The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 Touring iSUP Review | 2025

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 iSUP Review — Overview

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 is has what we’d normally consider to be a typical touring or fitness paddleboard size and shape, except for one key difference. While most iSUPs this size (and most inflatable boards in general) are 6” thick, the Columbia S (and all of The Wild Tribe’s iSUPs) is only 4.7” thick. This thinner profile can help increase stability, but in longer boards it can introduce flex that can sometimes hamper performance. So how does the Columbia S handle this unique characteristic? Read on to find out the details!

Editor’s Note: The Wild Tribe’s board naming conventions can be a little confusing. Rather than giving specific shapes a single model name, the name is attached to the graphic design of the board and modified for the shape. In this review we are examining the Columbia S 12’6 – a 12’ 6” x 30” touring paddleboard, not the Columbia 11 – a 11’ x 32” crossover all-around/touring board. For a review of that shape, see our Wild Tribe Athabasca 11’ review. In this review we refer to this board as both the Columbia S 12’6 or Columbia S.

— The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 Ratings and Review Summary —

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 iSUP Review — Construction and Durability

The Wild Tribe’s newest boards – the Athabasca and Columbia – use new materials and construction for a lightweight and durable build.

This year, the Columbia S 12’6 and the rest of The Wild Tribe lineup get a major construction upgrade with a new cross-woven drop stitch core. Two layers of woven polyester are joined internally by thousands of drop-stitch threads sewn at intersecting angles, creating a lighter base material. This structure also gives the Columbia S its 4.7” thickness.

The outer shell uses a dual-layer fusion PVC build, where heat and pressure bond reinforced PVC directly to the drop stitch core. This eliminates heavy glued layups and reduces the risk of heat-related delamination. Wide PVC stringers on the deck and hull — what The Wild Tribe calls its “Dual Core” system — add extra stiffness without the extra weight of another full layer of PVC.

The rails are finished with heat-welded seams, cutting down on glue use and boosting heat resistance. Fully assembled, the Columbia S weighs just over 23 pounds and is rated to 20 PSI, though they recommend a lower pressure in high-heat and direct-sun environments.

In our bend test at maximum pressure, the board flexed 2.33″ under a 170-pound load which is more than our running average for any iSUP, even other 4.7” models. However, on the water it feels more solid than the numbers suggest.

At a relaxed cruising pace, there’s no noticeable flex, though it becomes apparent at higher paddling speeds and is pronounced during sprints. When I bounced on the Columbia S, it did have a high amount of overall flex, but with a smooth and controlled-feeling rebound.

While overall rigidity is on the lower side, the Columbia S still delivers a pleasant paddling experience, particularly for paddlers under 200 pounds. The lighter build and welded seams make for a welcome evolution in The Wild Tribe iSUP construction.

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 iSUP — Specifications

Specifications

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 iSUP Review — Features, Accessories and Versatility

The Columbia S 12’6 is designed and outfitted as a light touring and fitness paddleboard. It’s got a moderate amount of cargo space for day trips, plus a few extra features for more casual cruising.

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 comes with a full kit of accessories including:

• Columbia S 12’6 iSUP
• 3-piece carbon fiber/nylon paddle
• Double-action hand pump
• Wheeled carrying bag
• 1-9” and 2-4.5” fins and fin bag
• Coiled leash
• Repair kit

The Columbia S has a lot of small accessory features like threaded mounts, kayak seat compatibility, and passenger handles, but it lacks the cargo hauling capability for overnight or multiday trips. We’d like to see the rear cargo area expanded or rearranged with the kayak seat D-rings to be able to more effectively carry enough cargo for trips longer than a few hours.

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 iSUP Review — Paddle

The Wild Tribe is packaging a new carbon fiber / nylon hybrid paddle with the Columbia S 12’6 that is lighter and more comfortable to use than their previous aluminum paddle.

The new carbon fiber hybrid paddle from The Wild Tribe pairs a carbon fiber shaft and handle with a fiber-reinforced nylon blade, creating a mid-weight design that’s tuned for comfortable, all-day paddling. At just over 27 ounces, it’s significantly lighter than the previous aluminum model, but heavier than a full carbon fiber paddle. The composite shaft offers a pleasant amount of flex during each stroke, though at higher speeds there’s a bit too much flex — especially in the blade. For long-distance cruising or day touring, however, that flex can help reduce fatigue.

The medium-large teardrop blade delivers a smooth, steady pull. A subtle scoop runs from throat to toe on the power face, paired with a gentle side-to-side bend. This shaping can make orientation tricky for beginners, especially since both sides have identical graphics. Just make sure the toe-to-throat scoop shape points backward and the side-to-side bend points forward or you will experience a lot of blade flutter and wander as you paddle.

The adjustable handle section includes length markings for quick re-sizing, but with no indexing marks or grooves, you’ll need to realign the T-grip and blade each time you adjust it.

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 iSUP Review — Stability

The Columbia S 12’6 offers pleasant stability for day touring and fitness on calmer waters.

The thinner profile of The Columbia S 12’6 helps lower your center of gravity and gives the board a more “connected” feel as it sits lower in the water. It’s hard to describe what “connected” means, but it is a noticeable difference when coming from a 6” thick board to a 4.7” board like the Columbia S.

