The Bluefin Cruise better than the Lidl paddle board, according to us and most owners. It’s more expensive, but it offers a better board shape, higher quality of included gear, greater stiffness, superior construction quality and extra features.
The Bluefin Cruise and the Lidl Paddle Board are among the most popular choices for beginners. That’s why in this post we’ll be comparing them against each other.
The two paddleboards are an interesting comparison as they represent two different price points. While the Bluefin Cruise is likely the most popular mid-price option on the market, the Lidl Paddle Board comes at a more affordable price.
We’ll provide a few tips while also giving our verdict on which one we think is better. For more background information about either board, we recommend that you check out our individual product reviews after reading this post.
Here you can find our detailed Bluefin Cruise review (also featuring a video review of the board).
Click here to find more information about other great Lidl paddleboard alternatives.
Table of Contents
Weight Capacity
As we already mentioned, there are a few differences between these two boards. For starters, the Bluefin Cruise is slightly heavier than the Lidl Paddleboard.
While both of them can hold around 100 to 120 kilograms (220 to 265 lbs), the Cruise is slightly more robust and weighs a bit more than 12 kg (26 lbs) more than its competitor.
Stiffness
Secondly, if you’re after a board that’s extremely stiff, then the Bluefin Cruise is perhaps better suited to your needs. This is especially nice for those who are on the heavier side or will be using their board for more rigorous activities.
Shape
The Lidl Paddleboard, on the other hand, is a bit wider than its competitor, making it more comfortable to use if you’re planning some relaxed tours around your local waters. That’s great for paddlers who want to bring along their kids, family or pets as well.
In our Lidl Paddleboard review, we heavily criticized the shape of Lidl’s model, as it’s too much focussed on beginners trying to learn how to SUP. With the extremely wide shape, it’s super hard to build up speed in the water.
The Lidl SUP literally feels like having the hand shifts on in the water. That’s an issue for mid-range or longer paddle tours, where it’s essential that the board tracks nicely.
Different Versions
While Lidl only offers one version of paddleboard (sometimes in multiple colour schemes), Bluefin has got different versions of the Cruise line. The most popular being the Bluefin Cruise 10’8.
However, they also got the Cruise 12′, which might be a nice option for taller folks who want to go for longer tours with their paddleboard.
Anyone planning regularly tours with two persons sharing a board, should also take a look at the Bluefin Cruise tandem. This two-person SUP is the only one we’ve tested so far where two full-grown adults can fit onto a single board stating up without it being too shaky.
Also, Bluefin offers improved versions of the Bluefin Cruise. They call this special line Bluefin Cruise Carbon. There is a Bluefin Cruise 10’8, a 12′ version and even a Carbon Tandem available. You can find more about the similarities, differences, pros and cons in our post comparing the Bluefin Cruise with the Bluefin Cruise Carbon.
Features
The Cruise and the Lidl Paddleboard come with their own set of features. The more expensive Bluefin Cruise models are slightly better equipped when it comes to carrying the SUP, with the extra carry grips on the nose and tail of the paddle board.
Also, the kick pad on the Bluefin Cruise is great for rapid turns. The so-called pivot turns allow you to turn the paddleboard on the spot. You have to move a few steps backwards on the board and put some weight on the kick pad in order to lift the paddleboard’s nose out of the water and turn it around in an instant.
Included Gear
Both SUPs come with a basic gear package. However, the Bluefin Cruise comes with a more extensive list of goodies. You can find all included equipment listed in our review of the Bluefin Cruise 10’8 (here).
We noticed that whereas Lidl included bag, pump, paddle and leash as standard and some additional gear such as a dry bag and a kayak seat. Bluefin covers the same in their paddleboard sets. Additionally, Bluefin always ships their boards with a waterproof phone case.
Overall, the quality of included accessories in the Bluefin Cruise packaging is far superior to the one you get with the Lidl paddleboard.
Build Quality
I don’t think that it’s fair to compare the build quality of the Bluefin Cruise and the Lidl Paddleboard. Even though both boards are made mostly from durable drop-stitch PVC material, they’re not on par with each other.
While we haven’t seen any major problems with the paddling capabilities or the workmanship on the Lidl board, Bluefin’s Cruise 10’8 is a step ahead in all aspects.
Especially when it comes to stiffness and longevity, the Bluefin Cruise is ahead.
While there are thousands over thousands of positive reviews of the Bluefin Cruise, we found plenty of complaints about its build quality after using the Lidl Paddleboard intensively for several months.
We’ve covered more about the durability of Lidl Paddleboards here.
The overall finish of the Bluefin Cruise combined with the more advanced features and better accessories gives this product a clear lead over its competitor.
Therefore, we recommend going for a Bluefin Cruise if you can stretch your budget that far.
Bluefin Cruise or Lidl Paddleboard: Which Is Better?
If we had to pick one of the two, we’d go for the Bluefin Cruise.
Sure, it’s a bit more pricey. But for the money, the Bluefin Cruise can offer more.
It’s board quality as well as the quality of the included gear is better, the board shape superior and you can find thousands of positive customers reviews online.
