As the SUP paddle and the sport of stand up paddle surfing takes the world by storm, the amount of paddles for sale increases by the day. But with so many kinds of paddle board paddles on the market – racing paddles, carbon fiber paddles, and more – how can the new SUP surfing enthusiast decide which SUP paddle is best for him?
As long as the SUP paddle you are considering has a few great paddle reviews online, it is probably a quality SUP paddle. But will the make, model, and size be right for you? Here are a few tips and secrets about the SUP paddleblade to help you choose the perfect SUP paddle.
The first thing you should know when choosing a paddle to accompany you in the sport of surf paddling is that, as it turns out, size does matter. The bigger the paddle is, the more power it may propel you along with, but the harder it will be to manipulate. The trend in the world of paddleboard surfing today is much the same as in the world of electronics. Everything is getting smaller, and that goes for SUP paddles just as much as it does for smartphones.
Using a smaller blade will put less stress on your new stand up paddling muscles. Especially when just beginning in this sport, that is an important concern to keep in mind. You don’t want to have to wake up the day after a furious paddle boarding session to a pounding full-body SUP paddle boarding hangover that involves aches and cramps in muscles you never even knew you had. Although some soreness is to be expected, especially at first, this can be minimized by using a smaller SUP paddle and a lot of care.
Smaller SUP paddles usually weigh less than their larger counterparts, and this will mean that you will be able to employ a faster cadence of strokes for higher speed and greater maneuverability. Expert paddle boarding is all about control, and with a smaller paddle, you will have a much higher degree of control over your craft.
Still, every person is different, and it’s important that the blade size of your SUP paddle fits the type of paddling that you most enjoy and to which your body type is best suited. Although having a paddle that is too big for you can be a downer, you don’t want to get stuck with a paddle that is too small for your body either, as that can also seriously cramp your style.
The SUP paddle surfing community is quite active and, fortunately for you, exceptionally verbose about this particular issue. Many SUP websites offer size charts that can help you compare your body type and paddling style to a number of different paddle sizes. Using a size chart on an SUP website can help you find the ideal paddle to match your size and technique. Hold it firmly and give it a couple of test pumps before buying it. If it feels right, it probably is.
Chris Gutzeit is the co-founder of Carbonerro Inc., a Stand up paddle surfing company offering a range paddles for sale for the SUP surfing enthusiast. If you found this article about SUP paddle surfing helpful you might like to visit http://www.Carbonerro.com where you’ll find more great information about SUP paddling.