The Honu Fairlight is a large, versatile all-around with top-notch construction.
Honu Fairlight 11’6 iSUP Review – Overview
Honu has been among our top picks for premium, performance inflatable paddle boards for years. Their construction and shaping has made everything from their Byron 10’6 All Around to their Sorrento 12’6 Touring some of our favorite boards.
But there was a problem. More of a gap, really. Even the larger Fairlight 10’9 didn’t quite fill the niche for larger paddlers, and had a modest feature set.
Honu set out to fill that gap, and this year released the new Fairlight 11’6 iSUP. This is way more than a larger version of the Fairlight 10’9. With a completely new shape, thickness, and expanded feature set, the Fairlight 11’6 now gives us the same premium construction and performance we’ve come to love about Honu’s paddle boards and put it in a package suitable for anglers, larger paddlers, and even expedition-style paddle boarding.
— Honu Fairlight 11’6 iSUP Review Ratings and Summary —
Honu Fairlight 11’6
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Construction & Durability
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Features and Versatility
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Stability
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Speed
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Maneuverability
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Tracking
Overall Score
The Honu Fairlight 11’6 is a high-performance all-around board perfect for anglers, expeditions, and larger paddlers.
Pros
- Top-tier materials with a cross-woven drop stitch core and fusion PVC shell keep the board lightweight
- Durable and long-lasting construction with heat-welded seams and carbon fiber rail reinforcements
- Larger size and new 5.5” thickness for volume, capacity, and stability
- Refined shape for impressive paddling performance
- Expanded feature set with more cargo space and accessory compatibility (including kayak seats)
- 2+2 year replace+repair warranty in case you run into any issues
Cons
- Paddle and pump sold separately (though with a 15% discount when purchased with the board)
- No direct fishing accessory mounts (Scotty, Rail Blaza, etc).
Honu Fairlight 11’6 iSUP Review – Construction and Durability
From my first experience on the Honu Byron I’ve always been impressed with their quality and construction. Each iteration has been an improvement over the last, and I’m not sure how Honu could top their current generation builds.
The rails of the Fairlight 11’6 feature a welded interior PVC seam and a welded carbon fiber fabric reinforcement strip for durability and rigidity.
Starting inside the board, the Fairlight 11’6 has a modern cross-woven drop stitch core. This uses a woven fabric for the deck and hull base layer and connects them with thousands of alternating yarns in an X-shaped pattern. In our experience, these cross woven cores provide the best strength-to-weight ratio available and improve board performance over traditional knitted cores.
Honu’s all-around and travel boards are known for their 4.7” thickness (among other things). This thinner profile reduces your center of gravity and helps increase stability while also giving the board a more connected feel on the water. It really is hard to describe in words, but can definitely be felt on the water. The downside with thinner boards is they do have more flex in them. This can be a problem for longer SUPs and for SUPs designed for heavier weight capacity.
So Honu opted to build the Fairlight 11’6 (and new Sorrento 12’6) on a 5.5” thick core. This helps keep some of that stability benefit while improving rigidity and overall capacity.
The outer PVC shell of the board is made with a reinforced PVC material that is fused to the inner core with heat and pressure. This Fusion construction creates a lightweight and rigid material and eliminates glue, and gluing errors, from the layup.
To join the deck and hull and seal the board, Honu is now heat-welding an interior seam on their iSUPs. Like the Fusion material, the process mechanically bonds the layers together and eliminates hand gluing for a durable and long-lived seam. But they don’t stop there.
The Fairlight 11’6 also has a new welded carbon rail. This uses the same heat-welding process to bond a layer of resin-infused 3k carbon fiber fabric to the outer rail of the board. The carbon fiber fabric is extremely abrasion resistant and also adds extra rigidity. Finally an outer layer of PVC is applied to the entire rail edge to protect the entire system.
At the end of the day, when the deck pad and all of the features are installed, the Fairlight 11’6 weighs in at just 22.8 pounds – an impressively light weight for an 11’6 x 34” iSUP.
The Fairlight 11’6 is extremely rigid while standing and paddling.
