In this Tower S-Class Paddle Board review, we will deep dive into one of Tower’s newer boards. The S-Class is Tower’s first deep dive into fusion construction boards and is their most affordable board.
Below we will go over what we liked and disliked and get into all the nitty-gritty details about this board, who it’s for, who would benefit from it, and what I wouldn’t use it for. We took this board out for a spin in Deep Cove British Columbia along with the other Tower paddle boards to see how the S-Class compared.
If you are interested in looking at other Tower Paddle boards, look at our company overview linked here.
Let’s jump right into the review!
What Did We Think of the Tower S-Class SUP?
In our testing with the S-Class compared to the X-treme and Yachtsman (2020) we found that the S-Class was a good affordable starter board for those new to paddle boarding. Between our testers who tried different boards we found different results. One of them which is a smaller female paddler thought that the S-Class was more difficult to stand on compared to her Serenlife Free Flow board.
My personal thoughts were that the S-Class had okay stability but thats also because I’ve had some more experience testing boards. In my mind there are other paddle boards out there with similar dimensions that boast more stability. One test that this board excelled in was manueverability. We found that throughout our reverse sweep strokes and side paddle tests that the S-Class featured one of the better scores out of the all around boards.
In terms of on-board features and accessories the package was pretty bare bones but we get into this more below.
Tower S-Class Paddle Board Review Rankings
Below is how we ranked the Tower S-Class based on the below variables. Click the links below to skip to each section.
Total Ranking 7.5/ 10 (Averages of Below Scores)
- On-Water Performance – 7.5
- Stability 7
- Tracking 7
- Speed 7.5
- Maneuverability 8.5
- SUP Construction – 7.5
- Board Features – 7.25
- Deck Pad 7.5
- D Rings 7
- Deck Bungees 7
- Handles 7.5
- Accessories – 7.2
- Paddle 7.5
- Pump 7
- Fins 7
- Set-Up/ Take Down – 8
Pros
- One of the cheaper boards that have better quality construction compared to single layer “Amazon boards”
- The S-Class is a good starter SUP
- The board has good acceleration
- Tower details the exact manufacturing specifications of construction which not a lot of manufacturers do
- The board has a good price-point
- Comes with everything needed to get started
- I found this board was more stable than the Tower Yachtsman board (2020 Spec)
- No Restocking fee for returns
- The S-Class is very maneuverable
Cons
- Tracking was just okay on this board
- I felt the board was stable enough but a smaller paddler friend thought it wasn’t as stable to stand on
- The board’s speed hits a point and stops
- We think the warranty should be longer for this board, many fusion-made SUPs have a 2-5 year warranty period
- We think the board should come with a bag
Who Should Be Using the Tower S-Class SUP?
The Tower S-Class should be used for folks who are just starting their paddle boarding journey. Those who want a decent-quality board at a low price point. In this case, this fusion board will be a better quality pick than many “Amazon” style boards that have a single layer which won’t last as long.
The S-Classes preferred paddler would be more inexperienced folks around 5’10 and 160 lbs and under. This is due to the board’s slightly shorter length at 10’4” which comes in at about 2” shorter than most all-around boards that are at the 10’6” mark. The 32” width helps give the board a decent platform to stand on for those shorter paddlers.
“I am 6’0 and about 185 lbs and I found this board to be decently stable from a primary stability standpoint but I’ve also had a good amount of experience on paddle boards so my rating for stability may be different than yours.”
– Editors Notes
What SUP Activities Can the Tower S-Class be Used for?
Being a Starter board the S-Class can be used for a few purposes as we detail below.
Recreational Paddling
The Tower S-Class can be used for a day out on the water or as a fun board for kids to jump on and off. When paddling this board you may have a bit more of a learning curve compared to longer/ wider paddle boards in terms of getting up and standing. But the more you do it the more comfortable you will get with the behavior of the board when in the water.
Day Paddling
For those who have a bit more experience, you can use this board for a few hours like my friends and I did at Deep Cove. The only thing is that there are only 2 rows of bungee deck webbing at the nose so you have to fit everything you bring into that space and you also have to be okay with your stuff getting wet in that area when it’s wavy out.
