Beau Lake X Hinckley Newport iSUP review: A luxury paddleboard that’s more yacht than SUP

One thing is for sure: the Beau Lake X Hinckley Newport is one of the most beautiful inflatable paddle boards I’ve ever seen. When an opportunity came up to test one, I jumped on it, despite the fact that the weather where I live is hardly optimal for more than occasional paddle boarding. I had to give the Newport a try.

Beau Lake is a Canadian luxury brand founded in 2016 by Lee Kline and Paul Lavoie. The company specialises in high-end, human-powered watercraft and accessories that blend vintage aesthetics with modern performance. The Newport is one of the more affordable boards from the company, with some of its rigid boards, like the beautiful Muskoka, selling for nearly $4,000.

Despite being a quarter of the price of the Muskoka, the Newport is a premium paddleboard through and through. It is reminiscent of mid-century speedboats and emanates luxury. And thanks to its dual-layer fusion drop stitch construction and triple-reinforced rails, it’s as rugged and durable as it is beautiful.

It might not be the pro’s choice, but the Newport is a sterling choice for leisurely paddling and those who appreciate aesthetic appeal and craftsmanship. Read my Beau Lake X Hinckley Newport iSUP below to find out if this is the next inflatable paddleboard you should buy (it really is).

Beau Lake X Hinckley Newport iSUP review

Price and availability

The Beau Lake X Hinckley Newport iSUP is available to buy now directly from Beau Lake for a recommended price of $1,150 (approx. £865.11/AU$ 1,791.36) with free shipping in the US and Canada. The company offers international shipping but you have to email them to find out how much it costs to send it over to your country (assuming you don’t live in the US/Canada).

Specifications

• Length: 132 in / 335 cm
• Width: 34 in / 86 cm
• Depth: 4.75 in / 12 cm
• Volume: 65 G / 245 L
• Board weight: 20 lb / 9 kg
• Max rider weight: 275 lb / 125 kg

What’s in the box

The Newport comes in a moderate-sized box; inside it, you’ll find the board and all the accessories packed into the rolling travel bag. As the name suggests, this has transport wheels, but can also be worn as a backpack. The bag contains the paddleboard itself, a collapsible carbon fibre paddle – a rare treat, even in this price bracket – a single-chamber hand pump, a screw-in fin, an 11-inch ankle leash and even a repair kit.

It’s all packed nicely; however, I’d like to see less plastic in the packaging, considering there is nothing perishable in the box. Using cardboard dividers instead of plastic would help reduce the unrecyclable waste, and something that would be a lot more on brand for Beau Lake, a company said to be dedicated to environmental causes.

Design and build quality

The Newport is a gorgeous-looking board. It has a slim profile and is designed to mimic (honour?) the style of mid-century luxury boats. The main colour of the board is white with contrasting, wood-effect ‘decking’ taking centre stage on the top of the board. The edge is dark blue/ navy with large white lettering spelling out the brand’s name towards the front.

The board weighs 20 lb (approx. 9 kg) and can be carried around using the handles, of which there are three: front, rear and centre. There is a tether/anchor point towards the rear and an elastic band at the front to keep your drybag/gear secure while paddling. The Newport comes with a 9-inch polyester swren-in fin, which might trip up beginner paddleboarders in terms of how to attach it to the board, but feels sturdy enough.

Beau Lake claims the Newport uses high-quality, military grade PVC for added tear resistance. Durability is further enhanced, thanks to the dual-layer fusion drop stitching, which is a fancy term for a strong, stiff, and lightweight construction for inflatable paddleboards.

The triple-reinforced, heat-welded rails (i.e. sides of the paddleboard) are built with three layers of material for added strength and durability. Instead of glue, the layers are fused together using heat and pressure, creating a tough, airtight seal that helps the board stay rigid, resist leaks, and hold up better over time.

The Newport sports an EVA foam deck pad, a dense foam that provides a comfortable, non-slip surface that adds grip and stability, even when wet. At 5mm thick, it offers just the right amount of padding for long paddles or relaxed sessions, without compromising the board’s stability or responsiveness.

Performance

The Beau Lake X Hinckley Newport iSUP is easy (enough) to inflate using the single-chamber hand pump – it took my wife and me around 10 minutes to go from zero to hero using the included pump. A dual-action pump would make the process quicker, and considering that Decathlon sells them for £25, it would have been nice to see one included with such a premium board.

Screwing the fin in place is quick and effortless, once you realise you need to drop the washer in first, then slide in the fin. After quickly tethering yourself to the SUP, you’re ready to hit… well, maybe not the waves, but certainly the water.

The Newport sits beautifully on the water, thanks to its low centre of gravity. The rails are only 4.75 inches tall, placing you close enough to the water to alleviate that ‘trying to balance on a beach ball’ feeling that some of the more affordable paddleboards provide. The EVA foam deck is comfortable to stand on and has a decent grip.

In short, the Newport is a stable, comfortable board. That said, on one occasion, I tried to ride it on choppier waters, and needless to say, it felt rather unwieldy. The Newport is an inflatable paddleboard, after all, and not the racing kind, either, so don’t expect wonders from it.

The carbon fibre paddle is a nice touch; however, I noticed that the extendable bit does slide in and out slightly, even when tightened. There are a couple of screws to tighten it even further, but you have to be careful with carbon fibre not to have it too tight, as it might damage the material.

You can get something like carbon assembly paste/ carbon gripper gel cyclists use for their seat posts – I haven’t tried this method yet. If you’re careful enough with the paddle, it won’t be a massive issue.

How does the Newport ride? I found it smooth as butter on calm waters, gliding like a dream. Manoeuvring the board isn’t too tricky, although it requires more control to keep it true than some other boards. It’s a minor quirk and certainly not an issue; the Newport handles well for an inflatable model.

I found the board’s rigidity just right. I’m 83kg/ 183lbs, and experienced no sagging. Better still, the Newport doesn’t sink into the water like cheaper boards when you step on it, and feels very stable. I’m sure the salinity of the water and the rider’s weight play a role in how much the board sinks into the water, but it looked to me there was plenty more depth left on those rails to play with.

Verdict

I loved using the Beau Lake X Hinckley Newport iSUP during testing, and I’ll keep using it until Beau Lake decides that I've had enough fun with it. It’s beautiful and rides well; plus, it’s easy to store, too. All the accessories you need to get started are included in the package, although some of these could be slightly better (e.g. single-action pump, carbon fibre paddle). If you’re looking for a premium inflatable paddleboard and live in the US or Canada, the Newport is a sterling choice for you.