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Check Prices<\/a>\n The BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d iSUP is every paddle board fisher\u2019s dream. In this review we are going to show you just how jam packed with features and accessories this craft really is. It\u2019s not only great for SUP fishing but it can be the most fun party barge you\u2019ve ever set foot on too! With an unbelievable 400 lb capacity you should have no problem bringing everything you need for a great day on the water. Besides that, its overall shape and slightly recessed deck make for an extremely stable paddling experience. This is one board, we dare to say, anybody could learn to SUP on.<\/p>\n We think the BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d would be great for paddlers who:<\/p>\n We think the BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d is great for the following water conditions\/situations:<\/p>\n Note: We paddle a lot. In fact, you may say we paddle a bit too much! But it\u2019s ok, we do it in the name of properly reviewing each and every stand up paddle board we get our hands on. We do our best to take them out in every condition conceivable and then update our reviews with any new information or thoughts. If you have questions, we probably have the answers. Don\u2019t hesitate to ask us, it\u2019s what we love after all.<\/em> <\/p>\n Check Prices<\/a>\n The BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d is truly an impressive board to behold. You can tell the designers at BOTE really focused on it to be the best fishing platform possible. With its plethora of attachments and included features, as well as its wide and recessed deck this is truly the Cadillac of fishing SUPs. Don\u2019t worry though, its functional prowess extends far beyond fishing. With nearly every single accessory option BOTE offers this board can be outfitted for just about any paddling trip. Overnight trips, multi passenger rides, even a flotilla extravaganza. In a word, this iSUP can just about do it all. <\/p>\n Our overall rating of 9.5\/10 for the BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d may seem excessive at first but let’s break down some of the key reasons. First, it is hands down the best fishing iSUP we have ever reviewed. Second, with a slightly recessed deck and 38\u201d of width this iSUP is stable enough for even the most novice of paddlers. We have no doubt that anyone who wants to try stand up paddle boarding for the first time will have a good experience with this board in most appropriate water conditions. Finally, and here is where it\u2019s important to realize the scope of BOTE\u2019s accessory lineup, it can be outfitted to do anything. Coolers, racks, bungees, sand spears, electric power sources, you name it this board has a spot especially reserved for it. We think this board is an amazing piece of stand up paddling equipment most anyone would be lucky to own. <\/p>\n Check Prices<\/a>\n The BOTE Rackham Aero is one heck of a sturdy board. It\u2019s easy to see that it\u2019s main purpose was as a fishing SUP, but that is not where it\u2019s great qualities stop. Being so massive, this board has incredible stability and a staggering 400lb weight capacity. But even all of that is not the end of this board’s amazing qualities. We can honestly say the BOTE Rackham Aero is one of the most fully loaded iSUP we have ever tested. This SUP has accessories for its accessories. <\/p>\n Regardless of why you buy the BOTE Rackham Aero, know this. It will be able to accommodate just about any adventure you can dream up. So go ahead, go fishing, go overnight camping, bring a child, or two. If you can dream it, this board can probably do it and do it well with the right accessories. <\/p>\n Stability is one of the first things we look for in a stand up paddle board. With the BOTE Rackham Aero, there is an abundance of stability. Like we have mentioned this board is just massive for an inflatable. It\u2019s actually 7 inches thick as compared to the industry standard 6. There is a recessed deck lowering your overall center of gravity in addition to it\u2019s 38 inch width. If it wasn\u2019t for all the mounting points and accessories all over this board we think you could dance on it. <\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever wondered why we put this rating first it\u2019s simple. Stability is one of the single most crucial aspects for picking a stand up paddle board. We are not saying stability is necessary for a paddle board but as a paddle boarder it is important to have an idea how stable the board you are looking to purchase really is. <\/p>\n Weight Capacity:<\/strong> Weight capacity and stability often go hand in hand. With a high level of stability a paddle board usually has a fairly high weight capacity. The BOTE Rackham Aero is no exception, with its massive volume it has a listed weight capacity of 400lbs and once we get multiple staff writers together we will put that to the test. Though, to be completely honest, based on its dimensions and size we don\u2019t think it will have any problems holding that and maybe even more. <\/p>\n The BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d is really not meant to move super fast through the water. It is a stable and sturdy fishing platform. While BOTE