In our 170-lb bend test, the Fairlight 11’6 surprised me at first, but not in the way I was hoping. With the board at its full 20 PSI, it had a 1.47” deflection. That is better than our total running average of 1.6”, but it was not as stiff as I was expecting… Because I thought it was a full 6” thick. Board thickness strongly impacts overall rigidity. Once I realized the Fairlight 11’6 was only 5.5” it made way more sense.
To be clear, a 1.47” bend test result is still quite good on its own, but when you factor in the thinner profile, it puts that result into a new, even more impressive, perspective.
There is no flex during regular paddling, but hard sprints and bouncing on the board do introduce some flex.
On the water, the Fairlight 11’6 feels great. I didn’t notice any bending or flexing while standing or paddling normally. When bouncing on the board, I did feel it had a medium-high amount of flex, but with a very short-lived, comfortable, and controlled rebound when I stopped. I could feel the Fairlight flexing during my sprint speed testing, but it didn’t bounce the board off course or cause it to jerk to a stop like more flexible boards can.
The only thing I would change about the Fairlight 11’6’s construction is to add the carbon fiber stringer system to the deck and hull of the board that Honu uses on the Sorrento 12’6. Through my testing and experience I’ve found these central stringers to add significantly more rigidity than rail stringers.
But, even without that additional support, the Fairlight 11’6 offers great rigidity on the water that maintains its performance under any conditions.
Specifications
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 11’ 6” |
| Width | 34.5“ |
| Thickness | 5.5“ |
| Weight | |
| Max Capacity | 300 pounds |
| Board Weight | 22.8 pounds |
| Kit Weight (SUP & accessories) | 34 pounds |
| Buying Info | |
| List Price | $890 |
| Warranty | 4 years |
| Returns period | 30 days |
Honu Fairlight 11’6 iSUP Review – Features, Accessories, and Versatility
Honu’s iSUPs all share a bold, but minimalist design, and until the Fairlight 11’6, a minimalist feature set. This new iSUP has kept the same design elements, but cleverly expanded on the feature set for maximum versatility.
The Honu Fairlight 11’6 is 11’ 6” long, 34.5” wide, 5.5” thick and weighs 22.8 pounds. It has a maximum recommended pressure of 20 PSI and maximum recommended rider weight of 300 lbs.
The nose has a broad, mostly rounded shape with a slight taper. This type of shape helps maximize stability and capacity. It also has a moderate amount of rocker (how far the nose turns up from the water) to help glide the board over choppy conditions.
The front cargo area is very large and can accommodate dry bags of any size. It’s made with four flat, adjustable elastic straps that are removable. This allows you to easily change the tension, position/orientation, and swap them out for your own tie-down systems.
The straps connect to the board with plastic G-hooks inserted into UV-resistant fabric tabs. These tabs are large enough to use with most carabiners or other hook devices.
There is one threaded mounting point on the front of the deck pad. This is a great spot for a GPS device, speaker, or cup holder, but I find it to be a little close for a camera mount. It would be nice to see an additional mount near the nose of the board.
In addition to the three standard carrying handles on the nose, center, and tail of the board, the Fairlight also has two fixed handles at the front of the deck pad. These make for great passenger handles or to hold onto the board if conditions get really dicey.
The dek pad is made with die-cut EVA foam and features a high-traction diamond groove pattern.
There are two D-rings placed at the middle of the board. You can use these for a variety of purposes, but most importantly, make the Fairlight 11’6 the first (and only) Honu board that is compatible with kayak seats out of the box!
There are two more threaded mounting points behind the main standing area with integrated D-rings. These points can help extend the rear cargo area, connect a kayak seat, or attach compatible accessories like fishing rod holders.
The rear cargo area has a medium size overall and is made with three independent fixed bungee cords threaded between more fabric tabs. These tabs are a little smaller, and the cords are not easily removable (they are knotted and covered in heat-shrink). I would like to see the same type of cargo system here as in the front, or at least make the bungee cords more easily removable for more flexibility in securing cargo.
The tail gradually tapers down to a medium-size square shape. This helps keep the board wide for more volume, stability, and capacity, but the relatively (compared to other iSUPs this size) small tail width can feel a little squirrely when standing far back on the board.