On-Water Performance
| Rating Factor | Score | Average SUP Score (All Around Boards) |
|---|---|---|
| Total On-Water Score | 7.5 | 8.0 |
| Stability Score | 7 /10 | 8.3 |
| Tracking Score | 7 /10 | 7.8 |
| Speed Score | 7 /10 | 7.7 |
| Manueverability Score | 8.5 /10 | 8.1 |
Below are some thoughts that I have on the Tower S-Classes on-water performance behaviors.
Stability
The Tower S-Class in my mind, has decent stability for a shorter board of its size. While the pointy nose is meant to help the board be more hydrodynamic, I felt that it did make the board lose some of that stability that you would find on a lot of 10’6” boards that have a more rounded nose.
“My friend tried out the S-Class and she mentioned that she thought the board felt less stable compared to here Serenelife board. Granted its a bit unfair to compare these two boards as the Serenelife is 11’ and has a very rounded nose and tail. She is also a newer paddler. “
– Editors Notes
Tracking
| Tracking Factor | Paddle Strokes | Average Paddle Strokes (All Around) |
|---|---|---|
| Paddle Strokes To Keep Straight Course | 5 | 5.8 |
The S-Class is a more maneuverable board due to the fact that it is a bit shorter and has two plastic side fins. The center fin has a good amount of mass but when paddling this board I got around 4 strokes on each side from a standstill. And about 5 strokes as I was paddling before having to correct.
When comparing this to All Around boards that do have 5” side fins the average is usually 6-7 strokes per side.
Speed
I found the Tower S-Class to have quick acceleration thanks to its lightweight 20 lb shape. However, once you got paddling there was not much more speed that you could build to.
But again this board is not meant to be a speed demon. If speed is what you are looking for, look at something like the iRace board that has a touring profile.
The vast majority of people using the Tower S-Class will not be looking for speed but rather a light and portable board that they can bring with them for recreational paddling adventures.
Maneuverability
| 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 | 11 | 13.3 |
One area that I found this board most impressive in was maneuverability. The board could do an impressive 12 side paddles and 4.5 sweep strokes to do a 360.
As mentioned in the Tracking section, this is due to the board’s slightly shorter length and its fin setup. For those wondering what the advantages of side bite fins are it’s extra board maneuverability.
“I personally think this would be a great board for sheltered waters with tight areas such as mangroves etc.”
– Editors Notes
Tower S-Class Stats Deconstructed
- Type of Board: Recreational Use
- Length: 10’4″
- Width: 32″
- Thickness: 6″
- Volume: 350 + L
- Weight: 20 Lbs
- Maximum Capacity: 275 Lbs
| Rating Factor | Score | Average Score (All Around) |
|---|---|---|
| Construction Score | 7.5 /10 | 8.3 |
I must give Tower credit here for transparency. They mention on their website that this is not their highest quality board but that it is an upgrade from single layer PVC Amazon boards which we agree with.
Tower also carefully details exactly how the S-Class is made which is refreshing considering a lot of other SUP manufacturers say something along the lines of “its super duper reinforced fusion material” but don’t go into the exact details of how it’s made.
(PVC Fusion Picture)
Towers boards are made of a base PVC layer thats .4 mm, followed by a .1 mm glue layer and then a .7 mm PVC Tarpaulin sandwich layer followed by .7 mm inner rail and .7 outer rail tape on the rails. The inside, like many inflatable SUPs, is a single-threaded drop stitch material.
Tower S-Class Board Profile
The S-Class has the same shape that the Premium version of Towers boards have, the Yachtsman, Adventure 2, and Mermaid have which is a standard 32” width followed by a pointed nose and rounded tail.
I found that this shape coupled with the fin set-up made this board very maneuverable. I also found this with the Tower Xtreme and Tower Yachtsman. It’s not the most hydrodynamic shape we’ve seen from an all-around board but it blends a bunch of elements in to make it decent at most on-water things. More on this in the On-Water Performance section.
What’s On Deck
| Rating Factor | Score | Average SUP Score (All Around Boards) |
|---|---|---|
| Board Features Score | 7.25 | 8.1 |
| Deck Pad Score | 7.5 /10 | 8.3 |
| D-Rings Score | 7 /10 | 8 |
| Deck Webbing Score | 7 /10 | 8.1 |
| Handle Score | 7.5 /10 | 8.2 |
There really are not a lot of onboard accessories with this board compared to some others we have reviewed. Which can be seen as a good or bad thing depending on who you are asking. If you want a clutter-free deck and you don’t want add-ons to your SUP then this is a pretty decent choice of board.
