Author Topic: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle  (Read 551772 times)

all~wet

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #690 on: May 21, 2012, 12:46:02 PM »
Damn you all ;)
See how this works?  I'm been completely happy with my Molokai w/ 100 flex... couldn't do any better I've thought.
Or..... can you?
Guess I won't know now til I get my hands on an xTuff.
Bloody pushers, all of you!

mrl

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #691 on: May 21, 2012, 07:28:27 PM »
Bill there may be something to the natural cadence theory . When I got my wife a paddle I chose the Wiki sized blade figuring it would be better for a smaller person. I let her try my Maliko  she seemed to like it better in spite of the shaft being to long. I noticed she seems to like a bit slower cadence so for mothers day I got her a Maliko blade and she loves it.  I did find the change was made greatly easier by using the Ace digital heat gun. It easily gets the glue above the melting point and avoids the danger of burning up yet another of her favorite hair dryers.

headmount

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #692 on: May 21, 2012, 08:05:09 PM »
I took a Zoner down for his first run today.  Gave him my blade and I used his... the whole run.  It was like swinging a sledgehammer.  He was all smiles with my KeNalu.  I think I'd give up paddling if I didn't have a KeNalu. 

covesurfer

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #693 on: May 21, 2012, 08:47:04 PM »
I don't think I could give up paddling but I sure would not want to have to paddle with anything other than my KeNalu. The swing weight is the best and you don't give up power - you'd almost think there would have to be a trade off but my experience is that it is all positive. The paddle just doesn't wobble (I have a Maliko) and the hot glue system is so ingenious in so many ways - you can dial your paddle length, change blade sizes, handles, even shafts. There is just nothing else out there that competes. Brilliant product. Period. ;D

jdmotes

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #694 on: May 22, 2012, 06:52:48 PM »
 Paddle surfed with a buddy today and he used the xTuf Wiki putting the Elite Maliko (100Flex) back in my hands since over a month ago. I was spoiled by the xTuf Wiki but gotta say that Maliko is so damn smooth and powerful its freaky. I gotta try the Maliko blade with the xTuf shaft next... Any idea when the xTuf-S (stiff) shafts will be available???     Paddle on,   JD
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soepkip

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #695 on: May 23, 2012, 04:40:48 AM »
I have some problems with my left elbow, it looks like a combination of a golfer's an a tennis elbow.
It is the elbow I use to pull when trying to catch a wave.
I can still peddle but don't want it to get worse....

Would the Elite Maliko Paddle with an xTuf shaft be the paddle to get?
I am 180 lbs.
Or should I go for a smaller blade?
I am just surfing, no racing and like to take off one a wave in one or two strokes on my 8'0" and that's why I prefer not to go to small.

How about an importer in the EU ??
Norway is in Europe but not in the EU !!

The only way to make the paddles a bit more affordable is shipping them from the factory straight to Europe I suppose so please make it happen

JimK

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #696 on: May 23, 2012, 04:47:36 AM »
Can't help you in the EU importer catagory, but I can tell you a smaller blade and/or a softer shaft will help the elbow problem. And the Wiki (smaller blade)is a perfect surf paddle for any size paddler. I know since I'm a big guy using a Wiki in the surf and Maliko for everything else and I'm EXTATICLY happy with these paddles

JimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com

Strand Leper

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #697 on: May 23, 2012, 06:10:30 AM »
It's kind of funny... I am afraid to try too many different Ke Nalu combinations as the paddle is my constant throught my board dialing process... Then I try the X tuff with my usual Molokai blade and am surprised at the subtle and helpful (to me) differences.

No Jim, I will not try the Wiki X tuff combo!  Not because it isn't (possibly) an amazing surf paddle set up... It is because I am simply afraid of yet another variable.

Tim
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* subject to revocation due to a pending investigation by the FDA (fisherman drug association)

Dwight (DW)

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #698 on: May 23, 2012, 06:38:24 AM »
I'm chime in, to help add to the confusion of potential buyers.  ;D

Xtuf with Maliko for 75% of the people, is perfect.

