review of the Ke Nalu (Pono Bill) paddle

[Mana Karma]

I would be interested if there is anyone out there using a Wiki (or Maliko) and maintaining speeds of 5.5 mph + for a substantial distance (4+ miles) in flat water?

...actually, starting a new thread/poll on something that will interest us all

[Seattle-Wind]

Took my Maliko to Maui last week - really nice having it along, definitely caught waves I otherwise wouldn't have caught with a rented paddle!

[Strand Leper]

Cut down my surf paddle to just a few inches overhead... Lopped off about four inches. Had some really silly falls due to muscle memory of the longer paddle.  Verdict is... I LOVE IT!

Did a solid 4 hour plus session with it and have some interesting soreness from the different position.  But it was way less awkward switching sides, and it forced me to really engage my core at the paddle plant.

Ergo handle, stuff shaft, Maliko blade.

Chipped my blade on the reef during an ill advised "pull in" ... Will making a masking tape mold with the sun cure epoxy work... Or will the repair just pull off when I am finish sanding?

Thanks in advance.

SL

[Dwight (DW)]

For Lane,

You've got to do a better job labeling shafts. I've let lots of buds demo my paddle. One guy went to the local shop to buy what I have. He came home with the wrong shaft. Even the people selling them are confused.

Another bud decided to order direct from KeNalu to avoid the issues with getting the wrong shaft. Well bad karma bit him. KeNalu sent the wrong shaft. He order the XTuf. He got the Xtuf stiff. We compared our paddles yesterday on the beach. His was way stiffer than my Xtuf.

Please stick labels on them at the factory.

[1medic]

I tried the paddle and am not that impressed. It seams a lot of hype for a paddle with no pedigree. I  don't see any elite racers raving about them.  Sponsor or not the good stuff is always used. ie SIC with other logos. I guess it is in the eye of the beholder but I think a few Zoners are drinking the cool aid.  Its not the holy grail to sup. DMS

I suggest you do more than just "try" one before you slam some of us Zoners thinking we drink kool aid.
I have 7 paddles  that are all the top brands and 2 KeNalu's. I periodically test them all and find the KeNalu's out preform the others in all conditions.
One thing to keep in mind is if you don't like a KeNalu then your stroke may need some work. They reward good stroke technique.

[upwinder]

I would be interested if there is anyone out there using a Wiki (or Maliko) and maintaining speeds of 5.5 mph + for a substantial distance (4+ miles) in flat water?

...actually, starting a new thread/poll on something that will interest us all

I reckon the pointy end of our regular crew down here in Bayside Melbourne would be sustaining that pace or better with Wikis and Malikos, over substantially greater distances than 4 miles (judging my my own pace about 1/2k/h off that for a 10k run and how far into the distance they usually are ahead of me - I'm the slowest of the crew by a very large margin).

[Beasho]

I tried the paddle and am not that impressed. It seams a lot of hype for a paddle with no pedigree. I  don't see any elite racers raving about them.

Talk is cheap, let's review the data:  1,250+ posts, over 114,000 views and KeNalu is standing proud in the face of social media.  Where are the Starboard paddle reviews on-line?  Kialoa?  Quickblade?  The Starboard video just copied everything that KeNalu has been offering for over a year.  

I have convinced 3 other people to buy KeNalus coming from Kialoa Methanes.  One person said "Wow I never realized I was trying to paddle with a club (aka caveman style) until I tried the KeNalu."  When I have tried the Kialoa since it feels like 'JUNK.'  There I just said it.

I started a thread to see who, if anyone, would be willing to advocate for any other paddle.  Are we just drinking cool aid? What may we be missing?  NOTHING came  close to the passion expressed for KeNalu!

Add to that the following picture (Most posts should add eye candy).  My Kenalu paired with Non-Extendable handle.  Note the KeNalu weight (73 inches @ 455 grams) vs. Kialoa (74 inches @ 545 grams).  KeNalu 20% lighter.  As Starboard stated "Lighter is better."  Show me the money!!!!!!  Long live Pono Bill  

[Mana Karma]

Talk is cheap, let's review the data

Can someone point me to an Elite paddler on the podium using a Ke Nalu?  Don't get me wrong, I like mine quite a bit, but I just don't find it to be the best tool on race day.  I do suspect that in a highly competitive world, racers would gravitate to Ke Nalu if they were indeed faster... and, I'm not huge on sponsorship, but having a few well-known racers representing (and winning with) the paddle would definitely give it a better sense of pedigree in the racing world.  So until someone points me to the "objective" data, I remain a bit suspect...

keep in mind is if you don't like a KeNalu then your stroke may need some work. They reward good stroke technique.

This seems like a silly response to the inquiry.  I have better-than-average stroke technique for a racer (which makes it better than most surfers) - and while the Ke Nalu feels smoother and faster, the actual DATA (i.e. numbers) indicates I move slower.  I do think people's opinions of the Ke Nalu are very very very subjective... and so far, it seems like people are happier using a paddle with that "sweet feel" over a paddle that actually moves them faster.  Again, for non-racers this is a non-issue.  My Ke Nalu is becoming my surf paddle, and I am more than happy about that!

