Starboard All Star Airline 14×28 iSUP Review 2025 – Fast, Stable, and a Ton of Fun

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Starboard All Star Airline 14 x 28 iSUP Review – Overview

Starboard is one of the top names in paddle board racing. Their All Star series of carbon fiber race boards has been taking podiums all over the world for years. While elite athletes in the sport have the advantage of companies like Starboard lining up boards to use at each of their international races, the rest of us aren’t so lucky.

Thankfully, Starboard has recognized that and brought the top-tier racing pedigree of the All Star to the inflatable All Star Airline.

This paddle board shares the same plan shape as the carbon fiber race boards and utilizes Starboard’s excellent construction to create an incredibly fast and efficient set of inflatable race boards.

The 14 x 28” All Star Airline is outstanding even among these race boards for its versatility. While the narrower versions can be paddled faster by smaller and more experienced paddlers, the 14 x 28” All Star gives you more stability while still staying fast on the water. This makes it better for larger paddlers, and for more uses – fitness paddling, day touring, and even overnight trips that you can’t do with other racing SUPs.

— Starboard Generation Inflatable SUP Review Summary and Ratings —

Starboard All Star Airline 14 x 28 iSUP Review – Construction and Durability

The All Star Airline is available in Starboard’s Deluxe Airline construction. This is the same core construction as Starboard’s Deluxe Single Chamber iSUPs, but with the addition of their Airline cable system under the board.

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The Deluxe Airline construction starts with Starboard’s Deluxe Single Chamber (DSC) build.

Inside the board there is a woven drop stitch core made with two layers of woven polyester fabric joined together with thousands of 6” long yarns. Rather than stitching the yarns in a standard “V” pattern across the board, the yarns are stitched in alternating “X” patterns, much like a bridge trestle, to increase the rigidity of the whole system. These fibers also set the thickness of the board and keep it flat when inflated.

The woven drop stitch core is then coated with a layer of PVC material, and a second layer of reinforced PVC tarpaulin is heat-pressed onto the first to mechanically bond the layers together. This eliminates glue, and errors that can arise from hand-glued constructions, reducing weight without impacting stiffness.

The top and bottom of the board are joined together with a heat-welded rail layer. These layers of reinforced PVC are heated and pressed together to create a physical bond, essentially turning them into one continuous piece of material. Another layer of reinforced PVC material is then glued around the edge of the board to further protect the seam and increase durability and rigidity.

So far, this is the same as Starboard’s other DSC iSUPs like the 10’8” iGO DSC. However, the All Star Airline gets a few other unique features to help increase rigidity along the board’s 14’ length.

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On the deck of the All Star Airline, there are two carbon fiber stringers that run the whole length of the board from nose to tail. On the hull, you’ll find a wide carbon fiber fabric stringer down the center of the board also running from nose to tail.

This hull stringer is part of the Starboard Airline system. While it is glued to the board at the ends and sides of the stringer, there is a tunnel through the middle of the stringer to hold the free-floating Airline cable.

The Airline cable is a length of woven aramid fiber (also known by its trade name Kevlar) that attaches to the All Star’s fin box and to the nose of the board.

According to Starboard, the Airline system is meant to stiffen the board and change the rebound feel of the board. More tension creates more rigidity and a tighter rebound, less tension adds less rigidity with a smoother rebound. Starboard claims the cable reduces flex by “1.8cm”, but there’s no other information about how this was tested or measured.

We have not found the Airline cable to be that effective.

On paper this idea seems great. Aramid fibers have essentially zero stretch, so once they are tensioned it won’t allow the board to bend.

In reality, this system is built with so much slack that it doesn’t do much at all. The cable itself is woven, so the fibers are not being pulled in a straight line and the construction allows the line to stretch under tension. The same goes for the eye splice at the nose-end. The connection at the fin box is with a simple overhand knot which will tighten and can slip under tension. Lastly, the cable itself is free-floating within the stringer “tube.” Before the cable can begin to add any rigidity, the board must first flex into it.

