[leadin]The ‘world’s first standup pedal-board’ resembles a bizarre fusion of SUP and StairMaster. But it looks like a ton of fun.[/leadin]
Riders grasp the height-adjustable handlebars of the Mirage Eclipse, unveiled this week, and “pedal” the board’s dual underwater fins to propel the craft forward.
The Eclipse is maneuvered with calipers mounted on the handlebars that resemble brake levers on a bike for rudder-like motion. “Squeeze right, go right. Squeeze left, go left,” claims Hobie, the company responsible for this new take on watersports.
It uses the same pedal-propulsion mechanism Hobie developed in 1997 for kayaks – dubbed the Mirage Drive – to allow the board to “be faster than any SUP of comparable length and width,” the brand touts.
It can reach speeds up to 7mph, Hobie cites, and it comes in 10.5-foot or the faster 12-foot board lengths.
Conversion And Storage
For shallow waters, the fins – which propel the board with a scissoring motion – are locked flat against the board by planting either pedal in the full-down position.
The handlebars and fins can be removed. The pedals then stay flat for using the board like a regular SUP.
Though it’s a spectacle we’d have to get used to seeing out on the lakes, the Eclipse not only seems like an upbeat alternative to the mellow movements of SUPing, but also a refreshing alternative to home elliptical machines.
The 10- and 12-foot boards are $2,499 and $2,599 respectively. The board bag cover, cup holder, phone mount, and wheeled beach cart are sold separately.
The Eclipse will be available this spring at dealers worldwide.
