Niphean Pro 12’6” Stand Up Paddle Board: A Review
Get out on the water quickly and easily with this Niphean Pro 12’6” paddle board set!
Great for beginners and experienced paddle boarders alike, the Niphean Pro 12’6” board provides an easy set up and break down, useful carrying case, and (most importantly) a smooth, stable float.
We love paddle boarding, and we looking for a board that our entire family could use. This set by Niphean, which comes with every accessory you need in addition to the inflatable paddle board, is going to be our go-to board for years to come.
In the review below, I’m sharing the pros and cons of this paddle board set, details on how to set it up and store it, and an honest look at how this board compares to others we’ve tried.
My daughter using the board for the first time
This post contains affiliates. If you purchase through the links below, I will receive a commission at no charge to you. A paddle board set was provided to be by Niphean for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are my own.
Niphean Pro Paddle Board, at a Glance
A Detailed Review of the Niphean Pro 12’6” Paddle Board
A Look at the Paddle Board
We have the Niphean Pro 12’6” paddle board in Cedartern here. You can only get the same colorway through the Niphean website, but the company makes a similar paddle board kit on Amazon here.
NOTE: You’ll only get the inflatable seat and more robust accessories package through the Niphean website. The board on Amazon also does not have as many D-rings on the board, nor does it have the accessory attachment points like the Pro version on the Niphean website.
The Niphean Pro board, when fully inflated, is quite long at nearly 13’. We didn’t have to carry it any distance from where we were inflating it to where we put it into the water, but keep in mind that the length (and weight) is going to be unwieldly if you need to move it any distance on land.
The board feels incredibly solid, and not all that different from the solid paddle boards and surf boards that we’ve used over the years. The exterior is a thick PVC plastic with a durable, shiny exterior that’s meant to provide additional support from rips and tears.
The interior of the board has carbon fiber in it to add even more strength and integrity.
When the board is on the water, it is substantial and supportive. When you hear “inflatable,” a plastic pool toy might come to mind, but this inflatable paddle board is far from that. Just looking at it, you might not even be able to tell the difference between it and a solid board.
Once you’re on the board, it is surprisingly stable. If you’ve attempted to go stand up paddle boarding before and struggled with your balance, this board’s width and length go a long way in helping counteract that.
In fact, my husband had only been paddle boarding once before he tried out the Niphean board (while we were in Montana). That previous time, he struggled to get his balance and was very worried he was going to take a cold plunge in the glacial-fed lake we were on.
This time with the Niphean board, he basically hopped on and was off! He even had a hand injury at the time that prevented him from fully using his left hand, and he was still able to get onto the board with confidence and paddle around.
The board has large bungee sections at the front and back if you need to secure a cooler, jacket, day pack or towel bag. There are also multiple D-rings and attachment points that allow you to switch the paddle board to a kayak, add a Go Pro, GPS, or depth finder, or secure a cup holder.
Included Accessories
While the more than $400 price tag might be daunting to you, keep in mind that it includes everything you will need to start paddle boarding.
We’d never owned a paddle board before this one, so I went into this experience not having a clue what I would need to buy beyond the obvious board and paddle. We’d paddle boarded in many places across the U.S. including on Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park and on Lake Jocassee in Upstate South Carolina, but renting a fiberglass paddle board and owning an inflatable one are two very different experiences.
If you’re also new to the world of inflatable paddle boards, rest assured that literally the only things you’ll need other than this kit is a bathing suit and a body of water!
Here’s what comes in the Niphean Pro paddle board set:
-Dual action pump. As I mentioned above, you have two settings, so you can choose whether you’d like to work more or less intensely to get the board inflated. The pump is manual, so you don’t have to worry about being near an electrical outlet like you would with a mechanized pump.
-Fin set. The set comes with 3 fins, which allows you to customize your paddling experience. There’s a longer stabilizing fin with a square-shaped profile that goes in the middle of the bottom of the board and then 2 smaller triangle-shaped fins that are meant to go on the back of the board on the bottom.
The 3 fins that come with the Niphean paddle board
-Collapsible paddle. It wouldn’t make much sense to have a paddle board that fit nicely into a carrying case and then have a full length paddle to worry about! The paddle also breaks down to fit inside of the carrying case, and you can turn it into a single-blade paddle with a T-grip on the other end or a double-bladed kayaking paddle.
Both versions are easily adjustable for your height, so that you get a comfortable grip and paddling experience.
The paddles are made of lightweight metal.