With all of that, how did the All Star Airline do in our bend test?

With NO Airline cable and the board inflated to its maximum recommendation of 18 PSI, the All Star Airline 14×28 bent 4.0 cm or 1.58” with 170 pounds in the standing area. That is ever-so-slightly better than our current running average of 1.62” over more than 120 iSUPs. Longer and narrower boards tend to do “worse” in the bend test, so this is actually quite impressive.

So what does the Airline cable system add?

With the Airline cable set to its tightest point, the All Star Airline bent 3.8 cm or 1.496” with 170 pounds in the standing area. That is only 0.2 cm / 0.08” better than without the Airline cable at all.

Essentially, the rigidity provided by the Airline system is negligible.

Starboard seems to have recognized this as well. The inflatable All Star racing SUP is now available with or without the Airline system.

But what really matters is how the board feels on the water.

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On the water, the I did not feel any flex or bend in the All Star Airline 14×28 while standing on the board, paddling normally at touring speeds, and even up to a long-distance race pace of around 40 strokes per minute. While sprinting on the All Star Airline I could feel it flexing slightly, but not enough to feel that it was impacting the performance of the board.

Bouncing on the board does produce a moderate amount of flex, and the rebound is comfortable and smooth as the board settles down.

I’ve paddled the All Star Airline both with and without the Airline cable installed and did not feel any difference in flex or rebound.

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Overall the Starboard All Star Airline is built extremely well. The Deluxe construction is quite rigid and the Fusion lamination and welded rails make the board extremely durable. Even though the Airline system does not appear to work as advertised, it also doesn’t detract greatly from the board. It adds a very small amount of weight, but not any more than the racing handles or cargo area and accessory attachments on the board.

Specifications

Starboard All Star Airline 14 x 28 iSUP Review – Features, Accessories and Versatility

The All Star is first and foremost a racing paddle board. Even so, Starboard has placed a surprising number of features and fittings on the board to also make it a capable day-touring option or even an overnight expedition style board if you have an ultralight backpacking kit.

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I was quite surprised to see Starboard list the rider weight capacity of the All Star Airline 14×28 at 155 Kg (340 pounds). While I do believe this is a completely valid total weight capacity, I do not think the All Star would perform well for a paddler much heavier than 250 pounds. At that point I feel it would have enough flex to impact its performance on the water.

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The Starboard All Star Airline comes with a great kit of accessories, though it does not include a paddle. This allows you to choose your own paddle rather than be forced to purchase one you may not want or like.

Along with the All Star Airline, you also get:

• Starboard Re-Cover roller backpack made with recycled plastic bottles
• Single-chamber hand pump
• Stretchable flat leash
• 9” Net-Positive racing fin fin made from recycled fishing nets
• 2 FCS ball mounts
• Basic repair kit + fin key

Starboard All Star Airline 14 x 28 iSUP Review – Paddle

The All Star Airline does not include a paddle. SUP racers know how critical their paddle choice is, and while Starboard makes several excellent paddles, they do not want to force you to buy a paddle that may not be right for you.

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We tested the Starboard All Star Airline using the Starboard Enduro Carbon paddle in size medium (85 sq in).

The Enduro Carbon is Starboard’s midrange all-water paddle. The elongated teardrop shape of the blade provides a high quality catch for instant power, but still allows you to paddle with a higher cadence. There is a double-dihedral on the power face that forms a pocket in the middle of the blade to hold the paddle solidly in the water during the power phase of your stroke.

The molded carbon fiber blade and filament-wound carbon fiber shaft are lightweight and stiff. The S35 shaft is on the slightly stiffer side of medium for Starboard’s offerings and allows you to create a lot of instant power, but does become a bit harder on your muscles and joints for long-distance sessions or races.

