Perhaps it is because I literally sleep with my red Hobie® Venture mounted high on our bedroom wall, beyond the foot of our bed. We live in the arid desert, and I love to treat all my boards with care, and air-conditioning…. Plus, I enjoy having them very close to me, no need for extra clothes, shoes, jewels… boards are what I choose in abundance.
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My red Venture is like my everyday car – it is my dependable go-to. It is such a solid, strong fiberglass all-rounder, that will take me wherever I paddle. It is THE MOST versatile touring board I have come across, because I can use it for a leisure paddle with friends, a quick SUP exercise/yoga session, or on a weekend camping adventure with Nate.
I am drawn to the powerful color red. The Venture gets double takes upon first glance, as it is aesthetically beautiful. The most brilliant of all reds, it has classy bamboo inlay, on the nose of the deck. The bamboo composite on the bottom and rails helps to add to the strength of this board. Red and bamboo are the most attractive features to me.
I love the feel of the comfortable grey traction pad under my feet. It acts as a shock absorber on longer paddles, as the majority of the time I paddle barefoot year round. The EVA deck pad compliments the familiar Black Flying H, toward the rear of the deck.
With a pointed nose and a tapered tail this 10’4, 30” wide, 24 lb. stand up paddleboard is an excellent size for my 5’3 frame. I can easily handle, store, and load this board. Larger paddlers might prefer the 12’ 4” model. Sometimes I choose a shorter board on our Arizona lakes for a quick paddle before or after work. It is easier to lock inside a car, and to handle. It is okay to slow down and enjoy, and not worry about speed or distance.
The Hobie Integrated Handle is contoured so my hand does not lose grip, and it also has a stainless steel bar built into it, to lock with a cable. We travel to many places, and it is an excellent feature to be able to secure your board, especially when exploring around a new town for the day.
When we were SUP camping one weekend with our friend, Matt, he discovered we can even use the handle feature to store a small, healthy snack. I wound up putting a granola bar and a coconut macaroon in it! The food stayed dry and it was nice to grab it easily, rather than fuss with a cooler for a supply of quick energy.
The Venture has 8 tie down points, which works great for all the shock cords Nate has inserted. He is excellent at making sure we have everything secure for safe SUP travels, food, and entertainment (if needed). Adding to all the use our boards get, it is great to have carbon fiber reinforced impact areas.
Paddling is our number one activity for fitness, happiness, stress relief and travel. Now, off to dream and research where my Venture will take us next, in sunny Arizona!