* Side: if you look at the Ke Nalu poll results, you will find that an overwhelming majority of usage is for surf sup, so maybe the "data" does speak for itself...?

[Strand Leper]

Well put Mana Karma.  Interested to see the replies.

SL

[DavidJohn]

My Kenalu paired with Non-Extendable handle.  Note the KeNalu weight (73 inches @ 455 grams) vs. Kialoa (74 inches @ 545 grams).  KeNalu 20% lighter.  As Starboard stated "Lighter is better."  Show me the money!!!!!!  Long live Pono Bill  

That's comparing a Kialoa that's a few years old against the new latest greatest Ke Nalu..

I could not pick the difference in weight between my Ke Nalu and my Kialoa Toro.. I took both paddles to a friends machine shop who had accurate scales and they were so so close.. The Ke Nalu was lighter but only by a few grams.. It would be interesting to do the same with the new Hulu Kialoa because I think it's even lighter.

There is something special about the oval shaped shaft that Kialoa make and the dihedral like ridge on the new Kialoa blade makes it paddle different to the older flat blade designs so you should compare new with new.. Not new with old....Not taking sides.. Just saying..   .. Both great paddles IMO.

DJ

[Beasho]

Can someone point me to an Elite paddler on the podium using a Ke Nalu?

Point taken.  Kai and Connor have to be using the latest and greatest.  When I have looked at their paddles (through quick snips in videos) they appear to have the camber, dihedral, non-flat surface similar to KeNalu's original design.  Maybe custom versions?  The Starboard video showed a lot more angle off the shaft (e.g. less advanced stroke technique) than a typical KeNalu appears.  

That said the objective data above shows the KeNalu (now 1 year old) lighter by 20%, and 100% modular to boot.   Ohhh, and Starboard just copied the KeNalu concept of "Hot gluing the parts together."  So who was the leader?  

Granted I use mine for 100% surf.  This would be worth its own topic "What is the fastest paddle?"  

I can say that I bought my KeNalu sight unseen and it significantly over delivered (for the surf).  Until someone comes out with a carbon nanotube paddle (weighing 25 grams) or some other side-cut ski breakthrough most people will be pleasantly surprised (by KeNalu).

PS: DJ, to his credit, was one of the few 'Non' KeNalu vocal holdouts.  If those other paddles are better then I, and a whole bunch of other people, will want one.  Bring it!

[kayadogg]

I love my Ke Nalu paddles, I have all 3 blades and have used the xTuf and the 90flex shafts.  This past summer I used the maliko with 90flex shaft for a couple races and had good results but when really digging, it felt like there was too much flex.  Granted, I wasn't using the 100 so that could have been what I was looking for.

I have since switched to the Werner Grand Prix, strictly for racing.  It's faster, at least for me, when it comes to racing.  The numbers just reinforced that the Werner felt faster.  For me, it was.  However, any time I am on a board and I am not racing, I'm using a Ke Nalu.  I made the mistake of doing a 22-miler with the Grand Prix and it tore my shoulders apart.  I did the CCBC (36 miles) with a maliko/xTuf setup and it was heaven. 

Surfing, I think it's all personal preference and now becoming similar to golf... the players will put the clubs in the bag with their sponsors name on them, or at least cover their clubs with their sponsor's head covers.

[JeanG]

Equipment on podiums should reflect sponsorship dollars and little else...this goes for most sports.

[crtraveler]

I don't know how everything works, but I would imagine that most of the top athletes in our sport are also bound with a contract to only use and be seen with their sponsors gear....  I would imagine that these contract periods run for a year or more.  Seeing how Ke Nalu has really only been around for a little over a year, it seems to me that it is a little premature to say that none of the top guys have them on the podiums...that is true, but those top guys are also under contract elsewhere.  It will be curious to see what happens once Ke Nalu has a chance to be represented and (based on JeanG's thoughts)...if they want to be represented in that way, do they want to spend the money to be on the podium?

Also, in regards to accurately measuring speed on a board or from a paddle, I think it's essentially impossible to realistically create a situation where you can isolate what is making you faster or slower... Think of all the variables involved - water conditions, current, wind, and most of all paddler performance, is it the exact same stroke each and every time?(the answer to that is no btw...), how he feels, what he ate, how well he slept, how hydrated he is, how hard did he paddle the day before, etc, etc ...If all of those variables could be consistent (and many more), maybe then we could determine if a particular paddle is faster than another or not.  Until then, I'm afraid we're all just speculating...

[DavidJohn]

Equipment on podiums should reflect sponsorship dollars and little else...this goes for most sports.

Also..

I have checked out many sponsored team riders/paddlers and their paddles may look stock they are often not..

Not that there's anything wrong with that..  

DJ