Global Playboy
  • Travel
  • Work & Money
  • Lifestyle
  • Health & Fitness
  • Technology
  • Reviews
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Global Playboy
  • Travel

    The Complete Guide to Planning Vacations in Africa: Everything to Know

    26th January 2023

    The 9 Best Indian Road Trip Ideas

    25th November 2022

    What to Do in Hawaii: First Time Visitors Guide

    23rd November 2022

    10 Cheapest Countries To Visit in Europe

    19th November 2022

    What are the Awesome Benefits of Traveling?

    10th November 2022
  • Work and Money

    Do People Still Use Business Cards?

    1st February 2023

    The Justin Welsh Linkedin OS Course: Honest Review

    24th January 2023

    6 Ways To Generate B2B Leads on Linkedin For Free

    24th January 2023

    Is a Personal Training Career Worth it in 2023?

    23rd January 2023

    The Benefits of Being A Grocery Driver (and How to Become One)

    22nd January 2023
  • Lifestyle

    12 Romantic Cocktails for Valentine’s Day

    29th January 2023

    5 Tips To Consider When Renovating Your Home

    27th January 2023

    Eight Interior Design Tips for Your Apartment

    27th January 2023

    5 Tips for Self-Improvement

    11th January 2023

    What is Manscaping and How Can You Do It Properly?

    22nd December 2022
  • Health & Fitness

    Is a Personal Training Career Worth it in 2023?

    23rd January 2023

    7 Goals to Set to Better Yourself This Year

    20th January 2023

    Rise to the Top: A Guide to Becoming a Fitness Influencer

    17th January 2023

    5 Tips for Self-Improvement

    11th January 2023

    Energy Products and Supplements: What You Need to Know

    10th January 2023
  • Technology

    5 Undeniable Benefits of Solar Watches

    21st January 2023

    What Can I Use Chat GPT For?

    17th January 2023

    Is Solar Panel Installation Right for You?

    12th January 2023

    How To Send a Connection Request On Linkedin That Doesn’t Suck

    30th December 2022

    Get Paid & Learn To Code? The Best Job Options For New Programmers

    20th October 2022
  • Reviews

    The Justin Welsh Linkedin OS Course: Honest Review

    24th January 2023

    Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old Scotch Whisky Review

    21st December 2022

    Gomatic Travel Pack Review: Best Digital Nomad Backpack?

    26th September 2022

    “Outrunning Fear” by Christine Glory

    16th August 2022

    Old Salt Rum Review: Made In England!

    25th January 2022
Twitter Instagram LinkedIn RSS
SUBSCRIBE
Global Playboy
Twitter Instagram LinkedIn
Home»Fun Stuff»Aqua Marina Fusion SUP 2021 Review
Fun Stuff

Aqua Marina Fusion SUP 2021 Review

Oli LynchBy Oli Lynch31st May 2021Updated:31st May 2021No Comments7 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Reddit WhatsApp Email
Is the Aqua Marina Fusion a paddle board you should buy?

If you’re looking for a great inflatable stand up paddle board in 2021, you might have noticed that you’re spoiled for choice. There is a lot to choose from sub £500/$600. So, is the Aqua Marina Fusion a SUP that’s worth your attention?

In this review of the 2021 edition of the Aqua Marina Fusion, I’m going to focus more on the real world usage. How does it feel to ride on the water? Is it a fast SUP? And can it carry much equipment or extra passengers?

To start with, lets look at the technical specs before we get onto the review.

Aqua Marina Fusion Specifications

  • Release date: 2021
  • Length: 10′ 10″/ 330 cms
  • Weight: 8.6 kgs / 19lbs
  • Max payload: 150 kgs / 330lbs
  • Max air pressure: 15 psi / 1 bar

In the bag:

  • Inflatable Stand up paddle board (Aqua Marina Fusion)
  • Double speed pump plus hose
  • Paddle (collapsable and extendable)
  • Centre fin/keel
  • Velcro safety leash
  • Puncture repair kit
  • Valve release handle (for repairs)
  • Carry bag (over shoulder and carry handle)

Price (June 2021): ~£400 / $500

Who is it for?

The Aqua Marina Fusion is a relatively large board, and is ideally suited for beginners or hobbyist paddle boarders. If you’re looking to race, or use a paddleboard to surf, this might not be the board for you.

But, if you want to have some fun in the water and explore inshore waters, lakes, slow moving rivers or canals, Aqua Marina are pitching this SUP firmly at you.

The Fusion also has attachments for a seat, which is sold separately. So longer distance explorers and fishing enthusiasts might also be keen to review the Fusion themselves.

Aqua Marina Fusion Review

First impressions of the Fusion are, it’s very orange. But… I don’t find the colour overbearing at all. In fact, the orange isn’t day-glo, but definitely has a head turning factor – in a good way. Since I’ve taken the Fusion out several times since owning it I’ve had nothing but compliments.

Another crucial first impression, probably the most important, is the build quality. The whole thing looks and feels sturdy and well put together – from the actual material to the valve, the grips and the accessories, nothing feels ‘cheap’. So far so good.

As for the backpack and transporting the Fusion? I put the whole thing with all the equipment in the supplied backpack and walked the ten minutes or so to the waterfront from my home. Although very bulky, it’s actually a pretty light piece of kit at just over 8 kilos.

With the SUP on your back, you might not want to get on your local metro at rush hour. But you can easily walk a decent distance or even hop on a bike with the Fusion on your back and not feel the strain.

