Author Topic: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle  (Read 551786 times)

cape kook

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #765 on: June 08, 2012, 06:05:26 PM »
your question and answer table is too much effort.

I was +10" on my Kailoa shak puu (86")

Got Kenalu Maliko at +8"
loved it.  lighter, better release, better shaft grip.
paddled it both on wave board and naish glide.  Felt a bit stubby on the glide.

just melted the extendo handle to +12" and had a few paddles.   Much more reach and power at that length.  Still nice release, though not as clean as when shorter.  No shoulder pain, but definitely feel the shoulders reaching higher.

I have yet to try the +12" on my glide 14, but my guess is that it will be even mo betta on that board.

Adjustability is fun.  But kenalu is so much more than the hot glue.
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Fanatic Allwave 9'10"
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JakeSupTX

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #766 on: June 08, 2012, 09:46:18 PM »
Just pulled the trigger on a maliko. Ordered it about noon, had UPS tracking number, paddle on it's way by four. THAT is customer service above and beyond. Also had several emails and noob posts responded to with detail and effort. That stuff doesn't go unnoticed or unappreciated. Thanks Bill!

PonoBill

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #767 on: June 08, 2012, 09:56:42 PM »
Yeah, the table is a bit much but the info would be valuable, hence the bribe.

Here's some shots of a quick test of flex for the xTuf S. It's a little stiffer than I expected. This is 200# of weight suspended at the midpoint, with a 3" overhang on both ends. I need to do some better pics of this kind of test, it really shows off the beauty of the tapered shaft flex when it has a plain background. You can kind of see it here, but it's not as obvious as it should be. the curve steepens closer to the handle. below the lower hand the shaft is pretty straight.


This is a 100 flex Elite shaft. 2.25" of flex at 200 pounds



This is the xTuf S  2.75" of flex at 200#



And the standard xTuf, 4.75" of flex at 200 #

Kind of spooky seeing that much flex in a carbon shaft, but they held that weight and more--I bounced the weights to see what would happen--nothing, other than making me nervous.
« Last Edit: June 08, 2012, 10:03:12 PM by PonoBill »
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.

Chilly

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #768 on: June 09, 2012, 04:10:06 AM »
Cool pictures. The left side definitely has less flex.
Bouncing the weights! You got guts. Were you wearing a bomb suit?  ;D
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supchino

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #769 on: June 09, 2012, 06:44:33 AM »
I paddled my elite maliko with ergo t handle yesterday. Went for a two hour paddle with mostly flat conditions.  I am surprised how different the paddle works! It feels like the paddle helps to correct my stroke. If I felt it start to 'wiggle', I knew i needed to concentrate ln what i was doing.  The stroke with the paddle seemed so smooth, almost effortless.  No BS.. i usually am tired after an hour of same kind of paddling with my other paddle, and no tweaking of joints or wrist pain.  After reading about the ke nalu,  a lot of the claims are true. Definitely worth every penny

PonoBill

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #770 on: June 09, 2012, 06:58:20 AM »
I paddled my elite maliko with ergo t handle yesterday. Went for a two hour paddle with mostly flat conditions.  I am surprised how different the paddle works! It feels like the paddle helps to correct my stroke. If I felt it start to 'wiggle', I knew i needed to concentrate ln what i was doing.  The stroke with the paddle seemed so smooth, almost effortless.  No BS.. i usually am tired after an hour of same kind of paddling with my other paddle, and no tweaking of joints or wrist pain.  After reading about the ke nalu,  a lot of the claims are true. Definitely worth every penny

It just tracks very straight. If you feel it wiggle you just need to relax your lower hand and let the paddle do the work. Some people are used to  paddles that wobble or don't track in a straight line so they steer the paddle. Relax.
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.

SUPerstitious

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #771 on: June 09, 2012, 08:55:50 AM »
Bill,
Quick question on the xTuf shafts (I have one with a Maliko xTuf blade...love the combo).

Since the shaft is flexing in essentially the same direction with each stroke, does this cause weakness over time, or does carbon fiber not have memory effects? (Hope I am asking this the right way)

Thanks!
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swordfish1227

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #772 on: June 09, 2012, 03:09:29 PM »
Been thinking about a KeNalu for the last few days, waiting to try one out first though. My question is would it be better to get an elite second blade or an X-tuf blade? Elite shaft and handle, just trying to knock a little bit of the price off for myself. They come out within $10 of each other.

SUPerstitious

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #773 on: June 09, 2012, 03:38:37 PM »
Been thinking about a KeNalu for the last few days, waiting to try one out first though. My question is would it be better to get an elite second blade or an X-tuf blade? Elite shaft and handle, just trying to knock a little bit of the price off for myself. They come out within $10 of each other.

Hey Swordfish...just my opinion, but after looking at both and weighing the pros/cons, I went with the xTuf blade. It would appear that the materials make the thing nearly impossible to break, and the difference in weight would be difficult or impossible to tell apart without the use of a scale.

I did paddle the Elite (in 90 and 100 shaft) with all three elite blades. I then tried the xTuf, and knew within 10 minutes that for me it was the better paddle combo for my use in the surf.

So far I am thrilled with my xTuf paddle. The money saved was nice too.
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swordfish1227

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #774 on: June 09, 2012, 03:50:08 PM »
Did you get an elite shaft or an xTuff shaft?


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PonoBill

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #775 on: June 09, 2012, 03:52:55 PM »
Been thinking about a KeNalu for the last few days, waiting to try one out first though. My question is would it be better to get an elite second blade or an X-tuf blade? Elite shaft and handle, just trying to knock a little bit of the price off for myself. They come out within $10 of each other.

Elite seconds are a really good blade. They almost make me rethink using clear coat on our blades. They actually look better and the clearcoat finishes the edge nicely. I'd go with the second just because they are so pretty. If you want a Maliko you can take your time but we have one wiki and five or sic molokais. No idea when we'll have more.

I'd also grab an xtuf s shaft. We only have 50 , well, 49 since I grabbed one. And I think when folks try them they'll be hot as a pistol. I'm in love all ovler again.
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.

PonoBill

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #776 on: June 09, 2012, 03:59:29 PM »
Superstitious, only time will tell. If you bring the shaft close to its yield strength it will certainly get weaker because some strands will break, but that's probably 250 to300 pounds. There have only been a couple of  shafts that have broken so far, and they had clear flaws. Ultraviolet is probably the biggest bugaboo. Don't leave your paddle out in the sun and it will probably last many years.
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.

SUPerstitious

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #777 on: June 09, 2012, 04:23:24 PM »
Did you get an elite shaft or an xTuff shaft?


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xTuf blade and shaft. In all honesty, the xtuf shaft is what I like. Not sure I could tell the blades apart in a blind test (obviuosly they are visually different, but weight and how they perform in the water seemed the same to me) .
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jdmotes

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #778 on: June 09, 2012, 04:37:01 PM »
 If you can still get the Elite 'seconds', GET IT!... They're beautiful and there's something about that carbon weave that exudes excellence... But like SUPerstitious says, you can't really tell them apart once they are in your hands and in the water...      Paddle on,     JD
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swordfish1227

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Re: review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle
« Reply #779 on: June 09, 2012, 04:37:38 PM »
Did you get an elite shaft or an xTuff shaft?


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xTuf blade and shaft. In all honesty, the xtuf shaft is what I like. Not sure I could tell the blades apart in a blind test (obviuosly they are visually different, but weight and how they perform in the water seemed the same to me) .

Alright cool. I'm going to give one a shot, kinda hoping in a way that I don't love it because I don't want to spend the money at the moment.


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