A brand new model in this year’s lineup, the 2018 Red Paddle Co 12’6″ Voyager is an exciting touring model that is stable and packs some great features. With three models in the new Voyager line including the Red Paddle Co 13’2″ Voyager+ and a 15′ multi-paddler SUP, these boards are some of the best on the market if you’re looking for a feature-rich touring iSUP that is built to last.
Red Paddle’s commitment to excellence continues to shine, and the 2018 Red Paddle SUP collection offers great diversity with a board for every SUP activity and level of paddling experience. The new Voyager range replaces last year’s Explorer line, and it offers some nice upgrades over the company’s Sport touring boards.
In this review, we’ll go over the specs, features, and build quality of this board. We’ll also discuss the included SUP accessory bundle, new 2018 warranty, and the best places to buy the 12’6″ Voyager from if you’re looking for the best deal.
2018 Red Paddle Co 12’6″ Voyager: Board Overview
Measuring 12’6″ x 32″ x 6″ and weighing 24 pounds, the new 12’6″ Voyager SUP is capable of supporting 330 pounds of weight. This is an extremely rigid board that is fast, glides nicely, and tracks well in the water.
Perfect for long-range, distance paddling and overnight excursions, Red Paddle’s 12’6″ Voyager is a fun board that offers a nice blend of speed, stability, and toughness.
Construction
Featuring Red Paddle’s MSL Fusion construction technology, the 2018 Red Paddle 12’6″ Voyager is lighter, stiffer, and more durable than many other inflatable touring SUPs on the market. This unique construction technology is part of Red Paddle’s Tec Air manufacturing process, and it eliminates human error and the sloppy finishes that are problematic with so many other inflatable paddle boards.
Red Paddle also incorporated their unique RSS (Rail Stiffening System) feature into this new model, boosting overall rigidity by up to 40% as a result. The Red Paddle RSS system essentially involves the insertion of stiffening battens into slotted rail pockets, giving this board unprecedented stiffness even when fully loaded down with an impressive amount of heavy gear.
Features
The top deck of Red Paddle’s 12’6″ Voyager features a diamond pattern traction pattern that provides outstanding grip. At the middle of this multi-colored deck pad are three handles — a centered carrying handle with two more positioned near the rails. At the rear of the traction pad are four D-ring attachment points for tying down camping gear, a cooler, etc.
At the board’s tail is an Air Tec inflation valve as well as another convenient grab handle. Built-in to the side of the handle is a D-ring for attaching your SUP leash.
Located at the nose of the 12’6″ Voyager are 6 additional D-rings, an elastic bungee cord storage area for securing more gear, and a final D-ring for towing the board. Incorporated into the D-ring fitting is a Ram Mounts-compatible accessory mount for attaching a phone, GoPro camera, and other accessories.
Both rails of the board feature a Red Paddle RSS pocket where you can slide in the included stiffening battens. There’s also a small patch of velcro to secure the batten’s pull cord and prevent it from dragging in the water when you’re paddling.
The 2018 Red Paddle Voyager 12’6″ touring board tracks like a dream, thanks to the shape of this board and the special runner fins located on the board’s underside. At the nose is a single runner fin, with two more at the tail of the board positioned on either side of the fin box. The included removable FCS fin is top quality and installs quickly without tools.
2018 Red Paddle Co 12'6" Voyager Rating
- Construction
- Stability
- Features
- Versatility
- Speed
- Warranty
Specs
| LENGTH | 12'6" |
| WIDTH | 32" |
| THICKNESS | 6" |
| WEIGHT | 24 lbs |
| VOLUME | 370 L |
| MAX CAPACITY | 330 lbs |
| PRICE |  |
What’s Included
Red Paddle’s 2018 12’6″ Voyager SUP comes with the company’s renowned Titan Pump, an ultra-efficient dual chamber model that will quickly inflate your board with far less effort than other hand pumps. The company also includes their top-shelf wheeled SUP backpack which is foil lined to keep the bag’s contents cool. Red Paddle added some minor improvements to their 2018 SUP backpack, such as redesigned backpack straps for improved comfort.
Last but not least, Red Paddle includes a SUP repair kit and water resistant phone case.
Warranty
Previously, all Red Paddle Co inflatable SUPs were covered by a 12-month warranty. New for 2018, the company is now doubling the duration of their warranty period to a full 2 years — a nice change that adds even more value to Red Paddle’s boards.
Where to Buy it + Red Paddle Co Coupon Code
The new 2018 Red Paddle 12’6″ Voyager is in stock and ready to ship at Pumped Up SUP. In addition to FREE shipping, Pumped Up SUP will also throw in a FREE 3-piece travel paddle, FREE pressure gauge, and they don’t charge sales tax unless you’re in Maryland.
You can also buy the 2018 12’6″ Voyager from Green Water Sports, who is also offering a FREE travel paddle, FREE shipping, and zero tax outside of Florida. You can get an even better deal by entering the coupon code IBFREELEASH at checkout as they’ll throw in a FREE $30 Vamo leash. Just add the 12’6″ Voyager to your cart, then choose a leash from the available options in the drop down menu. Enter the coupon code when checking out and you should see an immediate credit of $30 applied to your order to cover the cost of the leash upgrade.
Final Thoughts
The new Red Paddle Voyager touring line is super impressive, and the 12’6″ model is a great board for someone who needs a stable touring board that paddles fast and has a lot of available on-board storage options. The 12’6″ Voyager is also a great choice if you’re planning to bring a child or your dog along, thanks to the extended length and open area located at the board’s nose.
We really like Red Paddle’s RSS system as it adds a good degree of additional stiffness to the board, and the company’s newly-extended 2 years of warranty coverage is a nice added bonus.
The one big downside to Red Paddle’s new Voyager touring line is the cost — these are high-end boards with premium price tags. If you’re on the hunt for a fun touring board that is a little easier on the wallet, we’d recommend the new THURSO Expedition which really packs a lot of value.
As far as high-end inflatable touring boards go, the 2018 12’6″ Voyager is about as good as they get. This is a feature-packed iSUP that performs amazingly well on the water and is built like a tank.
