From: £695.00
A stiff, light and resilient touring board designed for stability AND distance.
If you like to seek out those quiet beaches, breaks and bays, like exploring with your board both on and off the water, or simply just getting away from the crowds, then this inflatable paddleboard has been designed for you. This is the ultimate touring inflatable paddleboard!
The price includes bag, belt and leash, fins, repair kit, but doesn’t include paddle or pump – because we want to give you options to choose the right one for you. If you don’t choose a paddle or pump from the options, then it will be delivered without a pump or paddle!
p.s. if you’re not sure you want to pay out all the money now, you can split it over three months with PayPal pay in three credit, if you qualify.
Description
The ultimate adventure touring paddleboard, designed by SUP explorers for SUP explorers
With front and back storage, and additional lashing points there is ample space on this inflatable paddle board to take day bags or even multi-day expedition kit. There’s even handy additional paddle wraps to allow you to keep your paddle safe when floating and enjoying the view.
We’ve redefined lightweight touring inflatable SUP with industry leading double layer fusion Woven Drop Stitch and hot weld technology (1). This uses the latest fusion polymer technology to reduce the weight of the SUP, but still provide a solid rigid platform for comfortable long-distance paddling. That means this super rigid board weighs in at close to 10kg making it as easy to handle on land as it is fun on the water.
With extra thickness, length and volume, this board will easily eat up the miles even with a kid or camping kit on board.
We’ve spoken to lots of paddlers to really understand what makes a perfect inflatable paddle board for families, day travellers and journeymen, and used this to set new standards for our touring iSUP boards:
– A lightweight but superstrong inflatable board weighing under 11kg with fins attached. With the whole package weighing around 18kg, it’s light enough to go in checked baggage, and with lots of handles making it a dream to get in and out of the water.
– Non-slip deck under the storage areas to make carrying kit that little bit more secure
– Secure paddle storage to allow serious paddlers to carry a standard kayak paddle for those occasions where only two blades will get you upwind and up-current.
– a robust paddleboard carry bag with wheels. Padded straps and a hipbelt to make carrying the iSUP a pleasure, and chunky wheels that work on all but the most bumpy or sandy ground. And with a big external pocket to keep all the other iSUP accessories secure and just where you need them.
– 2 + 1 fin setup. Genuine full length AIR7 centre fin box; use the fin included, designed for all round flat water paddling, or use your favourite fin. The click fit style side fins really make this board stand out from the crowd and give exceptional handling in strong currents, chop and wind. In harsh conditions these fins bite in and keep the board composed and moving forward. Real fins are such a game changer for iSUP performance, it amazes us that anyone still uses fixed rubber fins when the alternative is so much better!
– a sculptured deckpad finish, to improve comfort on long distance paddles without sacrificing grip. And the deckpad extends almost all the way to the tail of the board.
– Fastening points for a SUP seat to be attached (seat not included, but available separately) to convert the board from a SUP to a long distance touring sit on board.
And even though this iSUP board has been designed with long distance touring in mind, those FCS style fins give you extra bite for extra fun in small to medium waves.
What’s in the box
– 12’8 x 31″ x 6″ Go Explore inflatable SUP board
– 1 x 7″ US box centre fin, 2 x 5″ click fit FCS flexi side fins
– Repair kit
– High quality 10″ coiled leash and Panda Board Sports quick release belt
– Our renowned Mcconks SUP sac
– Choose your pump and paddle from the options above
(1) Don’t believe those who say that all inflatable SUP are the same, or that every manufacturer uses the same materials. There are vast differences in the quality of materials, and in the quality assurance of paddle boards. There are only a handful of brands available in the UK that use Elite X Woven double layer drop stitch, and they’re all a lot more expensive than we are! Our inflatable paddle boards are on the production table for over 72 hours, and then they’re pressure tested for another 72 hours. If you’re buying a board that costs less than ours, then either the production time is quicker, the materials are worse quality, or the quality assurance is worse. Or in the worse case, all three! That’s probably why we were voted number #1 SUP brand in the last SUP rider survey in 2021.