However, if Add-ons are important to you, you can either add D rings that Tower sells to the board or look at other paddle board brands we review that have more of those capabilities.
Tower S-Class Deck Pad
The Tower S-Class has diamond-grooved deck padding which is comfortable on the feet. In my experience, the diamond grooves also provide the most grip when it comes to foot positioning.
“The deckpad takes up about 5/8ths of the board although if I were to have it my way I would extend the deckpad closer to the rails. This would open the board up to SUP Yogi’s and possibly give more room for kids and furry friends to stand on.
I also feel that the gray color is a bit bland compared to some of the other deck pads out there.”
– Editors Notes
Tower S-Class D Rings
Tower offers 5 D rings, all of which will be used by either the deck bungees or the leash at the back. Tower does sell D rings that you can add onto the board in case you get a kayak seat or want to do your own modifications to it.
I personally feel like Tower could have gone the way of Atoll and added a few more free D rings around the edges of the board so that you have the option to choose what you want to put onto the board.
Free D rings would help with things like coolers, kayak seats or even more dry bags/ gear. But we also understand that this is meant to be a starter board and most people just getting into paddle boarding aren’t thinking of those things just yet.
Tower S-Class Bungees
Tower offers two rows of bungee deck webbing at the front. In my experience, this is enough to carry a small dry bag, sandals, 2 water bottles, and a speaker. Which should be enough for most casual paddlers.
“I personally would have liked to see some rear bungees as well for those who want to go for day paddling excursions and need more gear. I feel like once newer paddlers find their way with this board they will want a bit more storage space on the board to stash more stuff. This would allow them to extend their SUP journeys longer and longer.”
– Editors Notes
Tower S-Class Handles
The S-Class has handles on the front, middle, and rear of the board. The handle which you will most likely use the most (the middle handle) has padded neoprene which is comfortable on the hands as you lift the board to shore.
The great thing about this board’s weight is that it makes it easy to lift for most paddlers which is one of the benefits of having a lighter-weight fusion construction in the board.
The front and rear handles have a plastic handle that makes dragging the board a bit easier on the hands. Although I would personally only use the front and rear handles to guide the board in the water.
Dragging the board on the ground does not help with the wear and tear. Even if it’s just sand.
Tower Accessories Explained
| Rating Factor | Score | Average SUP Score (All Around Boards) |
|---|---|---|
| Accessories Score | 7.2 | 7.9 |
| Paddle Score | 7.5 /10 | 7.8 |
| Pump Score | 7 /10 | 7.6 |
| Fin Score | 7 /10 | 8.1 |
This board is relatively minimalistic when it comes to accessories. The biggest things that the package is missing is a bag and leash.
I can understand that including a bag adds up in costs and will take up more storage room. However, if you were wanting to take this board on a hike you will have to buy a bag separately.
Tower does offer a backpack which I think is fine for 5-10 minute walking trips and they also include 10’6” SUP bags with allow you to keep your board stored while it’s blown up.
Now onto the leash. I really don’t see why they did not include a leash as it is one of the most important pieces of equipment you have to have with your SUP. Especially in currents, wind, etc. You can purchase a Dakine leash separately from the Tower website but we feel for the cost it is to make them it should be a no-brainer to include it in the package.
Tower Adjustable Fiberglass Paddle
Tower features an adjustable fiberglass paddle which is a good in between to the heavier aluminum paddles and the lighter carbon fiber or carbon hybrid paddles. The paddle won’t be as lightweight as carbon fiber but it will be more durable which is something to think about if you want something durable.
The blade is made of ABS plastic which is a bit heavier but more durable. As a result, the paddle will weigh 34 ounces or 2.125 Lbs.
The paddle should fit a variety of different paddlers as it extends from 65” to 85” in length which is a good range for most paddlers.
“When I used this paddle I felt it was a bit on the heavy side compared to other paddles included in SUP packages but sturdy. The scoop coupled with the 9 degree blade angle also helps scoop the water efficiently to get more power out of your stroke.”
– Editors Notes
Tower Hand Pump
The Tower hand pump comes in 3 parts. The hose, the gauge, and the chamber. I admit that I have not had a chance to try this pump out so I can’t really say how it performs. I prefer to use electric pumps these days.
