Your optimal paddle length for SUP paddle depends on a lot of different factors. The most obvious are your body height and board thickness. Then everything from area of use, experience (sport-specific fitness) and personal preferences play a role. There is also a trend towards shorter paddles the more SUP the sport develops. LThe lengths we give in this guide are for flatwater and can also be used for downwind paddling.

  

In general, you can add 20-25 cm to your body length as a beginner, 15-20 cm as an intermediate and 10-15 cm as an advanced paddler. This range leaves enough room for personal preference, but is precise enough that you won't be completely wrong with your paddle length. Shorter paddles are recommended for experienced paddlers because you need to be able to stand in a more bent position, which will be difficult if you have not trained that muscle. For short sprint distances you can use even shorter paddles. The reason here is the same, the bent posture is more effective, at the same time you stand in that position only for a short time. A possibility to get more leverage is also to keep your paddle in undergrip (the pushing hand holds the paddle under the paddle handle) for sprint distances or sprints.

 

 

In general, you should be able to paddle with the desired paddle frequency over the distance you usually paddle in training/competition. Another sign that you have too big blade may be that you get too much lactic acid during interval training without reaching a sufficiently high heart rate or that your paddling frequency usually drops considerably over a distance training session. 

  

    

When you drag the paddle through the water, the water splits at the front of the blade (the side facing you). The water flows around the blade and collects at the back again where it forms eddies that cause the paddle to release its grip in the water. The paddle blade should provide good grip in the water but at the same time release enough that it is still possible to maintain a certain frequency. However, as it moves through the water, it should do so with as little turbulence as possible. That way, the effect is better and the paddle is more stable.

   

MSteam paddle blades have a rib in the middle that divides the water in a controlled manner. The blade shape is preferably straight or slightly positively curved to capture as much water as possible in relation to the blade surface. The stiffer the blade, the better it minimizes turbulence.

The contour of the blade does not affect the total force developed by the paddle but rather how the force is distributed during the paddle stroke, especially at the insertion. A teardrop-shaped paddle (which is wider at the bottom) provides more direct grip in the water. A long and narrow paddle gives a smoother and more even stroke. 

The forward angled paddle blade should ensure that the blade is vertical in the water (giving the most power) when the force on the blade will be the greatest.

  

For sprinting, stiff shafts are mostly used to get a more direct power transfer. For all-round paddles we recommend medium stiff shafts (such as Jantex stiff shaft). Soft shafts (such as Jantex flexi-soft) are preferable if you want a gentle shaft and paddle mostly long distances or recreation. Feel free to ask us.