What else might you need?
Paddle
Choose from our standard 3 piece 10% carbon shaft, glass/nylon blade paddle. Perfect for beginners and families – indestructible stiff blade, adjustable so the whole family can use it, yet less than 1kg in weight – 40% lighter than the standard cheap paddles included with most iSUP packages. Or you can go for a higher performance carbon paddle. Read this article to find out why choosing the right paddle is just as important as choosing the right board. If you don’t select a paddle, one won’t be included.
Inflation aids
Connect to a compressor | Valve adaptor
This little tool allows you to connect your inflatable paddleboard to a shrader (car tyre) type pump. Please note that most car tyre pumps are not designed to provide enough volume to inflate a SUP. Therefore using your car tyre inflator could damage the pump. And the use of a very high volume compressor could damage your SUP board – so be careful!
Inflating with ease | Triple action pump
Why not choose a double chamber triple action pump. This pump makes your pre-paddle routine a doddle, inflating an all round board to 18 PSI in less than 5 minutes, without breaking your back.
You’re not what you wear, but…
Looking good without costing the planet | Casual SUPwear
We’ve got a large range of organic and sustainable t-shirts and hoodies. From bright and colourful to stylish and subtle, every garment is 100% organic or recycled, printed to order using a small UK company, and delivered within 10 days, but often as quick as 3 days. Kids, ladies and unisex available
Protect the seas and your body | Rash vests
Not just a rash vest, but one made from recycled plastic waste. Here’s what a happy customer had to say…
“It is very comfy. Easily the comfiest one I’ve had. Better than my current Billabong one. I wasn’t expecting it to be long sleeved. If I’d have been looking to buy another one, I’d have gone for short sleeve. But now I’ve tried your long sleeve one on, I’m sold on it. In the hot weather this Saturday at the Torbay air show, it was lovely and cooling on and stopped me getting burned when wearing it on its own with shorts. When I went for a swim, I put my wetsuit top on over the top of it and it kept me nice and warm. When I took the wetsuit top off, your rash vest dried pretty quickly in the sun.”
Fins
No snags | river fin
Shallow rivers are a drag (literally), particularly for those riders with fixed fins. Luckily, McConks don’t do fixed fins, and a river fin pack allows you to use shorter fins for shallower waters like the River Wye.
Harder, straighter, faster | Race fins
If you want better tracking, then these race fins will improve your tracking and your speed through the water. With a weed shedding profile they will also significantly reduce drag in weedy waters.
Have fun, be safe | SUP safety
Leashes and Quick release belts
It goes without saying you should nearly always use a leash. If you’re on flat without any current, then a coiled ankle leash is sufficient (supplied as standard on most of our boards prior to 2021). If you want to surf SUP, then a straight leash is advised to reduce the risk of recoil, although people are increasingly finding coiled ankle leashes don’t create as much recoil as previously feared.
For 2021, we are no longer providing ankle leashes as standard. We’re instead providing quick release waist belts and a leash connect system.
If you paddle fast flowing water (moderate or fast flowing rivers or tidal rivers/estuaries), you should always use a quick release (QR) safety belt. Without a QR belt, there is a risk that you could be pinned down by the current with your board one side of an object, and you the other. And this nearly always results in death.
We recommend three quick release belts for swiftwater. The HF SUP buddy is a no frills QR belt with manual quick release, and emergency resistance release supplied as standard with all our boards from 2021. So even if you can’t manually release the belt, it will release under enough stress. The next step up HF Synergy , or is a premium piece of kit that fully complies with British Canoeing’s guidance on SUP Safety on whitewater. It is comfortably padded, has a much cleaner emergency release that has a much reduced risk of entanglement and entrapment, and allows for the attachment of a Restube PFD and a throwline. The belts have an added advantage of keeping the leash out from under your feet, making step back turns much less of a tangle.
