Hala Atcha 96-R
Preorder estimated to ship March 15, 2027. Orders placed directly with Hala Gear through this page are preorders.
Prefer to order locally? Contact your local Hala dealer to arrange a special order. Dealer availability may begin as early as March 15, 2027; confirm timing with your dealer. Find your local Hala dealer on our retailer map.
Designed with Rama. Built for footwork. The Atcha 96-R is a limited-edition whitewater SUP Hala developed with whitewater rider Kazunori "Rama" Hirama. The R is for Rama. It starts with the proven 9'6" Atcha platform and reshapes it around Rama's Japanese whitewater SUP style: a wider surf-style stance and deliberate front-to-back weight shifts that steer the board through the river.
You feel that design the moment you stand up. From a neutral stance, the 96-R settles into a line and holds it, carrying speed through ferries, eddy lines, and wave trains. To turn it, you move. Shift your weight back to free the nose and pivot, then step forward to drive. A reshaped rocker profile, a wider and more stable tail, and an extended deck pad give you room to set a wide stance and move your feet without running out of traction.
Inspired by Japanese freestyle riders, the wider tail, 12 cm (4.7") wider than the Atcha 96's at 1 ft from the tail (70 cm vs 58 cm), creates a platform for stability and experimentation. Matching 1.5" raised stomp pads at the nose and tail and a raised foot index at the tail give your feet clear placement cues. The tail stomp pad gives you a place to plant your back foot as you shift your weight, pivot and try new moves, while the full-length deck pad lets you move freely between stances.
Expect the rails to ask more of you. With the wider tail, water does not release off the back of the board the way it does on the Atcha 96, so the 96-R does not carve from a neutral stance. To engage a rail you drive it deliberately: weight back to free the nose, then press through the inside foot. The payoff is a more secure platform in pushy water and more room to experiment; the trade is that passive edging gets a slower response than on the Atcha 96.
The 96-R is a specialty board, not a replacement for the Atcha 96. If you want to ride the way Rama rides and you like a board that rewards active footwork, this is your board. If you want a 9'6" that turns readily from a neutral stance and climbs waves and holes with full-board rocker, the Atcha 96 is still the one. The Atcha 96-R ships with Hala's patented StompBox 2.5 retractable fin and two 4.5" gummy side-bite click fins. Built in a single limited production run.
Measures 9'6" × 36" × 6". Recommended inflation pressure: 15 to 18 PSI, 20 PSI max. Includes a pump, bag, fins and repair kit. Paddle sold separately.
Preorder from Hala Gear — estimated to ship March 15, 2027. Or contact your local Hala dealer for a special order, available as early as March 15, 2027.
🏄 Fin System & Upgrade Options
Center Fin: StompBox 2.5 System
The Atcha 96 R uses Hala's patented StompBox 2.5 fin box. Spring pressure holds the fin at full depth. It deflects on rock contact and snaps back before your next stroke, so the board keeps the line you set.
| Fin | Size | Status | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| StompBox 2.5 with 9" SpringFin | 9" | Included | Holding ferry angles and downriver lines: all-around river paddling |
| Tracking StompFin | 9" | Sold separately | Flatwater, fishing, expedition: improved tracking anywhere, fully retracts |
| 4.5" StompFin | 4.5" | Sold separately | Tracking without depth: simple and quick side to side |
▶ See the StompBox 2.5 in action
Side-Bite Fins: Click System
Two 4.5" gummy click fins included. Swap without tools. Grub screws lock them in for aggressive whitewater.
| Fin | Size | Status | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gummy Click Fin | 4.5" | Included ×2 | All-around grip and flex |
| Hard Click Fin | 4.5" | Sold separately | Carving, max lateral drive |
| Gummy Click Fin | 2" | Sold separately | Shallow, rocky river lines |
| Low-Pro Click Fin | 1.5" | Sold separately | Very shallow technical corridors |
| Pocket Click Fin | ~1" | Sold separately | Shallowest runnable lines |
▶ How to install your Click Fins
📐 Full Specs & What's Included
Atcha 96-R Specifications
| Length | 9'6" |
|---|---|
| Board weight | 27.5 lbs |
| Rider capacity | 275 lbs |
| Volume | 318 L |
| Width | 36" (90 cm) |
| Tail width (1 ft from tail) | 70 cm (27.6"), 12 cm (4.7") wider than the Atcha 96 |
| Thickness | 6" |
| Max PSI | 20 PSI |
| Recommended inflation pressure | 15 to 18 PSI |
Board features
- Developed with Kazunori "Rama" Hirama
- Full-length Diamond Groove 4mm EVA deck pad
- Tail 12 cm (4.7") wider than the Atcha 96 (70 cm vs 58 cm, measured 1 ft from the tail), inspired by Japanese freestyle riders, for stability and experimentation
- Matching 1.5" raised stomp pads at the nose and tail, plus a raised foot index at the tail, for clear foot placement cues during deliberate weight shifts
- Rocker-stiffening stringer
- Easy-carry soft nose and tail handles, two grab handles and padded step-flat center handle
- Shock cord quick stash, soft centralized rigging points and tail D-ring
- Removable StompBox 2.5 retractable fin system
- 9" center retractable StompFin and two removable 4.5" gummy side-bite ClickFins
- 5-year board warranty
What's Included
- Hala Atcha 96-R inflatable SUP
- Hand pump
- Carry bag
- 9" center retractable StompFin
- Two removable 4.5" gummy side-bite ClickFins
- Fin key
- Repair kit
A paddle is not included and is sold separately.
