RRD MONOTIPO 11’4
RRD MONOTIPO 11’4 TEST REVIEW
Verdict:
RRD’s brand new 11’4 Monotipo has come a long way since their earlier steps into SUP a few years ago. This well finished bright and classy looking Italian board has a great turn of speed for an all rounder. It surfs well and gives a more rewarding ride with its slim, thinned-out rails. A fast longboard feel with plenty of grip and control in the waves.!
Overview:
We liked the fresh new look of the Monotipo 11’4”. Its bright, has a slightly domed deck to it and the narrowest width nose and tail in the group. The board comes with a deep ledge handle, ¾ deck pad , twin leash plugs and a tri fin set up as well as a windsurf insert. Underneath, the board features a tried and tested concave nose running to a double concave and through to vee in the tail. This is a good looking product.
Brand Claim:
The Monotipo is developed as an all-round board to be used every day and for weekend SUP races in the category below 12’. Nothing beats the feeling of racing to keep fit and competitive without the complications of using expensive custom made gear.
Performance:
The Monotipo (one design) felt solid and secure underfoot, it’s got a very directional glide due to its drawn out tail and tri fin. On flat water it won our glide test ahead of the group. It was the second longest but narrowest in the field, it gives the rider a spritely feel and was a pleasure to paddle. Needless to say it was also least stable but generally everyone will find a narrower board more rewarding to paddle with time. In the waves the RRD was easy to spin around and pick up waves with the narrow slim tail (for the more experienced rider) and had no problem generating speed from a bottom turn. Although the smallest overall in the group it still has good stability for its size, the rails sit in the water lower than the other boards but it tracked and glided better than the rest. The 11’4 Monotipo is a smooth all rounder that will be more rewarding with the time spent on it, by no means tricky to paddle but if you lose a little volume and width boards generally become more interesting to ride. If you want an all rounder with a turn for speed that’s easy on the eye and stands out in a crowd you may have found your soulmate with the Monotipo.