For those of you who don’t like the velcro quick release, we also sell the rather awesome Whetman Water Belt that has two manual cam releases. This product is both designed and made in the UK – in Devon to be precise.
Eye protection
When you’re paddling you need shades that protect your eyes against reflected blue light, and that are polarised. Most eyewear manufacturers neglect the blue wavelength protection as it is not specified in international standards. All of our eyewear gives additional blue spectrum protection, our mirror blue lenses provide the greatest protection for paddling. With frames hand made from sustainable materials, and made to float, our shades protect your wallet, the environment, and your eyes.
Gear protection
Keeping you gear safe on the water is an important element of SUP safety. What good is your mobile phone if it’s at the bottom of the sea? Our dry bags keep your gear dry, and they’re made from recycled plastic waste.
Making memories | RAM camera mount
This mount from RAM mounts is a totally bulletproof piece of kit. Originally designed for use on high speed motorbikes, they have a bombproof construction, and are up to anything the natural environment can throw at them. So it will keep your camera safe and sound and let you capture the memory for ever. And also prevent your camera causing heavy metal pollution from leaching batteries, and plastic pollution. And there are attachments for waterproof phones, tablets, speakers, lamps, fishing rods, and much more – it’s not just a camera mount
Schools, clubs or companies
We work with a number of charities, schools, clubs and companies providing bespoke or standard McConks kit. To give you a flavour of the kinds of companies that are turning to McConks because of our value and quality, we are an approved supplier to the Princes Trust, Brigantes, a number of councils including Essex Council, Walsall Council, Carmathenshire Council and Beyond Boundaries East Lothian amongst others. Many instructors use our gear as part of their BCU paddlesports leader courses and recommend our gear to their customers (see our facebook profile and GoInspire initiative to find out more).
Additional information
Double action pump - 25 psi
| Weight | 3 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 30 × 40 × 70 cm |
Triple action pump - 25psi
| Weight | 3 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 30 × 30 × 50 cm |
| Upgrade | Package upgrade, pump only |
Carbon 10 standard paddle
| Weight | 3 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 90 × 25 × 10 cm |
| Blades | |
| Shaft | |
| Combined carrying capacity / weight | |
| Type of paddling | A bit of everything including surfing, Micro adventures and day paddles, Whitewater, River surf, Yoga SUP, Multi person and group paddling |
| Ability | |
| Type of paddle |
Carbon 100 upgrade paddle
| Weight | 3 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 180 × 25 × 10 cm |
| Blades | Teardrop AC85, Teardrop AC93, Teardrop Bamboo 85, Teardrop Bamboo 93 |
| Combined carrying capacity / weight | |
| Type of paddling | A bit of everything including surfing, Micro adventures and day paddles, River surf, Yoga SUP, SUP surf |
| Ability | |
| Type of paddle |
Restube Sport buoyancy aid
| Weight | 1 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 20 × 5 × 1 cm |
Panda quick release belt
| Weight | 0.5 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 15 × 10 × 5 cm |
Whetman Water quick release belt
| Weight | 2 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 20 × 10 × 5 cm |
15L reclaimed material dry bag
| Weight | 2 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 30 × 20 × 2 cm |
Action camera mount
| Weight | 3 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 10 × 5 × 5 cm |
SUP seat
| Weight | 3 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 30 × 30 × 20 cm |
29 reviews for McConks Go Explore 12’8i inflatable SUP | The ultimate adventure board
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Q & A
Ask a question
Your question will be answered by a store representative or other customers.
Thank you for the question!
Your question has been received and will be answered soon. Please do not submit the same question again.
Error
An error occurred when saving your question. Please report it to the website administrator. Additional information:
Add an answer
Thank you for the answer!
Your answer has been received and will be published soon. Please do not submit the same answer again.
Error
An error occurred when saving your answer. Please report it to the website administrator. Additional information:
Related products
-
Sale!