My husband inflates the attachable seat for the paddle board
-Inflatable seat. I loved how easily we were able to switch between stand up paddle boarding and kayak mode.
The inflatable seat is pumped up using the same hand pump as the paddle board (though it requires far less time to get it ready), and it attaches with clips via the D-rings on the top of the paddle board.
You can also adjust the straps of the seat to make sure it is firmly attached to the paddle board. We didn’t have any issues with the seat sliding around once we had it clipped onto the D-rings.
-Detachable foot rest. This is a helpful accessory to use when you are using the board as a kayak, so it provides some resistance for your feet while you’re paddling. The foot rest uses the same type of strap and clips to attach to the D-rings as the inflatable seat.
-Cup holder. I love that the kayak comes with a cup holder!
If you’re spending any time out on a lake, pond, or river, you’re going to want something to drink.
This cup holder is the same aqua as all of the other accessories, and it attaches to the kayak with a hex head screw (included).
The included phone pouch
Having a dedicated cup holder is so much better than trying to keep my water bottle on the paddle board with a bungee cord.
-Phone pouch. A thoughtful touch, the kit even comes with a waterproof phone pouch so that you truly can just show up with this set at your local ocean or lake. Pop your phone in, zip up up the top, and hang it around your neck while you’re out on your board.
The pouch is clear plastic on both sides, so you can take photos and use the touch screen while the phone is inside.
-Ankle leash. This is a small but crucial piece of equipment. You clip one end to the board’s D-rings, and then attach the other end to your left ankle using the velcro wrap.
This will keep your board nearby if you happen to fall off.
-Repair kit. Just in case you find a small puncture or leak, this kit will help you repair your board so you can get back out on the water in no time. The repair kit is located in a bright cylinder, which makes it easy to spot in your carrying case.
Carrying Case
I really appreciate that the carrying case for the Niphean Pro paddle board is well thought out for the average user.
The main compartment is large enough to fit in your rolled, deflated paddle board. (You know how a tent seems to grow by the time you try to stuff it back in its carrying case? This is not the case here, thankfully!)
The main compartment zips open wide enough so that it is easy to remove and place the rolled paddle board. The zips run nearly the length of the entire bag, which provides needed maneuvering room.
There are interior straps in the large compartment to help keep your paddle board compressed and in place.
There is also a front pocket for towels and small accessories. It’s about half of the length of the larger inner pocket, and isn’t nearly as deep. But it works well for throwing in some snacks, a folded towel, sunglasses, and the like.
I will note that the carrying case is not light when everything is packed into it, so don’t think you’re going to hike miles along a trail with it on your back. The design of the pack does what it can to make the carrying experience better, though.
You’ll have a chest strap and waist belt to help distribute the weight of the pack, and load lifters at your shoulders to adjust the overall weight.
I am 5’7” and the carrying pack, when filled, reaches from my shoulders to just above my knees.
Our Experience Using the Niphean Pro 12’6” Paddle Board
Initial Set Up
Laying the paddle board out to inflate it
When our Niphean paddle board arrived at our house, I was a little intimidated by the box. It was big and heavy, and, having no experience with inflatable paddle boards, I wasn’t sure how challenging the set up was going to be.
But, once we get into the box, I quickly realized that I was going to be out on the water in no time, thanks to how organized everything was in the box.
My husband locks the stabilizing fin in place
The paddle board came carefully rolled up inside the carrying case, along with an almost overwhelming number of accessories.
All of the accessories came in separate bags, so it was clear what each part or parts did. If we’d had any issues determining what a piece was, there is a full color guide inside of the included user manual.
We had the board fully inflated with accessories attached within 10 minutes from taking it out of the bag the first time.
The hardest part was getting the board inflated, which does require some work. The pump that is included has two modes: a single pump mode and a double pump mode.
The single pump is easier to do, but it will take longer to fill the board. The double pump mode is harder but you’ll fill the board in a much shorter time.
You will need a good amount of space to inflate the board, so plan to stretch out on a dock, landing area, or beach. Since the board is nearly 13’ in length and almost 3’ in width, you’re going to need that footprint plus some room to maneuver.
First Thoughts on the Water
My daughter tries out the Niphean Pro paddle board for the first time
Once we’d gotten the paddle board inflated, my daughter and I placed it in the water (the large pond on my brother-in-law’s farm) without any issues.
She wanted to be the first one to try it out, so I let her paddle around for a bit. She opted to use the board as a standard stand up paddle board, and almost immediately remarked at how stable and secure she felt on the board.