Inflating and getting ready to go

From unpacking to being on the water has taken me probably under ten minutes. The double action pump means you inflate to 10psi and then add the extra 5psi with the lower impact setting – which is fine. Yes, it does get the blood pumping to inflate a SUP, but hey! That’s part of the fun.

With the board inflated, you simply put the paddle together, tie on the leash and you’re off.

The board is also well weighted and light to carry once inflated. The central carry handle makes it easy to pick up and go, and again, the build quality on the neoprene handle is solid.

There is also some mesh on the front of the board to keep your stuff safe. I have a fairly small dry bag (around 10 litres) and usually a pair of shoes strapped to the front of mine. On my first outing I did also take the backpack with the pump, which added a bit of clutter. But, maybe importantly, there is the space…

I feel like you could take a small-ish bag of supplies and a 10-20 litre day bag, making the Fusion ideal for day trips.

Is the Aqua Marina Fusion a good value SUP?

On the water

I took the Fusion out on the water in my hometown, which sits on a large sea facing natural harbour. The conditions tend to be a combination of a little bit of sea chop and some strong tidal currents – although a good day can be nice and glassy.

My first trip out was a smooth water day, perfect to check out the stability and speed of the Aqua Marina Fusion.

Firstly, for stability, I found the size of the Aqua Marina gives it a nice solid feeling even in a little bit of chop. There is no bounce or bowing with this board, so you feel quite sturdy on the water which is nice.

And when it comes to speed, I find that the Fusion can pick up the pace if it needs to. I can definitely steam along with a paddle board, and I felt like the speed of the Fusion was on the top end of the boards I’ve tried before.

On a later trip I went out with a friend in a kayak and it’s true that this kind of iSUP doesn’t quite keep up the pace with boats and kayaks. However, the trip out with my kayaking buddy was a very choppy day, probably on the edge of what I would deem safe on a SUP – so I was mostly kneeling. The chop may also have contributed to the lower speed here too, but I’ll come back with an update as soon as I race another kayak.

My last point is manoeuvrability. I have seen that people often mention that inflatable paddle boards are not too responsive with steering or can be hard to control in some situations. So far, and I’ve been out more than a handful of times on the Fusion, I’ve found this board to be great.

I’ve steered through a craggy approach to a secluded beach, navigated under a pier, had to avoid other boarders at the beach and scooted around with my daughter on the front. And I’m gonna say that the Aqua Marina Fusion is a perfectly nimble board.

Passengers

So, I mentioned my daughter there, who is nearly 4 years old. At the beach in the shallows, we’ve had lots of fun on this board. Of course, she wears a life jacket and I put the supplied leash onto her for safety.

But the point is that the Aqua Marina Fusion can take quite a bit of weight. In fact, me and another buddy (a guy, weighing probably the same as me), both got onto the board did a short hop from point to point. The Fusion remained perfectly buoyant and nimble on the water.

I might not want to get two adult men on this board for a long trip across open water though…. It does feel a little less speedy in the water. But with a young child, dog, or if you want to get your girlfriend on the front (assuming you’re a guy and you have a girlfriend who is quite light), then you could probably manage quite well.

Check out our Aqua Marina Fusion iSUP review

The verdict?

Having ridden the Aqua Marina Fusion on several different occasions, in different waters I can verify that this is an excellent quality SUP. If you’re looking for an inflatable stand up paddleboard that feels hard wearing and durable, and has a premium build quality for a mid-range price, I think almost everyone would be happy with the Fusion at this price point.

Some of the downsides? To my taste I’d rather have a coiled leash, although the supplied version is perfectly adequate. I plan to buy an extra leash so that both my daughter and myself can ride the board, so I will most likely pick up a coiled leash for myself.

The paddle is decent quality, but I would say it’s more adequate than outstanding. The handle has slipped in it’s holding a few times, despite my tightening it up. I am considering purchasing a new paddle eventually, but again I don’t think this is a priority, just personal preference. That said, I think most people will find that the paddle is perfect for their needs.

Despite these two minor gripes, the Aqua Marina Fusion is an excellent stand up paddleboard and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for their first, or an additional iSUP.

Related

Oli Lynch
  • Website
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Freelance content manager and CEO of Sentient Creative. Oli is a keen blogger, regular traveller and sports fanatic.

Related Posts

The Justin Welsh Linkedin OS Course: Honest Review

24th January 2023

4 Astounding Reasons To See a Movie With Friends This Week

30th December 2022

Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old Scotch Whisky Review

21st December 2022

6 Best Absinthe Based Cocktails

27th October 2022

How To Rent a Corvette For An Affordable Exhilarating Experience

19th October 2022

14 Best Learning Apps for Adults

4th October 2022

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Trending Now
Fun Stuff

What Is A Playboy? (And How Can You Be One)

By Oli Lynch5th September 20210

Ah the Playboy lifestyle. The envy of both men and women around the world. After…

Best Places To Buy Your Tailored Suit

10th June 2021

How to Dress Like A Rock Star (Without Looking Like You’re Trying)

3rd April 2022

The Complete Guide to Planning Vacations in Africa: Everything to Know

26th January 2023

The Wildest Stag-Do or Bachelor Party Destinations

25th October 2019

Facebook is Shit: Reasons To Delete Your Profile

10th May 2022

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

Latest Posts

Do People Still Use Business Cards?

1st February 2023

Unleash the Power of Flattery: A Guide to Complimenting Women

30th January 2023

12 Romantic Cocktails for Valentine’s Day

29th January 2023
© 2023 The Global Playboy . All rights reserved.
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

Loading Comments...