McConks 9’8″ Go Free wing | crossover wingsurf/surf board with footstraps
From: £550.00 Add to basket -
McConks Go Duo tandem inflatable paddleboard
£1,200.00 Add to basket -
Sale!
McConks Go Explore 11’4i – Limited edition Pink Power 5″ thick – preorder only
From: £675.00 Add to basket -
Sale!
McConks Go Explore 12’8i inflatable SUP | The ultimate adventure board | Damaged outer packaging
From: £550.00 Read more
Barry Edwards –
I used this board for the first time yesterday on a 5.72 mile round trip from Lulworth cove to Durdle Door, Bath hole and back and found it to be an absolutely awesome ride. Very stable and tracking was excellent. It also handled to slight swell with comparative ease. It was a real pleasure to paddle and I cannot wait to get back on it
Emma Hadley (verified owner) –
I bought this bought late last summer it has been fantastic. I’ve used it on the sea and the lakes, stable and smooth, love it. So much so we are going to be buying another this year.
Sven –
Excellent quality and a pleasure to use. Been using it regularly all year round and still in very good condition and no issues.
Mark McConnell (verified owner) –
Signed up to SUP lessons last year, and got to try lots of different boards, and by far this was my favourite.
Bought my own when the lessons ended and been out constantly with it in the open water, and would recommend it to anyone.
Neil Cumming (verified owner) –
My first board was a McConks 10’6” Go Anywhere – really nice board, but after a while I decided that something bigger and more focused towards touring would suit my paddling better. Having been very happy with the Go Anywhere (and the support from McConks when I bought it) I sold it to a friend and bought the Go Explore.
Really enjoying it. It’s a well-built robust board, with the build quality I would expect from a premium manufacturer like McConks. The design is well thought out, with well placed handles and plenty of storage space front and rear. It glides and tracks well, so is great on longer trips. It is very stable even when there’s a bit of chop on the water. The accessories that come with it (leash, bag etc) are also great quality and well designed.
The only downside is that being a bigger board than my last one, it takes a bit longer to pump up! I’m very happy with this board and would recommend it 100%.
Jonathan Barnard (verified owner) –
Ideal touring board; stable but with good glide. Plenty of handles for carrying/ manoeuvring. Comes witha top quality bag. I have x2 of these boards; bought one for my son after he lusted after my board, also bought a whitewater sup. I have x2 of these boards; bought one for my son after he lusted after my board, also bought a whitewater sup.
Same quality as the more expensive brands and much better than boards of a similar price.
McConks give great service as well; swift delivery, easy contact, prompt replies and very helpful. Genuinely a family operation.
McConks;My “go to” choice.
Fergal –
Love this board! I bought a 12′ 8″ for my wife a few years back and she loves it. We were swapping back and forth on it and it was so smooth through the water that I decided to get a second one for myself. I had used other brands previously (my friends) but honestly the shape and length of this suited me perfectly. I use it on lakes, rivers and the sea and it is equally brilliant in each case. I even use it for surfing in white water and it is so much fun. Build quality is excellent and proven by a close encounter with a bus one day when I was carrying it to the beach and a bus clipped it, sending it flying down the road. Nothing but a scuff from where it hit the tarmac on landing, and that cleaned up! Next step I am considering a inflatable sail to see how it handles windsurfing – All in all a brilliant board. I have been a fan of McConks since they started up and even as a small family business, they stand up against the multinational brands. I research the bizingo out of anything I spend hard earned money on and they are of the best quality. Yes there are cheaper boards out there and more expensive to, the cheaper are generally poor quality, will be line a banana on the water and literally blow up if over inflated. McConks are rated to 27PSI which is MASSIVE! in SUP terms. Rock solid on the water, top construction internally which is what all the top boards use. The cheap boards are basically an expensive lilo, you see them at the beach and they are rubbish. MCConks will last a lifetime and maintain their value. Don’t hesitate!
