The iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 is a large cruiser-style all-around, but fits in a compact and convenient package for easy transportation and storage.
iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Overview
iRocker’s new XL Ultra 3.0 puts a large all-around cruiser iSUP into an impressively small package, without sparing any features.
This new paddleboard from iRocker has more capacity, new construction, and an upgraded accessory kit to keep you on the water longer. And it folds into a bag nearly half the size of a standard iSUP!
If you are looking for a big board, but are short on space, then look no further than the iRocker XL Ultra 3.0.
Editor’s Note: We only just got this board pretty late in the summer, so we wanted to get the review up as soon as possible for you. That means we haven’t been able to schedule a time with our photographer for “action” photos yet. We’ll get those added as soon as we have them!— iRocker XLUltra 3.0 iSUP Review – Ratings and Summary —
iRocker XL 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 XL Ultra 3.0
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
- Better tracking and speed than the Cruiser Ultra 3.0, but still very stable
- 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
- I’d like to see the XL Ultra 3.0 fitted out with a feature set that better takes advantage of the board’s larger size, especially for anglers or paddling with a second person.
iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Construction and Durability
The new XL Ultra 3.0 uses heat-welded rails for improved longevity.
The XL Ultra 3.0 is built with a cross-woven 6” drop-stitch core. Thousands of angled threads connect two layers of woven fabric, creating a lighter, stiffer, and stronger board while shedding weight compared to more traditional knitted fabric cores.
Its exterior features a dual-layer fusion PVC laminated directly to the drop-stitch fabric for even bonding with minimal glue. The rails are heat-welded to the deck and hull for a secure, airtight seal, then reinforced with additional PVC on both sides. The Ultra 3.0 is iRocker’s first line of iSUPs to use welded rails and debuts a new, lighter textured PVC compared to previous Ultra models. Like iRocker’s other boards, the XL Ultra 3.0 also has seam reinforcement strips on the top and bottom edges of the rail, but unlike the older Blackfin XL Ultra, the iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 does not include carbon fiber textile rail reinforcements.
All together, the new XL Ultra 3.0 weighs in at 20.8 pounds for the board only and has a maximum recommended capacity of 360 pounds.
We inflated the XL Ultra to its maximum recommended 16 PSI and put it through our standardized bend test. With 170 pounds of weight, the board bent 1.81”. That is more bend than what we saw in the previous Blackfin XL Ultra (1.46”) 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.
On the water I didn’t notice any flex or bounce in the board when standing and paddling normally on flat water. However I could feel the board hitting the water and lightly flexing when paddling in lightly choppy conditions.
Bouncing on the board produces a moderately high amount of flex with a springy and long-lasting rebound, as does walking on the board. While I do recognize that this is an iRocker-brand board vs a Blackfin-brand board, it’s hard to not draw a comparison between the two “XL” models. The iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 is much lighter, but has notably more flex in all conditions than the Blackfin Model XL.
iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 iSUP – Specifications
Specifications
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 11’ 6” |
| Width | 34“ |
| Thickness | 6“ |
| Weight | |
| Max Capacity | 360 pounds |
| Board Weight | 20.8 pounds |
| Kit Weight (SUP & accessories) | 33 pounds |
| Buying Info | |
| List Price | $1099.00 |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Returns period | 90 days |
iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Features, Accessories and Versatility
The iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 is 11’ 6” long, 34” wide, and 6” thick. It weighs 20.8 pounds, has a maximum recommended capacity of 360 pounds, and inflates to a maximum of 16 PSI.
The nose has a round shape with a low rocker profile. This helps with stability, but makes it harder to paddle at higher speeds.
There are three padded carry handles on the XL Ultra 3.0 – nose, center and tail.
The front cargo area is large 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 XL Ultra 3.0. One on the front cargo area (shown here) and one at the tail.
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 deck pad is made with a logo-embossed texture and grooves to balance traction and comfort. It’s also split down the middle to let the board fold in half for compact storage.
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 rear cargo area also has three removable cargo bungees, passenger handles, and a Magtite mount between the cargo area and the deck pad on the right hand side.
The tail has a medium-size square shape to balance paddling efficiency and stability.
The tail handle sits on the edge of the board rather than the top.
The only features on the bottom of the XL 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 XLUltra 3.0 comes with a complete accessory kit including a new rechargeable electric pump.
The iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 is packed with features and cargo options to meet any of your paddleboarding needs.
The iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 kit comes with:
- iRocker XL 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 XL Ultra 3.0 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.
I do wish the XL Ultra 3.0 were set up to better take advantage of its size. Dedicated fishing mounts (or an extra threaded mount or two), and a longer deck pad would go a long way in improving the overall versatility of this board, especially for use with a passenger or pet.
iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Paddle
The XL Ultra 3.0 comes with a new take on iRocker’s class carbon fiber hybrid paddle.
iRocker has given its five-piece paddle a solid upgrade for the 3.0 Ultra iSUP lineup. While the shaft and blade materials are unchanged and the blade itself keeps the same size and outline, the new hexagonal connection system is a big improvement. The pieces now lock together more securely, cutting down on play and giving the paddle a stiffer, more reliable feel on the water.
Rather than going with the standard teardrop blade shape, iRocker uses a smaller rectangular shape that feels lighter in the water and is especially well-suited for smaller paddlers. It also makes it easier to find a quicker paddling cadence when you want to move faster. With the slight curve to the blade and auto-aligning handle, first-time paddlers will find it intuitive to know which way the paddle should face.
