Stand Up Pedal Board Hobie Mirage Eclipse Review

The popular stand up board company Hobie has just released a new, immensely versatile stand up pedal board called the Hobie Mirage Eclipse. Their comprehensive drive system allows you to hop on and pedal your way to freedom.

With a solid, steady, and surprisingly natural feel, the board can fly across the top of the water at wild speeds!

Easier to get the hang of more than any pedal board we’ve seen before, anyone should literally be able to hop on and start having fun right away. With complete steering control from the bicycle-style handlebars perched on top of the board, it’s very easy to maneuver.

If you’re not feeling the handlebars that day, you can even sit down and paddle it like you would for your typical SUP. For fitness, fun, and an experience like no other, the Hobie Mirage Eclipse is something we highly recommend trying out!

The Hobie Mirage Eclipse is a ton of fun and we truly have many great things to say about it. Here are a couple features we really enjoy:

Now, unfortunately we’d be lying to you if we told you that the Hobie Mirage Eclipse was all sunshine and rainbows. There are definitely some things about this pedal board that we don’t enjoy so much.

The propulsion system is very easy to get the hang of. Most people feel that you have to be a pro paddler to hop on this bad boy and get going, though that is not the case one bit!

The press-steering controls make it very easy to turn and maneuver. Any user will be surprised by how intuitive the control system is.

The rudder utilizes and automatic fold up system so that when you begin to approach shore, it won’t scrape against the sand and possibly break. Many of us when having fun can get caught up and forget to watch out for shallow points. This is an awesome feature that can save your board from a very bad accident.

It comes with equipped with rear tie downs and bungees so that you can attach coolers, crates, fishing gear, or anything else you might want to bring in to the water. Have a couple beers on the lake or pull out your fishing poles for some good ol’ fashioned fun without having to worry about lugging it yourself.

The board also allows you to lock up the rudder fins, as well as completely remove the handlebars with ease. This is great for those who just want to take this out on the water and paddle around like a SUP. In a way, it’s an all-in-one piece of equipment.

Even though the Mirage Eclipse Hobie is crafted with a high quality composite epoxy that shines and glimmers, it is necessary to properly care for your board so it will have a long life.

You want to think about caring for your Hobie board the same way you would think about caring for a brand new sports car. You’ll want to make sure you never bump it into rocks or gravel so that the high gloss finish stays shiny.

Hobie also comes with routine cleaning recommendations that you should be sure to follow. Rinse with fresh water after every use to remove salt, brine, algae, dirt, or whatever else may stick to the outside.

When you store it, the board should be in a clean, cool, and dry place. Hobie makes storage bags if you so care to buy one. The board should NEVER be stored in direct sunlight as it could warp the features.

The board comes with an accessory beach cart as well to make it easier for you to haul across land. This can be excellent to protect it against scratches.

There are different kinds of SUP boards out there and we want to make sure you get the right one. The two main kinds of SUPs have different mechanics that you should definitely be aware of before purchasing.

Standard SUP boards are the ones you see at just about every beach nowadays. They work by standing on them and paddling with a long paddle to the direction you want to move in. Pedal SUP boards are a bit different in that you use your feet in a stair step-like motion to propel yourself forward. You change direction by squeezing the handles on the bike-style handlebars. They are certainly more intuitive, especially if you’re used to riding bikes.

The Hobie is great in that it works as a hybrid. You can easily switch back and forth from traditional paddle board to pedal board in just minutes!

Looking for a standard paddle board to get your going? Make sure to check out our best paddle board guide!

Riding the pedal board is fairly simple. It doesn’t require much time to hop on and start riding! After you’ve finished installing the handlebars and rudders, it’s time to get going. Simply step on the board and begin moving in a stair step motion to propel the board forward. The handlebars come equipped with trigger-like mechanisms on each side that you can squeeze to turn the board left and right.

When you start getting close to the shore, or close to shallow waters in general, you’ll want to push one pedal all the way down so that the rudders move up close to the board. This will keep them from hitting the bottom and getting damaged.

Is it difficult to set up the Hobie Mirage Eclipse?

The process is actually quite simple and there are only 5 main parts you need to worry about. You start by plugging the handlebars into the hole at the front, and turning the knob in either direction to lock them into place. Next, you can connect the steering lines to the steering cables by looping them around the balls connected to the steering cables.

The rudders are easily hooked into the rudder drum on the underside. The most difficult part is looping the bungee over the rudder to the hook on the front side of the rudder. This will make sure it is locked in position.

Lastly, the mirage drive is installed simply flipping the pedals forward and inserting straight down. The drive will lock automatically when installed properly.

How can I get the perfect amount of resistance for a workout?

Like you would an electronic stair stepper at the gym, you can adjust the resistance for the Hobie Mirage Eclipse. This can be done in two ways. One of them has to do with where you place your feet on the pedals. The higher up on the pedals (closer to the nose) you place your feet, the higher the resistance will be.

Secondly, you can remove your fin from the mast using the small key ring and pin. You’ll notice a big screw on the bottom of the mast. You can either tighten this screw to increase resistance or loosen the screw to decrease resistance. Put the fin back on when you’re done and you’re ready to go!

​Is there any self-maintenance I can perform to ensure my Hobie Mirage Eclipse a longer life?

You’ll always want to make sure that you keep your drive system nice and loose. This can be done with Hobie Multi-Lube. Secondly, you’ll want to make sure you check cable tension here and there. If you can squeeze the cables easily with firm finger pressure, the cables are too loose and should be tightened using the nuts on the drive.

Lastly, you’ll want to make sure to adjust your steering lines. There is a large section on how to do this in the Hobie Mirage Eclipse manual that goes way more in depth than we could here! We highly suggest you glance at it though if you care about prolonging your Hobie’s life.

Can I leave my Hobie tied up to the dock like a kayak?

Absolutely not! Many people don’t want to haul their board up out of the water to their car after a long day out on the water. The issue is that, if left in the water for a long time, the water can penetrate the paint and cause osmotic blistering. Things like sail boats, which are docked in the water almost always, are layered with a barrier paint coat that protects it from this sort of thing. Since you wouldn’t leave your fiberglass surfboard floating around in the water, you should treat your Hobie the same way.

Does the Hobie Mirage Eclipse have any extra accessories available for purchase?

Yes! The Hobie Mirage Eclipse actually has a pretty wide range of accessories to take your Hobie experience to the max! From board covers, to suction cup speakers, to a drive bag, and a SUP leash coil, Hobie makes about everything you could think of to go along with your board!

Does the Hobie work in all kinds of conditions?

The Hobie is best for lakes or oceans with softer waves and winds. The Hobie can stand some wind, though as for waves, you won’t want to ride it if they’re anywhere above two feet. It’s a very stable board, though it ain’t no sail boat!

In all, the Hobie Mirage Eclipse is a new and inventive way to get out on the water! The stair stepping mechanism will put dirty gym stair masters to shame, while the fast and maneuverable epoxy design will make you feel like you’re walking on water. 

With around seven decades of work under their belt, Hobie is a trusted and reliable brand that has been dishing out out-of-the-box products for quite sometime. It’s an exciting new way to get exercise while riding solo or with the family. We highly recommend testing one of these bad boys out to get an experience like no other!