Red Paddle Co recently unveiled their exciting 2017 product line of inflatable paddle boards at Salt Lake City’s Outdoor Retailer Show.
New for 2017 is the revolutionary Forward Flex Control (FFC) stiffening rod, a patented system designed to give Red Paddle’s Elite race boards even more rigidity, ensuring a competitive edge.
The current Elite boards feature the innovative, patented Rocker Stiffening System (RSS) utilizing removable fiberglass battens which stiffen the side rails of the boards.
The additional FFC rod works in conjuntion with the RSS system. Before fully inflating the board and inserting the RSS battens, the FFC rod is clipped to a mounting lever near the top of the deckpad and put under compression, stiffening the board from midpoint to nose.
The new FFC system is part of Red Paddle’s racing development program. With the RSS and FFC systems, nose flex is removed, ensuring an incredibly rigid ride while retaining the portability and storage advantages of an inflatable. By removing nose flex on the board, the Elites become some of the fastest inflatables on the water.
The new 2017 Elite FFC racing boards – available in 12’6″ and 14’0″ sizes with an updated 25 inch width – should be arriving in late 2016. MSRP is $1629 and $1799 respectively. For details, watch the Red Paddle Co product pages on AirKayaks.com, or ask to get on the Notification List.