This 3-piece adjustable paddle weighs in at just 22 ounces. That’s among the lighter 3-piece paddles we’ve tested. In order to get much lighter you’d have to more than double the price of the Enduro Carbon to purchase the Enduro PrePreg Carbon, and it only shaves about 2 ounces off the total weight.

The handle section is likewise made of carbon fiber, however the palm grip itself is plastic. It also has a slight “U” shape on the handle which I did find to press awkwardly into my palm from time to time.

Overall, the Enduro Carbon is a fantastic paddle for all-around use. While its not a dedicated racing paddle, it is fully capable of joining the All Star Airline 14×28 at the starting line.

Starboard All Star Airline 14 x 28 iSUP Review – Stability

Racing SUPs are not know for their stability. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite. However, the 14 x 28” All Star Airline is incredibly stable for its size and speed.

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A 28” wide board may not seem to be that stable, but at 14’ long and with a very well-designed shape, the Starboard All Star Airline feels great on the water.

Now, I will be upfront and say that it is not as stable as a 30” or 32” board, but given its size and compared to other 28-29” racing-style iSUPs, the All Star’s stability definitely shines through. There is some slightly twitchiness when you first step onto the All Star Airline, but that goes away in just a few minutes as you get used to how the board feels and behaves on the water.

The relatively wide tail and mostly parallel mid section of the board give the All Star Airline more volume and surface area throughout the board. This helps resist tipping from side to side. While the nose does draw in to a fine point, the transition is smooth and the “shoulders” of the board are moved forward to keep it as wide as possible for as long as possible without losing paddling efficiency.

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Tilting the board side to side is on the reactive side of things. The All Star Airline is quick to change tilt when you shift your weight, but it does so in a controlled manner. I don’t stand with my feet on the standing trays for normal paddling, but in rough conditions or when I know I’ll be tilting the board, they do give you more leverage and control over the All Star’s tilt.

Overall I found the All Star Airline 14 x 28” to be extremely stable for its size. I’ve even had some more novice, but not beginner, paddlers try it out. While at first they were a bit nervous or intimidated by the smaller width, they all quickly found their footing and really enjoyed using it.

Starboard All Star Airline 14 x 28 iSUP Review – Speed

What is a racing SUP without speed? The All Star Airline 14×28” puts up some impressive numbers in our speed test for such a relatively wide racing SUP.

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First up is our sprinting test. In our sustained sprint test, the 14×28 All Star Airline hit an average of 5.7 MPH at 75 strokes per minute. When going all-out during our testing phase with this board, I was able to reach 6.2 MPH. In a short head-to-head sprint race I did reach 6.5 MPH on the All Star.

This is pretty fast, but it’s not the fastest iSUP we’ve tested. The All Star 14 x 28” actually tied in our testing with the Hydrus Pardise touring SUP, and had mixed results in sustained vs top speed against the Honu Sorrento and Isle Explorer Pro 14’. The Hydrus Paradise X eeked out scores 0.1MPH faster in both categories. One thing all of these boards have in common is they are all more rigid than the Starboard All Star Airline. When sprinting, rigidity is extremely important to transfer all of your power between the paddle and the board.

At a slower pace, the All Star Airline did quite well averaging around 4.2 MPH at 25 strokes per minute (a casual cruising pace) and 4.6 MPH at 40 strokes per minute (a long distance race pace). This is roughly what I expected when looking at the data from other “fast” iSUPs.

At these cruising and long-distance paces, the All Star Airline glides smoothly and efficiently. With a single paddle stroke at these speeds, the Airline moves about 27 feet before noticeably slowing down. This gives it an extremely efficient gliding ratio of 1.9 board lengths per stroke.

While the 14×28 All Star isn’t the fastest iSUP I’ve tested it is still extremely fast on the water. It’s better suited for longer distance over rougher conditions.

