Retrospec Weekender Plus – Review and Test

Updated December 4th, 2024

The Weekender Plus is an entry level inflatable stand up paddle board, but also comes with the kayak blade and the kayak seats. You can use it as either a stand up paddle board or as a kayak. The Weekender Plus is available directly from Retrospec.

Specifications

Size – 10′ 6″ x 33″ x 6″
Weight Capacity – 300 lbs
Board Weight – 23 lbs
Construction – AerGlide-Fusion
D-Rings – 14 D-Rings
Paddle – 4 Piece Aluminum Convertible Paddle
Pump – Double Action Hand Pump

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Video Review

Retrospec Weekender Plus Features

Let’s get into the details of the Retrospec Weekender Plus

6 – Construction

Let’s talk about the construction. The board uses something they called AerGlide-Fusion for the construction. Basically, I think it’s a two ply PVC construction. We did a stiffness test where we loaded up with 120 pounds weight to see how much it would flex. It measured 1.4in. The iRocker All Around 11 we reviewed measured 1.3in.

So this is basically equivalent to a much more expensive board from other brands. It’s not a super soft board It’s much stiffer than an iRocker Nautical or DAMA which deflected over three inches. It’s clear that Retrospec put the money in this package into the board and the construction made a very good stiff board with a nice deck pad.

To round things out the board has bungees at the front and rear. It uses a standard 3 fin setup underneath.

10 – Accessories

The Weekender Plus comes as a complete package that includes the board, a convertible paddle, ankle leash, double action pump, a backpack bag, shoulder strap, repair kit, and phone case. Basically everything you need to get in the water, plus a few extra items.

Bag

The bag is a basic bag with backpack straps, a zipper front pocket, and some mesh side pockets. Nothing fancy here at all. It easily holds everything inside the back. No wheels or padding for your back. Just a plain backpack.

Paddle

The paddle is a three piece aluminum paddle with an extra blade. The shaft has a groove in it, so it holds the handle aligned with more than just friction. It doesn’t twist at the top, which is a problem with a lot of the cheaper aluminum paddles.

The extra blade inserts down in where the handle went. It’s only a friction fit plus the groove. There’s no pin on the extra blade. We didn’t find it coming loose while we paddled with it. It’s a fairly tight fit, so I’m not too worried that the blade might fall out at some point.

Hand Pump

The hand pump is a generic double action pump that has a plug to take out out to change it from single action to double action. It took me about eight minutes to inflate the board with a hand pump. If you’re going to use this a lot, I really recommend getting an electric pump. I’d rather use my effort to paddle and have fun and not waste it all hand pumping this thing.

Kayak Seat

Kayak seat that comes with the Retrospec Weekender Plus is one of the high points. It isn’t just a generic seat that comes with a lot of inflatable paddle boards to have a seat. It’s actually a really nice seat with an inflatable seat cushion that is comfortable to sit on with good back support.

It attaches to the board with some of canvas loops with some metal hooks on the seat. It’s actually a much better attachment system than the four straps, with buckles, we normally see. Tighten the bottom two straps on the cushion to hold it in place. Adjust the seat back with the other 2 straps. It doesn’t slide around or flip out of place. I really like this seat.

9 – On the water

So how does this handle on the water? We spent quite a bit of time paddling around, both as a paddle board and a kayak. It’s 33in wide, so it’s a little bit wider than a standard 32 inch wide all around board. It’s nice and stable. It glides as good as any 10’6″ board.

The 3 fins give it decent tracking once the board is moving through the water. Beginners would have no trouble paddling this board around or standing on it. It’s a well behaved board that is fun and relaxing to paddle.

10 – Kayak Conversion

As a kayak, the seats a little bit high off the board because of the inflatable cushion. It does feel a little bit unstable when you’re sitting down on it. Once you’re down and have your feet on the board, it’s nice and comfortable and it paddles around very easily.

The convertible paddle won’t be as good as a dedicated kayak paddle, but it works pretty good. The only thing really missing is drift cups on the paddle, so you will get a little bit wet.

it was fun to paddle around as a kayak. If it’s a windier day or you just don’t feel like standing, you can always use this as a kayak and still have a lot of fun.

Recommendation – Buy or No Buy?

I think the Retrospec Weekender Plus is a really good value for what it costs. It’s a fun board to paddle around and it has better than expected stiffness and construction for the price. The kayak seat is much better than you will find with almost any SUP package.

Overall, I think this is a great value package and would recommend it to anyone looking for an inflatable SUP.

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Ryan Craig
Chief Editor

I am a total gear nerd and love learning how things work and thinking about how they could be improved. Nothing excites me more than trying out new gear. I’d rather spend 3 hours taking my bike apart and learning how to change something than go to a bike shop. These days, I reside in Michigan by the Great Lakes and go skiing, biking, and boating as much as possible. Visit our About Us page and learn more.

ryan@greatlakesbikeskiboat.com