Like on all of Honu’s boards, there is a small “Easter Egg” quote on the bottom of the Fairlight 11’6.
Honu installed a single split-style US fin box at the tail of the Fairlight 11’6. By using a Universal Standard fin box, you can fit any of hundreds of different size and style fins to suit your needs (and get replacements at any SUP or Surf shop if you lose a fin). The split box allows you to more easily roll the Fairlight at the end of the day.
Honu sells their iSUPs with a very basic accessory package, but does discount your pump and paddle with the board.
Overall, the Fairlight 11’6 is Honu’s most versatile iSUP to date. The expanded storage area and additional mounting points make it easy to load up for whatever kind of SUP adventures you have planned, or keep it simple for cruising around your local waters without a cluttered deck.
In future versions I would like to see Honu add removable straps for the rear cargo area and another mounting point (maybe with a GoPro style foot) at the nose for a camera placement option.
The Fairlight 11’6 comes with Honu’s basic accessory kit – a high quality padded roller bag, coiled ankle leash, PVC patches and valve wrench, and a 9.4” touring-style fin. The base kit does not include a paddle or pump, however Honu offers a 15% discount when bundling these items with the board. For our recommended kit of the Evolution Carbon paddle and Honu electric pump, that brings the total MSRP to just over $1,000 USD at the time I’m writing this review, though bundling the Elements paddle and hand pump will bring that total to just under $900.
With the introduction of new tariffs this year, prices are likely to fluctuate (though we don’t have any confirmation from Honu on price adjustments for this), so the earlier you buy your equipment for this summer, the better off you are likely to be.
Honu Fairlight 11’6 iSUP Review – Paddle
Honu has three different paddles (and several color options) to choose from when bundling with your Fairlight. The Evolution Carbon paddles are our top choice for pairing with Honu’s boards, and are also a top recommendation for anyone looking for a high-quality, high-performance paddle!
The Honu Evolution (Large size shown) is a lightweight and powerful choice to pair with the Fairlight 11’6.
For everyone’s sake, let’s hope that Honu doesn’t read this – The Evolution Carbon paddle should be at least a hundred dollars more expensive than what it is. These paddles hit way above their price range in construction, weight, and performance.
To start with, the Evolution series paddles feature a full 12k carbon fiber build – blade, shaft, and handle. This makes the paddles extremely light (21-23 oz depending on size/color) and very stiff. That stiffness translates directly to power with each paddle stroke. There is a tradeoff, though, since a stiff paddle doesn’t absorb any force, it does mean that you’ll feel the stroke more in your body – especially if putting in a lot of energy to paddle fast.
The Evolution paddles have an 86 square inch paddle blade and the Large size has a 94 square inch blade. That is a significant difference, and for most paddlers I do recommend the standard size blade. At 225 pounds and with good technique, I can definitely feel the extra strain from the larger paddle blade after a few hours on the water.
The blade and shaft connect with a hexagonal insert. This prevents any wobble or twist in the paddle. The handle connects with a fairly standard compression clamp, but also has an indexing groove to make sure the handle is always in line with the blade. Lastly, there are length markers on the handle section to easily set your paddle up each time.
The Elements paddle uses a 3k carbon fiber shaft/handle and a reinforced nylon blade.
If you are looking for a more casual paddle (and want to save some money), Honu also makes the Elements paddle. This is more akin to what we typically see with many mid to high end iSUP kit paddles. The shaft is made with 3k carbon fiber – not quite as light or as stiff as 12k carbon – and has a reinforced nylon blade for a softer catch and feel in the water.
The blade attaches with a typical round ferrule and compression collar, and the handle has the same compression collar, indexing groove, and length scale.
Between the three paddle options, I think most paddlers will find the Evolution Carbon/Bamboo (86 square inch) fits best with the Fairlight 11’6. Taller and stronger paddlers, particularly if you are loading up for a multi-day trip, will like the Evolution Large. And smaller paddlers or anyone wanting a softer feel in the water will like the Elements paddle.
Honu Fairlight 11’6 iSUP Review – Stability
If you’ve read through this far, I don’t think you’ll be surprised to find that the Fairlight 11’6 has some exceptional stability on the water.
