Review: Hala Peno
Summary: The Hala Peno “Wave Rider Inflatable” from Hala Gear is a great river surfing board when used in the right conditions. Read on for the detailed review…
Benjamin Smith in the middle of 8 Foot rapid on the Upper San Juan
In depth review: The Hala Peno is a short, sporty, inflatable, whitewater specific paddle board. I picked one up early in the season to use for river surfing, but what I found was that it made for a better down river play-as-you-go board.
Don’t get me wrong, the Peno does surf well, but it requires a certain type of river wave. I started the season by taking the board to all the local park-and-play waves. On these fast and steep waves, the Peno often failed to impress when compared to other river boards.
What I found was that the Peno surfed best on naturally occurring river waves, not man-made waves that are found in whitewater parks. Natural river waves tend to be slower, flatter, and often smaller than their man-made counterparts. The problem with natural river waves is that they are spread out, not all bunched together like waves in a whitewater park.
Benjamin Smith surfing a small wave on Boulder Creek
Luckily the Peno works as a down river board, which means paddling between these natural river waves is an option. The Peno is great for class 2-3 runs where you want to surf every wave on the way down. I wouldn’t recommend anything harder than class 3, since the board is relatively small and low volume compared to other whitewater specific boards, but on easier water this board is a blast.
Erin Livingston after greasing Ledge rapid on the Upper San Juan
I do wish the board was a little more surfing friendly at the expense of some down river runnability. The fin setup is 4 fixed fins with a removable center. I think the board could benefit from having just two fixed twin fins and 3 removable fins, allowing it to be looser on the wave. Also, increased rocker and possibly shaving 6-8 inches off the length would help the board fix into smaller, faster holes.
Daniel McGraw shredding Bleacher Hole on Clear Creek
The board itself is extremely high quality, even though it comes from an overseas factory. It looks great, and can handle all the abuse rivers throw at it. I’ve had no issues with punctures, leaks, or broken fins.
The hand pump it comes with however, I had issues with. It started binding up and I sent it back to Hala Gear. The great thing about Hala Gear, is they are on top of their warrantee/replacement program. Within 2 days of emailing them about my pump issue I had not one, but TWO new pumps and I hadn’t even sent my old one in yet. Hala Gear does their best to get you back on the water ASAP.
For someone like me, who isn’t into running hard whitewater and is more interested in surfing, the Peno is a great board. It has become my favorite board when paddling down river.
Hi Benjamin,
thanks for the excellent review. Did you have the chance to ride a 2016 Peno? It is shorter and has a 3 fin thruster setup just as you proposed.
Best Regards,
Florian
Florian,
I have not gotten to try the 2016 Peno yet. I’m hoping to get a chance to this upcoming season!
Now that it’s been a few years, I was curious if you’ve had a chance to try the 3+3 (2016-2017) or the 2+3 (newer). I’m weighing the 3+3 vs a wavo as a novice surfer. Does the double stack actually create a more usable rail (for an inflatable) than the 3.75 ” wavo?
Hi Benjamin, I am shopping for a river surfer for my daughter. I’ve been looking at the IRS and the Hala Peno. Both look like great boards, but I am most concerned with getting the best fit. We live in the Midwest and don’t have any people with first-hand experience or opinions on these boards. We are Whitewater kayaker. She has been paddle boarding for about two years and would like to start river boarding and surfing. Can you help with a recommendation?
Thanks
Hi Wayne,
I would make the choice based on whether you want to use the board for more river surfing, or paddling down river. The IRS is one of the best river surfing inflatables (although you should also take a look at the Sol Jah). The Hala Peno makes for a fun/sporty down river board, but doesn’t surf as well on most waves. Depending on your daughter’s weight, skill and the difficulty of white water you’re running, you might be fine using the IRS for down river paddling.
Thanks for the advice
You’re welcome! Let me know what board you decide to get.
Going to go with the IRS. Looks good, I think she’ll like it. Thanks!
How does it compare to the Hala Atcha 86 for down river surfing?
The Hala Atcha 86 will be much better for down river paddling/running rapids. On the Peno, you can run rapids easily if you are either a) very good or b) very light. For everyone else the Peno will offer a challenge when paddling down river, but comes with the advantage of being a better surfer when you turn around a decide to catch a few river waves!