All About Paddles

All About Paddles

Paddle Quality/Materials  

Aluminum/Plastic

    As paddle price increases, so does the quality of the paddle so the cheaper the paddle, the lower the paddle quality. The cheapest paddles are made of aluminum and plastic, these paddles are perfect for beginners. 

Fiberglass

    The next step up in quality is a fiberglass paddle such as the Werner Soul. These paddles are lighter than aluminum or plastic paddles and are great for surfing, touring, and all around paddling. Fiberglass paddles are also super durable.

Carbon Fiber 

    The highest quality paddle is the carbon fiber paddle such as the Werner Grand Prix or the Werner Nitro. These paddles are the lightest and strongest paddles and the light weight is perfect for racing and touring. 

Paddle Length

Racing 

    The paddle should be 8-12 inches taller than you.

All Around

    The paddle should be 8-10 inches taller than you.

Surfing

    The paddle should be 6-8 inches taller than you. 

Blade Size 

Smaller Blade

    A smaller blade allows for quicker, shorter strokes which is especially helpful for racing and touring. 

Larger Blade 

    Usually preferred by surfers, since a larger blade allows for more pull and surfers use less strokes in the water. 

    Choosing the right paddle usually involves a conversation about your ability, budget, and the type of paddle boarding you do. Most paddle boarders prefer a cut to fit paddle, but if many different paddlers are using your board you may want to opt for an adjustable paddle to give every paddler the correct fit. Come visit us at Tula Adventure Sports to speak to our knowledgable employees about our Riviera, Werner, Kialoa, and Surftech Paddles!

Surfing A SUP

Surfing a SUP

Surfing a standup paddleboard is a great way to get yourself into the waves if you're unable to just paddle out, or are looking for a more exciting paddle. Riding a wave is a whole different experience when compared to regular paddling, it takes a little more balance and a lot more patience. After you learn to paddle surf and start paddling into waves left and right, you will never want to turn back. 

Balance is a key factor in riding a wave, you want to make sure that you are prepared to be pushed by a wave from a still-standing position. This is hard for many people to learn because it does take quite a bit of balance. You will be constantly trying to remain standing upright, which will ultimately give you the greatest balance improving workout of all time. 

Not only is surfing a SUP a great way to help your balance, but it is also a great overall workout. If you are looking for a workout to give your body a nice tune up, then paddle out in the ocean and into the waves. 

There are a couple different types of boards that you will be working with when you are SUPing in the surf. There is a more longboard style and a shortboard style. When you are surfing with a longboard styled SUP board, you are going to gain more stability on the board but will be losing the ability to turn sharply. This is because longboard style SUPs are bigger, heavier, and have a wider nose so they take more effort to turn. When you are on a shortboard styled SUP you will have less board to keep track of and a skinnier, smaller nose which will make you able to make sharp turns easier. These boards are much lighter and are predominantly made with a three-fin set up as to help out with sharp turns, while longer boards usually come with a single-fin set up. The downside to a shortboard style is that you lose the stability of a longboard style SUP.

All in all surfing a SUP is a fantastic time and an even better workout. It is a great way to clear your mind, relieve stress, or just to have a grand ol’ time with your pals. So, grab your SUP and start riding some waves.