Retrospec Weekender Plus

“Most of us aren't disagreeing with you. If the budget is low\* and the desired use is to casually paddle at the beach with no real intent of paddling far or well, then it's fine. It gets people on the water (and that's important). And a lot of people buying it aren't buying the board, they are buying Costco's return policy.\*\* I just told someone in another thread to keep their bodyglove board instead of trying to get something "better" (which was actually worse). They already have it - so go use it and find out what you want in your next board. Where the performer, etc, doesn't do well is why a lot of people here are asking. If someone is asking what board they should get, they are already putting in more thought than the majority of folks that buy these retail-end-cap floats. They generally want something other than a floatable board to use within 50 yards of their beach umbrella. In that case, it's' not a good use of their money. In the case of the Performer, It's also too wide for many people to paddle effectively - combined with the rocker and you get a spinny board that's difficult to move where you want it. This is particularly bad for paddlers under \~5'7 or so. The shorter you are, and the wider the board, the worse the geometry is to even begin to paddle straight. These are "lifestyle" products. They are meant primarily for those who don't really have any interest in the sport itself. The only reason that Bodyglove, Hyperlite, etc. are as "popular" as they are is, not because they are good products, but because they are pervasive in the retail environment at a price that is just stomach-able for those who are curious about paddleboarding. That's why when folks ask about what board to get (and mention these boards) you see so many of us trying to steer folks toward something else. There are plenty of boards out there that offer better construction, better performance, and are still user friendly and priced well, they just aren't being sold in retail stores\*\*\*. I could go grab an amason affiliate link for bodyglove, hyperlite, roc, and niphean make a ton of money in volume sales. I don't do that because it's not good for the customer and its not good for the sport. But, that doesn't stop a ton of "influencers" who mostly have no clue what they are talking about pushing them as the best thing since sliced bread (tik tok is a dumpster fire of this content). I've turned down partnership offers from several of these brands for this reason. As a general rule of thumb, I try not to buy specialty items from companies that don't specialize in them. Bodyglove is a generic watersports brand that makes a huge range products, but specializes in none. They make SUPs, but they aren't a SUP company. It's also unsure who is behind any of the design of these boards. I wouldn't buy a mountain bike from Jeep (even though they made some), and those that did are generally not happy with how they ride. On the flip side, SUP specific companies focus”