Cameron Nicholls (verified owner) –
I bought this last year it is amazing board I’m a heavy guy and carry a lot of kit on the front deck as I am training to be a paddle sports leader. It tracks beautifully and I find it very stable with so much deck space available even when loaded up there is plenty of room to move to trim the board for the conditions. I paddle in mixed group in terms of craft so if it goes on the water and is paddle it’s in the group. Nothing quite like two people and a 17-foot canoe on your paddle board so you can drain the water out and get the paddler back in their craft dry and safe.
on the see, rivers or the lake district it has performed over and over again stability, control, tracking and speed are all exceptional without having multiple boards for different days.
Ian Jefferyes (verified owner) –
Have used this board many time over the last year since I bought it. Very stable, glides well and good quality materials. Have used it both on canals and the sea in France. Buying direct, also means great service.
Paul Engstrom –
I have had this board for 2 years and I am very, very pleased with it. In terms of features and build quality I think it is equivalent to (or better than), other boards costing significantly more, a fact which has made SUP’ing friends with more expensive boards quite jealous! I have done several long coastal paddles around Pembrokeshire and the Gower, the board is very stable, well balanced and tracks well, all contributing to greater range. The removable side bite fins add flexibility to the set up allowing adjustment to the conditions. I have also done numerous river and lake trips, here the board glides with minimum effort, a 23km paddle down the Charente earlier this year was a pleasure! Having a board with this many handles is a real advantage when it comes to getting it in and out of the water. The transport bag is excellent, plenty big enough for the essentials and more without a squeeze (I got 2 x wet suits, a spare paddle, and buoyancy aid in there as well during the trip to France). I think this board represents excellent value for money, pair it with the right paddle and you’ll go a long way!
Sarah Pybus (verified owner) –
Decided to buy this board after using it in my beginners’ lessons. I’m fairly tall so wanted to have a longer board. It handles well (it was pretty windy last time I went paddling!) and the accessories are all of good quality.
Julie (verified owner) –
This is a cracking touring board. I’ve used it on the coast is reasonable swell 1m + and wind and its good, stable, tracks well, lots of space for gear and doesn’t weigh too much.
Duncan Jack (verified owner) –
Bought a pair for myself and my son last year for paddling on rivers. Very stable but still with a good turn of speed. Son’s even done an amount of what water on his, Yat on the Wye and Derwent down into Matlock. And it came with a leash and belt so super easy to paddle safely without the leash getting in the way. And te solid carry case has kept them in excellent condition.
Andrew Robinson –
We’ve owned our go explore board for a few years now. Our boys were 5 and 8 at the time and they both took to paddle boarding like a duck to water. The board, the support from McConks and the experience have all been superb. I rarely recommend to other people, but McConks is the exception. We all love paddling our paddleboard, on the sea, lake or a river. Sometimes we go two up without issue, even with my slightly excessive weight. Highly recommended.
Barry Edwards –
Having now had this board for over a year, I can safely say it is an absolutely amazing board. I have used it on numerous 5-6 mile coastal trips in a variety of conditions, including a skill session in 6ft swell and 20 mph winds, and it has been brilliant. I stopped using the 2 side fins about 8 months ago and it doesn’t feel any less stable. I have also upgraded to a full carbon paddle as well. The board tracks well and is pretty quick for a wide board. Highly recommended
Chris Goldfinch (verified owner) –
I’ve had a surfboard for years, and as a family we used to go surfing with the kids during the summer months. As the kids grew up and left home the poor surfboard sat there in the garage unused, and quite possibly feeling unloved. Years passed and it never got used. Skip to this summer (2022) and a chance visit to South Devon. We went to the beach and there in front of my eyes, were paddle boarders. All shapes and sizes but they had these boards that, unlike my hard surfboard, could be inflated and deflated at will and easily transported in a bag. Not only did it look easy to transport, but it also looked easy to do. It was then I had an epiphany, I want a paddleboard. It would certainly be easy to transport, and I could do it at the seaside, in local rivers and on local lakes. I was sold!! I went home and immediately sold my surfboard and went in search for a board.
after a lot of searching, researching and head scratching, I found a board I liked and went and did a lesson/tour in Bath with a company that used them. Loved it!! This was the board I wanted however, the chap taking the lesson said get yourself a good fitting Buoyancy aid so I did, and after chatting to a chap at the shop, excitement got the better of me and I bought a board that wasn’t the one I had intended on buying. Whilst it felt ok, and looked pretty good, there was something about it that just wasn’t right for me.
