For our 2021 Radinn Jetboard review about the new Explore, Carve and Freeride models the Radinn team from Sweden was visiting us in November 2020 on a lake outside of Berlin. We were able to ride the boards and interview marketing manager Frederik Ardmar.

In our Radinn G3 Pro Jetpack article we already had a short look into these models which are the Explore (based on the 2019 GX2 model), the Freeride and the Carve. They were however just launched later during summer 2020 and stay as the 2021 models. Since the Radinn Explore model is very close to the GX2 model from last year with the exception of the G3 Pro Jet (which is also used in the Carve and Freeride) we focussed our review on the two other models. It was getting cold in Berlin in November but we caught a nice day with almost no wind and even some sun. Great condition for the 2021 Radinn Jetboard Review with the Carve and Freeride.

Radinn Jetboard review

As explained in the following video interview which also features some shots from the Radinn Carve review & Radinn Freeride test rides, all models are modular. Each propulsion kit (G3 Standard or G3 Pro) works with each Board (Explore, Freeride and Carve) and with each battery (Standard, Extended Range and Long Range ). The same is true of course for the remote control, security leash, FCS fins etc. The three battery models are actually the same and so are the three versions of the G3 Jetpack. This means you can upgrade the battery and propulsion kits by software, so that you may start with the small battery and small jet first and upgrade later to get more power and more range.

Each board is available in 2 color configurations as you see on the picture above with each having an individual name. The remote control was my personal highlight in the review. It is unique and for me probably one of the best remote controls in the market. It fits very well in you hand, the LEDs to check the battery charge are very bright and it has vibration alerts for example when the battery is low. Controlling the speed with the thumb works surprisingly well and it is easy to swim with the remote in your hand.

The maximum speeds further below refer to the G3 Jetpack Pro with 9kW while the Standard Jetpack has 7.5 kW. The maximum riding time (up to 45 minutes) is referring to the Extended Range battery with 3,5 kW capacity. The Long Range battery has 2,7 kWh and the Standard battery 1,7 kWh.

One thing I don't like (but it is known also from other manufacturers) is that the boards come with a standard charger. It takes 4-5 hours to charge the battery with his charger. That's too long. The optional speed charger charges the battery in 2 hours. It is part of Radinn's strategy to keep a entry level price low (which some people will appreciate) with their standard charger as well as the upgradable batteries and jetpacks. Having a standard charger next to the speed charger does actually have an advantage. It is recommended to use a standard charger every 10th charging cycle as the longer charging time is supposed to extend the battery lifetime.

Before we start with the review of the Radinn Jetboards watch the video interview with marketing manager Frederik Armar where he is explaining the boards in detail:

The Explore Jetboard

Before we continue our review of the Carve and Freeride models, let's have a short look at the Explore model. It is based of the earlier G2X model and comes now with the new G3 Jetpack and in two colors called Icebreaker for the black & white version and Sentinel for the dark grey version. It is quite similar to the Radinn Freeride in terms of riding behavior, but it is better protected with a rubber bumper and a full impact deck pad. With a maximum speed of 52 km/h it is slightly slower than the Freeride. I personally would go for the newer Freeride model as it is a little bit more agile and just looks better. If you want to have however a very robust board (e.g. for rental) the Explore model may serve you better.

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With 27 kg plus 20 kg for the battery it has a total weight of 47 kg, which means it is the heaviest board from Radinn.

Radinn Carve review

Ok, let's start with the Radinn Carve. This is the smallest and most agile board from the Swedish manufacturer. I would compare it directly with the Jetsurf Electric which was so far probably the most radical electric surfboard. We did ride the Jetsurf Electric the entire season of 2020 and it is a great board, but unless you are planning to join competitions (which almost don't exist for electric surfboards) we found it to hard to maintain it as we explained in our Jetsurf Electric review article. The Radinn Carve is easier to handle and it takes less time to set it up and put it down again. It comes with foot straps as you would expect with a more radical board and it has a similar impressing performance as the JS Electric if you use the G3 Jetpack Pro. The G3 radical was unfortunately not ready yet for our review, but it we expect even more power.

The Radinn Carve does not come with a handle, which enables you to make even more aggressive maneuvers, but you can connect a handle if you want. This is great as it gives you the freedom to decide yourself if you want to ride with our without this support. Without a handle it feels more like surfing. Other race boards have the handle permanently connected ´ to the board, so that you don't have this choice. Radinn gives you this freedom.

Other than the Explore and Freeride the Carve is designed for more advanced riders which should be not more than 90 kg. With 21kg plus 20 kg for the battery it has a total weight of 41 kg.

I really enjoyed the ride with the Carve and it was my personal highlight at this Radinn Jetboard review. This is why I decided to add the Radinn Jetboards to our shop and stopped with another brand. Our goal is to keep only the best boards in our portfolio. The modular concept makes it not only easier for resellers to have the right board on stock it is also very handy for the end-user in case there is a support case. You just change the component as it is plug & play. Both color configurations looks nice. The dark grey Phantom as well as the dark cyan, white and black model called Tarifa. I personally would probably go for the Tarifa board.

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Radinn Freeride review

Now let's have a look at the third model called Radinn Freeride. Interesting is that this board is even slightly faster than the more radical Carve model, but it is only marginal and you may not even notice. The maximum speed is up to 56 km/h compared to 52 km/h with the Explore and Carve. The reason is that a board with less volume is deeper in the water and creates more drag. A phenomena we just explained in our electric bodyboard article. The Freeride board has more volume than the Explore because it is thicker and wider and of course it has more volume as the smaller Carve.

So since the Freeride has more volume it easier to ride for beginners. I think it is a great allrounder board which fits most riders. With 24kg plus 20 kg for the battery it has a total weight of 44 kg. With 56 km/h it is pretty fast and will not get boring. It is however not as agile the Carve. The good thing is that the entire system modular and you may want to start with a Freeride and buy a Carve hull later on. Now you can choose which way you want to surf each day.

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You can get your new Radinn board now in our shop. Just click on the banner above. If you have further questions about this Radinn Jetboard review, please raise them in our forum.