The board is also a little wider than many other touring boards, clocking at 30.5” – just a bit wider than the specified 30” width. Together these give the Columbia S a nice, solid feel on the water when you are standing still or paddling along at a cruising pace.

When standing on the Columbia S and paddling normally I didn’t feel any rolling or twitching sensations. While rocking the board side to side I did occasionally feel the rails “catch” under water before resurfacing, but the board was still predictable overall. Holding it on its edge for an extended period produced a similarly consistent feeling.

Heavier paddlers and those paddling in rougher conditions will notice the Columbia S flexing on the water more. That extra flex can reduce the overall feeling of stability, especially when combined with edge catching as the board rolls side to side in choppy water.

Overall I do feel that the Columbia S has good stability for its size and shape, but would like to see how it feels on choppier water with a bit more rigidity from additional stringer support.

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 iSUP Review — Speed

The Columbia S 12’6 is a quick board, but is slightly limited in its overall top speeds by flex in the board and included paddle.

In our sustained sprint test, the Columbia S 12’6 reached an average sprinting speed of 5.1 MPH at 75 strokes per minute. At a full sprint without limiting the stroke rate I was able to reach a top speed of just 5.4 MPH. Those speeds are on the low end for touring and fitness style iSUPs and around the upper end for faster all-around style boards.

Narrower and longer touring boards are typically much faster than all-around iSUPs, but the Columbia S has two things holding it back. The first is board flex. Once you start paddling hard, the Columbia S begins to flex noticeably on the water. This pushes the board down instead of forward and also causes it to veer off course easier. The second issue is the paddle. The nylon blade has too much flex for sprinting. Rather than your energy transferring from the blade to your body (and then the board) a good chunk of that effort goes into flexing the blade in the water.

But there is good news. At a more casual pace, the Columbia S performs more like other touring boards. At 25 strokes per minute, the Columbia S easily holds a flatwater speed of just over 4.0 MPH. There is still a little bit of paddle flex, but instead of being detrimental, it makes the paddle stroke feel lighter and more comfortable on your body. There is still some loss in speed with more paddle flex, but for all-day touring, that extra degree of comfort means you can paddle longer without getting exhausted.

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 iSUP Review — Maneuverability and Tracking

The Columbia S 12’6 has a maneuverability and tracking profile one would expect from a classic touring board – great tracking, but with reduced maneuverability.

The Columbia S performed almost exactly as I expected it to in our maneuverability stress test. From a standstill on the water it takes an average of 11 forward sweep strokes to turn in a full circle. We use the forward sweep stroke in our testing (paddling in an arc from nose to tail) because it is the intuitive turning stroke for new paddlers.

When you reverse the stroke (paddling in an arc from tail to nose), the Columbia S turns much faster as it works against its fins to complete the same circle in just 4.5 strokes – over twice as fast.

Now, with a touring SUP like the Columbia S, the key to quicker turns will always be using more advanced techniques. It does respond well to course changes while paddling using cross-bow draw strokes, and it’s a good board for learning pivot turns.

The thinner profile and square tail work together to give the Columbia S a consistent feeling of stability as you work your way back to the tail and begin to lift the nose off the water. From there, the board quickly spins using forward sweep strokes, needing only a couple paddle strokes to spin in a full circle.

The lower maneuverability of a touring SUP is the tradeoff for improved tracking performance.

In our Tracking stress test, the Columbia S did very well. After 10 paddle strokes on a single side, the Columbia S only deviated off course by an average of 8°. That’s a good result for a touring board and far better than what one would expect from an all-around iSUP.

There are three fin boxes under the tail of the Columbia S 12’6. That’s two too many in my book. Touring SUPs like the Columbia S don’t need additional side fins. This fin setup – with two toed-in side fin boxes – is used for high-performance surf boards and SUPs.

On a touring SUP like the Columbia S, these side fins mostly add drag and reduce maneuverability, but don’t notably help with tracking (as we’ve seen with many other similar size touring boards with just a single fin). What would be nice is for the Columbia S 12’6 to come with a higher surface-area touring fin rather than a slimmer all-around fin for the center fin box. The good news is, The Wild Tribe uses a Universal Standard (US) fin box for the center fin, so you can easily swap the included fin with another of your choosing. The side fins, though, use a proprietary fin box and are not so easily exchanged (but the tool-less bolts do make them easy to remove or install).

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 iSUP Review — Warranty and Customer Support

The Wild Tribe offers a 3-year warranty for their inflatable paddle boards and a 6-month warranty for all of their accessories. This is a mid-length board warranty, but a slightly short accessory warranty. They also have a longer, 45-day return period for their products. If you have any questions about The Wild Tribe’s products or need to file a warranty claim, you can contact them via email, phone, webform, social media, or at their headquarters outside of Montreal, Quebec.

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 iSUP Review — Final Thoughts

The Wild Tribe Columbia S 12’6 is a great day-touring and fitness paddleboard. It’s particularly well-suited for paddlers under 200 pounds, but heavier paddlers up to 250 pounds can also use it as long as they aren’t planning to regularly do hard sprints. I’d like to see The Wild Tribe expand the cargo capability of the Columbia S for longer trips and add some additional stiffening elements to improve its rigidity and performance. Overall, I am pleased with how the Columbia S 12’6 paddles and feels on the water.