All About Paddles

From Aluminum to Carbon - All About Cruiser SUP Paddles

When you're looking to get set up with your first paddleboard it can be overwhelming.  What brand do I choose? How do I know what size to get? What kind of paddle is best?

  

Cruiser SUP 100% Carbon One Piece

If you're paddling in an area where SUP is popular, you will see all sorts of paddles ranging from a regular wooden canoe paddle (I don't recommend it!) to high quality 100% carbon one piece paddles (like the Cruiser SUP 100% Carbon One Piece Paddle).  Then there's a hodge-podge of paddles in between.  So many to choose from that you end up asking yourself a million questions all over again!

You can narrow it down right away by asking yourself "will there be many people of different sizes using this paddle?"  If the answer is 'yes' then get an adjustable paddle.  Adjustability is key if you want everyone to have a good, comfortable, paddling experience.  Some people find that even if it's just them using the paddle they like it to be a different length in flat water vs. waves - it's all about doing what's right for you.

Cruiser SUP Adjustable Alloy 

Next question: "How rough are we going to be on the paddle?"  Will you be leaving your board up at a cottage with ten people using it every day? Will you have a bunch of kids using it?  If durability is of concern to you then you'll want to go with an aluminum paddle.  These paddles are durable and still pretty light.  Take a look at the Cruiser SUP Aluminum Alloy Adjustable Paddle for the strongest paddle!

If durability isn't a major concern for you, let's say the boards will be used by you and your spouse, then consider upgrading to a carbon/fibre or a 100% carbon paddle.  These paddles are going to be a lot stiffer and a lot lighter too, allowing for you to have a stronger stroke and tire less quickly!  

For the ladies out there are a couple of paddles that were designed with you in mind!  There's a carbon/fibre paddle by Cruiser SUP with a pink blade, letting you add a little colour to your SUP experience.  Now some of you may be thinking "but my 13 year old daughter will be using this paddle and she's not the most gentle paddler."  Fear not, we still have you covered.  There is a new aluminum alloy paddle (it's brand new, only been on the market for a week!) that has an oval handle, specifically designed for women and lighter paddlers!  The oval handle fits nicely to the smaller shape of your hand and feels much more natural to hold than a standard circular paddle shaft.

Cruiser SUP Women's Adjustable Alloy

Cruiser SUP Ajustable Pink Carbon/Fibre 

Tips

• All Cruiser SUP paddles do float for a few minutes thanks to a piece of foam in the shaft.  But it won't float indefinitely so be sure to fish your paddle out of the water as quickly as possible!

Paddle Sizing

Follow the sizing in this chart to adjust your paddle according to your height and paddling style:

As always remember that if you have any other questions we are more than happy to answer them! You can reach us Monday-Friday 10am-5pm (EST) at 1-888-291-9905 or by e-mail at info@paddleboarddirect.com.

Have a great week of paddling!

From the Team at Paddleboard Direct