This is a review of the Glide Lotus paddle board.
The Glide Lotus inflatable SUP was made specifically for paddle board yogis. Glide SUP is the company that designed the first yoga-specific board in the industry. So we were excited to see what the Lotus has to offer—and we were not disappointed.
The Glide Lotus inflatable is 35 inches wide and 10 feet long. It offers a stable and comfortable platform. It’s a fantastic fitness board. You can even do a headstand or the crane pose without ending up in the water with each try.
Another feature that caught our attention is the full-length deck pad. When practicing yoga on a board, the deck pad is your yoga mat. We love that the Glide Lotus SUP pad covers the entire deck. It feels nice and soft under your feet. You can stand or practice yoga on it all day without getting sore.
The Glide Lotus offers incredible stability, perfect for SUP yogis and beginners. It can also hold up to 400 pounds. You can bring a child or dog for relaxed cruising.
Is this a good all-around/fitness board? That is the question that this in-depth Glide Lotus SUP review seeks to answer.
RELATED: Discover the 8 best paddleboards for yoga in 2024.
Pros and Cons of the Glide Lotus Yoga Paddle Board
Pros
- Super stable SUP, great for yoga and all-around use
- Comes with all basic SUP accessories in the package as well as a kayak seat and carry strap
- U.S style fin box allows for customization using aftermarket fins
- Full-length deck pad, larger fitness platform, also child-friendly
- Reinforced rails, extremely rigid
Cons
- A bit slow, but okay for a yoga board
Paddle Board Specs
- Length: 10’
- Width: 35”
- Thickness: 6”
- Weight: 26 lbs
- Weight capacity: 400 lbs
Who Should Buy the Glide Lotus SUP Board?
The Glide Lotus SUP would be great for SUP instructors, SUP yogis, beginners, and anyone in the market for a super stable sup yoga board.
If you are thinking about opening a SUP yoga center, you should consider the Glide Lotus. Some of your students will be newbies while others will have some experience. The Lotus accommodates yogis of all skill levels. It is stable enough for beginners to learn and for the experienced ones to try advanced poses.
Besides, all the Glide boards come with basic paddle boarding accessories. You will have everything you need to get started.
Trainers aren’t the only ones that would love the Lotus inflatable SUP. It’s also great for personal yoga practice. The full-length deck pad gives you a bigger surface to do your yoga poses and pilates.
We usually advise beginners to go for wider paddle boards because they are more stable. Narrower paddle boards can be tippy, making it hard to maintain balance. The Glide Lotus inflatable has amazing stability. You should check it out if you’re a newbie. Learning will be easier and more fun.
While the Glide Lotus paddle board is designed for SUP yoga, it can do more than that. It is great for flat water and open ocean paddling. You can even bring a child with you. The SUP holds up well with a kid or dog on board and doesn’t lose stability.
Features of the Glide Lotus Yoga Board
ALSO READ: Read our Nixy Venice Yoga SUP review.
Performance
What should you expect when you take the Glide Lotus out to the water?
a. Stability
For any paddle board to be a good SUP yoga board, it has to be stable. You can’t have a fruitful session with a board that is too wobbly or tippy. You will keep falling off, especially if you’re not a pro, and that can be frustrating
We are happy with the incredible stability that the Glide Lotus SUP offers. Generally, wider paddle boards are more stable. With a width of 35 inches, this paddle board is not tippy and maintaining balance is easy.
The Lotus is also thick, another factor that affects stability. Thinner inflatable paddle boards have less volume and can’t hold a lot of weight. They tend to flex, more so the cheap models. The Lotus SUP yoga board is 6 inches thick and we are impressed by how well it holds up.
Since we are talking about rigidity, we should also mention the Glide’s construction. Its reinforced rails and remarkable construction make it super stiff when fully inflated. It does not bend or wobble.
b. Maneuverability
The Glide Lotus board is only 10 feet long. It is responsive and easy to turn. You will be able to easily maneuver obstacles and make sudden sharp turns. You can do the step-back turn, or even learn if you haven’t mastered it yet, with no issue.