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 XL Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Stability
The XL Ultra 3.0 is a larger iSUP with good stability that still fits in a compact package.
The new iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 shares much of the same shape as its predecessor the Blackfin XL Ultra, but not quite the same. They both have a 34” wide, mostly-parallel mid section and a wider nose with a slight point. The Tail is drawn in a bit, but still wide enough to keep the board feeling consistently stable if you adjust your position.
The biggest change is with the overall rigidity and weight of the board. The XL Ultra is notably lighter and is a little less rigid than the Blackfin XL Ultra or the Blackfin Model XL.
On the water I found the XL Ultra 3.0 to have good primary stability when standing on the board and paddling normally. However I did notice it flexing more and having a bit of a bounce to it when paddling through light chop conditions and boat wake.
The other thing that surprised me was how reactive the XL Ultra 3.0 feels. Over the years I’ve used the phrase “light board twitch” to describe what is essentially a board that is so lightweight compared to its size that it doesn’t have the inertia to resist the normal small changes in weight from side to side or normal rocking from the water’s surface. While it doesn’t make the board feel unstable, it makes it feel unsettled in these situations. Because the XL Ultra 3.0 is so both large and so light, I found it to have this reactive, almost twitchy sensation that I didn’t feel in the CX Ultra 3.0 (11’ x 33”) or Cruiser Ultra 3.0 (10’6 x 35”).
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still very stable, it just likes to keep a little bit of movement going under your feet compared to iRocker’s other boards. I could still rock it side to side easily and under control, but it was a little harder to hold heeled over on its edge.
iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Speed
The XL Ultra 3.0 does have more top-end speed than the other Ultra 3.0 boards, but it takes more effort to get there.
The XL Ultra 3.0 did well in our speed testing for a larger all-around style board, but did require some extra effort in our sprinting tests.
At those high-cadence speeds, the XL Ultra 3.0 held an average sprint speed of 5.1 MPH when paddling at 75 strokes per minute, and reached a top speed of 5.6 MPH with no stroke limit. That’s good for an 11’6 x 34” board, but it took a lot of effort to get there. The board does flex under this type of paddling and noticeably pushes a lot of water at the front of the board.
At slower, more normal cadences, the XL Ultra 3.0 likewise does well on the speedometer, but without the additional effort required in the sprints. At a casual 25 strokes per minute, the XL Ultra 3.0 cruises along at a comfortable 3.6 MPH on average. At those speeds, the board will glide for just over 20 feet from a single stroke before it slows down, giving it a gliding ratio of 1.8 board-lengths. Again, that is right in line with other large all-around boards and with iRocker’s other Ultra 3.0 series iSUPs.
iRocker CX Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Maneuverability and Tracking
With the twin 5” fin system and a longer waterline, the XL Ultra 3.0 favors tracking a little more than maneuverability, but still scores well in our agility testing.
The XL Ultra 3.0 uses a twin-fin configuration to allow the board to fold up into its compact backpack. Previous generation iRocker Ultra boards came with two 9” fins that gave them highly-impressive tracking capability, but made turning quickly anything but quick.
The newly designed 5” fins bring this performance back in balance and make the XL Ultra 3.0 the most maneuverable board of its size from iRocker.
In our forward-sweep turning test, the XL Ultra 3.0 took just 6.5 strokes on average to make a full 360° turn. That’s less than half the effort it took to do the same test on the previous generation Blackfin XL Ultra! In reverse, the XL Ultra 3.0 spun quickly around in just under 4 paddle strokes. These are both great results for such a large board with a twin fin setup.
Stepping back for a pivot turn is normally the fastest way to turn a SUP, but the short deck pad of the XL Ultra 3.0 – particularly in the rear of the board – makes it quite difficult to do so as most paddlers will need to step off of the traction pad and onto the slippery PVC surface to sink the tail enough for a snappy turn.
The change from 9” to 5” fins substantially improved maneuverability. It did also detract a little from the tracking performance of the board, but by a much smaller margin.
In our 10-stroke tracking test, the XL Ultra 3.0 only deviated off course by an average of 13 degrees after the 10th paddle stroke. That’s a really good result for a larger all-around like this. Paddling around normally (without worrying about measuring tracking results), I found the XL Ultra to be easy to paddle in a straight line with just minimal steering input every now and then.
The XL Ultra 3.0 comes with two 5” “river” fins.
iRocker describes the two included 5” fins as “river” fins. They do have a shallower draft than a typical all-around fin (5” vs 9”) but they also have a swept back “weed fin” shape with a bulbous end to help maximize surface area.
I like the new fin design for the XL Ultra 3.0 and think that it has given the board just the right balance of maneuverability and tracking performance.
iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Warranty and Customer Support
iRocker warranties the XL 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 XL 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 XL Ultra 3.0 or any other iRocker iSUP, you can return it to iRocker for a full refund.
iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 iSUP Review – Final Thoughts
The iRocker XL Ultra 3.0 is a large, all-around board that fits into quite a small package. The included features and accessories make it versatile and easy to set up anywhere thanks to the new battery-powered electric pump. Because the Ultra 3.0 boards are a bit similar to one another in features and performance, it would be nice to see the XL Ultra 3.0 offer a different feature set with maybe some more fishing-specific options to help set it apart.
The new lightweight, welded construction makes the XL Ultra 3.0 a great board for travelers, RVer’s, van lifer’s or anyone else who wants a quality, versatile, and high capacity compact iSUP package.
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