im planning on buying a new paddle soon, and i was wondering if anyone could recommend a good paddle for a pretty decent price. i plan on using the paddle for both OC-1 and OC-6.
Submitted by ryim on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 10:51pm
im planning on buying a new paddle soon, and i was wondering if anyone could recommend a good paddle for a pretty decent price. i plan on using the paddle for both OC-1 and OC-6.
Submitted by ryim on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 10:51pm
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what is a "decent price" do you prefer all carbon, hybrid, wood, reinforced wood, etc etc. single bend double bend, tear drop shape, square bottom, rounded bottom, low shoulder high shoulder.
There is a paddle for everyone, have you determined the size or length of the shaft, will you be picky and choose shaft length and blade length and blade width for a true custom paddle or do you care? I have a large list of options for you if you can narrow down your options. What is your level of paddling? how often do you go, does it have to last for 1 year, 2 years, 5 years?
#1 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 7:16am
I just got a brand new Broad Reach in the mail the other day. She's a beauty. Tahiti Iti carbon blade with carbon reenforced shaft. 50.5" overall. Nice flex in a fairly skinny shaft. I'm just over 6' tall. Haven't gotten on the water with it yet. Workmanship is impeccable.
Roy, depends how long you want to wait for your paddle. A custom blade will take anywhere from a month to 7 or 8 months to get. So if you need one right away your best bet is to buy one off the shelf at Island Paddler.
#2 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 9:00am
im not really lookign for a custom paddle, just one that i can use for a long time. i have a kialoa axel 2 right now. looking for probably single bend, hybrid, the one thats legal for ohcra. im around 6' 2", im paddling around 4-5 times a week. ive been looking at quick blades and broad reach.
#3 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 9:22am
go broad reach if those are your two choices. QB good, but not great for outrigger - awesome for sup but that's it.
#4 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 10:53am
Why is QB awesome for sup and not OC? Kanaha model uses same blade for both. Carbon shaft for both Kanaha-Elite Racer sup paddle and Kanaha All Carbon OC paddle is very similar in feel.
#5 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 12:03pm
we haven't had much luck with them staying together. just my 2 cents and experience with them.
#6 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 1:00pm
ive had my viper vaa tupuna blade for about 6 months, by far the best blade ive used (ive have makana alii , kiakaha, kialoa blades) to bad it doesnt comply with hcra for 6 man but as for one man its solid. it also doesnt hurt that the blade is eye candy either.
#7 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 2:23pm
Sorry...I have used a lot of paddles. Makana Alii, Kialoa, Kiakaha, the Tahitian blades, gillespies, etc. I own a QB and have never had a problem with it. It is tight and does not fall apart. Just my 2 cents.
#8 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 4:59pm
I have two QB's as well does my hubby, all are about four seasons old and haven't had any problems with them and they are well used. Most in my club have them as well and have had no issues that I know of.
#9 Fri, 11/12/2010 - 7:21pm
I have many paddles but I have used a kialoa Lanikai for a few years and am switching to a QB mainly because I got one from my doubles partner as a gift. When I come across a good wood blade I'll switch for a while. I even tryed a Graphite blade, but I could feel it working my joints so, that was the end of that. Just my 2 cents in the matter.
#10 Sun, 11/14/2010 - 2:39pm
Mulus...If that QB breaks let us know and let us know why . to answer the question that started all this....QB is a good stout well balanced blade as is the kialoa. I love wood blades but they take more maintenance. I have found some hybrids to chip at the edges a bit but not the kialoas or the QB's. I have only broken one paddle and that was an old over stressed Savage River. You will never find Makana alli's on the rack but for my two cents worth.....QB's and Kialoa's are a good off the rack purchase for durable paddles that will work for OC1 or OC6. Broad Reach, Makana Alii...place an order and wait a bit or a bit longer.
#11 Mon, 11/15/2010 - 7:29pm
chiping ? no they will outlast me. wood has a life to it. and wear easy. but feel great.
#12 Tue, 11/16/2010 - 4:24pm
a quickblade will take 230 bucks out of my pocket. looks like im saving up... also, the "chipping", did that occur on the carbon fiber blade of your hybrid? ive had my paddle for 4 years, dropped it a couple of times, but never had it chip. im buying a new paddle so i can have one for OC-6, and one for OC-1.
also, a broad reach is about 265 bucks, and im signing up for the kialoa student paddle scholarship in january, but they dont choose til june...
#13 Tue, 11/16/2010 - 10:04pm
No chipping that I know of with carbon.
#14 Wed, 11/17/2010 - 7:01am
Aloha,
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#15 Tue, 11/30/2010 - 10:55am
Go check out them Double Whiskeyjack paddle. According to one customer, they deliver in a week and best 9 inch blade for wahine because of the small size shaft. Light too. No can go wrong for around $150 brand new. Maybe Island Paddler get?
#16 Tue, 11/30/2010 - 11:25am
ho brah, dis paddle got crazy mozaics, dis acts like a bridge bringin all da force up to the center!