Anyone can handle this SUP board regardless of their size or skill level.
c. Tracking
The Glide Lotus stand up paddle board comes with a large center fin. It prevents the tail from spinning every time you make a paddle stroke.
We are happy with how well the Glide Lotus SUP tracks. It provides a smooth paddling experience in different water conditions.
d. Speed
The Lotus fitness SUP is not designed for speed. It is short and wide, with a rounded nose. We didn’t have high expectations in this area.
The paddle board will not knife through the water like a racing board. But for a sup yoga board, we are satisfied with the speed. It is fast enough for casual paddling and the fin helps with performance in general.
Check Price of the Glide Lotus
Build Quality
Glide boards are not new to the stand up paddle board world and they are known to last.
The Lotus SUP yoga board is built using reinforced dropstitch and fusion military-grade PVC construction. It can be inflated up to 25 psi, which is awesome. However, the recommended psi is 12 to 15.
When inflated to the recommended maximum pressure, the Lotus can hold up to 400 pounds. It does this without flexing or bending in the middle. Big/tall guys and girls can enjoy yoga with no problem at all.
This high weight capacity also allows you to bring more stuff for a lazy day at the water. You can even bring your furry friend along if you want some company.
The Lotus premier SUP yoga board is perfect for yoga instructors or rentals, thanks to its construction. You can use the Lotus fitness boards to make up your entire SUP yoga fleet. They can handle demanding yoga sessions and will last many years.
Even with the heavy-duty construction, the Lotus is light weight at 26 pounds. It is a great board for those who like traveling and exploring different SUP yoga spots.
Design
A lot of effort went into designing the Lotus. Glide partnered with SUP fitness pioneers to come up with a premier SUP yoga center which helped develop the Lotus.
They wanted a board that would be great for yoga and Crossfit style exercises as well as leisure paddling in different conditions.
The refined rocker and rail profile of the Lotus and its general design make it the perfect SUP fitness board.
We also love the vibrant and beautiful appearance of the Glide Lotus.
Glide Lotus Yoga Board Features
1. Fins
The Lotus inflatable paddle board only comes with one fin—a large detachable center fin to help with tracking.
It has a US style fin box that is compatible with many aftermarket fins. You can experiment with different fins depending on where you will be paddling.
While the single fin works well, a three-fin setup would have been nice. The setup promotes maneuverability and stability.
2. Deck Pad
The Glide Lotus SUP features a full-length deck pad.
The die-cut EVA pad is durable and doesn’t fade after a while. We like how soft and grippy it feels.
The pad will be your yoga mat during your SUP yoga sessions. It also offers a comfortable surface for your kid or dog when they are riding with you.
3. Handles
The Lotus paddle board comes with three carry handles—at the nose, tail, and center.
The center handle is for carrying the SUP single-handedly. You can use the others to carry the board with a friend or to drag it in and out of the water.
4. D-Rings
The Glide Lotus SUP has a bungee storage area at the front. It also comes with extra D-rings for attaching a kayak seat and other gear.
[h3] Glide Lotus SUP Yoga Board Accessories
The Lotus yoga paddle board comes with a backpack, paddle, leash, pump, repair kit, kayak seat, and a carry strap.
The backpack has rolling wheels. You will be able to travel/hike with your SUP anywhere.
The Lotus paddle is adjustable and breaks down into three pieces for travel and storage.
The double-action pump has an integrated pressure gauge.
What Users Are Saying About the Glide Lotus Inflatable Yoga Board
We scoured the internet to see what other Glide Lotus users think about the paddle board. This is what we found.
Justin couldn’t wait to take his Glade Lotus SUP out on the water. He is tall and a little on the heavier side. He tried a few exercises and he loved it. He says it is as stable as advertised.
Melissa is a SUP yoga instructor and a huge fan of Glide. She has been using Glide hard boards but she recently decided to add a few Lotus fitness boards to her SUP yoga fleet. She says they are of great quality and her students love the stable and comfortable platform.
When Laura received her Lotus yoga board shipment, the paddle and bag were damaged. She contacted Glide SUP and they replaced everything within a week. She commends their customer service.