I started to wonder about it and started looking around again. As a member of a lake that has McConks boards as rentals, I had seen them but had never thought about them as an option.
One day my son hired one and we went out together. It seemed a pretty sturdy board and had everything on it that the first board I’d seen had, wide, thick and plenty of storage space PLUS a GoPro mount!!!
I started to research them and found them to be a local company with good environmental ethics and a great board package.
After speaking to them for a bit, I couldn’t make up my mind on the 11’4 or the bigger 12’8. After speaking to Mr McConk himself, we decided as I was going on holiday very soon, to try the 12’8 and if I wasn’t happy I could swap it for the 11’4. Deal done.
I ordered the board, it arrived very quickly and, surprisingly to me, it came with a paddle in a separate bag!!! Not what I’d expected at all. Unpacking it, everything was really good quality with attention to detail. Everything about it felt quality.
I took it on holiday to Salcombe, with my sons, and we paddled up and down the estuary and I felt it easy to paddle and really stable and safe on it.
Whilst this board was a little pricier than my original one, it is far superior to the 11’4 I bought and I feel you get what you pay for and I happy with it.
I would also say, the other thing with McConks is the support I’ve had from them and the community they have. I feel like I have bought a fantastic product and have become part of a family. The information and articles shared within the community make it feel special and that I’m definitely part of a family.
I love my McConks 12’8 Go Explore, wish I’d bought it first as it is my forever board.
If you’re looking for a great board, great service and be part of something bigger buy a McConks. You won’t regret it.
My only regret is I didn’t find them sooner.
Stuart Williams –
I got the 12.8 last year and Waited to get a full season befor reviewing
Firstly the board. Love it! Top quality in the build.
Used it numerous times on the sea, lakes and rivers and never let me down. On a sea trip I even had a foldable BBQ, charcoal and food all secured in a dry bag, fun paddle then a beach BBQ. Great that storage straps front and back.
Nice and stable except for when the kids play “let’s knock Dad off his board”
Storage bag has ample space so never an issue to pack away. Also impressed that comes with a quick release belt so right from the start they are already taking your safety seriously.
McConks – Excellent service. I got mine when the all the decent manufacturers were having supplies issues due to COVID. They kept me in the loop and always came back to me within a reasonable time. Yes I had to wait but if you wanted quality that was the market at the time.
Also did something for me which totally shows the customer service. In a rookie error I forgot to fasten the valve cover and lost it on a paddle. I asked Andy via email how can I go about getting a new one. Could have got one from Amazon but wanted a genuine one so the colours march. Expecting them to come back with a price, he found a used one and sent it in the post. They took the time to look and and send one out free. Still on my board and jus that little things showed the right customer service ethos.
I went on to buy a dry bag and carbon paddle.
In summary, great board with service to match. I also own another McConks board and would thoroughly recommend the 12″8, the 11″6 and McConks
Anna Geyer (verified owner) –
I bought the 12’8 as my first paddle board in September 2020 after a lot of research and dreaming. I wanted a board that was ethical in production, performed well and was value for money. I spoke to Andy directly, took his advice and visited the demo centre in the Cotswolds. It ticked all the boxes. I ordered it on a pre order and couldn’t wait to get out on it.
I’ve not looked back. It is stable, glides smoothly over the water. It is perfect for long paddle adventures. In fact I love it so much I’ve recommended it to friends and friends of friends who’ve also bought from McConks.