The width, shape, and thinner profile make the Fairlight 11’6 extremely stable.
At 11’6” long and 34.5” wide (by our measurement), the Fairlight is already shaping up to be a stable board on paper. The slightly reduced thickness (5.5”) did decrease the measured rigidity a little bit, but its my opinion that the lower feel on the water helps make up for it.
While standing and paddling on the Fairlight 11’6 I felt extremely stable. No rocking, rolling, or twitching in calm water or in light chop/wind conditions. I didn’t feel any flex while paddling normally either, so no concerns there.
Walking around on the board was easy and confidence inspiring. When I fully sank the tail for a pivot turn I did get an occasional “squirrely” feeling between the smaller tail shape and slightly thinner profile, but nothing like what you feel when standing on the tail of the 4.7” Fairlight 10’9.
Rocking the board side to side is smooth, with even and controlled recovery.
Rocking the board side to side was smooth and easy, as was holding it heeled over on its rail. The wide, gently-curving outline of the board gives it a really consistent feel in any orientation.
I’d have no problems recommending the Fairlight 11’6 to larger paddlers, a beginner who wants a really stable paddle board, SUP anglers, or even the occasional SUP Yoga practitioner.
Honu Fairlight 11’6 iSUP Review – Speed
The Fairlight 11’6 moves impressively fast for such a large board and is highly efficient at cruising speeds.
The Fairlight 11’6 is efficient and fast on the water, especially with the Honu Elements paddle.
I used the Honu Evolution Carbon paddle in size Large when testing the Fairlight 11’6. Paddle choice can make a big difference in speed, and a large blade with stiff construction like the Evolution Large is made for fast acceleration, but is a bit harder to use at high paddling cadence.
In our sustained sprint test I paddled the Fairlight at an average speed of 5.4 MPH with 75 strokes per minute. From that sprinting speed I could rev up as fast as possible to a maximum 5.8 MPH. That puts the Fairlight 11’6 in line with the fastest iSUPs we’ve tested in this size range.
The Fairlight 11’6 also performs well at a more leisurely pace. At 25 strokes per minute – a comfortable pace with a quick pause between strokes – the Fairlight 11’6 travels 3.7 MPH on average. That’s a really good result for such a wide board. And at that speed, a single paddle stroke will move the Fairlight 11’6 about 22 feet before it slows down, giving it a fantastic gliding ratio of 1.9 board-lengths. That’s well into the touring SUP category results!
Honu Fairlight 11’6 iSUP Review – Maneuverability and Tracking
The Fairlight 11’6 definitely favors tracking performance over maneuverability, but can still turn quickly when you need it to.
The Fairlight 11’6 has good maneuverability for a larger iSUP.
In our maneuverability stress test it took an average of 7.25 forward sweep paddle strokes (paddling in an arc from nose to tail) to turn in a full circle from a complete stop. 7.25 strokes is just a little slower-turning than our running average, but this is both a worst-case and best-case situation. Worst case because the forward sweep is not the most efficient turning stroke (but is very easy to learn), and best case because the board is not moving before the test. Once you are moving forward, the fin engages more and makes turning harder. If you are trying to make a big turn with these basic strokes while you are moving, it’s going to take a long time.
If you are moving slowly, you can use a reverse sweep stroke (an arc from tail to nose) and get the Fairlight 11’6 turned around much faster. In the same maneuverability test, it only took 4 strokes to turn in a full circle from a standstill. The trade off is these reverse strokes will completely stop your forward movement, and, if you aren’t ready for it, may send you for a quick swim!
However, while paddling I did find that the Fairlight 11’6 responded well to simple steering for small changes in course. It’s also an incredibly stable board, so walking to the tail for a quick pivot turn was also very easy. I did feel a little bit of instability when all the way back on the tail, but it was very easy to adjust for.
The larger fin and smart shape of the Fairlight give it excellent tracking performance.
While making big turns while paddling the Fairlight 11’6 can be a little tricky, keeping it moving straight is a breeze.