Sean is tall and weighs about 200 pounds. According to him, this is the most stable paddle board he has ever ridden. He uses it for personal yoga practice as well as recreational paddling.
Almost everyone who bought the Lotus fitness board has something nice to say about it. They mention its incredible stability, quality construction, and Glide’s customer service.
Glide Lotus Paddle Board Alternatives
How does the Lotus SUP yoga board compare to other popular fitness boards?
1. Glide Lotus SUP Vs Bluefin Aura Fit
The Bluefin Aura Fit, like the Lotus, is designed for paddle board yoga.
It is made using 1000D exo surface laminate PVC and pro weave dropstitch construction. It can be inflated up to 28 psi and has a weight capacity of 350 pounds.
The fitness board comes with everything you need to start paddling right away. Its package includes a dual-action pump, backpack, leash, fiberglass paddle, and a repair kit.
The Aura Fit is slightly wider than the Lotus yoga board with a width of 35.8 inches. It is also slightly longer at 10’8.
While the Glide Lotus SUP has three carry handles, the Aura 10’8 has four—at the nose, tail, and sides. It doesn’t have a center grab handle. The deck is clear and perfect for all kinds of yoga poses and Crossfit style exercises.
The Fit also comes with three fins, all removable. You can customize the configuration depending on where you will be paddling.
The Bluefin Aura comes with a five-year warranty.
But unlike the Glide Lotus, it doesn’t include a carry strap or kayak seat in the package. Its weight limit is also lower since the Lotus SUP can hold up to 400 pounds.
The Fit has a large deck pad but it doesn’t cover the entire deck like the Glide’s pad.
Lastly, the Lotus inflatable paddle board comes with extra D-rings for attaching a kayak seat and other accessories.
As you can see, both of them are amazing paddle boards but they are different in a few ways. You will have a comfortable platform for yoga with any of these SUPs.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Is the Bluefin Aura Fit as good as they say? Check Our Review.
2. Glide Lotus SUP Vs Blackfin X
The Blackfin X is a premium model from iRocker, a company known for its exceptional paddle boards.
The Blackfin X is built using triple-layer PVC construction and it has carbon rails. Its rigidity is unmatched. When fully inflated, it can hold up to 450 pounds.
This SUP features eight multi-use action mounts and a total of 20 D-rings. It has four safety handles and two bungee storage areas. You have more than enough options for storing and attaching your gear.
The Model X is 10’6 long and 35 inches wide, almost the same size as the Lotus SUP yoga board.
Its SUP package includes premium accessories. You will get a wheeled backpack, carbon paddle, dual-chamber pump, leash, and a repair kit.
The paddle board comes with three fins, all removable.
The Glide Lotus SUP doesn’t have as many attachment points as the Blackfin X. You only get a few extra D-rings. While you won’t be able to bring a lot of gear, you will have more space for your exercises.
With a three-fin setup, all removable, you can change the configuration whenever you want with the Blackfin. This will not be an option if you go for the Lotus SUP yoga board. But you will have the US fin box and you can use most aftermarket fins.
The Blackfin Model X is ideal for the paddle boarder who is looking for versatility. You can use this paddle board for SUP yoga, relaxed cruising with your family, angling, and even SUP camping.
The Glide Lotus would be great for the paddler who wants to concentrate mainly on SUP yoga and all-around paddling.
Wrapping Up
Is the Glide Lotus inflatable SUP a fantastic all-around/yoga board? Yes, it is.
We love its full-length deck pad. It gives you a large surface for practicing yoga. Your child or pup will also be comfortable when you decide to bring them along.
The stability of this paddle board is remarkable—an important quality for a fitness SUP. You will have an amazing time trying different yoga poses, even the advanced ones.
It is a good paddleboard for SUP beginners and anyone looking for an all-around board too.
Finally, the Lotus is a solid inflatable paddleboard. You can freely use it without having to worry about dents or dings.
So don’t hesitate, check it out.
Do you have any questions about the Glide Lotus SUP? Ask below, we will be happy to answer.
