SUP Paddle Advice: The 3 most important tips for choosing the right blade size

With the affordable starter pack comprising a board, pump, stuff sack and paddle, you usually don’t have a choice of paddle size. When you upgrade to a lighter paddle – which is usually well worth it – the blade size plays just as important a role as the weight. The stiffness of the paddles, on the other hand, is sufficient for recreational use in the vast majority of cases.

• A paddle that’s too big puts strain on the joints, leads to premature fatigue and prevents high cadences.
• With a paddle that’s too small It may lack a bit of acceleration and top-end speed; the paddling can generally feel a bit lacking in power.

Paddle sizes in square inches and square centimetres

Unfortunately, blade sizes are sometimes given in different units. The size in square inches (in²) is specified for almost all paddles and has now become the standard measurement. Standard blade sizes for accessories range from 70 to 98 inch². A very detailed guide for different disciplines You can find it here at Black Project. For the most part, these recommendations also apply to other brands. In this article, touring and recreational paddlers will quickly find some guidance that can help them avoid major mistakes when making a purchase.

Size recommendations for all-round and touring

Three tips for fine-tuning

• Tip 1: If in doubt, go for a slightly smaller one. With a small paddle, you can ‘rev up’ your paddling rate to generate more power, just like a motor. A paddle that’s too big will always be too big.
• Tip 2: For long journeys (45 minutes or more), it’s best to choose a slightly smaller size
• Tip 3: The higher your paddling frequency, the more likely you are to choose a smaller size, and vice versa.