Nixy Newport G5 iSUP Review – Overview
As a larger paddler, I struggled a bit with Nixy Sports’ previous iteration of the Newport all-around iSUP.
But not anymore.
The new Nixy Newport G5 improves on the previous generation in stability (among other things), but still maintains its playful nature.
Beginner paddlers will enjoy the benefits of this more stable shape, while intermediate paddlers won’t find it too stable or sluggish to have fun playing around on the water.
With the new kit builder system, you can also choose not just your board color, but also the exact accessories that come with (or don’t come with) your board.
— Nixy Newport G5 iSUP Review Ratings and Summary —
Nixy Newport G5
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Construction & Durability
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Features and Versatility
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Stability
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Speed
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Maneuverability
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Tracking
Overall Score
The new Nixy Newport G5 is a lightweight and highly customizable all-around paddle board kit.
Pros
- Ultralight dual-layer fusion construction is rigid while staying well under 20 pounds
- Welded rails provide greater longevity and durability
- Multiple brilliant colorways to choose from and a build-your-own-kit ordering system allow for complete customization
- The G5 has improved stability over the G4 but remains playful on the water
- Great blend of maneuverability and tracking performance
- 3-year warranty
Cons
- The cargo areas are a little mismatched for their locations. I’d like to see Nixy place the larger cargo area on the nose of the board where there is more volume and the smaller area at the lower-volume tail.
- The torpedo-like shape is still less stable than a parallel shape, making the Newport G5 best for paddlers under 180 pounds
Nixy Newport G5 iSUP Review – Construction and Durability
The Newport G5 uses Nixy’s ultralight fusion construction with welded rails to make the board lightweight, rigid, and durable.
Inside the Newport G5, you’ll find a lightweight woven dropstitch core.
The top and bottom of the board are made with a woven polyester fabric to reduce weight while increasing stiffness. Thousands of 6” long fibers are then stitched through the two layers in a criss-crossing pattern to add rigidity and keep the board flat when inflated.
The outer shell of the Newport G5 is a dual-layer fusion PVC material. This involves coating the fabric base layer with PVC, then using heat and pressure to laminate a second layer of reinforced PVC to the first. Fusion materials eliminate the need for glue between the layers which reduces weight and the possibility of manufacturing errors.
The top and bottom of the board are joined together by mechanically welding a layer of reinforced PVC material around the edge, or rail, of the board. Welded rails physically join the two pieces of material into a single piece for a stronger and longer-lasting bond. A second layer of reinforced PVC is then glued around the edge of the board to protect the first.
Through its material selection and construction techniques, Nixy has kept the weight of the Newport down to just under 19 pounds for the board only. That’s actually 3 pounds lighter than Nixy lists the board on its website (21 lbs). For its size and stability, the Newport G5 is incredibly lightweight.
While the Newport G4 had an additional carbon fiber fabric rail reinforcement, the new Newport G5 does not. With essentially the same construction between the two boards, the same 15 PSI maximum internal pressure, and nearly the same shape, this is a great opportunity to evaluate how much rigidity such a reinforcement layer actually adds.
In our standardized bend test, the Newport G5 bent 1.69” with 170 pounds of weight. That is just a hair more bend than our total running average of 1.62”. The Newport G4 (with its carbon fiber reinforcements) bent 1.3”. So there is a bit of a difference that we could measure between the two boards.
But the ultimate test is how the board feels on the water.
While standing and paddling on the board at a normal pace I couldn’t feel any discernible flex in the Newport G5. At a sprint, however, the board did have noticeable flex and it caused the Newport G5 to bounce around on the water and easily move off course.
While bouncing on the Newport G5 I could create a moderate amount of flex, and after I stopped the board had a slightly springy feel in its rebound.
Overall, the Newport G5 has decent rigidity on the water, and I didn’t have any issues with flex under normal use. While the loss of the carbon fiber fabric rails did reduce the overall stiffness of the board, it also allows the Newport G5 to have a more comfortable and stable rebound when it does flex.