boards are well designed, there is only so much you can do with a board of this size. Don\u2019t think you will be left behind by your friends while on the water. Just understand that this board will take significantly more energy to get up to speed and to keep it at that pace. <\/p>\n The BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d comes with a removable center fin in addition to the permanently mounted \u201cside bite\u201d fins BOTE includes on most of their iSUPs. We are especially fond of the 3 fin setup when it comes to tracking capabilities. Most of the boards with this 3 fin design do a great job of tracking straight. This often has other secondary effects such as a higher acceleration as you spend less time switching between sides. Though with a board this big that may not be the case it certainly responds well to where you direct it. If we could give BOTE any suggestions it would be to go with slightly larger and removable side bites. We often find difficulty with permanently attached fins in the other aspects of iSUP ownership such as transportation and storage.<\/p>\n Ok, so we have already talked about how big this board is. At 38 inches wide it\u2019s quite massive. The physics behind that translate into a SUP that takes a good deal of thought and energy to direct. Don\u2019t mistake that statement because once in the correct direction it just goes – but, it\u2019s a lot of board to move around on the water. Especially when loaded down like it\u2019s really intended to be, you will find yourself using some unconventional turning techniques such as braced back paddling and cross body strokes to direct yourself. This is probably a lot of board to handle if you’re a smaller paddler or if you weigh under 150lbs.<\/p>\n BOTE is well known for bringing great quality and designs to all of their inflatables and the Rackham Aero is no exception. <\/p>\n This fishing geared SUP is constructed with a dense linear drop stitch core and encased in a PVC exterior. While that construction is fairly standard for inflatable SUPs, the Rackham is set apart by it\u2019s dual chamber design. The two separate air chambers are what enables this SUP to have a recessed deck, which is one of the main contributors to the Rackham\u2019s insane level of stability. <\/p>\n On top of this SUPs solid foundation, BOTE even worked in loads of accessory mounting points and even upgraded the Rackham to have a viewing hole on the deck that can double as a spot for their APEX Pedal Drive system. <\/p>\n Board Stiffness:<\/strong><\/p>\n Stiffness Test: 1.0\u201d Bend<\/strong> <\/p>\n Our bend test is carried out by first placing the SUP on top of 2 sawhorses spaced 7 feet apart. We then place 150 lbs at the SUPs midpoint and mesure how much the board bends under the weight. While this is not replicative of how the board would perform in the water, it does give us an unbiased and quantitative way to compare construction methods and understand how they contribute to stiffness. <\/p>\n The BOTE Rackham Aero only flexed ~1\u201d in our bend test, which is on par with other \u2018large SUPs\u2019 we\u2019ve tested. Initially, I would\u2019ve expected the Rackham Aero to flex even less than 1\u201d, given how heavy it is, but I\u2019d attribute a good portion of it\u2019s weight to it\u2019s vast array of features and add-ons, rather than to heavy construction materials. <\/p>\n Check Prices<\/a>\n Features:<\/strong> There are few boards that bring us concern over the simple fact that they have so many features we may forget something by accident. The BOTE Rackham Aero is one of those boards.<\/p>\n So, to avoid missing anything, we\u2019ll start at the nose and work our way to the tail. The Rackham Aero is equipped from a front carry handle, paddle sheath mounting points, a large front cargo area, a viewing window\/pedal drive slot, magnepod cup holder, kayak seat attachment points, KULA (cooler) anchor points, 2 scotty mounts, a rear cargo area, and a mount for an outboard trolling motor. Along the rails of the Rackham, BOTE also included velcro paddle holders, as well as a sand spear mounting point. <\/p>\n Included Accessories:<\/strong><\/p>\n Admittedly, I was saving this section for last. It\u2019s a long list and I want to ensure nothing gets left out. I would also like to point out that several of the included accessories are merely jumping points for their purchase-optional features and equipment that we will discuss in a later section. The BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d comes with:<\/p>\n This board really does come with quite a lot of equipment. It\u2019s no wonder that they choose to go the rolling bag route and not try to make a backpack out of the nearly 75 lbs of gear. We will look closer at a few of the main pieces below but this is a fairly large kit. <\/p>\n We also want to note that we\u2019d like to see BOTE include a leash in the future; it\u2019s more of a safety matter when it comes to SUP\u2019ing. <\/p>\n Paddle:<\/strong> Pump:<\/strong> We will ALWAYS recommend an electric SUP pump whether it be BOTE\u2019s model or any from our favorite list HERE. Especially with an iSUP this size you will thank us for all the sweat and tears you save while preparing the rest of the gear for your water journey. <\/p>\n Bag:<\/strong><\/p>\n BOTE includes a very nice