cheap paddle recommendation for a new SUPer

[watSUPbro]

i live in southeast louisiana and have kayaked around for years. I just ordered a ThreeBrothersBoards 12' Jason Ryan https://threebrothersboards.com/product/jason-ryan/.
I went with the larger size because:
 a) im 6'1" 200lb
b) i wont be surfing
 b) i will often have a 75 lb dog or my 4 year old on board. or heck why not both

I dont know all that much about paddles except they make you go.
I think I want something very light as SUPing for me may be long and leisurely, so lighter paddle will be less shoulder fatigue. 
I need it to be somewhat strong as it may be used to push off jetties, docks, alligators, etc. --not much sand here.
Adjustable would be nice if my wife and equally short friend wants to use it. there seems to be an attitude that adjustable paddles flex too much and take on water and sink. i dont know!

I had ordered a paddle from Superpaddes (https://superpaddles.com/products/carbon-fiber-sport). Carbon fiber pole and nylon blade. They cancelled my order for some reason so now I am actually doing some research instead of just clicking the first thing i saw on google shopping results.

Do carbon fiber blades get chipped and beat up easily? i dont know!


sorry to be long-winded for first post, but any help is appreciated. I would definately like to spend less than $200. Im not a pro, im just floating around the bayou and occasional vacation to the florida panhandle.

[SUP Sports ®]

Our carbon shaft / fiberglass blade SUP paddles are $199...great bang for the buck…the adjustable version is just $20 more...

http://supsports.com/sup-paddles

This vid clip shows our 3 piece all carbon travel paddle with bamboo veneer...but, we use the same high quality, easy, & dependable mechanism on our 2 piece adjustable SUP paddles…

[stoneaxe]

Very light, durable, and adjustable is a tough combination.....I don't think you really need the very light in there. Very light in SUP paddles means 20oz or less but you wouldn't want to be fending off gators with it.... For what you'll be doing a decent fiberglass and carbon combo like SUPsports is showing would work just fine. Don't buy a cheap one....you'll regret it.

[seadart]

I don't think you are looking for a real light carbon paddle if you expect to be pushing off and letting inexperienced paddlers use it.  If you are a kayaker you may be familiar with Werner fiberglass whitewater paddles that are really rugged.   The Werner Session  SUP whitewater paddle might be more in line with what you want if it's going to get rough use.

 http://wernerpaddles.com/paddles/stand-up/session

[spirit4earth]

Check out the Werner Flow, but get it on sale.

[watSUPbro]

thanks for the suggestions! the werner is on sale at rei so thats a consideration.

does nrs make quality paddles?
eastern mountain sports has 20% any item right now
http://www.ems.com/nrs-rush-sup-paddle/2011296.html#q=sup+paddle&start=8

73"-81" travel would accomodate both me and my wife
and it looks awesome. I should say that doesnt matter but it doesnt hurt!
manufacturer website lists it at 21 ounces. seems like a great deal...

[blackeye]

Welcome watsupbro.
Good advice here and on other threads. Let me offer a counterpoint.

Of your three requirements, light/strong/adjustable, you can only really get any two of the three. I think you can find something you will be happy with - lightish, durablish, adjustable. Also, you can always get a better one once you figure out your longer term interests Then the original one could be your loaner paddle.

I suspect our paddling objectives are similar. I do medium speed flat water cruising. I have gone through four cheap paddles, two of which are still in use. I don't have a high-end paddle but have tried a few.

I've been very happy with my no-name import paddle. It is an adjustable and floats nicely. It has very soft flex compared to racing paddles, which is fine by me. I've had it for years, banged it around, and lucky me, it has held up. 

I also bought a used paddle with a nylon blade to use as another loaner paddle. It was too heavy to use and for fun I cut it up. The plastic made up most of the paddle's weight.

As for fixed length, I don't know how anyone could commit to an agreeable length. How do you choose one length for all conditions and all paddlers? I change up the length within each session as I tire or the wind comes up. Adjustable shafts are the highest performing ones in my view. But often the plastic clamp is crappy and is the one thing I should replace on my paddle.

Someday I'd like to get a Ke Nalu Extra Tuff blade and shaft with the adjustable feature. I've never tried one, but from what others have said, this sounds like a great way to go for a quality paddle for guys like us. They seem to cost a fortune in Canada but appear more reasonable in USD. Many folks on the zone love their Ke Nalus.

[SUP Sports ®]

Please keep in mind that there is a significant difference in performance between paddles with fiberglass shafts and paddles with carbon shafts...even a new SUPer will be able to tell the difference...

