Reviews You Can Rely On

NRS X-Lite Review

This inflatable will hold up against heavy use and is speedy out on the water, but we would expect more out of this board for the price point
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NRS X-Lite Review (For the price we would've liked to have a paddle come with the board.)
For the price we would've liked to have a paddle come with the board.
Credit: Katie Young
Price:  $725 List
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Manufacturer:   NRS
By Katie Young ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Oct 30, 2024
70
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#8 of 20
  • Stability - 35% 7.5
  • Glide Performance - 25% 8.5
  • Maneuverability - 15% 6.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 5.0
  • Construction Quality - 10% 6.0

Our Verdict

The NRS X-Lite delivers impressive speed and stability, making it a high-quality option for buyers looking for an overall board. However, it falls short on a few features we'd expect at this price point, slightly dampening its value. It lacks top and bottom handles and doesn't include a SUP paddle, so you'll need to acquire this separately. The construction quality of this board will hold up over the years of wear and tear due to the high-end materials this SUP is built with.
REASONS TO BUY
Stable
Carry bag
Speed
Durable
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
No paddle included
No spare handles

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nrs x-lite
This Product
NRS X-Lite
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Inflatable SUP
Best Buy Award
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Top Pick Award
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Top Pick Award
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Price $725.00 at REI
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Bottom Line A great quality board that is fast and offers excellent stability but lacks some of the features we would expect to see in a board at this priceThis board captured our attention with its exceptional stability, smooth maneuverability, and incredible valueIf you're looking for the most stable and affordable stand up paddle board out there, this might be the one for youYogis, new paddlers, families, and intermediate paddlers alike will all love this versatile, easy-to-use boardThis board is our pick as the best travel board due to the generously sized bag and electric pump
Rating Categories NRS X-Lite Bote Wulf Aero Advenor Extra Wide Isle Pioneer 3 Thurso Surf Waterwa...
Stability (35%)
7.5
9.0
10.0
8.0
6.0
Glide Performance (25%)
8.5
7.5
6.0
7.0
6.0
Maneuverability (15%)
6.0
9.0
6.0
7.0
6.0
Ease of Use (15%)
5.0
8.5
7.0
9.0
7.0
Construction Quality (10%)
6.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
8.0
Specs NRS X-Lite Bote Wulf Aero Advenor Extra Wide Isle Pioneer 3 Thurso Surf Waterwa...
Measured Weight 14 lb 16.5 lb 18 lb 19 lb 24 lb
Weight Capacity 250 lb 250 lb 330 lb 285 lb 210 lb
Measured Width 34" 34" 33" 34" 32"
Measured Length 10.7' 10.4' 11' 10.5' 11'
Measured Thickness 6" 6" 6" 6" 6"
Paddle Included No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Fin Configuration 1 center detachable 1 detachable fin 2 small detachable fins, 1 large detachble fin 1 center detachable 2+1 removable quick-lock fin set
Folded Dimensions 34" x 16" x 8" 34" x 19" x 8.5" 34" x 18" x 9" 38" x 15" x 12" 32" x 14" x 8"
Bungee Cargo System Yes Yes Yes Yes; 2 Yes
Pump Included Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes, rechargeable electric air pump
Backpack Included Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Our Analysis and Test Results

NRS is known for making quality gear built for adventures out on the water. So we were especially excited to see how their stand up paddle board would hold up to our testing. While this board is an excellent all-around durable option for a variety of reasons, overall, we didn't feel blown out of the water by this board. Impressively, it is just 14 pounds, so we recommend this board for long hauls.

Performance Comparison


nrs x-lite - newer paddlers felt comfortable on this board.
Newer paddlers felt comfortable on this board.
Credit: Katie Young

Stability


The X-Lite offers great stability no matter the conditions. At 34 inches wide, it is on the wider end of the inflatables we tested, a feature that helps when it comes to paddler's balance. Our testers did some major rocking back and forth on this board and had no fear of tipping off. On days where the water was a bit turbulent, this board handled waves quite well. Even with some bigger broadside waves coming our way, we had little concern about getting knocked off.

Whether we had two people on board or a canine friend, it was easy to move around on this SUP. When our testers were out solo, they felt comfortable moving around the board or doing yoga.

nrs x-lite - beginner's found the board easy to use on the water but difficult to...
Beginner's found the board easy to use on the water but difficult to pump up and pack back up.
Credit: Katie Young

Glide Performance


This SUP can move! It was the first thing we noticed when testing. With a normal amount of effort when paddling, we felt like we were able to move much faster than most of the other paddle boards we have tested. The X-Lite has a blunt nose shape so we were a bit surprised that it moved like it did. Our testers enjoyed the speed they could get on this board. When it came time to test this SUP out on some choppy water, it did not cut through waves as much as some of the other boards; instead, it tended to bounce a bit more over the waves, but we didn't feel that it affected our ability to stay balanced on the board.

