ISLE’s new two-in-one inflatable SUP is the complete package. It’s also compatible with the Bixpy K-1 electric motor. Words :: Ned Morgan.
People of a certain age may remember a jingle from an ad for Almond Joy and Mounds candy bars that ran in a few iterations from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. It went, “Sometimes you feel like a nut—sometimes you don’t.” I’m repurposing the jingle for ISLE’s Switch Pro: “Sometimes you feel like a SUP—sometimes you don’t.”
The 11’6 Switch Pro is an ultra-light, super-stable, hybrid SUP/kayak. If you don’t feel like a SUP, you can kayak instead—installing the included seat and footrest in a matter of minutes.
At just 19 lbs, this is a very lightweight board for its size. A full-coverage soft and grippy traction pad opens up the entire deck for yoga, pets, kids and lounging. The generous width (35.5″) makes for a very stable board if you encounter chop or waves.
The ISLE-LINK system of loops runs the length of the board on both sides, for adding accessories (i.e., the included kayak seat/footrest, or the all-in-one fishing crate, versa strap, board connector straps, waterproof backpack/deck bag and more).
The reinforced nose and tail grab handles make easy work of transporting the board with loaded gear along riverbeds, docks or shore breaks. (The board’s light weight helps, too.) For anglers or trippers, the expandable bungee system at front and back allows safe and easy gear access.
And we appreciate small-but-key details such as the paddle holder—two velcro straps along the rail of the board (centre right) make secure attachment points for your paddle while not in motion. (The Remix Alloy 4-piece Hybrid SUP-Kayak Paddle is included in the Switch Pro bundle.)
The included 9″ Flex Touring Fin also deserves special mention, as it is the best fin setup I’ve experienced, both in terms of flexibility and ease of attachment (i.e., no more messing with an easily-lost screw-and-nut system). Not only does the Switch Pro track arrow-straight, the fin’s tapered shape sheds sea grass and weeds—a feature I noticed when river-paddling through near-surface weed beds. Best of all, ISLE’s Flex Fin bends out of the way if it encounters underwater logs or rocks. Naturally you should do everything to avoid such obstacles, rocks especially, but the Flex Fin is more forgiving than any SUP fin I’ve encountered.
Fun Accelerator: The Bixpy K-1 Outboard Kit
The ISLE Switch Pro is compatible with Bixpy’s electric K-1 Outboard Kit to give paddlers a whopping 33 lbs of thrust, powered by the lightweight, compact and waterproof (and positively buoyant) PP-378 Outboard battery. (There is also a bigger battery available, better suited to a large fishing kayak or Zodiac.) The ISLE Switch Pro has tail plates preinstalled and ready to attach the Power Pole Adapter with easy-on bolts with hand screws.
(The adapter is a lightweight alloy and you can leave it attached to your board even when you’re not using the motor.) The K-1 Motor is also very light, and roughly 20% shorter than its predecessor yet offers the same output in a quieter, sleek and more rugged aluminum housing. The whole kit including battery is only 10 lbs.
Bixpy has reimagined the compact trolling motor by repurposing tech from hydroelectric dam turbines, jet engines and airfoil designs used in aerospace applications.
For a paddler/angler, the Bixpy K-1 is the ultimate range-extender. You can stay out longer, explore new waters, fish more, troll for hours (anglers will want to attach the steering arm to the Power Pole Adapter). You can also depend on it to get you home speedily at the end of a long day on the water, or when the weather turns and you need an extra push home.
We demoed the Bixpy K-1 by using it as a paddle assist on the ISLE Switch Pro. That means we didn’t use the steering arm, instead opting to keep the pin in place that prevents the directional movement of the motor.
This means you steer as you would on a non-motorized SUP or rudderless kayak; you simply alternate sides, and feather your strokes. (The fin keeps the board tracking straight; when the K-1 motor is lowered in place, it sits just behind the fin.)
You control the motor speeds with a simple Bluetooth wrist remote control (just three buttons: forward, reverse and stop) and wear a kill switch on an ankle tether. The motor boasts 12 forward speeds and three reverse speeds. (The ‘Warp Speed’ feature allows you to reach max speed with a double click.)
You can also affix the K-1 motor to the underside of the board using a fin adapter. This means there is no Power Pole adapter on the deck of your board, and instead the motor sits in place of the fin. Check all the K-1 adapter options here.
We like the flexibility of the Power Pole adapter which allows you to pull up the motor in shallow water, using the included pull-cord. (You can tie the cord to any of the ISLE-LINK loops to hold it in place. When you lower it back down, you need to secure the motor pole to the bracket at the base of the adapter.)
The motor is so quiet that you can barely hear it. It’s like an invisible hand gently pushing you across the water. When you combine the lower speeds with paddle strokes, you can cover a lot of water and stretch out the battery life. (With the compact PP-378 battery, the K-1 will run for approximately 80 minutes at top speed—and up to 12 hours at slower speeds.)
I recall past SUP and kayak trips on the Great Lakes where I battled relentless headwinds for days on end. A headwind is a fun-destroyer, particularly for a SUP paddler. Nothing kills trip enthusiasm faster than a headwind that reduces your progress to 1 km/hour, even when you’re paddling hard.
Having a Bixpy K-1 motor on board for headwind support is a game-changer and a fun accelerator. You can stretch out your trip distances, especially if you bring a solar panel to recharge the battery. For off-grid trippers, minimalist anglers and anyone looking to enlarge their time on the water, this ISLE/Bixpy collab is a clear winner.
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