We are now a 3 board family (all 12’8s).and have now had 2 full years of year round paddles.
The customer service has been excellent and any issues have been handled efficiently. I would highly recommend any of the McConks products – and the board selector feature on the website is a great way of finding out which board is right for you – so helpful if you’re starting out as a complete newbie to all things SUP.
Hugh Bennett –
This has to be the go to board for use on rivers , lakes and sea. Copes well in anything from surf to a day’s touring on the river.
The bag makes transporting the board easy and there is a practical pocket on the front is a great addition.
Pre sales advice was excellent without feeling pressured to buy. Fast and efficient delivery.
When I lost a fin, thorough my own mistake it was replaced promptly and with no quibble.
Would buy again!
Jim hammond –
V stable board delighted with purchase
Keith Ambrose –
I have had my Mc Conks “GO Explore” 12’8 for 2 years now and from the very first time i stepped on it i understood the benefits of a quality Board vs lower quality ,not necessarily cheaper boards.
For the first time hitting waves on the sea was not a problem this board is so super stable and gives you great confidence.
I bored my mates so much that after having a go on mine they both bought their own and they rave about them too.
The build quality is clearly top notch with lots of little details that show Mc Conks know what a great SUP should have ,like plenty of storage ,great carry straps, camera mounts and nice grippy platform.
Almost forgot to say that the storage bag is the best that i have seen ,easy access ,strong with shoulder straps and wheels.
Buy with complete confidence.
Dennis briggs (verified owner) –
On my 3rd board this 12.8 is by far the best board so happy with it and I’ve tried other boards took my time which I preferred this won hands down build quality is perfect too and speedy and glides tracks all I wanted love it 👍👍👍👍👍
Jenny –
We decided to buy a SUP back in the early summer of 2020 when everything was a little bit crazy. A friend had recommended McConks kit to us so we started chatting with Andy by email to identify which would be the best board for us. The 12’8” seemed the best fit for us and McConks kept us informed through all the delivery uncertainties at that time and managed to deliver the board just in time for our eagerly awaited holiday.
Two and a half years later, and I can confirm that the board is everything we hoped for and more. We’ve used on our local river, on some big lakes and on the Welsh and Scottish coast. It’s very versatile, covering distance easily on flat water, feeling reassuringly stable in big seas and it handles well for some fun in the surf. We haven’t tried touring yet, but there would be plenty of space for camping kit.
The build quality seems excellent, both of the board and the rest of the package. We went for the carbon paddle upgrade and it is certainly a pleasure to use through a long day. The triple action pump upgrade is worth it too; this is a big board with a lot of volume to fill. Even the dry bag seems to be higher quality than many similar products out there. We’ve lost a small fin and bolt or two due to careless kids’ use, but McConks replaced them very quickly for us.
Looking forward to many more adventures!
Sarah –
Amazing boards. Had ours for a few years now and use them loads. Great for river day trips which what we do most but definitely capable of more. Also great for messing around with small people on holiday and doing shorter picnic adventurers. Andy was so helpful when we bought – lots of advice, no pressure to decide. He’s also super helpful when consumables need replacing or if you lose a fin! All round great product from great company.
Dominic O’Connor –
Delivered yesterday and I was on the water within an hour. Love my new Go Explore 12 8. It glides and tracks beautifully. Going to get a load of use for sure. Thanks
Peter Pearson (verified owner) –
Very happy with this board, purchased after having lessons on the go anywhere, tried a few other makes but didn’t like them as much. Went for this as I find its great for a couple of hours on the sea or a full day out on the river. Nice and stable, moves well through the water and able to carry enough kit for a day out and more. Add to this the great customer service and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.
Gillian (verified owner) –
Just love it! Nice stable board and a bag that you can wheel about and big enough for additional kit into
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Stable board which turns well not too hard to inflate , good deck area
Toyah Tomkins (verified owner) –