Manufacturer:  Pau Hana
Length:  10'8"
Width:  30"
Thickness:  4.5"

I have to admit that I had low expectations for this board.  However, after paddling it regularly for a month, I have been pleasantly surprised.  We were looking for a low-end, entry level stand up paddle board to stock, and the price on the Malibu is hard to beat.  It's a soft-top board rather than a hard epoxy board, so a beginner doesn't have to be very careful with it.  You can also paddle it in rocky rivers without worrying about dinging the board.  That's what really interested me--I have been a whitewater kayaker for many years, and wanted to give whitewater SUP a try.  But more on that later...let's talk first about the basic characteristics and performance of the Malibu.

The Malibu is 10'8", which means that it is on the short end of the scale for my recommendations for SUP in Columbia and Lake Murray (see my earlier post about finding the right board for conditions around the midlands).  The 30" width and 4.5" also mean that it is in the mid-range as far as paddler weight capacity.  I would say 185 lbs. would probably be about the maximum paddler weight I would recommend.  The board is relatively light and an easy carry for most people.  The board looks good with its blue and white striped deck.

Jumping up on the board, the first impression is that this is a very stable stand up paddleboard.  The Malibu has a flat bottom and the volume is carried all the way to the bottom with its sharp rails;  this gives the board a solid steady feel under your feet.  The EVA deck covering gives very good traction.

Paddling forward, the Malibu does accelerate more slowly than an epoxy board, and the top end also feels lower than an epoxy board.  It's no speed demon, but I was able to paddle a mile up the Saluda River against current and the wind without trouble. 

You may have noted in the pictures that the board has a tiny fin, which is also fairly flexible.  The manufacturer apparently did this so the board could be paddled in shallow and rocky areas, and this is certainly a good feature for whitewater and Columbia rivers like the Saluda, Broad, and Congaree.  The board has a standard fin box, so the stock fin can be replaced with a larger one for better tracking.  That being said, the Malibu with the stock fin is not a strong tracking board.  I found myself getting in about 3-4 strokes before changing sides, and the nose does wander some without corrective strokes.  A beginner may find that the stock fin does not provide the tracking they want, and I would definitely recommend a larger replacement.

The upside of the Malibu's small fin is that the board is very maneuverable.  A cross bow turning stroke will whip the board around almost 180 degrees.  The maneuverability is nice when paddling up small creeks and exploring.  Pivot turns are a little odd because the board is soft and somewhat flexible:  moving to the tail will spin the board around faster, but it doesn't really lift the nose that much!

My real interest in the Malibu was in paddling some whitewater.  This is where, for me, the board really shines.  The construction and small flexible fin means you don't have to worry about hitting rocks, which is a big deal with our very shallow rapids in the Saluda, Broad, and Congaree.  The board's stability is very helpful when current is pushing against the board--you still need to be careful about edge control, but it's not as critical as with a couple of other boards I've tried.  The maneuverability and stability make eddy turns a pleasure. 

The best feature of this board, as far as I am concerned, is that the Malibu loves to surf a standing wave in whitewater.  The wide flat profile gives plenty of planing surface and the sharp rails provide excellent water release, making this board capable of surfing fast standing waves we have on the Saluda.  If you look at the Malibu from the side, you can see that the nose has a good bit of rocker, which means that the nose doesn't quickly pearl on a standing wave.  Waves that just aren't that much fun in a whitewater kayak can be a blast on the Malibu, and I have really enjoyed paddling it.

The Bottom Line
The Malibu provides an excellent and inexpensive entry level board for a beginner if you add a bigger fin.  It's very stable and no need to worry about the kids knocking a hole in it while crashing into the dock.  For an experienced paddler, the Malibu offers the opportunity to enjoy paddling Columbia rivers without worrying about rocks, and it's a great whitewater board.  While we don't have large standing waves here like the rivers up in the mountains, we do have some that are still a lot of fun to play on.  Who says you can't surf in Columbia?