Introducing the 2022 Honu Sorrrento
02 Dec 2021
The all-new Sorrento has quite a back-story. Despite it being the go-to board in the office for any open water paddling, Mark wasn't happy with how it had turned out. Not from a performance point of view, but the construction and aesthetic weren't up to the standard he believed Honu should demand. And in truth, when pressed for details, the 2021 Sorrento wasn't what was designed, and so was a bit of a sore point.
So it was around Mid-year that we decided that the Sorrento would be discontinued as it was, and a revised version would be designed and tested or just skipped for the season until we could get the construction right. The 2022 Sorrento needed to have a few key construction improvements to cut it.
1. It had to have a welded inner rail.
2. The carbon stringers must be hidden
3. The rails should have a 3K carbon panel
The combination of welded / carbon rails was the feature we were uncertain would be possible, and it is right about this time that SUP Boarder Mag was conducting their Touring SUP head-to-head test.
Long story short... The Sorrento won the Overnight category right when we were 50/50 if we would have them for the 2022 season.
So we were stoked beyond belief and a little bit nervous at the idea of telling folks we weren't making it any longer because we weren't happy with it :)
So that's the back story behind the 2022 Sorrento Inflatable Touring SUP that hung in the balance. If you've read this far, you probably want to hear more about the actual construction we think is so awesome. So let's go.
2022 Sorrento Features
We think folks will appreciate the new features of the new Sorrento, including an all-new bag with better ergonomics for longer walks into secluded paddling spots. With all these improvements comes an even lighter board, making it easier to move in and out of the water.
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Welded Carbon Rails The rail is now constructed using heat+pressure welding that mechanically fuses the inner rail with a 25mm wide strip. This process is complex and tedious but forms a highly durable join. Then a 50mm carbon rail is bonded into the rail for added stiffness and protection before the outer rail is finally applied. When taking a close look at the rails on the new Sorrento, you will see a series of parallel lines. It is this complexity of our construction that creates these.
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Stacked Carbon Stringers The carbon stringer is now reduced to 50mm top and bottom for 2022, but is bonded under a 150mm vinyl strip. This stacked construction has improved the board's stiffness while simplifying the styling of the board, something we are sure our paddlers will appreciate.
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Upgraded Backpack It is delivered with the all-new Sorrento SUP backpack with a larger front pocket and improved side storage areas. The wheeled backpack also gets improved shoulder straps that are more contoured and padded for longer hikes into remote paddling spots.
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Reduced Board Weight With all of the above new construction and features comes a lighter board. We have managed to drop around 300 grams out of the board weight, with the new Sorrento now tipping the scales at just 9.8Kg's |
