Picture of David Ziessen
David Ziessen

enero 9, 2023

We at ISUPcenter thoroughly test the Boards that can be found in our webshop. This time we test the Moai 12’4 Family Board. Like its smaller brother the 9’5, the Moai 12’4 Paddle Board is also relatively new. Both SUPS were released in 2020. We tested both boards for all relevant factors. From quality to manoeuvrability.

What is the Moai 12’4 for Paddle Board?

As mentioned before, the Moai 12’4 SUP board is just like the 9’5 new in the Moai collection. It was added to the collection in 2020. It is a family sup, it is specially made for two people to paddle or canoe on one SUP board. This SUP can also be converted into a 2 person canoe thanks to the Moai kayak seat and paddle.

Moai is relatively new in the SUP market but that is not noticeable, they offer quality and complete SUP packages for a competitive price. You have a total of 5 different Moai boards, namely the 9’5″ allround, the 10’6″ allround, the 11″ allround, the 12’4″ allround Family (2-person) and finally the 12’6″ touring . Almost every Moai supboard has the same design, only the properties differ. Would you like to know which Moai supboard suits you best? Then view our Moai advice guide.

We tested the complete Moai 12’4 package, although this review is mainly about the board itself.

Contents of the Moai 12’4 package

moai 124 sup board review

Inhoud van het Moai 12’4″ SUP pakket

Almost everything you need for supping is included in the package. There is an adjustable SUP Paddle so that the package can be used by everyone and there is also a double action pump with which your board is inflated in no time. The following accessories are included in the package:

  • The Moai 12’4 Paddle Board
  • NEW: Adjustable fiberglass/aluminium paddle
  • NEW: Reinforced trolley backpack (with wheels)
  • NEW: US vin box
  • Moai Leash
  • Moai double action pump
  • Repair kit
  • Removable center fin

Test Factors

Each paddle board is tested on the same factors. In this way the reviews remain clear and detailed. The following 4 factors appear in every SUP review:

  1. The quality of the board
  2. How stiff the SUP is
  3. How stable the stand up paddle board is on the water
  4. And finally, we test how agile the board is

After testing all 4 of the above factors, we rate each factor from 0 to 100. Its average will be the final grade of the supboard package. This final grade is located at the bottom of the page at the conclusion, including the 0 to 100 scores. See below the results of the tested factors.

Quality of the Paddle board

The new 12’4 Paddle Board is quite different from its brothers. The board is far from a paddle board to achieve performance. It is purely meant to have fun with your partner, boyfriend or girlfriend. As mentioned before, you can both sup and canoe on this board with two people. Thanks to the supplied double action pump, it is quickly inflated. Can’t or don’t want to inflate your SUP yourself? Then consider purchasing an electric SUP pump. Moai strives for innovation and they show that again with this board. They are just new to the market but continue to release new types of boards consistently.

Stiffness of the Paddle board

This supboard is just like its brothers made of 2 PVC layers and drop stitch. As a result, it does not bend quickly and remains stiff. Because the board is so big, it does have more flex (moving the board up and down while paddling). But that makes sense for a paddle board where you can stand/sit on with two people.

There is elastic on the back of the board, thanks to the elastic you can easily take your food and drinks with you in a dry bag. The board’s design is inspired by the monolithic images called Moais, which is where the brand name of the SUP brand comes from. And not only the board is inspired by the images, the inspiration can be found throughout the whole package.

Stability on the water

Thanks to the high volume, the wide middle base and the short round nose, this board is very stable. And that is certainly important with a board for two people. The stability ensures that both the novice and advanced supper can have fun on this board. So you don’t need to have any experience with supping to have fun with your partner, friend or girlfriend on this 2-person sup.

Manoeuvrability in the water

To our surprise, the 12’4 is still very manoeuvrable. Just as the wide center base, high volume and short nose provide stability, they also provide maneuverability. Bends are easy to make thanks to this combination. which is also partly due to its good stability, the more stable you are, the easier you make the bend. Just don’t expect a super manoeuvrable board, for a two person supboard of this length it is very manoeuvrable. But if you compare it with, for example, the Moai 10’6, it is a lot less manoeuvrable. This is mainly because this board is 12’4 feet and the 10’6 logically 10’6 feet.

Conclusion Moai 9’5 review

We are very pleased with the Moai 12’4 Paddle Board, this is also why it can be found in our webshop. We are particularly pleased with the price/quality ratio. Just like with the other Moai boards, you get a complete package for a competitive price. And as mentioned before, this is not only the perfect stand up paddle board for beginners but also for advanced paddle boarders. This is mainly due to the manoeuvrability, stability and quality. Beginner or advanced, almost everyone can paddle with pleasure and comfort with their partner, friend or girlfriend on the 12’4.

If you are looking for a SUP for two people that you can also canoe with, then this is the ideal supboard. And don’t forget the super competitive price of the entire package. View the score of the Moai 12’4 Paddle Board in the overview below.