![\"Atoll](\"https:\/\/www.supboardguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Atoll-9-Kids-iSUP-Review-2022.jpg\")
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Check Prices<\/a>\n Youth SUPs like the Atoll 9\u2019 are always a ton of fun to review. As a smaller adult, they often feel fun and sporty, but for our kid testers, SUPs like the Atoll 9\u2019 provide enough stability for them to confidently learn without being as bulky or cumbersome as an adult SUP. <\/p>\n Often times we see well-intentioned parents attempting to teach their small, but capable, children and teens on standard 10\u20196 x 32\u201d all-arounds, and while these dimensions work for adults with longer arms and legs, it\u2019s often simply too big for kids to handle on the water. Challenges like this can lead to a lot of frustration and discouragement for your kiddo.<\/p>\n This is why designated youth SUPs like the Atoll 9\u2019 are so important as you transition your child or young teen from riding on the front of your board to paddling on their own. The Atoll youth SUP is 9\u2019 x 30\u201d and just 18 lbs. For your child or teen, a 30\u201d width contributes to plenty of lateral stability, without being so wide that it would hinder their paddling technique. Additionally, the 9\u2019 length allows for more maneuverability than an adult SUP would for a youth paddler. Lastly, the Atoll 9\u2019s lightweight build makes this SUP much easier for children to paddle up to a decent pace, enabling them to keep up with the family as you guide them into longer paddles. <\/p>\n On top of the Atoll 9\u2019s ability to accommodate young paddlers, we love that it\u2019s constructed with the same technology as Atoll\u2019s adult SUP, the Atoll 11\u2019. This translates into a youth SUP that is reasonably rigid and able to support a decently high amount of weight as your kiddo grows. We also like the Atoll 9\u2019s included accessory list, and while we would like to see them move towards a fully removable 2+1 fin set-up, we recognize the level of convenience that fixed fins afford when it comes to youth paddlers. <\/p>\n We think the Atoll 9′ would be great for young or smaller paddlers who<\/p>\n Check Prices<\/a>\n When discussing the stability of the Atoll 9\u2019 Youth Sup, it\u2019s important to remember that I am an adult, and likely taller and\/or heavier (5\u20192 x 135ish lbs) than the kids and teens that this SUP is built for. Even still, the Atoll 9\u2019 felt decently stable, and I\u2019d expect the stability to only increase for a smaller teen or child paddler. <\/p>\n As far as primary stability goes (i.e the level of stability when you\u2019re simply standing on the SUP and not paddling), the Atoll 9\u2019 feels solid; I don’t feel any \u2018tippy-ness\u2019 or wobble on flat water. In terms of secondary stability (the level of stability while paddling\/moving around), the Atoll 9\u2019 again feels fairly solid. <\/p>\n That being said, I do want to note that the 9\u2019 Atoll is 30\u201d wide, which is a hair narrower than some other 9\u2019 youth SUPs. And while this does improve speed and makes it easier for your child or teen to hone in their form, it may create a small learning curve for a more apprehensive kid.<\/p>\n Being a kids\/youth SUP, we were not expecting the Atoll 9\u2019 to be a water rocket, though it did still manage to beat out most of our other kids\u2019 SUPs in a head to head sprint. <\/p>\n Contributing to the Atoll 9\u2019s speed capabilities is mainly its shape and weight. The 9\u2019 Atoll is only 30\u201d wide, allowing it to have less surface area in contact with the water, and thus, creating less drag. On top of that, this SUP has a more tapered shae than other youth SUPs on the market, thereby diminishing drag even further. Lastly, the Atoll 9\u2019 weighs in at a light 18 lbs, which makes it easy to get this kids board up to speed. <\/p>\n Tracking, unfortunately, tends to be an overlooked aspect of kids and youth SUPs. However, it is extremely important to ensure your teen or child is having fun; if they have to constantly switch sides and struggle to simply go straight, the experience is going to be frustrating. <\/p>\n As for the 9\u2019 Atoll, I wouldn\u2019t describe the tracking as anything more or less than \u2018okay\u2019. What I mean is that it will hold a straight path in the water relatively well if you pay a bit more attention to your form, but will require you to switch sides every 2-3 strokes if your form is more casual (as it likely would be with children who are new to the sport). For reference, most all-around or \u2018shorter\u2019 SUPs usually need you to switch sides every 4-5 strokes to maintain a straight line. <\/p>\n In the future, the tracking on the Atoll 9\u2019 could be improved with the addition of removable side fins in place of the existing short, fixed gummy side fins. However, if it\u2019s super important to you on the current model, the tracking can also be improved by simply switching out the included dolphin style fin for a FCS hatchet style fin, as the 9\u2019 Atoll\u2019s center fin utilizes a US fin box. <\/p>\n Maneuverability is the main area where the Atoll 9\u2019 excels, as is expected from a 9\u2019 SUP.