One thing to note is that on a windy paddle, this board does catch the wind and turn very quickly, making it a bit difficult to keep in one direction. This isn't abnormal for inflatables but we especially noticed with this board how quickly we would go from one direction to another if we stopped paddling when there was wind.

The NRS XLite moves quickly no matter the water conditions.
Credit: Katie Young

Maneuverability


Many of our testers felt that this board was larger than it was. Several people commented that they thought this board was well over 11 feet (it is 10 feet 8 inches) even though it is one of the lightest boards at 14 pounds. Due to this, a couple of our testers felt “surprised” at how well this board turned. We felt that the maneuverability of an inflatable was very average. With three to four paddle strokes, we could get turned around 180 degrees. When it came to avoiding our neighbor paddlers or rocks near the shore, we had no issues avoiding and maneuvering around obstacles.

nrs x-lite - this board gets moving form start to stop very quickly and turns...
This board gets moving form start to stop very quickly and turns relatively easy.
Credit: Katie Young

Ease of Use


This is where our testers felt like NRS could have stepped it up with this board to make the quality match its price point. The X-Lite has a 20 PSI maximum inflation, meaning it takes a bit more pumping to fill than most boards, which max out at 15 PSI. Even with all our practice from pumping up SUPs all summer, we felt pretty tired by the end of inflating this board. We only inflated a couple of our test paddles to 16-17 PSI, and the board did fine out on the water, even with a little bit of chop.

nrs x-lite - the nrs board was one we reached for on our longer paddle trips.
The NRS board was one we reached for on our longer paddle trips.
Credit: Katie Young

This board is a little funky to deflate and roll up. The air doesn't come out very easily, and we found that we often had to do a first roll, unroll it, and reroll it to get it tight enough to get all the air out. Once we did this, it fit in the carry case with no problem, but making sure you got enough air out was more effort than any other inflatable we have taken out. The value on this board also requires some extra attention before inflating. With all other SUPs we've used, you make one quick turn before reinflating the valve to make sure it isn't 'open' and lets air out after you inflate it. With this inflatable, you have to turn it a couple of times and really double-check that it isn't open. Multiple times, we finished pumping it up and took the hose off only to find the value wasn't closed, and we lost a lot of air. So be sure to double- or maybe even triple-check.

For being a higher end board, we would except NRS to have put handles on this tip and tail but no such luck. This isn't a major deal to some people, but when putting the SUP on and off a car or pulling it up onto a beach, the details like this make a difference.

nrs x-lite - a great quality board but we wish it had more 'extras' for the price.
A great quality board but we wish it had more 'extras' for the price.
Credit: Katie Young

Construction Quality


NRS makes a lot of gear made for wear and tear. The construction of this board is no different. the X-Lite feels like it could handle bumps and dings no problem. We even had a windy afternoon where we accidentally dropped it on some rocks, and it showed zero marks or issues afterward. The backpack is also made of similar durable material which we liked versus many of the fabric bags inflatables come in. This board is also incredibly light, the lightest of any inflatable we have tested, at just 14 pounds. This makes it very easy to carry down to the water and back or carry in the backpack. If you're looking to find a board that you plan to carry in backpack mode often, the weight of this alone might be enough to convince you to buy it.

What we were disappointed with was the lack of paddle. For the price point on this board it would be nice if it came with a paddle. The deck padding on this board is pretty average and we were able to stand on it for longer paddles without any major issues.

nrs x-lite - at 14 pounds the xlite is one of the lightest boards in our lineup.
At 14 pounds the Xlite is one of the lightest boards in our lineup.
Credit: Katie Young

Should You Buy the NRS X-Lite?


This stand up paddle board would make most purchasers within a broad ability range happy. Its all-around functionality is pretty high, although it lacks some of the smaller features we would like to see. This board wouldn't be a great first choice for new paddlers, as there are more affordable entry-level boards that offer similar, if not better, stability. For more advanced paddlers looking for a fast board that doesn't compromise on stability, this could be a great option. Keep in mind that you'll need to buy a paddle separately.

What Other Inflatable Paddle Boards Should You Consider?


If the stability of this board enticed you, but you're looking for a lower price-point, check out that Advenor Extra-Wide. The Advenor is surprisingly stable and only weighs four more pounds. If you're looking for a board that is quick and agile but still on the more affordable end of things, read about the Bote Wulf Aero.

nrs x-lite - a couple of our 2024 boards lined up ready to test.
A couple of our 2024 boards lined up ready to test.
Credit: Katie Young

Katie Young