Bluefin Cruise 10’8″ Paddleboard – Test and Review

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Updated August 24th, 2024

Manufacturer and Model: Bluefin Cruise 10’8″
List Price: $399

Summary

The Bluefin Cruise is the entry level, all around, paddleboard line from Bluefin SUP. The Cruise comes in 10’8″, 12′, and 15′ versions. We picked up a 10’8″ to try out for this review. The Cruise 10’8″ is priced just under $400 and comes with an aluminum paddle, padded backpack, ankle leash, and double action handpump. You can get it directly from Bluefin or from Amazon.

Bluefin Cruise Features

Let’s get into the details of the Bluefin Cruise.

1 – Warranty

Bluefin offers a 5 year warranty on their paddleboards. This is much better than the 1 to 2 year and occasional 3 year warranties that most SUP brands offer up. iRocker only gives a 3 year warranty.

You typically only find a 5 year warranty when you go up to premium brands like Red Paddle Co and pay a whole lot more.

2 – Construction

The Bluefin Cruise uses what is calls ESL Fused PVC. This is something similar to double layer fusion PVC drop stitch. Our stiffness test confirmed the board has stiffness similar to other double layer PVC boards.

The board has a deckpad with a diamond tread that goes from the back of the front bungee to the rear of the board. It has 10 D-Rings and a bungee at the front. It has 3 fins that use flip locks to keep them in place.

3 – Stiffness

We did a stiffness test for the board where we loaded it up with 121 lbs of weight to see how much the board would sag. The Cruise deflected 1.4 inches. This is just a little more than the 1.3 inches that we measured on our iRocker All Around 11. It’s well below the 2.5 to 3 inches that most of the cheap $200-$300 boards we tested have measured.

4 – Accessories

The Cruise comes with a double action pump, 3 piece aluminum paddle, carry bag, ankle leash, and a waterproof phone case. The Cruise used to come with a seat and kayak conversion paddle blade. It no longer does unless you find a left over in the original color.

Bag

The bag is padded and has padded backpack straps. It’s got a pocket on the side that can hold a paddle blade. The one thing missing on the bag are wheels. $400 is about the price point where you would start to expect wheels on the bag.

One other thing missing from the bag is a handle on both sides. I store my paddleboards in the basement. Bags with a handle on both sides are much easier to carry up and down stairs.

Paddle

The paddle is a 3 piece paddle with an aluminum shaft and plastic blade. The paddle has a clamp at the lower joint in addition to a push pin. This really helps reduce the amount of slop and clunkiness. It’s one of the nicer aluminum paddles I have seen in a budget paddleboard package.

Hand Pump

The dual action pump works. You unscrew the plug to change modes. It can inflate and deflate. The pump comes with it’s own storage bag to keep all the parts together. I hate using hand pumps and always use an electric pump, so that is as much as I’ll say about the hand pump.

You can read our review of the Bluefin E-Swift pump to learn more about this electric pump option.

5 – On the water

The Cruise 10’8″ is a very stable board that would be great for a beginner and their first stand up paddleboard. It is a little wider and a little longer than the average 10’6″ all around SUP board. This gives it okay glide combined with good stability. It gives it good weight capacity that will work well for heavier paddlers.

The kick pad at the back of the board is too far rearward to really be usable. I let the most experienced paddler I know try out the board. They lost balance before they could get their foot that far back. They have no trouble doing step turns on the board and many others.

6 – Kayak Conversion

The Cruise has 4 D-Rings labeled for attaching a kayak seat. It doesn’t come with a seat anymore. It is a popular option for people who like turning their SUP into an inflatable sit on top kayak.

Recommendation – Buy or No Buy?

The Bluefin Cruise 10’8″ would make a great first paddleboard for anyone who wants to give SUP a try. The 5 year warranty, board stability, and better than average aluminum paddle are all reasons why you should consider the Cruise.

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