Byron 10'6

Top quality board, and so easy to inflate and deflate using the rechargeable electric pump. Feels really solid, so easy to balance on, but also glides along at a good speed.

Exactly as advertised. I bought three boards for the family; the Byron 9'8 (daughter), the Byron 10'6 (myself) and the Fairlight 11'2 (husband). I've been out 5 times now, mainly lake trips with one time at the beach. We had never done SUP before but both my husband and I were standing and paddling within minutes. Being so much thinner than other SUPs they are lovely and stable, my daughter actually prefers the Fairlight at the moment because her balance isn't as good and even she can stand and paddle that one. I can stand and paddle them all. I really liked the 9'8 at the beach because it was so easy to manoeuvre, it felt like an extension of my body. I'm on the 10'6 most of the time and love it, even had the dog on it last time. It tracks fairly well with between 5-8 strokes per side maintaining a straight course, that might improve as I improve. The Fairlight tracks a bit better with 7-10 strokes per side, but takes a little more to turn. Being a bigger board you also need to move a fair way back to do a kickback turn (which I've finally achieved without falling in). The longest paddle I've done was 3km on the Fairlight and I had a ball. Although by the end of the trip I was thinking maybe I should have got the Sorrento so I could cover more distance faster. We are planning a camping trip using the boards soon, because you really do just want to set off and explore.

Pros:
Very good build quality
Can fit three paddle boards and all the gear in the boot of medium SUV
Light and easy to transport
Love the bags, plenty more room in them and can see international travel possibilities
Even the base paddle is lovely to use, not experienced enough to see the need to upgrade any time soon
I enjoy paddling every one of these boards
Look beautiful

Cons
Mud stains are hard to get off the white foam part of the deck pad (not super important).
Not really a con but they are so easy to learn on I feel that I'm only a couple of trips away being ready for a touring board after only a month of having them... but they are expensive and I won't be able to afford to upgrade for quite some time. Maybe I should have embraced the steeper learning curve and got the Sorrento.

My board is amazing. I love the dimensions of this board, and I feel connected to the water. I had another board that didn’t track well, and this new board puts my other board to shame. My Honu feels close to a hard board.

After purchasing and receiving, I had to patiently delay using my new Byron 10'6 for 5 weeks - a tough 5 weeks! This was my first experience using an inflatable as a past hard board SUP user. I decided to purchase the Byron inflatable for the light weight, portability and size. I went with the 10'6 instead of the 9'8 just because it was more similar to the size I was used to in mild ocean waves. At 110 pounds 5'4 and in my 70's, I was surprised how easily the Byron maneuvered - very similar to the hardboards of the past. It was so much fun to be out on the water in the ocean waves and harbor. It inflated quickly with the Honu power pump, easy to carry, and deflation was a breeze too. In a few words... I love it and can't wait for my next paddle outing on the water. Thank you, Mark, for answering all my questions and steering me in the right direction on my purchase.

I love using the board in the water, however, Honu redesigned the handles on the board. The middle handle is much thinner than it used to be, which hurts your hand to carrying it and just feels cheap. The handle at the bow of the board is fine, but it’s missing that cushiness of the old Honu handles. Also, because they added a stripe to the bow of the board, it looks like they have to use a magic marker or paint to draw in the stripe on the patches that hold the handle on the board, that also looks cheap. I would recommend taking the line off the top of the board and bringing the old cushy Honu handles back. That would fit the rest of the quality of the board appropriately.

I do need to say that our board had two small ink stains that didn’t impact the board function or quality and customer service for Honu is outstanding! They offered a refund or a discount for two small ink stains and were so kind and easy to work with. It felt like they cared and were very responsive. This is not some massive company where you get lost in the corporate shuffle. They are a breath of fresh air! 🩷

The Byron is very stable and perfect for a beginner like me. My friend, who has been paddling for years, also bought an Byron and she’s very happy with it too.

I am a beginner and this is my first paddle board so don't have much to compare it to but I can say that in the handful of times I've taken this out haven't fallen off once. I've used it in a choppy bay and a river and have managed to stay on so it feels very stable and easy to maneuver. It is super light weight and from what I can tell, the build quality looks great. I love that the design leans towards minimal but still has just what I need to carry the essentials. I am very happy with this board.

Had my new board for about a month and really enjoying it so far! Feels rigid and stable, easy to inflate/deflate and transport in the bag, and I love the feel of the deck pad (so grippy and comfortable). I'm 5'10" and 160lbs and this has been great for me (with and without my dog). Also want to shout out how easy it was to get recommendations and questions answered from the Honu team.

Great board, much lighter than my prior boards for ease of portage from car to water; along with comfy center hand strap for the carry. By pumping it to 18-20 pounds it provides the stiffness for optimum paddling. The top mat is comfy for the feet and additional straps at front back nice for assistance when storing on higher shelf in garage. Luv the color scheme.

My replacement board is fantastic!! Hassle free return, many thanks!!