RED PADDLE CO VOYAGER TANDEM 15’0 TEST REVIEW
RED PADDLE CO
VOYAGER TANDEM 15’0
TEST REVIEW
Verdict
The Voyager Tandem is a surprisingly easy board to get great speed and distance out of (provided you are in sync with your partner!), and while it has huge appeal as a big, family fun platform we think the real magic is in its ability to get two people and their kit away on an adventure. It is such a well-made board, Red are a leading force in the premium inflatable sector (which accounts for most of the market) and the Voyager Tandem is expedition-level equipment.
Overview
You’ll still be discovering new features on the Voyager Tandem after weeks of ownership. It comes fitted with seven soft touch carry handles, two luggage spaces with tie-downs to keep everything secure – the front one incorporates a screw-thread for a camera, diamond-cut deck pads for each standing area, and a smoother, softer deck pad under the rear-most cargo bungee. Underneath a US centre fin keeps you on course, while three runners – one on the nose and two under the tail, ensure more of your paddle power is translated to forward momentum.
Brand claim
The Voyager Tandem enables you to explore even the most remote locations with a partner. Tailored to the needs of two explorers (plus a third small companion with the removal of the central cargo points) who want to carry their kit along with them on their adventure. At 8’/200mm thick, there is a huge amount of volume in the board so you really can take everything including the kitchen sink with you.
Performance
For such a massive board, the Tandem is a pleasant board to live with. The two supplied pumps make perfect sense and it feels very light for two people carrying inflated on their shoulders. If you’ve been scared by ‘monster sups’ in the past, we can assure you the Tandem portage experience is far more pleasant. This is a lovely board to paddle. Within a few moments, we’d synced our stroke and the Tandem just rolled over the bouncy chop, it feels very natural. The simple teamwork element is great fun and again unlike a monster sup it actually improves the paddling experience rather than feeling like a gimmick. The board tracks well so you don’t have to keep switching and correcting; we found it steers best with forward strokes from the paddler on the tail, while the guy up front can easily set the course with rudder techniques. The whopping 8” of thickness gives a high, dry ride and the expansive deck gives you plenty of space for sorting kit and living on the water without getting wet. I’d encourage anyone after a multi-person SUP to try the Voyager Tandem first – you can throw a load of kids on it but you don’t need to 5-a-side team to make it work, and it really does go places, and fast.