When I had my turn on the board, I also had the same thoughts. The rental boards that we’d used in the past were much shorter and, thus, required more balance. The Niphean 12’9” is long and wide, so beginners won’t have that learning curve like you do on shorter, narrower boards.
Using the paddle board as a kayak
The Niphean board paddles incredibly smoothly and turns easily, despite its size.
When it was time for me to pop on the seat to test out kayak mode, the process of clipping and securing the seat to the paddle board took literal seconds. I didn’t even have to get out of the water: my daughter just tossed me the seat and I was able to install it while kneeling on the board.
Using the board like a kayak is also comfortable and stable. The included inflatable seat provides enough support that you’d be able to use this for longer trips, and paddling with the adjustable dual blade paddle is easy.
We played on the pond for over an hour and I never felt tired or as if I was working overtime to paddle the board, either in SUP mode or kayak mode.
We were on the pond on a still day, so I can’t speak to how this craft would do in choppier waters directly. However, after seeing how stable it is, I can hazard a guess that you’d be able to navigate even in water that had small amounts of boat wake and wind.
Storing the Paddle Board
Rolling up the paddle board at the end of the day
Getting the board inflated and out onto the water is one thing, but getting it back in the carrying case is another, usually more difficult thing.
(See comments about returning tents to their bags, above.)
I’m happy to report that the Niphean paddle board doesn’t require a lot of fiddling to break down, AND it even fits easily into the carrying case!
Again, I was doing all of this for the first time when I was going about this review, and I knew there would be some pain points just because I was learning about the board.
But packing up was so much easier than I anticipated.
I pulled the board out of the water and took off all of the accessories that we’d added on at that point. The only accessory that gave me pause at this point was the cup holder.
I had screwed it down to the board loosely, so I was able to take it off of the board using just my fingers. However, if I’d been on a longer trip, I would’ve needed to secure the cup holder fully. In that scenario, I would’ve needed a pair of pilers to get the screw loosened, I imagine.
Once the accessories had been removed, I wiped the entire board down with a towel, getting as much of the moisture off as possible. Alternatively, set the board in the sun to dry.
Either way, you want to make sure that any water, sand, dirt, or organic material is off of the board before you get to the next step.
Open the inflation valve on the paddle board and reattach the pump, ensuring that it is set to deflation mode. From here, you’ll easily pump all of the air out of the board. There should be so little air in it by the end of this process (which only takes a few minutes) that the tip of the board will start to curl back towards you.
Once you see that occur, use the natural curl to roll/fold the board back up. Tighten the board as you make each turn so that the end result is as compact as you can get it.
Lay the carrying case flat on the dock or ground and unzip it as much as possible.
Place the rolled up board in the back of the carrying case and secure it with the internal straps.
Add in your accessories, towels, and anything else you brought, zip up the case, and you’re ready to go.
Comparison to other boards we’ve used
This board is bigger and wider than any of the rental boards we’ve used, and it is much more stable for it.
I could easily put my 9 year old and a small cooler on this board with me and still be under the weight limit. We’ve done so with other rental boards and I was worried I was going to flip us and our picnic lunch the entire time we were on them.
The Niphean board would be perfect for a lake day with my kids, and I could see us taking food and drinks, towels, and more on this board with no issues.
It also has multiple bungee cargo areas, which I liked. The rental boards usually only have one at the nose (or none).
The D-rings and attachment points on the Niphean board allow for so much customization, which is a huge plus. The fact that we now have both a SUP and what is essentially a top kayak in one product is amazing.
Overall, I am so excited about the possibilities of taking this board on future camping and road trips. The carrying case makes it easy for us to store the entire kit in our small travel trailer, while still having everything we’d need at a moment’s notice.
Is this board good for families?
Yes! I highly recommend the Niphean paddleboard for families.
Not only is this a great board for beginners to learn how to paddle board, but it’s also great for taking kids along with you, thanks to the stability and space available.
My 13-year-old could absolutely handle a Niphean Pro board of her own, which opens up possibilities for even more gear and food options on our paddles.
I don’t think that I’d be comfortable letting my nearly 10-year-old on one of these boards alone since the size would be too much for him to maneuver solo. However, the board is big enough that he could sit on the nose while his dad or I paddled him around.
If your family is thinking of taking the leap into owning a paddle board, but you don’t want to worry about how you’re going to transport them, the inflatable Niphean Pro is a GREAT option!
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