<\/p>\n In our testing, the Atoll 9\u2019 made a complete 360 degree turn using only 3 backstroke sweeps, whereas similarly sized kids SUPs made the same turn in 4 backstroke sweeps. While that seems to be a minor difference, the Atoll 9\u2019 just seems to feel a lot quicker and more responsive to turn than other youth boards. Additionally, the Atoll 9\u2019s lightweight build combined with it\u2019s tapered tail make it super easy to pop the nose and sink the tail for a stepback turn. <\/p>\n Atoll\u2019s 9\u2019 Youth SUP is constructed using the same methods and materials as their 11\u2019 adult SUP.<\/p>\n Working from the inside-out, the Atoll 9\u2019 is centered around a woven-linear dropstitch core and encased in 2 layers of fused PVC (meaning the PVC is applied and bonded via heat instead of heavy glue. While this construction method is not the most advanced we\u2019ve seen from SUPs in Atoll\u2019s price range, it does still result in a reasonably rigid and lightweight SUP.<\/p>\n Board Stiffness:<\/strong><\/p>\n Stiffness Test: 5\/8\u201d Bend <\/p>\n Our stiffness test on kids SUPs is performed by setting the SUP on top of two sawhorses spaced 5\u2019 apart. We then place 150 lbs on the SUP\u2019s mid point and measure how much it bends under the weight. It\u2019s a way for us to differentiate between construction methods and materials and understand how these factors contribute to stiffness. <\/p>\n The Atoll 9\u2019 bent a hair over 5\/8\u201d in our bend test, which is about average for a kids board, and a pretty good result considering the lightweight of the Atoll 9\u2019. In the future, I\u2019d like to see Atoll experiment with producing a 4.7\u201d thick kids or adult board while maintaining their level of rigidity. <\/p>\n Check Prices<\/a>\n Although smaller, the Atoll 9\u2019 comes with all of the same features and accessories as the 11\u2019 model.<\/p>\n Equipped with a 6-point front cargo area, the Atoll 9\u2019 comes ready to handle a couple of drybags or an otherwise minimalist amount of gear. Atoll also gives you the option to add a rear cargo area or attach a kayak seat by adorning the 9\u2019 SUP with 8 extra D-rings along the rails.<\/p>\n Atoll has also included a rear grab handle, along with their center carry handle to make launching the SUP a bit easier. I would have appreciated it if there was a grab handle at the nose as well to help when beaching your board on shore. <\/p>\n Lastly, we really like the classic diamond grooved deck pad on Atoll SUPs. It\u2019s simplistic, comfortable, and provides enough traction if you move around on the board. In the future, I\u2019d like to see Atoll include a raised kick pad, specifically on the 9\u2019 model as it\u2019s a bit sportier than the 11\u2019 option.<\/p>\n Included Accessories:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Atoll 9\u2019 is shipped with the following accessories:<\/p>\n While this kit does include all of the essentials, I\u2019d like to see Atoll bring the quality up a notch in the future, given what\u2019s available across the industry at competing prices. <\/p>\n Above all else though, when it comes to included accessories on the Atoll SUPs, I\u2019d love to see them swap out their fixed side fins for a pair of removable side fins. These SUPs are well constructed and already handle fairly well, but the addition of longer, removable side fins could significantly improve this SUPs tracking and keep it consistent over time. <\/p>\n As with the 11\u2019 Atoll SUP, the 9\u2019 Atoll is a simplistic SUP that is well constructed, lightweight, and easy to handle on the water. Performance wise, we don\u2019t have many complaints. <\/p>\n It works really well as a youth SUP and does a great job of providing stability and an appropriate level of speed and maneuverability without being too large for younger paddles to handle. <\/p>\n That being said, up until this past year Atoll was one of our top recommendations for backpacking paddlers. Their boards are undeniably lightweight and come with a decently comfortable backpack. Now though, the industry has progressed rapidly in the realm of compact and lightweight SUPs that don\u2019t sacrifice anything in performance. Atoll is going to have to innovate to stay competitive in the next coming seasons. I\u2019 love to see them come out with a compact option or revamp their kit to be even more travel-friendly. If not, it\u2019s going to get harder for us to recommend this otherwise great SUP over some of their competitors. <\/p>\n As always, we hope this review of the Atoll 9\u2019 was helpful, but if you do have any questions, don\u2019t hesitate to leave them in the comments below. <\/p>\n Until next time, be safe and don\u2019t forget your sunscreen as the summer starts heating up!<\/p>\n Check Prices<\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
Atoll 9′ : Spec Sheet<\/h2>\n
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Performance Review of the Atoll 9′ Stand Up Paddle Board<\/h2>\n
Overall Score: 8.9\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Stability Rating: 8.9\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Speed Test: 9.0\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Tracking: 8.7\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Maneuverability: 9.5\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Construction Quality: 9.0\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Features\/Accessory Review: 8.9\/10<\/h3>\n
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Summary Review of the Atoll 9\u2019 iSUP<\/h2>\n