Why Replace the “SUP Paddle Included” with a Better One…Immediately
6-minute read
Most budget stand-up paddle boards come with a budget paddle. The best thing you can do to increase your SUP enjoyment immediately is to ditch that budget paddle and replace it with a better one!
(Photo courtesy of Scottie Peterson)
We’ve been in the business of making and selling paddles to people for more than 30 years. One thing we never hear from our customers is: “I regret buying a better paddle.”
In fact, most people wish they’d bought one sooner when they feel and experience the difference a good paddle makes in their on-water adventures.
The main reason why people buy a paddleboard (or SUP, which stands for “stand-up paddleboard”) is for enjoyment. It’s a fantastic way to get outside, get on the water, get some exercise and spend time with other paddlers (including their kids and/or dogs).
It’s encouraging for new SUPers, especially, when they see that a board they want to buy comes with a paddle and leash. They think, “Great! That’s all I need.” And technically, that’s true and does make it easy to get started.
But that “paddle included” paddle is going to be heavy and clunky, guaranteed.
It will almost always be made of aluminum, which is durable, but heavy when compared with other materials. The blade will almost certainly be plastic, which is durable but not as light, smooth or efficient in the water.
Let’s take a look at the advantages of upgrading that paddle to one with better materials and design as soon as you can:
Less Fatigue and Soreness
A paddle that weighs between two and three pounds doesn’t feel that heavy…at first. But put in stroke after stroke while switching sides of the board every once in a while (more on windy days) and you’ll start to feel the swing weight of those two-to-three pounds pretty quickly.
An hour or more on the water of two-to-three pounds will cause fatigue and maybe even soreness later, especially if you have shoulder, elbow or wrist issues.
Our SUP blades feature an aggressive dihedral that runs the length of the blade for a flutter-free stroke. The blade materials give it more stiffness than plastic which means more efficient strokes as well, all leading to less fatigue.
We do make an aluminum SUP paddle, our Spark 85. But we made the blade out of fiberglass-reinforced epX engineered polymer. Because of that, we’re able to bring the weight to under 30 ounces.
Even for those who will only use their SUP and paddle at the family cabin now and then, you’ll notice the upgrade between the Spark 85 and the “paddle included” paddle that’s closer to 36-41 ounces.
To go even lighter and to avoid that cold aluminum on your hands, our mid-range SUP paddles have a carbon shaft with the same fiberglass-reinforced epX polymer blade. Our Freedom 85 and Lyric paddles are just 23.5 ounces (666 grams). That can be a whole pound+ difference from the “paddle included” paddle.
The next step up is our Challenge 85, down to 21 ounces (595 grams). We accomplish this further weight reduction by using an all-carbon shaft and a carbon-reinforced epX polymer blade.
See all our cabin-friendly paddles here.
For those who have the budget for it and love the idea of having a featherweight paddle in their hands, check out our Malta family of SUP paddles.
These start at a mere 20 ounces and drop from there down to 16.5 ounces for our full-carbon tip-to-tip models.
What does that ultra-lightweight mean for you? Less fatigue. Less soreness after a day on the water. The ability to paddle longer with more enjoyment.
See our Malta family of SUP paddles here.
And by the way, all our paddles come with a very comfortable contoured palm grip that’s easy on your hands, even after a few hours of water time.
More Enjoyment
It’s intuitive that when you experience less fatigue during your paddling time and less soreness afterward, you experience more enjoyment with all your SUP adventures!
If you want to make paddleboarding part of your recreational life, you won’t regret investing more in a quality paddle.
More Travel-Friendly
Maybe you love the idea of taking your board with you wherever you go—even on a plane, which is often possible with an inflatable paddle board. Or maybe you have limited storage space at home and a small vehicle for transporting.
Two of our most popular SUP paddles—the Freedom 85 and the Lyric—come in a 4-piece model. That means you can break it down to fit in your closet shelf, back seat, trunk, suitcase and maybe even your carry-on.
Or you can travel with just your paddle when you know you can rent a board at your vacation destination. That way you can have all the advantages of a light and well-designed paddle no matter where you go.
More Beauty
Have you ever seen a “paddle included” paddle that’s beautiful? We haven’t either.
While an ugly paddle can get the job done for the most part, why not opt for a beautiful paddle when given the chance? And we have some majorly eye-catching SUP paddles!
Our Malta Fiberglass line tops that list with actual silk fabric layered between transparent fiberglass that’s placed in a specialized compression mold. Each blade is handmade one by one for a truly gorgeous result.
(Photo courtesy of Emily Hendricks)
Current color choices include Northern Lights (shown above), Fuego, Berry (while they last) and our newest, Geo Punch.
If you want to match the color of your paddle to your board or simply love beauty in general, you’ll be glad to have this option.
More Durability
All paddles will last a long time when they’re only used occasionally and in tame conditions. But maybe you plan to venture into areas with gravelly lake or river beds or know there are rocks and other obstructions you’ll need to work around.
For those who want the ultimate in durability, we offer what no “paddle included” paddle comes close to: our Lam-LokTM edge protection. Some of our Malta paddles are available with Lam-Lok—about 15 feet of aramid thread stitched around the edges of the blade, offering five times the life of a normal paddle blade.
As we mentioned, we’ve never heard a customer say they’ve regretted upgrading their budget paddle to a better one. We’re confident you won’t either!
What paddling questions can our Wisconsin-based Customer Service team help you with? Contact us at 715-755-3405 or sales@aquabound.com, or choose our online chat option.
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