REASONS TO BUY
Inexpensive
Durable
Stable
REASONS TO AVOID
Mediocre glide performance
Extremely slow in choppy water
Sun Dolphin Seaquest 10 Review
If you are searching for a soild SUP on a skinny budget, then this board is a good choice
Credit: Amazon
By Marissa Fox ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ September 7, 2022
RELATED: The Best Paddle Boards of 2025
Our Verdict
While the Seaquest 10 is far from the best paddle board in terms of performance, it sets itself apart with its extraordinarily durable construction and reasonable price point. This board doesn't offer great glide performance and can get a bit finicky in rougher waters, but it is exceptionally stable. It's more akin to an actual boat, like a canoe or kayak, than a stand-up paddleboard. Its plastic construction doesn't require the same delicate handling that fiberglass boards do in transport — handy, as it is quite difficult to be gentle when hauling around this approximately 50-pound behemoth of a board. Overall, this board retails at a fraction of the cost of the top models and generally won't disappoint, provided you aren't planning on doing long paddling tours.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Sun Dolphin Seaquest 10 finished towards the back of our test group, but with a price tag of less than half of most of our test boards, it represents a tremendous value for beginner paddlers. Our testers almost never fell off the Sun Dolphin and appreciated its stability and durability.
The Seaquest 10 is an excellent value and is a great choice if you are shopping for a SUP on a skinnier budget.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Glide Performance
The Seaquest 10 has overall poor glide performance compared to the higher-end boards.
While the Sun Dolphin is very stable, it is also very slow, with some of the worst glide performance we have seen from a rigid SUP.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Due to its boat-like nature — calling it a kayak in disguise wouldn't be a stretch — the Seaquest 10 is not fast compared to the sleeker SUPs tested. It has a much broader cross-section than many of the other boards, resulting in significantly more drag when paddling. It feels like you have to displace tons more water to move forward, and it covers much less distance per paddle stroke. There would be no contest in a race between this board and a more touring-centric board. Someone could be leisurely paddling a touring board, and you would have almost zero chance of overtaking them in the Seaquest, no matter how hard you tried.
The Seaquest also struggled a bit more than some of the other boards to hold speed in rougher waters. Its cruising speed and distance per paddle stroke both fell off as the waves increased. Additionally, there is a molded seam around the perimeter of the board that appears to catch a substantial bit of water from each wave, further inhibiting its already lackluster glide performance.
Stability
This stand up paddle board was a breeze to paddle in windy or rough conditions. Our testers never fell off this board inadvertently, except for one tester who crashed straight into a willow when she was looking at her phone to send a Snapchat. (Luckily, newer phones are quite water-resistant.) This board also has a convenient dry storage well, though we wouldn't necessarily trust it with sensitive electronics or other items that can't get wet.
This board is exceptionally stable, making it a great options for beginners or for families.
Credit: Chris McNamara
This SUP is also quite stable when paddling with additional loads. Its glide performance is already so poor that it can't get much worse. So you don't notice any extra resistance when paddling with a bag or cooler on the back. Luckily there are plenty of convenient storage points and straps to secure your gear, as well as a built-in cup holder.
This board features a convenient storage hatch, a cupholder, and bungees for holding your dry bag.
It would also do well at carrying a small child or dog, though it is a bit on the short side for multiple adult paddlers.
These traits combine to make this board one of our favorites for beginners, even those who have never been paddling before. It's relatively easy to step on and off the Sun Dolphin from the bank or shallows, and its unshakeable stability will soon inspire confidence in even the most hesitant newcomers.
Maneuverability
Overall, we were pleasantly surprised by this board's maneuverability, expecting it to be much, much worse due to its hulking nature. It's a pretty big leap to call this board nimble, but we could usually avoid hitting obstacles without too much effort, though it might require a bit of frantic back-paddling. Its turning radius is quite large, but not unmanageable, with the Seaquest essentially feeling like it is about 1-2 feet longer than it is.
The larger fin helps with stability, but it definitely cuts down on this board's maneuverability.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Ease of Transport
The Seaquest 10 ranked poorly in regard to its ease of transport. Its rating was mostly weighed down by its, well, weight.
The Seaquest 10 is one of the heaviest boards we have tested, making it a bit of a hassle to load in a car by yourself.
Credit: Chris McNamara
In our tests, this board weighed in at 46 pounds, making it one of the heaviest boards in the group by far. It has 20+ pounds over the lightest models.
Luckily, the molded handle in the middle of the board is pretty comfortable and works well. Moving the board short distances isn't too bad if you can get past the bulk. It also has a soft handle at the back of the board so you can carry it with two people. This is our preferred method.
The additional handle at the back of the board makes it much easier to carry with two people.
Credit: Chris McNamara
The board's bulk also makes it harder to load up on roof racks, especially if the car is tall. Hefting it overhead for anything taller than a mid-size SUV usually requires two people. However, this board's construction means that you can be a bit more relaxed about padding your crossbars, which brings us to our final metric.
Durability
While the Sun Dolphin did sustain some damage in our tests, it was all cosmetic. This board is borderline indestructible.
The increased durability of plastic boards meant we could be a bit more haphazard in the way we transported them.
Credit: Chris McNamara
We took this board on trips that we wouldn't dream of taking a fiberglass board, such as down a somewhat rocky and obstacle-filled river. We also weren't exactly gentle when moving this board, tossing it in and out of trucks and strapping it down stacked on top of other boards or kayaks. The most noticeable injury the board sustained is a dent close to the bow of the boat, caused by hitting a rock straight on at a moderate speed.
The Sun Dolphin only sustained cosmetic damage throughout our testing process.
Credit: Chris McNamara
This is cosmetic, aside from slightly weakening that area, which would only prove problematic if we hit that same spot again. However, some users have complained in reviews that the board would quickly fill up with water. The two-piece construction method for this board does leave this as a possibility, and there is a drain plug located at the back of the board to drain it, but we never had to.
Value
The Seaquest 10 is a great value, offering decent performance at an unbeatable price. It's not particularly amazing compared to the best boards we have seen, but you could buy an entire fleet of Sun Dolphins for about the same price. In addition, it comes with a paddle, albeit not a high-quality one.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a solid family board that won't break the bank and isn't going to get easily broken, then the Sun Dolphin is a clear choice. This beast of a board excels in rivers, and we routinely use it for that purpose. Its almost bulletproof construction can handle impacts with most submerged object,s and it is plenty stable for moving water. It's great for taking out on the lake or river without worrying about damaging it, provided you have a friend to help you move it. You should look elsewhere if you want a touring board, but otherwise, the Seaquest 10 is a stellar choice if you are shopping on a tight budget.
—Marissa Fox
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