I'm in the market for a new paddle. Light and good for fitness paddling and the odd race.
Several years ago when I bought my last paddle it was pretty much Quickblade or nothing else. Has anything changed since then?
Any advice would be great.
Cheers.
Hey TTM,
I sold 2 x of our children to afford to buy a quickblade V-drive last year and its a great paddle.My mate keeps reminding me I could have bought a 15hrs outboard for less but fork it, he doesnt paddle!!! 
quickblade paddle are nice though they cost a bit more than others but if you really want one you should buy it.
I have a QB with a tapered oval shaft, extremely light and grabs the water like nothing else. My blade is worth more than my board but definitely worth it. I've only had a few other brands so not much else to compare with but I've yet to see or use better.
I would suggest giving the new Starboard Bolt a try. I love this paddle. I tried the QB but couldn;t justify the cost.
Only advice i would give is make sure you try the size paddle you want for a good 30minutes plus. I got the Large and hindsite should have got the medium. My own mistake.
Select to expand quoteMarkmyword said..
I would suggest giving the new Starboard Bolt a try. I love this paddle. I tried the QB but couldn;t justify the cost.
Only advice i would give is make sure you try the size paddle you want for a good 30minutes plus. I got the Large and hindsite should have got the medium. My own mistake.
Thanks all for your comments.
Thanks for that Markmyword.
How do I determine which size is best for me? Any advice here would be greatly appreciated.
To answer the question yes imo they are still the best race paddles, but try wich one suits you best.I tried the Vdrive and that is almost an anchor where you pull on so much grip has the blade. The slightly more gentle Trifecta (97) suits me better.The tapered oval shaft is nice, but I choke a lot in the sprints and because of that I preferred the non tapered shaft (and make them a little bit less expensive as well)
Size: you really should try them. I,m 42, 188x92kg and paddle sometimes 2-3 times a week,but when its cold or when there are wind of waves periods once a month on my racer (more frequently in the waves). That is not often enough to keep the really high pace of the younger and fitter guys who put more effort in it. Because my pace is a bit lower I prefer a slightly bigger blade (97). a friend of me with a much faster pace loves his 84, but that was just too small for me....but again it really depends on your personal preferences and pace.
To compare, before the Trifecta I owned a QB Magic 90 and the feel the same in pull, but the Trifecta goes much easier in and out the water and feels smoother. Sounds weird but experience it yourself.
.Are the best for everything? imo not. In the Surf I prefer Kialua shaka, the methane and the Ke Nalu paddles with stiff Glass shaft for a bit more comfort.
If you have the chance, it might be worth trying the latest KeNalu Mana 82 and 90.
They work really well for me at 75kg/165lbs and 51 years old.
I can easily un-glue blade, shaft and handle so can change the stiffness of the shaft to adapt to the stiffness of an older body....
I use the 82 for everything except down-wind where I use the 90.
Select to expand quoteTalkToMe said..Markmyword said..
I would suggest giving the new Starboard Bolt a try. I love this paddle. I tried the QB but couldn;t justify the cost.
Only advice i would give is make sure you try the size paddle you want for a good 30minutes plus. I got the Large and hindsite should have got the medium. My own mistake.
Thanks all for your comments.
Thanks for that Markmyword.
How do I determine which size is best for me? Any advice here would be greatly appreciated.
Only way to find out is by trying different paddles. Go down to SurfFx or Roar. These guys have demo gear and i am sure will only be too happy to let you have a go. Alternatively if you come up to one of the BrisSup events, we all use a wide range of paddles and you might see/use something that never crossed your mind.
Yes, I believe QB are the best paddles you can buy.
There are certainly other good ones that are more cost effective out there and I've tried most of them but I prefer my Quickblades hands down.
Go back a few years and the specialty paddle brands had it all over the board manufacturers paddles. It's not so cut and dry these days so I would check all offerings.
Select to expand quoteBrisKites said..
Go back a few years and the specialty paddle brands had it all over the board manufacturers paddles. It's not so cut and dry these days so I would check all offerings.
Definitely. The board manufactures also cover a broader range. A lot of the "specialty" Brands typically offer specific paddles for specific disciplines. The best chance you have of finding the right paddle is to get into your local shops, speak to the guys and work out what is best for you. There is a lot to it but by speaking to the guys that are using the gear you will come out with a much better understanding. Your paddle is the most important part of your kit! Happy hunting and if you have any questions feel free to contact us.
Select to expand quoteseaFreaks said..
Your paddle is the most important part of your kit!
So true. Basically, you can weed out the bad ones easily from their description (the heavy ones and the ones with crude - flat - blade shapes), and then we are all different, especially on our stroke cadence.
Then you should try find the most efficiency ones that still doesnt make your joints the least bit sore after a session.