Xtuf with Wiki is for girls. Way too easy to overpower this paddle for a man. My wife uses this one. Sometimes, even she thinks it could use a little more power.

The other shafts should be retired.


soepkip

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #699 on: May 23, 2012, 07:41:03 AM »
I'm chime in, to help add to the confusion of potential buyers.  ;D

Xtuf with Maliko for 75% of the people, is perfect.

Xtuf with Wiki is for girls. Way too easy to overpower this paddle for a man. My wife uses this one. Sometimes, even she thinks it could use a little more power.

The other shafts should be retired

This was what I was thinking about the Wiki, if my elbow wasn't bothering me I would also have considered the Molokai

As for the shaft, I still own a few paddles with stiff shafts and I don't like them so the Xtuf shaft is a clear choice for me.


PonoBill

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #700 on: May 23, 2012, 07:56:56 AM »
We're seeing a lot of folks order a paddle and an extra blade--especially the "factory seconds". I was showing one of the seconds to a dealer a few days ago and completely confused him--he kept thinking the seconds were the premium blade. They are prettier.  The clearcoat makes the edges look beautiful. We're getting very low on Wikis (I think there's two) but we have quite a few Molokai's left and lots of Malikos.

For those who don't know what I'm talking about, our process of molding our blades has a high reject rate. Most paddle blades are sanded and clearcoated after molding. Our are not so any variation in the finish is a reject. We sand and clearcoat those and they're beautiful, but not "firsts". You can find them in the "Specials" section of the website.

I'm still working on the EU issue, Every time I get serious about it something happens to distract me. 
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

mantaray

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #701 on: May 23, 2012, 07:59:52 AM »


The other shafts should be retired.




As an owner of a Wiki with Elite shaft....I gotta ask...why do you say the other shafts should be retired?
I also have the Maliko but use it for flatwater.  And if you're "overpowering" you just can't paddle fast enough, clearly!  :)

Dwight (DW)

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #702 on: May 23, 2012, 08:14:42 AM »


The other shafts should be retired.




As an owner of a Wiki with Elite shaft....I gotta ask...why do you say the other shafts should be retired?
I also have the Maliko but use it for flatwater.  And if you're "overpowering" you just can't paddle fast enough, clearly!  :)

Elite shaft feels dead.

Paddle fast, paddle slow, it still slips. If it slips, it's too small. If I want a blade that slips, I'd use some other crappy brand instead of the wonderful KeNalu that plants, like its in concrete.

kayadogg

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #703 on: May 23, 2012, 08:18:12 AM »
We're getting very low on Wikis (I think there's two) but we have quite a few Molokai's left and lots of Malikos.

Make that 1 left in stock!

PonoBill

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #704 on: May 23, 2012, 08:43:12 AM »
Ben Friberg is getting ready to see if he can paddle more than 200 miles down the Yukon river... With a wiki paddle: https://www.facebook.com/24yuksup

It's a cadence thing, and the value of a wiki is in fitting the blade to natural cadence. If you're a slow cadence paddler you'll think a Wiki is wimpy, if you're high cadence you'll think it's a catch monster. It also depends on your stroke. If you have a downward stroke with a lot of core in it a wiki catches like a 100 sq. in. blade. If you pull straight back then it's as small as it really is.

I greatly prefer the 100 Flex for racing. But I like the xTuf for downwind and surfing. But people who like "instant" response will always like the 100 Flex over the xTuf. I confess though that I'm constantly switching what I use. Not as much as I was a few months ago when I went on a binge of adjustment, but I'm toying with the Molokai on an xTuf.

Lee Murry from Lee's SUP in Gig Harbor picked up a bunch of Ke Nalu's for his shop yesterday. He thought he was going to want a wiki and wound up with a Molokai!
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

 


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