The iRocker CX Ultra is a high-quality compact all-around iSUP with a versatile feature set.
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Overview
iRocker’s new line of Ultra 3.0 iSUPs has refocused their board designs on three revamped models. The CX Ultra takes the place of the classic all-around paddle board, but with a few extra touches.
The 33” width brings a little more stability to the board than what you often find on an all-around iSUP, and the fittings and features are well thought out to let you rig the CX Ultra 3.0 for any SUP adventures.
The newly designed five-piece paddle, new 5” fins, and new battery-powered rechargeable electric pump all add a wonderful touch to the CX Ultra’s complete paddleboard kit in half the size of a traditional iSUP bag.
— iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Ratings and Summary —
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0
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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 iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 is a compact all-around iSUP that is beginner friendly and highly versatile.
Pros
- Folding design packs into a bag roughly half the height of a normal iSUP bag
- Woven drop stitching and fusion PVC
- Welded seams
- Stable shape without being oversized
- Great balance of maneuverability and tracking
- Lots of mounting and cargo options including new magnetic mounts
- Removable cargo bungees
- Two sets of passenger handles
- Battery Electric pump included
- 3-year warranty
Cons
- Shorter deck pad doesn’t extend to the tail
- Flip lock fin boxes are easy to use, but require proprietary fins.
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Construction and Durability
The new CX Ultra 3.0 has heat-welded rails for improved durability and longevity.
The CX Ultra 3.0 is built on a cross-woven 6” drop-stitch core. This construction uses two layers of woven fabric joined by thousands of threads angled in alternating directions, boosting both the board’s rigidity and strength while keeping overall weight low.
The board’s exterior is made from a dual-layer fusion PVC that’s directly laminated to the drop-stitch fabric. This process ensures consistent bonding with minimal use of glue. The rails are heat-welded to the top and bottom layers to form an airtight seal, then further reinforced with extra PVC layers applied to both surfaces. The new Ultra 3.0 iSUPs are the first from iRocker to feature welded rails, and it also introduces a newer, lighter-weight textured PVC material compared to earlier Ultra series versions. While the older “Blackfin” CX Ultra had carbon fiber textile rail reinforcements, the new CX Ultra 3.0 does not.
There is no noticeable flex when standing and paddling casually.
All together, the new CX Ultra 3.0 weighs in at 19.8 pounds for the board only and has a maximum recommended capacity of 320 pounds.
We inflated the CX Ultra to its maximum recommended 16 PSI and put it through our standardized bend test. With 170 pounds of weight, the board bent 1.88”. That is more bend than what we saw in the previous Blackfin CX Ultra (1.19”) and just a bit more bend than our total running average of all boards tested (1.6”). But it did perform better than the new Cruiser Ultra 3.0 (2.05”). Our bend test is designed to give us direct comparison of construction, but it doesn’t always tell us how a board feels on the water.
There is moderately high flex when bouncing on the board and during hard paddling.
I didn’t notice any flex or bounce when standing or paddling normally on the CX Ultra 3.0. I could feel a little flex while paddling hard for a sprint, and it had a medium-high flex when bouncing up and down on the board, but had a controlled-feeling rebound when I stopped.
I was actually impressed at how it felt on the water given its bend test result. While the Blackfin version is more rigid, I found the CX Ultra to feel acceptably rigid for normal use. Combined with the new welded seams and lightweight dropstitch core, the CX Ultra is built well and built to last.
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP – Specifications
Specifications
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 11’ 0” |
| Width | 33“ |
| Thickness | 6“ |
| Weight | |
| Max Capacity | 320 pounds |
| Board Weight | 19.8 pounds |
| Kit Weight (SUP & accessories) | 32 pounds |
| Buying Info | |
| List Price | $999.00 |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Returns period | 90 days |
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Features, Accessories and Versatility
The Expedition 138 shares all the same features and accessories as the larger 12’6” Expedition 150, including plenty of cargo space, cooler and kayak seat compatibility, built-in action mounts, and more.
The iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 is 11’ 0” long, 33” wide, and 6” thick. It weighs 19.8 pounds, has a maximum recommended capacity of 320 pounds, and inflates to a maximum of 16 PSI.
The nose has a very broad shape that comes to a slight point in the front. This helps maximize stability and capacity.
There are three padded carry handles on the CX Ultra 3.0 – nose, center and tail.
The front cargo area is quite spacious and uses three removable bungee cords.
