once everything is packed away you can stash the fins in the fin pockets, ankle leash in the main pocket and any other accessores you have as well. Fit the board into the bag and place the collapsed paddles on the side pockets clipped in and you are ready to go!

About Nixy Sports

The Nixy line of paddle boards is in general some of the best paddle boards that you can find for under $1000 in my humble opinion. This is down to how the boards are manufactured. 

Nixy makes sure to incorporate high-quality materials like dual laminated fusion material and woven drop stitch in their boards to make their boards stiffer and perform better than the vast majority of SUPs within its budget range. 

Nixy Sports is founded by Ale and Nicolas Artigas and has recently gotten involved with various ocean charities. Such as:

• The Surfrider Foundation
• The Pacific Marine Mammal Center
• The Ocean Institute
• Stand Up for the Cure
• AmbLeMa

To see the rest of Nixy Paddle Boards Click here.

Warranty and Returns

The Manhattan Plus, along with all of Nixy’s other paddle boards, comes with a 2-year warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

It should be noted that the warranty does not cover misuse, damage by exterior elements, wear and tear, modifications or mishandling. But this is pretty standard among all ISUPs. 

While the warranty is about standard with most quality ISUPs the shipping is more favorable as unlike with most manufacturers, Nixy will actually cover the return shipping charge and offer a 100% refund within that policy. 

This is very favorable as most ISUP manufacturers will charge you a restocking fee or make you pay the return shipping. 

What Customers Think of the Manhattan Plus

The Manhattan Plus was just released mid-summer of 2022 so there are not a ton of reviews out there yet but there are a few we found. 

“While I love my Nixy Venice, I wanted a faster fitness board that tracked well and would challenge me a bit more. The new Manhattan checked all the boxes for me. I’m paddling faster and balancing better than I expected. So very happy with this purchase! Excellent customer service and quality with the board and accessories.”

 – Kimberly L. (Verified Manhattan Plus Customer)

“I was very happy when the plus was available. Only had a chance to get on the water a few times. However, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Faster than my beloved old 30″ YOLO. I was expecting to have a bit less balance but was thrilled that I got up right away.Tracking and speed allowed for covering more miles. Looking forward to a few trips next summer.”

 – Lorelei W (Verified Manhattan Plus Customer)

As time goes by there should be more reviews that pour in. I would be very curious to what taller reviewers have to say about the Manhattan Plus and how they felt paddling on it. 

Where to Buy the Nixy Manhattan Plus

As of now the best place to purchase is from the Nixy Website. 

In the continental United States Nixy offers free shipping on items over $100. 

If you are in Canada then the shipping should be under $100 depending on how far away you are from Nixy’s distribution centers in the US. Be mindful also that if you are outside of the USA you may incur duty charges from your home country.

One way you can avoid that is by checking your local Amazon site which ships from inside the country. Often during peak seasons, Nixy ships their boards to Amazon centers throughout the world. 

Comparable Boards

Below are some boards that I believe are comparable to the Manhattan G4 Plus.

Red Paddle Voyager 12’6”

The Voyager is more of a traditional touring paddle board that I would say is more oriented to longer trips. It features a “V Hull” which takes inspiration from a sea kayak hull and places the V at the front to middle of the board to add some on-water performance. 

The Voyager 12’6” also has 2 US fin box fins and 3 rows of D rings in the back that you can strap extra gear down with. 

Gili Meno 12’6”

The Meno in our mind is the direct competitor to the Manhattan Plus. Where it differs is it’s a bit more rounded in shape compared to the Manhattan Plus. This allows the Meno 12’6” to be a more stable pick, particularly for taller beginner paddlers. 

One of the bonuses of the Gili Meno 12’6” board is that it comes with 3 different types of fins. The downside is they are proprietary meaning you can only use Gili’s design fins. 

See our Detailed Gili Meno 12’6″ Review here.

So Should You Get the Nixy Manhattan G4 Plus? 

The Nixy Manhattan Plus is ideal for the following purposes. 

• Touring Excursions in coastal conditions or bigger lakes
• Using this vessel to train and perfect your SUP stroke
• A Recreational transition board for those who want to travel farther
• A more stable board compared to the Original Manhattan G4 board
• An Ideal board for paddlers who are about 200 lbs and under

While this is still a relatively new board it has a lot of technological advances that rival more expensive inflatable touring SUPs that are $1000 and over. 

Compared to the original Manhattan G4 series, the Manhattan Plus is a more stable board that would be better used for paddlers who are on the medium to the larger side of the paddler spectrum.

Overall the Manhattan Plus in my mind is an upgrade from the original from a pure usability standpoint.