C4 Waterman 10'6" C-MAC iSUP Review

The C4 Waterman iSUP series has already taken off in a big way. Our inventory has sold out, and we are selling them quicker than we can get them. All for good reason. Why not have a high performance stand up board that rolls up into a 22 lb bag? For most people, traveling to a worthwhile surf break usually involves either flying somewhere, or driving a few hours. Portability is key. River SUP'ers need an extremely durable board that can bounce off rocks all day long. If you are thinking of stand up paddling down a river, you are guaranteed of two things...You will hit rocks, and also have lots of fun. For the above mentioned reasons, the C4 iSUP series are wonderful boards for stand up paddling. The 10'6" is based on the original C-MAC ATB design. It is incredible stable, does will in the river as well as surf, and handles riders up to 275 lbs. If you want a board that you can learn to surf, tour and paddle down river on, but also keep for a while(the design is actually very advanced which means that you do not have to get rid of it once you get good), the 10'6" is the right tool for the job. It's also a good board for a family. With the weight range going up to 275 lbs, anyone from a child to an inside linebacker can use it.

Specs:

Pros:

• The 10'6" is a great board to learn to surf on, run rivers with or just tour flat water. It's big and really stable, yet is nimble enough to surf waves on out in the ocean or on the river. Because of it's added length (and a little bit of weight), and less rocker up front, the learning curve for beginners will be much easier. In short, the 10'6" is the fastest, most stable board in C4's lineup.
• Larger paddlers will like the 10'6" better. It is rated to accommodate riders up to 275 lbs, almost 100 lbs more than the the Sub Vector.
• It is easier for a smaller person to paddle a bigger board, then a bigger person on a smaller board. If you are shopping for a board for the family, or a group of people (instructional use, schools, etc.) The 10'6" CMAC iSUP is a great choice.
• This is also a great board for touring. It is MUCH stiffer than a board like the Kona (great value, but not so stiff). With less rocker than the Sub Vector series, it tracks better in the flats.
• The 10'6" is C4's "do everything board". It does everything with ease from down river paddling, surfing, touring, etc...
• It's easy to get the 10'6 onto a river wave. Fast green waves out in the middle of the river sometimes require you to attain (paddle upstream) through cross currents and unstable water.Because of the speed of the 10'6", it's easier to get on the wave. The 9'3" is a little harder to get on the wave (once it's on the wave, it's incredible.
• The CMAC iSUP 10’6” is based on the design of the CMAC composite board, which was designed more for river use. Because of this, the 10’6” iSUP does really well in river environments too. It's wide, stable and does not have tons of rocker. All of these elements make it a great down river board. As well as an easy paddler in the ocean and on large bodies of flat water.

• For advanced SUPers and people who want to focus on surfing, the 10'6" may feel more sluggish that the 9'3" Sub Vector iSUP. The same features that make it more stable than it's inflatable counterpart, also make it less performance driven in the surfing area.
• The 9'3" iSUP has more rocker which makes it a better surfer than the 10’6” iSUP.
• All inflatable boards are more flexible than composite and plastic boards. If you want something really stiff ans fast, C4 makes a composite CMAC too.

The verdict:

The C4 10'6" CMAC iSUP is a rock solid, really stable, inflatable stand up board. It's got a little bit of rocker which helps with surfing performance, but not enough to sacrifice stability and touring speed. It's the most versatile board in C4's lineup. If you are looking for a "do everything, go to board", the 10'6" will work well. This is the board that we have been using for teaching beginners to paddle down river and surf. Since it is constructed of bomb proof rubber, and has permanent fins, there is very little to worry about as far as breaking it goes. The CMAC's iSUP's an awesome stand up board.

Fun day at the beach...