The Sea Eagle’s LongBoard 11 is a versatile, all-around inflatable SUP that combines stability, control, and performance. This iSUP is suitable for both beginners and experienced paddlers, and is capable of performing in a wide variety of water conditions.
The Sea Eagle LB11 can be used for both stand up and sit down paddling, and the board can be easily modified to serve as a specialized fishing or rowing platform. Together with Sea Eagle’s world-famous convenience and portability, this makes for an amazingly versatile inflatable paddle board that offers a world of paddling enjoyment for all ages and experience levels.
Sea Eagle LongBoard 11 Rating
- Construction
- Stability
- Features
- Versatility
- Speed
- Warranty
Sea Eagle LB11 Review: SUP Overview
With the growing popularity of stand up paddleboarding, there’s a growing number of inflatable SUPs being marketed. Few companies, however, offer anything like Sea Eagle’s outstanding blend of convenience, quality, and performance.
Sea Eagle’s inflatable boats and kayaks are well-known for their top-shelf quality, and this excellent reputation has extended to their LongBoard range. The LongBoard 11 is the smaller brother to Sea Eagle’s LB126 SUP, and when fully deflated, the LB11 folds away to a size of 32″ x 14″ x 8″ and weighs only 25 lbs. This makes it small enough to throw into the trunk of your car, and it’s light and portable enough to put into a backpack and carry wherever you need to go. – you’ll never have to worry about roof-racks or trailers with the LB11.
Inflation is quick and simple, and with a bit of practice you’ll have the LB11 fully inflated and ready for the water in about five minutes. The convenient front and rear grab-handles, as well as a useful balanced and centered carry-handle, make it easy to carry the LB11 to the water even when fully inflated to 11′ x 30″ x 6″.
But it’s not just the convenience that makes this such a popular iSUP. When you buy the LB11, you know you’re getting the benefit of almost 50 years of Sea Eagle experience, which means a high-quality inflatable that is packed full of useful features.
The hull of the LB11 is manufactured to Sea Eagle’s exacting standards of quality and workmanship to ensure against failure. The material used for the construction is reinforced 1100 Decitex, which Sea Eagle uses for all their high-end hulls. The already durable surface of the hull is then protected by further reinforcement layers on the top and bottom, assuring you of one of the toughest inflatable SUPs around. As an added safety precaution, the integrity of the hull is guaranteed by quadruple overlapped seams.
Drop Stitch Construction
The rigidity and stability that the LB11 exhibits are thanks to the tough drop stitch design that Sea Eagle employs. This process involves using thousands of cross-threads within the chamber to limit the maximum expansion of the board (the LB11 can’t be inflated beyond 6″ thick), ensuring that any increase in pressure results in the board becoming more and more rigid, and more and more buoyant.
Versatility
Apart from being built to take almost any amount of impact and abrasion, the LB11 is designed to perform well on any kind of surface, from flat water to surf.
Unlike certain inflatable paddle boards, the Sea Eagle LongBoard 11 does not strive to achieve a full-hull waterline length. At the end of the day, this board is designed to sacrifice a little bit of speed in the interest of stability.
A 4″ entry rocker ensures that the LB11 planes easily over waves or surf, preventing unintentional nose dives. The nose rocker continues around the hull and ends with a 2″ tail rocker. This design gives the LB11 good stability, and the custom performance kick tail makes it extremely easy to maneuver.
Tracking
Although the LB11 includes two small fixed skegs, a large removable center skeg is also provided. This improves flat water tracking, and the large removable fin can be removed quickly whenever you need it out of the way.
Additional Features
Other useful features on the LB11 include a storage net at the nose for securing whatever small gear you want to bring along, centrally-located D-rings for securing a seat, Sea Eagle’s new PaddlePocket to secure your paddle, and a conveniently large D-ring at the rear that you can use to attach a SUP leash or for towing.
Last but certainly not least is the LongBoard 11’s full-length diamond-configuration EVA-foam deck-pad. This serves not only as an effective non-slip surface for paddling, it also increases overall comfort while on the water. The diamond-shaped pads evenly distribute your weight, which is particular helpful when touring or on extended paddles.
LB11 Packages
Because Sea Eagle has been making inflatables for so long, they know that many of their users have different requirements. The LB11 is available in a wide range of configurations, so you’ll be able to find a setup that is perfect for your individual needs.
- The Sea Eagle LongBoard 11 Start-Up Package is Sea-Eagle’s entry-level kit for the LB11, and provides you with everything you need to paddle: a hull, one SUP paddle (adjustable 66″-85″, 3-part, 2.65 lbs.), a pump, the skeg, a repair kit, and a backpack. If this is your first inflatable paddle board, you’ll have everything you need to hit the water mere minutes after Sea Eagle delivers the package to your door.
- The Sea Eagle LongBoard 11 Deluxe Package offers you a change of pace from conventional stand up paddling. By supplying an inflatable seat and an AB30 kayak paddle (7’10”, 4-part, 2.62 lbs.), Sea Eagle gives you the opportunity to change the LB11 into a seated paddler, allowing you to experience the best of both worlds.
- If you’re already a more experienced paddler, the Sea Eagle LongBoard 11 Electric Pump Package offers a more convenient stand up paddling kit. The BP12 electric pump makes inflating the LB11 as easy as pushing a button, while the carbon-fiber SUP paddle (adjustable 70″-86″, 3-part, 1.95 lbs.) improves the performance and efficiency of your paddling.
- For real experts, the Sea Eagle LongBoard 11 Power Paddle Package lets you use Sea Eagle’s Blue Oblio paddle (adjustable 121.5″-138″, 4-part, 4.9 lbs.) This is the world’s first double-bladed SUP paddle, and it offers a significant improvement in power and control while reducing stress on your muscles and joints.
- To turn your LB11 into a convenient fishing platform, the Sea Eagle LongBoard 11 Swivel Seat Fishing Rig Package is the option to choose. The fishing rig is a standard Sea Eagle extra and can be secured to the board in less than a minute. After this, you can use either the SUP paddle or the AB30 to get to your favorite fishing spot, then just relax and enjoy the day thanks to the Scotty rod holders that come with the kit.
- The premium LB11 configuration is the Sea Eagle LongBoard 11 QuikRow Package. The QuikRow frame can be fitted in less than 60 seconds to transform your LB11 into a highly-efficient rowboat. Complete with a set of 7’11” oars and a SUP paddle, you can now choose your own method of propulsion. And the inclusion of two Scotty rod holders makes this another package well suited to fishing.
Final Thoughts
The Sea Eagle LongBoard 11 is an outstanding all-around inflatable SUP for paddlers of all skill levels. This is a versatile board that can pretty much do it all, and it’s built to last.
We also love the fact that Sea Eagle backs all of their inflatables with an impressive 3-year warranty. Additionally, the company gives you a full 180-days to test their gear out — if one of their products fails to meet your expectations, you can send it back for a full refund.
If the LB11 has one fault, it’s speed. Despite offering convenience, stability, and performance, the LB11 will never be the fastest iSUP on the water. If you can live with that and are looking for a well-built, versatile inflatable SUP, the LongBoard 11 is an excellent choice.