Specifications
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 10’ 6” |
| Width | 32“ |
| Thickness | 6“ |
| Weight | |
| Max Capacity | 300 pounds |
| Board Weight | 18.8 pounds |
| Kit Weight (SUP & accessories) | pounds |
| Buying Info | |
| List Price | $755 |
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Returns period | 30 days |
Nixy Newport G5 iSUP Review – Features, Accessories and Versatility
The Newport G5 packs a pretty big punch when it comes to onboard features, and Nixy’s new kit-builder system allows you to customize the accessories you get with the board.
There are a lot of features packed into the Newport G5. In addition to the built-in features, the Newport G5 is now available in six different, vibrant, colorways. The blue version in this review is the “Exuma” colorway, and the red version is the new “Baja” design.
In most of our reviews, you’ll find a photo here of the complete kit that comes with the paddle board. However, this year Nixy has decided to sell the Newport G5 (and all of their G5 iSUPs) as board-and-fin-only base packages and let you add on your own set of accessories at a discounted rate.
While the accessories are available with the board at a fairly hefty discount, a complete kit with Nixy’s bag, hand pump, carbon/hybrid paddle, and leash will add around $200 to the final purchase price of the board.
But, this does give you the great opportunity to instantly upgrade items like your pump and paddle (or forego them if you don’t need one) without having to pay for the base-level items in a full kit. It would be nice to have a one-click standard kit option for first-time paddle board buyers who may not fully understand what accessories they need.
Nixy Newport G5 iSUP Review – Paddle
The Nixy Newport G5 no longer comes standard with a paddle. However, Nixy has a large lineup of very nice paddles for different paddlers and uses.
The Nixy “kit” paddle – the Nixy Carbon Hybrid paddle – is one of my favorite entry-level kit paddles. It has a carbon fiber shaft and handle section and the blade is fiber-reinforced nylon with a medium size and rectangular shape. This makes it extremely versatile for paddler size and style. You can just as easily paddle at a casual cruising cadence as you can at a higher sprint cadence. This paddle is also compatible with a second blade to convert to a kayak paddle.
The Nixy Pro series paddles offer outstanding quality and performance at a great price – especially if you bundle them with the Newport G5 for an extra discount. These fully-carbon fiber paddles are available in a variety of colors, sizes, and even different stiffness profiles to suit your exact needs.
I highly recommend upgrading to the Nixy Pro 3k for most paddlers, and the Nixy Pro 12k for larger paddlers and racers who need a stiffer paddle. There’s even a slim-shaft option in the Pro 3k build for petite paddlers.
Nixy Newport G5 iSUP Review – Stability
With a wider tail and rigid construction, the Newport G5 is more stable than ever but still maintains its playful nature on the water.
One of the first things I noticed when comparing the Nixy Newport G5 to the older G4 version is the difference in tail width. The new G5 is several inches wider at the rear of the board. Immediately I knew that this was a big improvement.
While in the past I’ve referred to the Newport as “sporty” and recommended it mostly for lighter paddlers, this new tail design has noticeably increased the stability of the board making it a better choice for paddlers up to 180-200 pounds than the previous version.
But, the Newport still has its rounded “torpedo-like” shape with a visually pleasing continuous curve from nose to tail. This curved shape and slightly small-ish tail still keep the Newport G5 feeling lively on the water.
Standing on the board and paddling normally I didn’t feel any twitching or rolling under my feet. This sometimes happens with ultralight boards, especially in smaller sizes.
When I tilted the board onto its rail to hold it on edge, I could feel that twitchiness come back into play. Partly from the lightweight board being easier to manipulate, but mostly because of the rounded outline of the board. The same twitchiness was also noticeable while standing at the tail of the board for a pivot turn. Walking to the back of the board was smooth with no sudden changes in stability, but the ease with which I could tilt the board with my feet while holding the nose out of the water did make these quick-spin turns more difficult.