Starboard does make the All Star Airline in several different sizes including a 14’ x 26” and 14’ x 24.5” – both of which will offer even more efficiency and speed, but at a loss of stability. One piece of advice I have about choosing what width race board to get is: You can’t paddle fast if you aren’t on the board. I can physically paddle a 22” race board, but I’m not going to be racing on one any time soon. While you may be able to paddle a narrower board on flat water, when race day comes there could be wind and chop, but there will certainly other paddlers around you turning the water’s surface into a boil.

Starboard All Star Airline 14 x 28 iSUP Review – Maneuverability and Tracking

The longer and narrower a paddle board is the better it tracks in a straight line, and very frequently it also becomes harder to turn quickly. That holds true for the All Star Airline as well.

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In our maneuverability stress test, our goal is to showcase the differences in board design by using very basic stroke techniques rather than seeing how fast we can turn using any technique at hand.

The All Star Airline 14 x 28” is a large board and it is difficult to turn with basic strokes. Using only forward sweep strokes (paddling in an arc from nose to tail), the All Star needs an average of 15 strokes to make a complete circle from a standstill. That is a huge turning radius.

When working backward, against the fin, it takes just under 6 reverse sweep strokes (paddling in an arc from tail to nose) to make the same circle.

For reference, a typical all-around iSUP needs an average of around 6 forward sweep strokes or 3.5 reverse sweep strokes to complete the same test.

Now, it’s rare that you need to turn a race board using basic sweep strokes, and it’s ultra rare to turn the board in a full 360°.

Using more advanced turning strokes like cross-bow-draws and pivot turns will turn the All Star much faster. Stepping back to the tail of the board is actually quite easy due to the board’s consistent stability. Once you have lifted the front of the board out of the water, you can turn a full circle in about two paddle strokes.

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Tracking Text 6.5

Getting from point A to point B the fastest is as much about maintaining a straight course as it is increasing your cadence and power. If your board is zig-zagging all over the water, it will take you much longer to get to the finish line.

The Starboard All Star Airline ships with what looks to be a pretty small 9” fin compared to the 9” touring fins seen with many other iSUPs. However, the fin and the board’s length and shape work together to keep you on course very well.

In our 10-stroke tracking test, the All Star Airline 14 x 28” deviated an average of just 6.5° after the 10th stroke on a single side. That is incredibly good and when you add in small course correction strokes it’s actually quite easy to continue to paddle straight for long periods of time without switching sides. When on my fitness and race training sessions I will typically paddle for 20-25 strokes on a single side before switching with no problem.

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The All Star Airline has a single fin box that is compatible with many, but not all Universal Standard (US) fins. The fin box itself is a bit shorter and there is a captive nut inside the front of the box. Fins with the bolt hole in the front and especially short-base US fins should all fit if you wish to change from the Starboard Race 23 fin that comes with the board. While it’s not the fanciest fin in the world, I find that it works quite well with the All Star Airline for racing, fitness paddling, and touring.

Starboard All Star Airline 14 x 28 iSUP Review – Warranty and Customer Support

Starboard offers a two-year manufacturer’s warranty on their inflatable SUPs. Because Starboard does not sell directly to the consumer, paddlers must work with retailers (locally or online) to purchase their Starboard products and work with those retailers for warranty issues. Any return policies are at the individual retailer’s discretion (or pertinent regulations for your area). Starboard is available for customer support via email, however most customer support questions should be directed to your chosen retailer.

Starboard All Star Airline 14 x 28 iSUP Review – Overall Impressions/Review Summary

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I really like the 14 x 28” All Star Airline. It’s a fast and fun board to paddle, and it offers enough stability to not “worry” while you are on the water – even in choppy conditions. It’s a great racing and fitness paddle board for larger paddlers, and can be used just as easily for day touring and even some lighter overnight excursions. While the Airline system doesn’t work as intended, the build quality is fantastic and the performance on the water is top-tier. If you are looking for a fast, fun, and functional paddle board for distance, fitness, or racing, the Starboard All Star Airline should definitely be at the top of your list.

Starboard All Star Airline 14 x 28 iSUP Review –FAQ