The STX 11’6″ Touring SUP is a 3.5m long SUP with 270 litres of volume, manufactured with a double-layer construction. The board weighs a little more than some other boards of its size, but the double-layer construction makes it a reliable, durable and stiff iSUP for its 799CHF price tag.

Unpacking

All STX SUPs come with a backpack, pump and aluminium paddle (except the Freeride 280 Windsurf Board). While the quality of the backpack and paddle is not amazing, they are perfectly functional.

The backpack is made of a relatively lightweight material with very simple padded shoulder straps. There is ample room in the backpack to easily pack the SUP back in after usage. While perfectly functional (and has proven reasonably durable) it does look a little cheaper than the backpacks I’ve seen from other brands. Ironically, while looking cheaper than the backpack I received with another brand of SUP (which costs more than twice the price of the STX) the STX backpack has survived a season’s use much better.

The paddle is a very basic aluminium paddle, which, while functional, is possibly the one thing I would personally like to upgrade in this package. It is at least comparable to the paddle which you would receive in any other bundled package.

The pump is where STX starts to prove its value for money. It’s a good quality pump that can be set to either inflate or deflate, which is great when you want to pack the board up as small as possible. I’ve ended up using the STX pump as a matter of preference when inflating other SUPs of other brands.

Rolling the board out, you get a sense of the materials being more sturdy than quite a few of the other boards I have tried. In terms of build quality, the board is comparable to boards from many more expensive brands. The double-layer construction inflates to provide a very solid, stiff board.

On the Water

The quality of the deck pad is good, and the board is very comfortable to stand on. Once on the water, the board is stable and paddles efficiently without any noticeable feeling of bending under my 80kg. We have efficiently paddled the board two up with the 270 litres of volume, providing enough flotation for two adults on flat water.

The narrow nose of the board rides efficiently through chop if the water state gets rougher. However, like all iSUPs, this board is quite a handful when the wind picks up. It is certainly not any worse than any other board I have tested in this respect.

Once finished paddling, the board rolls very easily and fits without any difficulty in the supplied backpack. If you want to have things fit a little bit better together, you can use the deflate function of the pump to reduce the space the board needs when rolled up in the bag. This allows ample room in the backpack for anything else you would like to take with you on your way to the lake.

The bungee cord on the front of the board provides ample storage space for a dry bag with a picnic and possibly some warmer clothing in it. The handle is comfortably padded and does not cause any difficulties when carrying the board over a longer distance. The supplied fin uses a slide-in clip system rather than a plate and screw. This is much easier to set up and definitely saves a minute or two when setting the board up to get on the water. It does mean that if you were to lose a fin you would need to find a suitable replacement, whereas the standard US box fins would be easier to come by if necessary.

Perhaps the only thing that is missing from this package for me is a leash. Despite having a number of SUPs to test over the summer of 2019 from Oxbow, Bic, Quatro, STX and Fanatic, this board became my board of choice. Coming in at close to half the price of the Fanatic, Oxbow and Quatro, the board offers performance in comparison with the best of the more expensive boards.

Summary

The STX 11’6″ inflatable SUP is a great value for money double-layer board, which will provide many hours of fun on the water. The performance is comparable with much more expensive boards, and in my opinion, STX is probably the most underrated brand of SUPs that I am aware of on the market at the moment.

Update 2020/21

STX hasn’t rested on their Laurels with their iSUPs. For the 2020 season, they updated the construction to make the boards lighter without losing any of their stiffness. The new fusion technology fuses the two layers of the SUP instead of sticking them together with glue, which means a considerable saving in weight without any sacrifice to performance. The STX SUPs are one of the stiffest boards out there and stiffer than almost all of the brands, which sometimes cost double their price.

Availability

The board is available in Switzerland through Swiss Alpine Adventure/All Winds Adventures. Use the contact link above.

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Everyone likes to get great holiday snaps, but sometimes it’s nice to get something a bit different. Technology advancements now mean that the kind of photographs previously only possible by professional photographers are now achievable by the average person.

The GoPole Dome is a simple product that can provide stunning photos if you are willing to take a little time and effort to figure it out. I recently purchased one before going on holiday in the hope of taking some memorable holiday snaps. The dome is a Plexiglas half sphere which mounts a GoPro camera at a distance from the Plexiglas screen. This allows you to capture over/under photographs while taking part in watersports.

Before using the dome, I did online research to try and figure out how best to utilise it. In the end, I discovered a lot of the techniques I tried based on online advice did not provide the desired results. However, with a bit of trial and error, I did get some shots I was happy with, but ultimately, there is still a lot of luck involved.

Mounting the camera, the camera clamps securely into a Frame at the back of the dome. The clamping force pushes the camera into the dome, providing a seal to ensure that no water gets into the device. I also used a GoPole Bobber floating mount to attach to the dome and make it easy to point and shoot when out in the water.

When everything is assembled, the system feels quite firm. First impressions in the water were positive, except that with lots of sunlight, it is not easy to see the screen. This is not a huge problem, as the screen is obscured by water when taking over/under pictures anyway.

A few of the tips I read online suggested trying to shoot at an angle, either up or down, to do 70/30 style images, but when we tried doing this it was almost impossible to frame the pictures in the desired way. We found it easier to do 50/50 images for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s easier to frame something either over or underwater (while still having scenery above the surface in the frame. Secondly, due to water usually not being glassy flat it was easier to salvage something out of pictures when a piece of chop washed across the dome.