Overall I really like the improvement to the overall stability of the Newport G5. The board is now more comfortable for heavier paddlers (I’m about 220 pounds in these photos), but it still has that fun, lively feel on the water that we liked in the G4. New paddlers up to 180-200 pounds will find the Newport G5 pleasantly stable and experienced paddlers up to 240 pounds will have a more playful experience, but no issues with stability overall.
Nixy Newport G5 iSUP Review – Speed
The Newport G5 has excellent glide and cruising speed but can feel sluggish and harder to control during a sprint.
While speed-testing the Newport G5 I found that it really has two different personalities depending on how you paddle it.
If you try to paddle the Newport G5 at a full sprint, you might be a bit disappointed. At 75 strokes per minute for a sustained sprint test, I was only able to get up to an average of 4.9 MPH. When going all-out for a short distance I did get the Newport G5 up to 5.4 MPH.
At these higher speeds, I felt like the Newport G5 was fighting me. The board felt like it was pushing water with the nose rather than gliding across the surface, and I could really feel it flexing under my feet. The flex also caused the board to bounce more, and it became very difficult to keep the Newport G5 tracking straight.
If the sprinting performance of the Newport G5 is the undesirable Mr. Hyde, then the cruising performance is the friendly Dr. Jekyll.
At more casual speeds, the Newport G5 feels great on the water. Paddling at a leisurely 25 strokes per minute quiets the board and eliminates the flex I felt at a higher cadence. I was able to maintain an average speed of 3.6 MPH which is quite good for a 10’6” all-around iSUP.
But what was most impressive was the Newport G5’s gliding efficiency. Once up to this cruising speed I was able to take a single paddle stroke and travel almost 20 feet before feeling the board slow down. That gives it a gliding ratio of 1.9 board lengths per stroke – way more efficient than your typical 10’6 all-around iSUP.
While the sprinting performance of the Newport G5 was lackluster, the excellent feel, speed, and efficiency at a casual cruising pace more than make up for it.
Nixy Newport G5 iSUP Review – Maneuverability and Tracking
Choosing how to design an all-around board and its fin setup is a delicate balancing act. Too much in one direction or another will make the board either difficult to turn or difficult to keep straight. Nixy has absolutely nailed the balance between maneuverability and tracking with the Newport G5.
In our maneuverability and tracking testing, we subject each paddle board to a series of stress tests. We put the boards through some rather extreme maneuvering choices with “inefficient” strokes to see how well they do.
From a standstill, we turned the Newport G5 in a full circle using only forward sweep strokes (paddling in an arc from nose to tail). This is a very basic turning stroke and is a notoriously slow way to turn a board in large amounts.
However, I found myself right back where I started quite quickly needing an average of just over 5 forward sweep strokes to make the full 360° turn. That is faster than average for all-around iSUPs in our test. It was very easy to almost 180° with just two paddle strokes before the fin began to really take hold and drive the board in a larger turning arc.
When working against the fin using reverse sweep strokes (from tail to nose), the Newport G5 whips around the same circle in just 3.5 strokes on average.
The curved shape of the board and the new fin setup (more on that below) really make the Newport G5 incredibly easy to maneuver.
With an excellent result in our maneuverability test under the Newport G5’s belt, I wasn’t sure what to expect for its tracking performance. The G4 version was much more difficult to turn (needing almost double the number of strokes) but very easy to keep paddling in a straight line.
After paddling the Newport toward a distant target at a cruising speed, I began to take 10 paddle strokes on a single side of the board and hoped for the best. At the end of the 10th stroke, I was extremely happy to see just how little off course I had gone. After 10 paddle strokes, the Newport G5 had an average course deviation of 12°. That is top-tier performance for all-around iSUPs, especially for one that is only 10’6” long!
Paddling and testing the Newport G5 has been great for many reasons (including just being a fun board to paddle), but one thing that it’s done is allow us to really see the impact of certain design changes from the G4 model.
