need advice on how to grip a slick paddle shaft

[mbarnhar]

My race paddle shaft gets very slick in the hot & humid summer months from sweat while paddling and my lower hand slips.  What is the best way to add grip to the shaft without increasing the shaft radius?

[Mungo]

I use tropical surf wax in the surf. I don't really have a problem when the paddle is dry but I've seen some people using a cohesive silicon bandage that I only know as vetwrap. It's fairly low profile (a lot thinner than a paddle grip), sticks to itself so easy to apply (I think you have to tape the top and bottom) and is pretty grippy.

[PonoBill]

Wax, or hockey tape, or both. When I'm doing wax only, I use a combination of beeswax and surf wax. Someone probably will make paddle wax someday, and that's what it will be. Stays on a long time and doesn't gum up. My goto setup is hockey tape with my beeswax stuff on it, below or above you usual grip area. I use Ke Nalu paddles which are grippy to start with, but I like to be able to get a non-slip grip if I get something like sunblock on my hands.

[Muskoka SUP]

http://www.superhappywax.com/store/stand_up_paddle_wax

[supthecreek]

Thanks Muskie!
Good link, I'll have to try some of that.

[Muskoka SUP]

Yer welcome Creek!

You'll have to report back on it, I use some of Element's older paddle wax that I have left over from my whitewater canoeing days... But I'll certainly vouch for the quality of Elements products. 

Be aware, a little goes a long way.  Too much and it will gum up your shaft. 

[SUPJorge]

Gotta try that beeswax on the hockey tape, two days of back-to-back long paddles with the tape alone and my hands are a hurtin'. Been known to take the tape off and stuff it in my pocket. But if you're new to this (as I am) and need a solid connection to your shaft, hockey tape words great.

[hbsteve]

Xcel makes an outrigger paddle glove.   I usually don't wear gloves.  But, when I do, they are the ones.

[mbarnhar]

Thanks everyone....very helpful!   I'm going to try the vet wrap first & maybe the stand up paddle wax and see how it goes.  Sounds like hockey tape might be rough on the hands.

[Glowmaster]

+1 on the superhappywax

it does need frequent reapplication, but seems to work well for me.

[PonoBill]

Tape is too sticky by itself. Wax doesn't last long. The best thing is worn out tape with beeswax on it, but that takes time to mature. Second best is fresh tape with a liberal coating of surf wax followed by beeswax. The surfwax mitigates the stickiness, the beeswax stays on the tape for a week or so.

[southwesterly]

I'm curious on this subject.

How many people use wax or another form of grip on the paddle shaft?
I don't seem to find a reason to use anything. No slipping problems at all.
Am I the weird one?

[upwinder]

I'm curious on this subject.

How many people use wax or another form of grip on the paddle shaft?
I don't seem to find a reason to use anything. No slipping problems at all.
Am I the weird one?

Got a starboard enduro that's slicker than toddler snot when it's wet, at the moment it's my weapon of choice for surf. I put one of those Naish paddle grips on it (the ones that were around a couple of years ago...i grabbed a couple off a freebie table at an event)

My  2x Ke Nalu paddles - nothing needed, although on one of them the shaft is getting on a bit and the surface is starting to wear and lose its grippy a little.

[gtcali]

Sand paper

[supuk]

I have never tried it as i have never had the problem but wondered about it many times, you could try masking a area up and wiping a very small amount of surf epoxy on the shaft and then wrapping a pice of peel ply around it and pulling it off when its dry, it will leave a nice textured surface that could be sanded to obtain the desired grip. You could probably use any sort of nylon fabric and get a good result, if you find the right fabric you should be able to basically obtain a star touch finnish so worth experimenting. It would all so be clear and not look quite so bad as sports tape and last for a log time.