RED PADDLE CO. COMPACT MSL 12’0 TEST REVIEW
Verdict
Red have made the leading travel-tourer with the Compact MSL. Not by gluing bits on to the but by engineering its DNA. It is a unique board from the ground up. The stow ability is impressive: board and premium accessories (including Titan pump!) fit effortlessly into the neat Compact backpack. At 12’0 x 32” x 4.75”, there is no compromise on touring ability. This smart, stiff board will take you and your kit on some epic wilderness missions.
Overview
The Compact MSL is likely the most genuinely feature-rich board available. It’s built both to tour and travel with ultimate convenience. The board inflates to a solid shell with quad reinforcing stringers wrapping nose to tail. RSS battens add further stiffness to the rails. Deflated, the Compact’s material is supple. This, and the offset inflate valve and handle and segmented EVA deck pad permit lengthways folding before rolling. So, it fits into the technical Compact backpack which contains the 5-piece carbon-nylon paddle, Titan pump, leash and board. On deck are two further race-grab handles, Red’s adjustable cargo bungees and more D-rings for storage, seats, etc…
Brand Claim
The 12’0 Compact is designed with the adventurous paddler in mind. Full of features and Red Paddle Co innovations, this board is an ideal match for paddlers who are passionate about going further and touring further than anyone before with the convenience of a compact all-in-one package.
Performance
The Compact backpack is comfortable and supportive like a quality hiking backpack. It holds the load on your pelvis. The padded shoulder straps spread the force and leave your shoulders free and mobile. Like this, you can genuinely pull off a SUP-hike combo and link several bodies of water.
The Compact MSL board is stunning. Red have coaxed maximum stiffness from this 12’0 with its slender 4.7” side-wall height. You get good feedback and response – it’s quite unlike a generic 10’6 x 6” all-rounder – and the board handles instinctively.
The rounded tail gives a nice blend of support and agility. Fairly straight rails run up to a pulled in tourer-style nose, combined with the low-ride height this gives great cross-wind handling.
The Compact MSL 12’0 must be the ultimate expression of the inflatable travel-tourer technology and philosophy. There’s no compromise on the water and it packs down easily every time for hiking in, stowage on yachts, sea-planes, motorbikes…
Red have achieved the one-two punch of practicality and performance through brilliant design in granular detail and use of premium materials. The Compact MSL stands alone; you won’t see any imitations coming close.
Red Paddle Co’s New Home | World’s Best Inflatable SUP | Red.Equipment
RED PADDLE CO. COMPACT MSL 12’0 TEST REVIEW
Vital Stats
Price: RRP £1499
Length: 12’0
Width: 32”
Thickness: 4.7”
Volume: 302 litres
Fins: Twin click fin
