Body Glove Performer

If you’re looking for a very stable, inflatable, all-around/touring paddle board that is at an affordable price point of less than $1,000 then the Performer 11 from Body Glove is worth a look. Due to its width of 34 inches the board is very stable and weighed in at 23.3 lbs, which is pretty lightweight and easy to carry. Its shape makes the Performer a board that can be used by everyone, no matter the age or skill level, and is designed primarily for recreation. Its construction and shape combined best fit this board for short distance paddling, around the beach and dock or on the river. Retailing at $999, the board fits in the affordable mid-tier market.

The new 2023 Performer from Body Glove has a fresh look once again but the differences aesthetically from last year to this year are pretty subtle. The biggest difference is in the deckpad, paddle and bag. The rail of the board also uses a lighter, brighter blue. Design-wise, there’s a big update in the fin system. Before, the board had 3 built-in fins. This year though, the board has one removable center fin which is a great update and allows the board to pack down smaller and lightens up the overall weight. Another difference from last year is what’s included in the package is slightly different. The 2023 package includes their new Connect System which allows you to connect multiple boards together which is quite cool. Not included this year is the manual pump, only the electric one. This also makes the overall package a smaller one which is nice. Once again, the branding and package as a whole was next level. Another small but powerful detail is the way the board is packaged. The board uses paper instead of plastic for the packaging and has small ties for smaller items. They also plant a tree for every board sold. Love that!! All the details and add on’s, big and small, are really well thought out and those small touches go a long way in our book and really add a lot of value. On the water the board was stable and tracked well, especially with the new fin design. The materials and quality of the board are top notch and board performance was great once again. Overall, the Body Glove Performer 11’ continues to impress. Each year it keeps getting better and the value here is insane (especially when purchased from Costco at an unbeatable price). 100% an A-grade board.

Updated for 2022, the Performer 11 has once again received a nice makeover both graphically and for the package as a whole. The first upgrade we noticed was the inclusion of the electric pump which made inflating the board easier than ever before. That alone is a huge value-add. The 2022 graphics are also a really nice upgrade, probably our most favorite to-date. The deep blues mixed with the wood graphics and the pop of Body Glove’s branded yellow really go together nicely. Another subtle but nice feature change was the detail they put into the deckpad. Before, the pad was a standard diamond pattern that you see with many brands on the market but this year their deckpad features their logo etched in in tiny little circles as the pattern and it even has foot placement guides etched in. Big points on thoughtfulness there. Not new for this year but still worth noting, are all the bells and whistles that the board comes equipped with. The bungee on the nose, the reinforced nose bumper, the tow attachment on the nose, the action camera attachment and the center handle that also doubles as a paddle or water bottle holder, all add so much value to this package. On the water the board felt very stable as expected and the pointed nose helped the board glide smoothly. The board even felt stable enough to bring along a first time paddler, Sage the 5-month old Weimaraner puppy without issue. One thing to point out here is that the fins are permanently attached to the board so you'll have to be a bit more careful as to not damage the fins or the board when the board is not in use but other than that we have nothing but praises for the 2022 Performer 11’. Overall, this board and package is very well put together. From the graphics across each touchpoint, the board quality, the add ons and the included accessories all make the value of this packaged unmatched, especially if you’re a Costco member where the package price drops down to an unbeatable $399. Once again, excellent job to Body Glove on putting this together.

Updated for 2021, the Performer 11 has received another nice makeover. It's not the most premium, but when it comes to value it's definitely among the top ones. The graphics have a really nice color coordination and the traction pad is comfortable on your feet. The shape is fairly good and the board feels incredibly stable and the pulled in nose does give a bit more glide. The fins are permanently attached to the board so keep that in mind since you'll have to be a bit more careful as to not damage the fins or the board. The board also features a carbon reinforced strip which definitely stiffens it up. This board also has a mount on the nose for a boat rope to be pulled behind a boat or other watercraft and comes with a gopro mount and a bungee on the nose. The deck of the board has an easy strap handle that can also be a strap for holding the paddle or even a water bottle. This comes with a 3-piece paddle, pump, ankle leash, backpack to store the board, a drybag for your phone or other small items like car keys and a repair kit making it a complete package. The only thing that seems slightly off about the board is the nose is slightly pulled in for my taste but other than that this board seems like an amazing inflatable touring paddle board at a good price point. Overall, I see there was a lot of thought that went into this design. This board is good for all around, touring and fishing but with the nose at a very pointed angle adding in extra gear on the nose or bringing your furry friend might prove to be a bit more difficult compared to other boards with wider nose designs. Carrying the board felt easy with the weight of the board being around the 25lb mark. Getting on to the board wasn’t as stable as I thought it would be so for beginner paddlers it might be a little bit more difficult. However, the board was really easy to turn and had a nice glide to it when paddling. Also worth noting, the packaging comes in a nice box with gorgeous imagery showing the product in action and the bag is simple yet comfortable to carry on your back. Overall, with the pricing being at $999 at normal retail prices this package does have a pretty good value but if you shop at Costco, the price there is dropped down to an unbeatable price at $399 making this package incredibly valuable. Excellent job to Body Glove on putting this together.

Updated for 2020, the Performer 11 has received a nice makeover. It's not the most premium, but when it comes to value it's definitely among the top ones. The graphics have a really nice color coordination and the traction pad is comfortable on your feet. The shape is fairly good and the board feels incredibly stable and the pulled in nose does give a bit more glide. The fins are permanently attached to the board so keep that in mind since you'll have to be a bit more careful as to not damage the fins or the board. The board also features a carbon reinforced strip which definitely stiffens it up. This comes with a leash and a paddle making it a complete package. The only thing that seems slightly off about the board is the nose is slightly pulled in for my taste but other than that this board seems like an amazing inflatable touring paddle board at a good price point. Excellent job to Body Glove on putting this together.

This package has everything you need. From the board bag to the board itself to the paddle and a leash, you’re ready to go right out of the gate. The board has reinforced rails, traction pad, bungee cords, and a fairly good pump. The paddle is definitely on the heavier side but is quite durable so if you’re looking for something that can take a beating, that’s definitely it. It’s also a 3-piece adjustable paddle so the whole family can use it but again, it is on the heavy side for sure. The shape of the board is quite unique and I give Luke Hopkins a lot of kudos here for trying something new. In the design a lot of the mid point (wide point of the board) has been shifted backwards towards the tail. So if you stand in the middle to back of the board you’ll find the board incredibly stable whereas if you place a lot of weight towards the front of the board where it’s quite a bit more pulled in, it will wobble and won’t have as much stability as boards that have more width on the nose.

On first impressions, the graphics and color are good, the shape design is slightly awkward and the construction strikes as durable. The Performer has a nice mix of colors and graphics but the shape design is a bit different from boards in these categories having a very wide center-point and much narrower at the nose and tail. The construction does appear pretty durable as something that can handle heavy use. This paddle board feels easy to carry at 23 lbs and the glide does feel slow, which is to be expected since speed centric design is not at focus. The board has a strap in the center that holds the paddle which is helpful especially if you want to do SUP yoga and also comes with a repair kit. And once you put it all together, the Performer is a very stable board that everyone who can walk should be able to easily stand on it and paddle away.