The current version of the Raven, at left, and the previous version that we tested, at right, are both single-fin, touring-oriented boards, and they are stunning. That's where the similarities end. The newer version is thinner and narrower with less volume.
Boardworks advertises this new shape as faster than the previous board we tested. It's certainly a racier template, so we wouldn't be surprised. These changes also make an already tippy board even less stable. For this reason, the current version is even less appropriate for beginners or casual paddlers than the version we tested. Experienced paddlers looking to optimize glide over all else may be stoked on the new Raven. See the spec changes below:
Previous Test Version | Current VersionVolume: 290 L | 286 L
The Boardworks Raven is an excellent, high-performing board that is ideal for touring and racing. While it isn't very stable and is far from a leisure craft, this is the perfect board for going far and fast.
To rank these products and award the winners, we devised five weighted testing metrics — Durability, Ease of Transport, Maneuverability, Stability, and Glide Performance — each with a handful of tests. Final scores ranged from 0-100, with the following sections elaborating on what the Raven did well and where it fell a little short.
The most important metric of our test — Glide Performance — accounted for 35% of the final score for each board overall. We compared the speed and efficiency of each model through a time trial and a glide per paddle test, in both smooth and rough water conditions, with the Raven tying for the top score overall.
In our flat water time trial test, the Raven received an average time of 66.88 seconds. When we repeated the time trial on choppy water, the Raven's average time was 108.21 seconds. Continuing its remarkable performance in this metric, it earned the top spot in our distance per paddle stroke test on flat water. The Raven took an average of 37.5 paddle strokes to cross our course. However, this board got upstaged in the rough water version of the test by the BIC. The BIC beat the Raven by about 2.5 paddle strokes on average. All in all, the Raven is a fast board that has excellent glide performance.
Moving on to our stability metric, the Raven didn't do particularly well. To evaluate this, we compared how each board did in rough water conditions, how it did at transporting cargo or additional passengers, and the opinion of novice paddlers when using this board.
The Raven handled well in rougher water when moving, but its stability drastically decreased when stationary — some of our more experienced paddlers learned this the hard way, taking an unexpected dip when a rogue wake came. This board is also narrower than many other boards, making it somewhat unsuitable for transporting additional passengers or significant cargo. In addition, this board wasn't the first choice for new paddlers, who much preferred boards with a bit more stability.
To assess the maneuverability of each board, we conducted a time trial through a slalom obstacle course and measured the turning radius for each board when doing a U-turn. This set of tests comprised 15% of the overall score, with the Raven doing an overall above average job.
The Raven did exceptionally well in our slalom course, putting up the fastest time of the entire group with 81.13 seconds. This offset the Raven's mediocre performance in the U-turn test. We attempted to complete a U-turn without back paddling in one of the small lakes that we tested in. While most other boards completed this task without too much difficulty, while the Raven only made half of this turn before running aground and forcing us to abort the test.
Next, we moved on to assessing the Ease of Transport of each board, which made up 10% of the total score. We based the scores for this metric on the ease of carrying and loading each board on a car, the ergonomics of the handle, and its weight. The Raven earned average scores for its ease of transport out of water, putting it right in the middle of the group.
This model is relatively easy to carry, only proving slightly unwieldy due to its length. It has a pop-out handle — a nice addition, making it a little easier to maneuver and giving you some more flexibility when carrying compared to the standard, recessed pocket found on most boards. The Raven weighed in at 28 pounds, 14 ounces, about average in our tests.
This model was a little tricky to load on a car, primarily due to its length, and usually needed a second set of hands to be done easily.
For the fifth and final metric, we evaluated the durability of each board. This metric — accounting for the residual 10% of the final score — consisted of looking at user reviews for common issues and examining each product for damage sustained in the course of testing.
Combing through online comments, we didn't find any common issues or widespread problems. However, we found some pressure dents and deformation on the board when we conducted a survey, appearing to be from the crossbars when transporting the board. We padded the bars, so it would seem that the Raven is a little on the more delicate side.
The Raven is a performance board at a premium price — not exactly a bargain pick.