Best video I've seen in a while, laughed my ass off. Why not dispell all da bubbles?
How much you bakin for that video hahah, dats where you gonna get some!
#17 Tue, 11/30/2010 - 11:55am
@paddleHi, whoa poor blade stuck in da sand that way...
#18 Sun, 04/10/2011 - 6:23am
Anyone have feedback on KiaKaha? how does it compare to Kialoa Axel II or makana Ali'i?
Is it sturdy, stable trhough the water, ( Kialoa Axel II seems to flutter a lot in heavy surf)
Been using an all Wood Kialoa 98' Wiley dbl bend 51.5" want something a little lighter but with solid feel and stability, looking at hybrid blades or a lighter sturdy wood blade.
Any suggestions?
#19 Sun, 04/10/2011 - 6:31am
There is only one paddle every paddler should have…. this is it.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/dDzpfIw7jUM
#20 Sun, 04/10/2011 - 8:23am
i had an axel II as my first paddle, and it lasted me 3 full years of paddling. i actually bought the quick blade kanaha hybrid, and i love it more than my kialoa. the quickblade is a little heavier, but the blade enters clean. the only problem was that i was surfing at flat island and snapped it in half. i sent it back, and got a new one within 5 days.
#21 Sun, 04/10/2011 - 11:11pm
Yeah, i had a quickblade too and it snapped a few inches above the blade...now that I know that i'm not the only one, maybe its not just the paddler...maybe the blade is designed with too much pressure on the shaft.
#22 Mon, 04/11/2011 - 10:19am
I've been using a 2.5 year-old Quickblade for about a year now and have never had a problem with it. It's taken some decent abuse from 9-man races and whatnot and it's stood up really well.
#23 Mon, 04/11/2011 - 11:16am
No mo calloses on top yo handz:
#24 Mon, 04/11/2011 - 3:46pm
@thespear: i talked to a bunch of different people for over a week about the paddle. the guys at island paddler told me it was a wood lamination defect since there were flat spots where the shaft broke. i contacted quickblade for a couple of days, and paid 15 dollar shipping to get my new paddle a couple days after they recieved it. i also got an email back from them saying that their lamination machine or whatever was pressing too much of the glue out. very interesting....
#25 Tue, 04/12/2011 - 11:26pm
I have a couple of quickblades but never really got into them. the shaft is a bit narrow on them. very well made paddle. Ive paddled for many years and make woody's also am a collector. and as a builder have had a many break trying to ride that fine line of too thin and light enough to impress the buyer. and wood if you could imagine being organic has variations. also as a side note Ive seen guys that break paddles by the way they pull, present company excluded, and paddles that for no reason broke. on the other hand. paddles that seam indestructible. they said that carbon would not break and I broke one , and I tell you its like a firecracker going off in your hand. and if you wanted you could make one out of hard wood like maple to give it strength but would be slightly heavier. Ive seen maple break. but my weapon of choice lately, Ive been using a Kialoa Lanikai , well since they came out. and in January this year I got a Teva Hoe Hybrid. and will switch slowly if I do.
#26 Wed, 04/13/2011 - 1:00am
making your own can be very enlightening and can save you thousands of dollars if you have a paddle obsession like myself. If you got a friend with a wood shop or some woodworking tools (and some garage space) you can make your own. There are som pretty good youtube video tutorials and a few paddle making books. Will probably start an obsession (with wood and paddle shapes). Also makes me appreciate the paddles that I purchase much more.
My suggestion...buy both...and put in an order for a Makana Alii. Really you can't have enough paddles!
#27 Wed, 04/13/2011 - 7:43am
"Making your own" paddle? If anyone is serious about making high quality paddles for themself and for others, Doc Adams, over in Kailua, has a paddle shop already set up for acquisition. If this is something you always wanted to do, then this is perfect. Check it out?
ps: go for it pog, love to see your hybrid?
#28 Wed, 04/13/2011 - 9:30am
I have a 51'' ZRE Power Surge OR Light I am looking to sell, know anyone who might be interested?
#29 Sat, 05/14/2011 - 10:35pm
3 years ago I began an arduous journey to make a paddle for myself, I've been a carpenter for many years, and at one of my good friends encouragement I decided to try and make one. Info on this type of project was fairly limited and took a lot of trial and error to get 'em jus' right, but the response for paddles was overwhelming and now 3 years later this once hobby has morphed into pretty long list of paddles to make and has become a full time thing for me and I haven't even tried to push it that much. Along this road I have gained a new respect for ALL the people out there who make us paddles, it is definitely a challenging but rewarding endeavor. There are so many paddles to make all over, one club could keep you busy for a long time. So in short I hope to keep this growing and be able to add one more choice for people out there in the future.
Humbly Yours,
Ryan Tanner
Fluid Paddles Hawaii
The Big Island
#30 Sun, 05/15/2011 - 8:23am