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12'6" plastic board with bamboo inlays, 9"
removable fin and recessed deck hardware. Comes
with leash, carbon fiber paddle and storage bag.
Weighs 32 pounds

Pros
Very fast and very stable. Turns and handles like a smaller board. Pop up carry handle.

Cons
Surface epoxy is very brittle and chips easily. Deck mat is difficult to clean.
Usage
Exercise and Touring.

Outstanding design and construction. It inflates to a firmness equivalent to a hard board. It is light weight. It performs as well as any board I have tried. The D rings are a great addition, and make the board usable without any additions. Pros Easy to carry and inflate. Solid performance on the water. Quality construction. Cons Comes packaged with a low-quality paddle. Usage I use for exercise and touring.

I bought an inflatable SUP last year and returned it after three uses. I gave up on paddle boarding. Then I tried again with the XTERRA. I knew immediately that it was not so unstable and difficult to use as the first one. The XTERRA board has a flat deck. It was the arched deck on the other board that made me feel so uncomfortable. The six large D rings solve many problems I had with the other board. I'll never be great, but the XTERRA board put me into the game. I did find the paddle too flimsy to use effectively, and quickly replaced it. The board is rigid as a solid board, but easy to transport and store. I am a big guy, and feel unstable most of the time, but I hope to grow out of it as I gain more experience. Pros Flat deck, rigid, D rings, Backpack and pump Cons Paddle is flimsy and low quality. Usage Use for exercise because I really have to focus and work to balance and move.

As an add-on to my previous review, the Sportsrig web site states their cancellation policy. Once you order anything from them, there is a 20% cancellation fee. Read all the reviews and be very sure of what you want when you order, and be willing to wait a long time to get it.

I bought the package five boat rack, and it is outstanding. The lead times are short, the quality of workmanship is outstanding, and the material is very high quality. The whole line is pricey, but worth every penny.

Please be aware that delivery times for the trailers are twice or more than what they quote, but Sportsrig will charge your card the very next day. I had no assembly problems but had to do polish and finishing work on the pieces to make them fit together. I had to buy clip bolts for the tongue extension because you can't fold and store with the extension bolted in place. If you order the load bar extensions for a long kayak your regular rack hardware that runs front to rear will not fit. I ordered a mini rack in late October so I could use my Yakima gear with a promise of 3-4 weeks from the owner. Confirmation from the company after my card was charged said 4-5. When I checked in early December, it was 3-4 weeks more. When I asked to cancel the order they said I can't because it had been started. The trailer is a great design, but not worth the price. You can buy an aluminum trailer cheaper, and it won't rust. Sportsrig customer service speaks for itself. They talk nice, but that's all.

After a year with the Talon Side-Loader I find it to be a compromise. Good Points: I added the accessory bars for Thule and have carried up to three kayaks on the bar. Lock pins and other safety features make for a very secure stand. It is easy to properly secure the kayaks in the down position. Bad points: another lateral bar is needed to keep the load stable when raising and lowering. The slide glides move, and I have to tap them forward with each load to put the lock pins in. I quickly discarded the Talon lock pins for safety-clip style hitch pins from Home Depot. The rack, side-loader and accessories are almost at the load limit of my factory rack before I add any kayaks. The complete rack is non-aerodynamic and whistles. Finally, I have to get under the loaded boat and use my legs in a weight-lifter style lift to get the 70 pound boat up to slide across. The system works well with my 30 pound surf ski, but I don't need any help to lift it on top of the van.

I bought the Futura II in Kevlar with deck bungees and center handles. After years of different sea kayaks and SOTs of various materials, I finally have found the ideal boat for me. The only learning curve was in getting used to continuous use of the rudder. The Futura II is as stable as any of my high performance sea kayaks, but quicker overall and much less wind and surf sensitive. The quality of materials and workmanship was outstanding, and the performance was even more than I had hoped for. In working as a guide, I have let my clients and students try the boat, and no one has had problems adapting to it quickly. I have rated the boat a 10 because I could find no fault with it. This is the first kayak I have owned where I have made no compromises. I have no trouble using it year round in the heat of Arizona and the icy waters of California.

I hope anyone interested in the Q600 will read the reviews. The web site suggest it is for the smaller paddler. I'm 5'10" and 220 on a small day. It performs like a playboat for me and still carries loads very well. At 2" shorter than the Q500 it has a better waterline length, is faster, less sensitive to wind and easily maneuverable. It rolls easily, and edges well for turning. This is QCC's performancfe boat, but they don't adverttise it that way. Mine is the carbon/kevlar model with thigh braces and the smart-track rudder - which I have never had to use. I've paddled the Q500 and Q700, and recommend this boat over them unless you plan to travel for a month without resupply.

All the hatch covers leak around the fittings. I tried a kevlar Synergy and it also leaked at the hatch fittings. I would call it a great design with lousy worksmanship.