Unlike the early days of SUP...there are lots more options for paddles...and, there is a lot of "cheap" junk for sale on the internet...some use black colored fiberglass that appears to be carbon in their pictures...so, buyers need to beware that they are comparing apples to apples when comparison price shopping...
...

The shafts on our paddles are similar to the shafts on the KeNalu paddles that we also have in the shop...our shafts are on the left in the attached image...

We also include a value added high quality vinyl edge guard installed on our fiberglass bladed SUP paddles at no charge...

[spirit4earth]

thanks for the suggestions! the werner is on sale at rei so thats a consideration.

does nrs make quality paddles?
eastern mountain sports has 20% any item right now
http://www.ems.com/nrs-rush-sup-paddle/2011296.html#q=sup+paddle&start=8

73"-81" travel would accomodate both me and my wife
and it looks awesome. I should say that doesnt matter but it doesnt hurt!
manufacturer website lists it at 21 ounces. seems like a great deal...

I got mine at REI, with my dividend and an old store credit, I only paid $30 for it!

[PonoBill]

My original plan for KeNalu paddles was to take over the market with an inexpensive FRP nylon bladed paddle that could be upgraded as the user progressed--or not. I sold my interest to Lane before we really got going on that effort, but the Honu paddle is that paddle. It's the same KeNalu shaft and handle as the more expensive paddles in the lineup with a ridiculously tough blade that you can beat on rocks with no effect other than marks.

I don't think many people buy them, they tend to jump right into the expensive Ke Nalus, but it's really a heck of a paddle and a great deal--it was priced to take over the market and I don't think Lane has been paying much attention to it. Here's why I think that: With one of the three standard handle formats and an xTuf or xTuf(S) shaft it's 165 bucks. That's a buck more than the price of the shaft and handle.  In other words, the blade (the most expensive part of a paddle) is free. An extended ergo T and adjustable part adds about 60 bucks or just get it with the extended ergo-t and adjust it with a heat gun like all the rest of us do. I don't like lumpy parts on my paddles, but lots of people seem to like that instant adjustability. 

All the usual swap-ability of the parts, and the weight of the Honu is around 25 ounces. Heaviest of the Ke Nalus, but still a light paddle. You can upgrade by just buying a blade.

As expected (I AM an evil marketing guy) most folks wind up with three shafts, four blades and five handles, but the ability to put any paddle you want together from three components and change the length with or without the usual clamping device makes for the kind of paddle people own forever, even if they change the parts all the time.

George Washington's axe--it's had three new handles and two new heads, but it's George's axe.

[watSUPbro]

thank you Bill. I am really interested in getting a KeNalu paddle. I would probably spring for the xtuf.

For my wife, something nice and cheap I found this
https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/product/123267/seattle-sports-zephyr-stand-up-paddle

now I've had seattle sports products before and they arent bad. fiberglass/nylon blade. This seems like a great price for an adjustable carbon paddle
I called the manufacturer and they said the paddle is 25oz. And if its shit I can just return it to REI...

The only thing is it just says carbon and not carbon fiber. does that mean its not a weave? i dont know that much about carbon fiber to nitpick the semantics.


upon closer inspection its definately not a weave... maybe ill just put this money towards an adjustable ke nalu honu...

[paddlejones]

kialoa insanity is worth a look too.

[DavidJohn]

kialoa insanity is worth a look too.

I agree.. and their fiberglass version in the small blade size is an awesome and very cheap paddle..

[watSUPbro]

ok I settled on a paddle. eastern mountain sports had a 20% coupon. You guys convinced me to go with carbon fiber.

I'm sure one day I'll get a kenalu, but for now, this was a great deal

NRS blitz carbon fiber adjustable. My wife and I should both be able to use it at 68"-86"
http://www.ems.com/nrs-blitz-sup-paddle/29092400042.html
279.99 then a 20% coupon to $220.

1.24 lb!!  and ems like rei has great customer care so they should have my back if im not satisfied

I'll report back with a little review

if i want to put something on the edge, what is the best thing to protect carbon fiber paddle edges?

[Quickbeam]

if i want to put something on the edge, what is the best thing to protect carbon fiber paddle edges?

Use the 3M tape that Area 10 talks about in this thread:
https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,29861.0.html

It is really good stuff. You can also put some on each side of the paddle shaft. Go about 12" up from the top of the paddle blade on each side of the shaft and then you don't need rail tape on your board.