⚖️ Compare with the Standard Atcha 96
The 96 R is a specialty board, not a replacement. Here is how it rides next to the standard Atcha 96.
| Atcha 96 | Atcha 96 R | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Hala's original river surf and whitewater shape | Developed with Kazunori "Rama" Hirama |
| Turning | Turns readily from a neutral stance | Needs active footwork to turn: step back to pivot, forward to drive |
| From neutral | Full-board rocker climbs waves and holes | Settles into a line and holds it |
| Tail | 58 cm (22.8") wide 1 ft from the tail | 70 cm (27.6") wide 1 ft from the tail, 12 cm (4.7") wider, with matching raised stomp pads at the nose and tail and a raised foot index |
| Best for | Big water, high flows, first river board | Paddlers who steer with weight shifts: ferries, eddy work, fast downriver lines |
| Availability | Core lineup | Limited production run |
Want a board that turns more readily from a neutral stance? See the standard Atcha 96 →
⚖️ Compare All Hala Boards
Not sure which Hala board is right for you? Here's the full lineup side-by-side.
| Series | Board | Size | Character | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charge | Atcha 86 | 8'6" × 34" | Freestyle / nimble | River surfing, technical moves |
| Charge | Atcha 96 | 9'6" × 36" | Dynamic / stable | Big water, high flows, first river board |
| Charge (Limited) | Atcha 96 R ◄ you're here | 9'6" × 36" | Line-holding / footwork-driven | Weight-shift steering, ferries, fast downriver lines |
| Charge (Limited) | Atcha 86 R | 8'6" × 34" | Steady / approachable | Short-board control in straightforward rapids |
| Adventure | Radito | 10' × 34" | Agile / expedition | River + lake crossover, multi-day floats |
| Adventure | Rado | 10'10" × 35" | Steady / expedition | Multi-day trips, SUP fishing, heavy loads |
| Cruise | Straight Up | 10' × 33" | Versatile / fun | Flatwater, light rivers, all-around paddling |
| Cruise | Hoss | 10'10" × 35" | Stable / steady | Beginners, yoga, fishing, max stability |
Choose options
Game Changing Technology
StompBox
Hala's patented StompBox 2.5 holds your center fin at full depth with spring pressure. When it hits a rock, it deflects and pops back into place, so you keep tracking without stopping to reset. The StompBox removes easily for transport, storage and repair.
Built to last
5-year warranty
The Atcha 96 R is backed by Hala's 5-year board warranty.
Designed with Rama
Built around a riding style
A few centimeters of rocker change how a board rides. For the 96 R, Hala and Rama reshaped the rocker and tail around a paddler who steers with their feet.
The result holds a line with speed and turns when you commit your weight. It isn't meant to replace the standard Atcha 96. It rewards a different way of paddling.
Board highlights
Designed With Rama
Developed with whitewater rider Kazunori "Rama" Hirama around the wide-stance, weight-shift style of Japanese whitewater SUP.
Holds Its Line
From a neutral stance, the 96 R settles in and carries speed through ferries, eddy exits, and wave trains.
Steer With Your Feet
Shift back to free the nose and pivot, then step forward to drive. The board rewards active footwork.
Wider Tail
A tail 12 cm (4.7") wider than the Atcha 96's, measured 1 ft from the tail, with a raised stomp pad and a raised foot index gives you a stable platform to plant your back foot and pivot.
Room to Move
Full-length deck pad with raised nose and tail stomp pads for clear foot placement as you shift your stance.
StompBox 2.5
Patented retractable center fin springs back on rock contact, plus two 4.5" gummy side-bite click fins.
River SUP Boards
Accessories, Fins, Apparel, and Swag
Blog posts
Where to SUP in Oaxaca, Mexico
Last Winter, I traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico, with my husband, our cat, and our Hala inflatable stand-up paddleboards. Oaxaca might not be the first place you think of when you hear SUP vacation, but ...
Read more
Tips & Tricks: featuring Jim Miller
Whether you're paddling a calm lake, exploring coastal waters, or dropping into your first whitewater rapid, every paddle involves risk. The goal isn't to eliminate risk entirely. It's to understan...
Read more
The Best Inflatable Whitewater SUP Boards: A Guide From the People Who Built the Category
We have been building inflatable whitewater SUPs since 2011 — longer than any other brand in the sport. The dimensions we settled on for the first Atcha — 9 feet 6 inches long and 36 inches wide — ...
Read more