rolling travel bag. They use a unique material that feels waterproof and is also extremely sturdy and durable. The bag itself is fairly simple with one main pocket and a large single exterior pocket. This is a great place for storing fins or any other small accessories that may make their way into your permanent paddling gear. The exterior of the bag also has some specialty straps that look like they are designed to effectively hold your manual pump. It has a handle on the top and one on the side for moving it around when you’re loading up. We think the idea to forgo the backpack setup was a good one considering this board’s overall weight and the weight of all the kit items. BOTE themselves say the loaded bag with all equipment weighs nearly 70 lbs. We will roll this one thank you very much. <\/p>\n Optional Accessories:<\/strong> You can easily get lost in BOTE\u2019s extensive list of accessory equipment. They really work hard to make the paddling experience truly customizable to your specific needs and wants. <\/p>\n Yes it\u2019s heavy and yes it\u2019s somewhat difficult to move around, but this board is less concerned with that and more concerned that you won\u2019t forget that vital piece of equipment for your day on the water. Combined with BOTE\u2019s commitment to quality construction this is a fantastic all around board for families and those looking to take loads of gear and equipment with them. <\/p>\n We hope you enjoyed this review of the BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d and if you have any comments or questions please let us know below. As always we are happy to answer any questions you may have about this SUP and any of the boards we have reviewed. Until we meet you out on the water, Happy Paddling!<\/p>\n Check Prices<\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
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BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d Review: Overview<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nBOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d: Spec Sheet<\/h2>\n
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Official SupBoardGuide.com Test Results: BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d (2025 model)<\/h2>\n
Overall Score: 9.5\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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In-Depth Review of the BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d Stand Up Paddle Board<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nStability Rating: 9.8\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nTested Capacity: (coming soon)<\/p>\nSpeed Test: 8.2\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nTracking: 7.7\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Maneuverability: 8\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Construction Quality: 9.4\/10<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Features\/Accessory Review: 9.9\/10<\/h3>\n
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\nThe BOTE Rackham Aero comes with a 3 piece adjustable SUP paddle. It is a standard kit piece and is well made though some of the reviewers remarked it felt heavier than most kit paddles. It is constructed from a fiberglass shaft and the blade is made out of high quality ABS plastic. We liked how solid the blade was as we found ourselves using it more often than not to push off the shore or some other obstacle in the water. Could it be better, yes just look at the Nixy Sports kit piece. But we think it\u2019s well suited for the kit that it comes with. The whole Rackham series is really focused on SUP fishing and lots of equipment. A more delicate paddle would feel out of place here anyway. <\/p>\n
\nThe BOTE Rackham Aero comes with an acceptable manual pump. It\u2019s a dual stage single chamber unit that is fairly large. It does the job as needed but the last few PSI is always going to be a struggle for lighter and smaller paddlers. We much prefer the new crop of dual chamber 3 stage pumps found on many new iSUP kits. Yes this pump will get the job done but we feel some may have to really sweat out the last few PSI.<\/p>\n![\"BOTE](\"https:\/\/www.supboardguide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/aero-rolling-bag-01-min_007cf8c9-3e4c-45ee-9a7a-35231f732f40.png\")
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\nThis is the part of the review where things are going to get a bit messy. You see the BOTE Rackham Aero comes standard with a lot of features and accessories. However the mad scientists at BOTE keep cooking up newer and more exciting accessories every day. This iSUP comes with the starting blocks to really customize itself to fit most any situation. Here are some of our absolute favorite pieces:<\/p>\n\n
Summary Review of the BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194\u201d (2025 model)<\/h2>\n
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\nTaken for what it is designed to do, the BOTE Rackham Aero 12\u20194” is an amazing SUP fishing platform. It has the capability to take just about anything you would need on your fishing trip. Moving beyond its main focus this iSUP is also a great choice as a party barge type craft as it can hold lots of equipment and accessories to make your paddling time exactly what you want it to be. <\/p>\n