Drops on the globe can be quite unwanted when shooting in rougher water or once the dome has been fully submerged at any point. We found that briefly spitting on the globe and rubbing it in and then dunking the dome in the water immediately before taking a photo created the best pictures.

Once you take pictures, you need to be quite careful not to let water into the dome, as usually there will be some dripping once the seal between the camera and the dome is broken.

We also noticed that the dome itself is quite easy to scratch. I inadvertently touched the dome with a SUP paddle so gently that I didn’t even notice doing it, and there was a quite noticeable scratch on the lens right in the frame. It’s quite important to protect the Dome. It might not be a bad idea to maybe make a water case for the dome out of an old wetsuit.

One other issue we noticed when experimenting with the dome is that when shooting side on to the sun the image can be backlit, causing a reflection of the back of the dome in the picture you take. It’s best to position yourself to shoot down the sun if at all possible when using the dome.

Summary

A great piece of equipment which compliments a GoPro, allowing you to take pictures that only a few years ago would have required some very expensive equipment to shoot. Somewhat delicate but well worth the money.

Feel free to contact us or leave a comment for further information.

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Switzerland’s many beautiful lakes make it one of the best places in Europe to enjoy Stand Up Paddle (SUP). Calm morning water, breathtaking mountain views and easy access to the shore make SUP the perfect way to connect with nature — whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned paddler.

At All Winds Adventures, we’ve watched SUP evolve from a surfside curiosity to one of the most accessible water sports around.

My SUP Story – From Waves to Lakes

I first stood on a SUP board back in the early 2000s when it was emerging as a new way to ride waves. At that time, I thought it was great for catching mellow surf, but I couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to paddle it on flat water.

Fast forward ten years, and I found myself eating my words. Looking for a way to spend more time on the water when there wasn’t enough wind to windsurf, I started exploring Swiss lakes on a SUP.

Standing gives you a better view than sitting in a kayak, you use more muscles to balance, and with today’s inflatable SUP boards, storage and transport are easy — pump up in 5–10 minutes and you’re ready to go.

Now, I enjoy SUPing on flat water even more than I ever expected when I first tried it all those years ago.

SUP Regulations in Switzerland

Before heading out, make sure you know the rules and safety regulations for Stand Up Paddle in Switzerland. Here are the key points every paddler should remember:

• Stay out of swimming zones: Inside the yellow buoys is for swimmers only. Entering with a board can result in fines.
• Avoid harbours, marina entrances, and ferry landings: These areas are reserved for motorboats and passenger vessels.
• Wear a buoyancy aid when paddling more than 300 m from shore. It’s legally required — and safer.
• Carry a white light after sunset that can be seen from all directions.
• Keep 25 m distance from reed-covered shorelines to protect wildlife habitats.

SUP Safety Tips

Stand Up Paddleboarding is one of the safest water sports — but a little common sense goes a long way:

1. Always wear a leash. Your board is your best flotation device. Losing it in wind or current can mean a long, tiring swim.
2. Dress for the conditions. Cold water? Wear a wetsuit or drysuit.
3. Learn recovery skills. Practice getting back on your board in chest-deep water before heading far from shore.
4. Avoid offshore winds. If the wind blows from land to lake, it will push you away quickly. Return early if it starts to strengthen.
5. Supervise children and check your inflatable board for leaks before launching.
6. Use the correct leash type on rivers.
7. Take a lesson if you’re new to SUP. You’ll gain technique and safety awareness that make the experience far more enjoyable.

At All Winds Adventures, we offer private coaching — perfect for beginners or anyone wanting to improve confidence and technique.

Choosing the Right SUP Board

Inflatable

Inflatable boards are ideal for Swiss conditions — easy to store, lightweight, and portable by car or train.
Performance is slightly less than hard boards, but for recreational paddling, that’s a fair trade-off.

Typical inflatable SUP sizes:

• 10’6″ All-round boards: Very stable, ideal for beginners and casual paddling.
• 11’6″ Touring boards: Slightly faster and track straighter — great for longer outings or carrying a drybag.
• 12’6″ Touring/Race style: Narrower, faster, but less stable. Best for intermediate paddlers.
• 14′ Performance boards: Designed for distance and efficiency, but less manoeuvrable.

For most paddlers, an 11’6″ inflatable SUP offers the best balance of stability and glide.

Hard Boards

Hard boards deliver more performance and efficiency, especially for long distances or waves, but they take up more storage space and are harder to transport.

• Race boards (≈14 ft): Fast but narrow and less stable — ideal for fitness paddlers.
• Wave SUPs (7’10″–10’): Short, manoeuvrable, and designed for surf. On lakes, they’re less efficient but fun if you want crossover use for travel.

If you’re choosing one hard board to use both on Swiss lakes and in small surf, aim for 8’6″–10’ length and 130 L+ volume.

Summary

Stand Up Paddleboarding is a fantastic way to explore the lakes of Switzerland, stay fit, and enjoy nature from a new perspective.
With the right board and basic safety awareness, almost anyone can do it.

Inflatable SUPs offer portability and great value, while hard boards bring performance and speed.
Whatever you choose, the key is simply to get on the water — and start paddling.

At All Winds Adventures, we offer:

SUP Equipment Sales — from trusted brands like Naish, STX, North, Slingshot & Mystic

SUP Coaching & Taster Sessions — learn with professional guidance

SUP Rentals — take a board for a weekend or your holiday

Feel free to contact us if you would like any further information regarding Stand Up Paddle in Switzerland.

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