The 12’6” Carbon Hala Nass inflatable standup paddleboard is a good all around board. When I first bought it, my intention was to use it only on flat-water; I’ve paddled on Lake Dillon in Colorado many times as well as Chatfield Reservoir in the Denver metro area. The sleek outline of the board allows the paddler to cut through any chop. At 30” wide, it’s a bit narrower than the whitewater specific boards I have used in the past so it felt a bit tippy at first. Once I was on the water and got into a good rhythm, the Nass glided with ease.
After a couple of times are flat-water, I ventured on the Colorado river with the Nass. What I noticed immediately is the stiffness of the board on the river compared to my Hala Straight-Up. The carbon fiber eliminated the bounce I feel on my other inflatable when paddling whitewater. The Nass performed really well on the rapids.
Travel bag
The travel bag is an upgrade from the previous version used in the original Hala Straight Up. It’s a softshell suitcase shape which fits the board and pump, along with an inside pocket perfect for storing fins. While the bag is advertised as a backcountry bag, the material is not as sturdy as it should be. My bag has already torn with under ten paddles. I’ve spoken with other paddlers who have the Hala travel bag and they mentioned their bags easily tore as well. The fabric used in the construction could likely be upgraded to something more resilient, but the overall design of the bag is sound.
The board is equipped with a solid rubber handle on each end of the board which is handy for carrying the board with two people or pulling it to shore. There are eight D-rings on the border of the board for strapping gear in place; board comes with bungee cord setup on the nose. The diamond grove deck pad is comfortable on the feet and provides solid grip in all conditions.
Distinct markings
Hala updated the color schemes for all their boards in 2017. They come in mostly white frame with color strip on the edge of the board. I do like that the name of the board is on both sides of the bow of the board. This is cool because you can easily identify the type of board people are paddling; Hala is one of the few SUP makers who does this. They also include the specs of the board along with a badge stating “Designed in Colorado” on the rail near the tail.
Article written by Paddle Xaminer.