There are also two sets of removable passenger handles between the D-rings of the front and rear cargo areas.
New for this year are the iRocker Magtite magnetic accessory mounting points. There is one in front of the deck pad and behind it on the right side of the board. The Magtite mount is compatible with iRocker’s new line of magnetic accessories including bags, cups, and more.
There are also two threaded accessory mounts on the CX Ultra 3.0.
Four D-rings around the middle of the board make the CX Ultra 3.0 compatible with iRocker’s kayak seats and shoulder straps.
The padded center handle is removable. This lets you get the off-center handle out of the way when you want to lay down or install a kayak seat.
The deck pad has a logo-embossed texture, grooves, and is split down the middle to allow the board to fold in half before storing. This allows it to fit into a significantly smaller bag than a traditional iSUP.
The rear cargo area also has three removable cargo bungees, passenger handles, and a Magtite mount.
There is one more threaded mount at the tail of the board with a D-ring to attach your leash.
The tail handle sits on the edge of the board rather than the top.
The only features on the bottom of the CX Ultra 3.0 are the twin fliplock fin boxes. These fin boxes are easy to use, but are only compatible with iRocker’s short-base fliplock fins.
The CX Ultra 3.0 comes with a complete accessory kit including a new electric pump.
The iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 is packed with features and cargo options to meet any of your paddleboarding needs.
The iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 kit comes with:
- iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP
- Power Pump Max rechargeable electric pump
- Two 5” fliplock “river” fins
- 5-piece carbon fiber hybrid paddle
- Water proof accessory bag
- Repair kit
- Water resistant Ultra backpack
The new rechargeable battery electric pump is a huge improvement over the previous 12v-only model, completely freeing you from needing a vehicle or separate battery option to take the compact CX Ultra wherever you wish to go.
The new backpack shares much of the same design as the previous version but is rated for water resistance (splash resistance) when fully closed.
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Paddle
The CX Ultra 3.0 comes with a new take on iRocker’s class carbon fiber hybrid paddle.
iRocker has refreshed its five-piece paddle design for the 3.0 series Ultra iSUPs. While it maintains the same materials in the shaft and blade, as well as the original blade’s shape and size, the major improvement lies in the upgraded connections, which now use a hexagonal insert for a more secure fit.
The iRocker paddle blade offers a versatile and user-friendly shape. Instead of the typical teardrop shape, it has a smaller, rectangular blade. This design choice benefits smaller paddlers by making the paddle easier to handle, and it also allows for a quicker paddling rhythm when desired. The curved shape of the blade also makes it easy for beginner paddlers to determine which way to hold the paddle.
The new compact paddle has hexagonal ferrules instead of round ferrules to eliminate play.
In use, the five-piece paddle performs similarly to iRocker’s standard version. It avoids the extra flex and movement that can occur in some multi-piece paddles, thanks to the addition of the hexagonal insert at the joints.
When fully assembled, the carbon fiber shaft secures the handle with a pin-and-clip system. The handle includes numbered holes, making it easy to recall your preferred height setting. Plus, the system is designed to assemble in only one orientation, ensuring the handle stays aligned with the blade.
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Stability
The CX Ultra 3.0 offers a slightly wider outline than a traditional all-around board providing great stability for a wide range of paddlers.
The 33” width and broad nose shape provide great stability.
All Around iSUPs are meant to provide a lot of versatility in a package that’s friendly enough for beginners to use, but offers enough utility and performance to allow progression in skill and adventure.
The CX Ultra 3.0 starts with a typical all-around board length (11’) and gives it a little more width (33”) than many typical all-arounds, including iRocker’s own All Around 11’ 7.0. The CX Ultra has a slightly narrower tail shape, though, so the end result is a board with roughly the same amount of stability overall.
Rocking the board side to side is smooth and predictable.
On the water I didn’t feel any twitching or rolling, and the CX Ultra felt comfortably supportive while paddling normally and moving around on the board. I could easily hold the board on its edge (though not quite as easy as the Cruiser Ultra 3.0 with its wider size and tail), and rocking the board side to side was smooth and predictable.
Like the Cruiser Ultra 3.0, the shorter deck pad length is a bit limiting, especially if you wish to use the tail of the board for a pivot turn or some light surfing on smaller waves.
Overall, the CX Ultra has good stability for all skill levels – including beginners – and offers more stability than the original Blackfin CX Ultra thanks to a slightly longer and wider size.
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Speed
The CX Ultra provides a pleasant paddling speed for casual cruising.