What I can say about this pump is that it is a single chamber dual action pump and goes to a maximum of 15 PSI. This basically means you can get air into the board on the up-and-down strokes. Tower recommends you pump up the board to a minimum of 10 PSI. I personally set the PSI to about 12-13 for the S-Class.
The pump weighs a total of 2.2 lbs and has an 18” height and 6” width.
Tower Fin
I was a bit underwhelmed by the Tower fin system as it features a clip-in system. Mind you for beginners this will be fine and will be one of the quicker fin systems to set up as it’s a hook-and-pin set-up. The fin itself is a 9” hybrid-style dolphin fin which helps the board track.
“The board also has 2 glued side fins, which in my experience do little to aid in the board’s performance but instead just take up the folding room. For beginners who want an easy setup, this will be fine but for those paddlers who want more tracking from the board you may need to get creative.”
– Editors Notes
Tower S-Class Set-Up/ Take-Down
| Rating Factor | Score | Average Score (All Around) |
|---|---|---|
| Set-Up/ Take-Down Score | 7.5 /10 | 8.2 |
The Tower S-Class will be one of the quicker paddle boards to set up. Due to the fact that the board does not come with a bag you just have to pull it from out of the car and inflate it! I personally use an electric pump to pump the board up but the manual pump will work just as well.
Tower recommends you pump the board to a minimum of 10 PSI to 12 PSI for optimal performance. In this case, I did 12 PSI. Once the board is pumped up you can slide the fin and clip it in and you are ready to go!
“Having set up and taken down all 3 Tower Paddleboards I definitely felt that the S-Class was the easiest to roll back up thanks to its thinner fusion material.”
– Editors Notes
Not including the bag is a curse and a blessing in some ways. On one hand, the bag offers the board more protection and is a lot easier to carry if you have to walk some distance to the water. On the other, with no bag the board does not take up as much space which means you can shuffle the contents in the trunk accordingly.
About Tower Paddle Boards
Tower was the first player in the ISUP industry to introduce 6” thick paddle boards in an industry that was full of flimsy 4” SUPs. Fast Forward to 2023 and most paddle boards come in this standard.
Tower was first popularized by Stephan Aarstol who came onto Shark Tank. He managed to get a deal with Mark Cuban and has been one of Mark Cuban’s most successful Shark Tank acquisitions.
Tower was founded in 2010 and features a lot of publicity from news outlets which you can see on their About Us page.
Warranty and Returns Info
The Tower S-Class has a 1 year warranty and a 30 day money back guarantee. One of the more appealing things about Tower’s warranty policy is the fact that it has no restocking fees. Some other direct-to-customer ISUP manufacturers have 10% all the way up to 20% restocking fees.
It should be noted that Tower offers 2 year warranties on their Premium series SUPs (Yachtsman, Adventure 2, Mermaid) and 3 year warranties on it’s 8” thick Elite series SUPs like the Xplorer and Xtreme boards.
Tower recommends that if you receive the package damaged that you contact them within 24 hours to fill out the warranty claim with pictures/ photographic evidence.
What Customers Think
There are not a lot of reviews on the S-Class just yet but as this board gets more reviews the best place to look would be the Tower Reviews section on Facebook. As of now, Tower features a 4.4 / 5-star review which is above average for many inflatable paddle boards.
You can also check out the reviews on the Tower S-Class product page.
Where to Buy Tower Paddle Boards
You can purchase the S-Class on Tower’s website or on Amazon.com. Tower was one of the first direct-to-consumer website models in the inflatable paddle board industry.
Comparable Boards
The S-Class is a great starter series of boards but here are a few other options for those who want a board that can handle more cargo and accessories.
Isle Pioneer 2.0
The Isle Pioneer features a clean deck pad that offers two rows of bungee deck webbing as well as loops at the top of the deck pad that is made for a kayak seat. The Pioneer is a more stable board due to its shape and dimensions that measure 10’6” x 34” x 6” . The Pioneer features a 2-year warranty and a 60-day money-back guarantee.
See the full Detailed Isle Pioneer 2.0 Review here.
iRocker Nautical 10’6”
The iRocker Nautical is the starter board for beginners who want a low price point, much like the Tower 10’4” board. The Nautical has similar dimensions to the S-Class at 10’6” x 32” x 6” but features more cargo room and has free D rings and Action mounts for extra accessories like kayak seats, rod holers, Go pro holders etc.
See the full Detailed Nautical 10’6″ Review here.
