12'6 Elite

The 12'6" E-Series ia a 2012 incarnation of the Elite board. It is a beautiful, fast and stable board, but I was most impressed with the construction, Bamboo Composite Epoxy + Carbon Fiber (BCX+C). The description from Hobie's website states: "Hobie’s premier construction, BCX + C brings together the natural strength and flexibility of a thin veneer of Bamboo sandwiched between multiple layers of fiberglass compressed into a mold to create a strong and lightweight high performance outer shell over an EPS core. The rails are then capped in Carbon fiber adding extra stiffness and rail strength." What this means to me is a tough yet lightweight board, which I can use in almost any conditions. It also has a slightly concave bottom, which adds to the overall stability of the board, making it as stable as a board an inch or two wider. The dimensions are 28.875" wide and 6.6" thick, and it weighs around 29 pounds. Pros The Hobie 12'6" E-Series is a fast, solid, and stable paddleboard; it is versatile and user-friendly, and it is also a very beautiful-looking board. Cons It is a bit on the heavy side for a race board, but I suspect it could take a lot more punishment than its lighter-weight counterparts. Usage I currently use my Hobie mostly for touring and exercise, but as I improve my forward stroke, I plan on transitioning into racing.