We saw the stiffness difference with and without the carbon reinforcements on the rails. We saw the difference in stability with a wider tail. And now we can see the performance difference (or lack thereof) with a single 9” fin in the Newport G5 versus the 2+1 fin setup of the Newport G4.
The new fin setup has allowed the Newport G5 to become noticeably more maneuverable, but it is still easy to track in a straight line with proper paddling technique.
Single fin versus 2+1 fin setups on all-around boards is a huge debate in the SUP world. I personally prefer the simplicity of the single fin system, but I do see the versatility available with multiple fin boxes. From a user perspective, I think the single-fin system is the best choice. There are fewer parts to keep track of, and with a Universal Standard (US) fin box like on the Newport G5, you can still easily get alternate or replacement fins to adjust your performance or if you find yourself unexpectedly finless anywhere in the world.
Nixy Newport G5 iSUP Review – Warranty and Customer Support
Nixy now offers a 3-year warranty for their G5 paddle boards and a 1-year warranty for all of their accessories. While this is not the longest warranty period we’ve seen, it is the longest warranty period for accessories, which, in general across all brands, are more likely to have issues than the boards themselves. If you have any questions about Nixy’s products or need to file a warranty claim, you can contact Nixy via email, phone, chat through their website, or on social media.
Nixy Newport G5 iSUP Review – Final Thoughts
I’ve really enjoyed my time paddling the Nixy Newport G5.
The wider tail and gentler rebound make the board more stable and forgiving for new paddlers, but the shape of the board keeps it playful and enjoyable as you grow in skill level. The excellent construction is durable and lightweight, and the available board designs are bold and exciting.
I’ve written a lot about how the Newport G5 stacks up to the Newport G4, and not because the G4 is still available from Nixy, but as an example of how awesome it is to support and work with smaller companies like Nixy. They listen to customer feedback and implement meaningful changes in their designs and shapes. That’s apparent in the changes made for this fifth-generation paddle board. And Nixy understands that paddlers also want more choices when buying boards. Not everyone wants a basic paddle or a hand pump or even needs them, so rather than forcing you to purchase them, the new kit-building tool allows you to fully customize your board.
Simply put, I think the Nixy Newport G5 is a fun all-around paddle board for any skill level.
Nixy Newport G5 iSUP Review – FAQ
Is the Nixy Newport G5 a good paddle board for beginners?
Yes. The Newport G5 is a great option for beginner paddlers under 200 pounds. It’s stable, fun, and performs well on the water. For new paddlers 200 pounds or more, I would recommend the Nixy Monterey G5. This larger all-around board shares many of the same characteristics as the Newport G5, but with more stability and capacity.
Is the Nixy Newport G5 compatible with a kayak seat?
Yes, the Newport G5 is compatible with kayak seat attachments available from Nixy. The Nixy Carbon/Hybrid SUP paddle is also compatible with a second paddle blade to convert to a kayak paddle when seated.
Can I paddle with a passenger or pet on the Nixy Newport G5?
That will depend on the size of the riders and pets. The Newport G5 has a maximum recommended weight capacity of 300 pounds total, however, an average adult paddler is likely to notice a loss of stability when sharing the board with a passenger or pet that is over 40 pounds. The Nixy Monterey G5 is a better option for paddling with passengers or pets because of its larger size and higher capacity.
How long does it take to inflate the Nixy Newport G5?
With Nixy’s Typhoon hand pump, it takes about 8 minutes to inflate the board to 15 PSI. However, we recommend an electric pump like the Nixy Ventus to save you both the energy and time required to manually inflate your board.
Is the Nixy Newport G5 worth the price?
The Newport G5 is a little bit on the expensive side for all-around paddle boards, especially if you add a complete accessory kit to the board. However, the Newport G5 is built very well and the welded rail construction increases the board’s durability and longevity for many years of reliable use. If you are looking for a playful all-around iSUP to use frequently, then the Newport G5 is definitely worth the price.