In our 10-stroke tracking test, the Fairlight 11’6 only veered off course by an average of 6 degrees after 10 strokes. That’s amazing! And it puts the Fairlight’s tracking capabilities into the realm of a touring SUP.
It’s tracking performance along with its efficiency and capacity make the Fairlight 11’6 a sort of dark horse contender for expedition-style paddle boards for multi-day trips.
The Skylla CX comes with a 9” touring-style flex fin with tool-less click-fin inserts.
Honu stocks the Fairlight 11’6 with its new 9.4” touring fin. Rather than a traditional rectangle touring fin shape, this touring fin has more rake and a broad tip to help increase its tracking ability.
I think it’s a great fin for the Fairlight 11’6, but if you do want to change it up for more maneuverability or for shallow water paddling, the US fin box is compatible with hundreds of different size and shape fins available at any SUP or surf shop.
Honu Fairlight 11’6 iSUP Review – Warranty and Customer Support
Honu’s warranty includes a 2+2 year warranty and support in the case of manufacturing defects for the Fairlight and all of their iSUPs. For the first two years, Honu offers standard warranty replacement for any issues with your board and repair service for accidental damage. For the second two years, they continue to offer free repair service for any issues. They also offer a 30-day return period. If you find that the Fairlight 11’6 isn’t suiting your paddling style, you can send it back for a refund or exchange. If you do have any questions or need to file a warranty claim, you can reach the team at Honu by phone, email, web form, or social media.
Honu Fairlight 11’6 iSUP Review – Final Thoughts
The Fairlight 11’6 is a great iSUP for anglers, larger paddlers, and even expedition touring trips.
When Honu told us that they were making a larger iSUP I really didn’t know what to expect. But I did know that it was going to be made with the highest standards in materials and construction available. Almost immediately after getting the Fairlight 11’6 on the water I knew that Honu had knocked it out of the park again.
The Fairlight 11’6 is a delight to paddle, it’s got a fantastic blend of performance characteristics, higher capacity and stability for larger paddlers, anglers, new paddlers, and expedition paddlers, and the new feature set is extremely versatile. I’m really struggling to find a paddler type that won’t like the Fairlight 11’6. Surfers, I suppose – but they’ve got the Byron and Bondi boards already!
With the addition of the Fairlight 11’6, one could have a complete quiver of stand up paddle boards from Honu for everything from surfing, to fishing, to touring, and yoga. All at the highest level of quality and performance.
Honu Fairlight 11’6 iSUP Review – FAQ
How long does it take to inflate the Skylla Cross Touring?
Using the hand pump with the Skylla Cross Touring takes about 7-10 minutes to inflate to the 14-18psi depending on how fast you pump. Sea Gods also has an available 12v/battery-powered electric pump that will inflate your Skylla Cross Touring to 16psi.
Can I take my child or dog on the Skylla Cross Touring?
Yes you can! The Skylla Cross Touring is extremely stable and has a 350lb weight capacity. One of our testers has even been spending the last several weekends taking her dog SUP camping with the Skylla!
Can I kayak with the Skylla Cross Touring?
Yes! The Skylla Cross Touring is compatible with the Sea Gods kayak seat and kayak paddle conversion kit.
How do I clean the Skylla Cross Touring?
Like with all inflatable SUPs, clean your board with fresh water and dry it completely between each use. Never drag your board on the ground - this can damage both the printed artwork and the PVC itself. Sea Gods recommends cleaning your board only with special paddleboard cleaners to ensure the longevity of the Apollo UV protective coating.
Is the Skylla Cross Touring good for beginners?
The Skylla Cross Touring is a great board for beginners! It’s extremely stable, easily maneuverable, and is built for a variety of uses. At 11’ long and 33” wide, paddlers of all sizes and skill levels can enjoy paddling the Skylla
What’s the difference between the Skylla Cross Touring and the Carta Marina Touring?
The Carta Marina is longer and narrower (12’x32”). This makes the Carta Marina faster, but also less stable. It’s also less maneuverable than the Skylla. If you are looking for a touring-specific iSUP, the Carta Marina is a great option. If you are looking for an iSUP that can tour, and work well as an all-around board, the Skylla is the right choice.
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