The CX Ultra aligns well with other all-around iSUPs in our speed test.
The CX Ultra did well in our speed test and falls squarely in line with other all-around iSUPs through all of our benchmarks.
In our sprinting speed test the CX Ultra sustained an average speed of 4.9 MPH while paddling at a rate of 75 strokes per minute. With no cadence restriction, I was able to paddle up to 5.4 MPH for short intervals. That’s right where we expect all-around iSUPs to perform as they are not necessarily optimized for high speeds, but rather comfortable cruising. I could feel the board flex while sprinting which generated a slightly noticeable pushing feel, but didn’t cause the board to bob around or run wildly off course.
At 25 strokes per minute (paddling normally with a slight pause between strokes) the CX Ultra 3.0 moves along at an average speed of 3.7 MPH. Paddling at this slower cadence was smooth with no noticeable flex or pushing sensations. From this speed a single paddle stroke propelled the CX Ultra about 20 feet, or 1.8 board lengths, before I noticed it slowing down. That’s on the upper end of efficiency for an all-around iSUP.
The CX Ultra 3.0 isn’t quite as fast as the iRocker All Around 7.0 when it comes to a sprint (here the width and rigidity make a big difference), but it does cruise slightly faster and more efficiently thanks to the lower-drag tail shape.
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Maneuverability and Tracking
The iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 has a great balance of maneuverability and tracking making it easy to turn when you want and easy to paddle straight when you don’t!
Twin 5” fins allow for easier turning than the previous generation 9” fins.
In order to allow the CX Ultra to fold in half for compact storage, iRocker uses a twin fin system with their small-base fliplock fins. The previous Ultra and Ultra 2.0 boards came with twin 9” fins that gave them exceptional tracking, but made them quite difficult to turn at times.
The CX Ultra 3.0 comes with twin 5” fins that do a much better job of balancing maneuverability and tracking for a true all-around experience.
In our maneuverability stress test we use basic turning strokes (forward sweep strokes) to see how easily the board will turn in a circle from a standstill. The CX Ultra 3.0 can turn around in a full circle with an average of 5.25 paddle strokes. That’s on the quick side for all-around boards, and is even quicker when using reverse sweep strokes from the tail to nose (3.5 strokes on average).
Pivot turning the CX Ultra is a little tricky. The deck pad ends well short of the tail, and to step back far enough to lift the nose (even for a big paddler like myself) means you’ll need to stand on the slippery PVC deck. It’s doable, but not beginner friendly if you are just learning this technique.
The twin fin system does a good job of tracking for such a wide board.
Those shorter fins definitely improve the maneuverability of the CX Ultra 3.0, but they also do a good job of keeping you paddling straight. In our 10-stroke tracking test the CX Ultra 3.0 deviated an average of just 16° after 10 strokes on a single side of the board. That’s in line with many all-around iSUPs with a typical thruster (three fin) setup.
The CX Ultra 3.0 comes with two 5” “river” fins.
iRocker describes the two 5” fins as “river” fins. They do have a shallower draft than a typical all-around fin (5” vs 6”) but they also have a swept back “weed fin” shape with a bulbous end to help maximize surface area.
I think iRocker has done a great job with these new fins and really given the CX Ultra 3.0 better overall balance between maneuverability and tracking performance.
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Warranty and Customer Support
iRocker warranties the CX Ultra 3.0 for 3 years against seam leaks and 2 years against other manufacturing defects. They also warranty the included accessories for one year. If you have any issues with your CX Ultra 3.0 or included accessories, you can reach out to the iRocker Customer Support team via phone, email, social media, or through their website. If you are experiencing misalignment of your paddle handle, contact iRocker Customer Support for a no-questions-asked replacement. In addition to the excellent three-year warranty, iRocker also has a 45-day no-questions-asked return period. If for any reason you are unhappy with your CX Ultra 3.0 or any other iRocker iSUP, you can return it to iRocker for a full refund.
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Final Thoughts
The CX Ultra 3.0 is a great compact all-around iSUP for a variety of uses and paddlers.
The iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 offers a really nice balance of performance and usability. The board itself has many options for cargo storage and mounting various accessories (both magnetic and threaded) and has a comfortable size and shape for paddlers of all skill levels. The 33” width does pull back a little from its top speed compared to 32” all-around boards, but adds stability and comfort on the water.
If you are looking for a comfortable, beginner-friendly, compact all-around iSUP, the iRocker CX Ultra is the right board for you.
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