Hey guys
ive owned a 60" board for a while now and think I'd like to try SUPing it. Can't see many poles available online. What suggestions do you all have? I really don't want to spend much on a stick first up too.

Got a Hamboards Streetsweeper carbon thing, really good but the whole land paddle thing is brutal on shoulders etc - no give in concrete.
I mainly like it because I push left footed skating in normal stance, and constantly strain my left calf.
Great for braking too - the drag the foot thing eludes me.
Spent a bit of time with it, I can do 5km without much hassle, but I feel like a total dick paddling along bike paths.
Have a Braapstik South African murderers leg one,, but haven't used it much - needs a totally different technique to the streetsweeper - slips a lot the way I am trying to use it..
Time in water been too good to test it much.
Flex and impact absorbtion most important from what I have done.

You might need to change your technique nozza. I find it to be a awesome workout and very gentle on my joints.

It's fun carving with the stick and cross stepping the board. Never use it as a brake,foot braking is the best way,and most effective way to stop. Also your hamboard is like skating from a first floor balcony they are that high and wide. Thats why i think you struggle

The sticks are a stupid price really. But the proven ones work well. Most of the home made jobbies I have seen fail fairly quickly.

I still get mocked on mine

What about Big Kahuna sticks? They any good? Theres one on Gumtree in VIC. Hoping the guy is keen to post it.

This is my ride by the way. A heap of fun on the promenade at Bondi Beach.

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Zeusman said..
What about Big Kahuna sticks? They any good? Theres one on Gumtree in VIC. Hoping the guy is keen to post it.

I don't think chrispy is a big fan of kahuna products, I have no idea.
Where in Victoria? I think we established paddles cost about as much to ship as boards.
I am possibly / probably coming up to Sydney in the next couple of weeks to pick up a board.
If I can get the stick, can leave at AA's shop in Manly for you.

You're a bloody legend Nozza. I did message the guy and unfortunately he's working in WA and won't be home in Cheltenham until March 2nd. What date are you coming up?

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Zeusman said..
You're a bloody legend Nozza. I did message the guy and unfortunately he's working in WA and won't be home in Cheltenham until March 2nd. What date are you coming up?

Not sure on dates yet, depends when the board appears, but will be before then.
Hopefully in a week or so.
But I'm in Cheltenham, so ask him where he hides the spare key.......

Haha.. Will do.
you probably know him??

And thinking about the shoulder issues. I'd bet that your extra long paddle is causing that: the first year or so I was sup surfing, I used a QB Slimjim that was about 8 inches overhead. As my boards got smaller and lower in volume, it effectively made the paddle longer. This resulted in shoulder pain and impingement. I cut it down to head high and the shoulder pain went away. My guess is with the street sup you need a paddle that is even shorter. Wouldn't want my hands reaching above eye level due to the solid surface. Probably even lower. Once I get one I'll be aiming to have my top hand at about mouth level at the highest point of the stroke.

Ok here is my take on the stick . I like to have the handle to be between my chin and the top of my head,while i am standing on flat ground not on a board.

I akso use my core and legs as much as my shoulders when it comes to the pushing motion.
I'm trying to find the words for a better explanation, but words are failing me atm

Worried we are overthinking this, but...
Observed this morning.
I don't reach very far forward, no grip.
Assume the paddle is too long.
Grip happens at the feet, or maybe just forward.
I push from there back, rather than pull from when the paddle is in front of me.
Once going, easy to keep moving regardless.
Tight turns, drag the paddle, helps balance, or push off with the paddle if overbalanced.
Too fast, drag and lean on the paddle HARD, can't do the foot thing Chrispy - on the ground next to the board if I try.
I'll get the Brapstick thing out and report.

But yes, stick shorter than you are, not what I have been trying.

Cheers Nozza

Have found Kite Republic down here can get Kahuna stuff.
Waiting to hear a price on a stick.
My board isn't going to be ready until March 5, so won't be making a trip north before the Easter trip to Byron, so I could bring the Gumtree stick up then if you buy that one.

Friday got around to shortening my stick.
Tried heating with a heat gun, couldn't budge the handle.

Decided to resort to a hacksaw, get the bit of pole off later.
Allowed 60mm for the handle to come down inside the stick, made a cut.
Thought my hacksaw was particularly blunt, it struggled to get through the carbon stick.
Woops......


Aluminium pole coming off the handle.
Had only lost about 10mm of it, not to worry.
Ground away the carbon of the stick.


Hit it with a hammer and split the carbon off.
Cleaned off old glue...


Double woops.
Most of the carbon I ground off had been a sleeve around the aluminium.
Pondered, packed it out with duct tape.
Assessed pole length, cut about 100mm off so it was just on head height, pushed the handle back in and duct taped it on.


Today tried it on the Pintail, the Vanguard, and the Classic, in succession.


Still felt too long.
And I couldn't really pick any difference length wise between the 3 different height boards.
As an aside, the Pintail was noticeably the hardest to keep moving with the smaller wheels.
The Vanguard with 82mm and the Classic with 97mm wheels felt similar, apart from the obvious weight of the Classic.
As they are currently, the Classic is loosest of the three.
Untaped the handle and lopped another 50mm off the stick.


So with the initial 60mm cut, I've lopped 210 mm off.
Re tested on all three boards, feels better but I've still got my top hand well above eye level, so will probably shorten further.
The top of the handle is now at eyebrow level when I stand next to it on the ground.
I'll do some longer tests before I cut more.
And after using the Braapstik Friday, and the Streetsweeper today, I much prefer the solid Streetsweeper.


Edit: I looked back at photos from when I got the Classic and the Streetsweeper.
The Streetsweeper came at that length, with the handle already glued in.
I can't remember, but I assume I ordered it that length, as it was the same length as my SUP paddle, ignoring it wasn't going to sink in to the ground like it would water

Have Kahuna's adjustable sticks for 4+ years,weeky users,
Prefer v2 heads around town with surf stance .
v1 head on tall Tazzie oak stick for long haul open road workouts square/flatwater stance on 8'0. l work on reach n pull water stroke style rather than push. ??

Yes Criss @ Kit Republic helped us with our first Kahua's, sticks and later outfitting. ??
Would like to be getting longer wear out of heads ,but only tar roads here.??
Cong black dog balls with bamboo broom stick 1/2 inserted leaving shokie airpocket is ok for kids ,smaller riders. Wears well ??

I have the original kahuna stopper and it shoots on the new one they brought out. The new one looks all fancy but it failed imo. Whereas the old one takes forever to wear out and has a way more user friendly grip to it.

Nozza try cutting the stick at the base instead of the handle perhaps?

I use mine big stick skate stance 99% of the time,as if I try to sup it I am just wasting energy,momentum and flogging my body for no real reward

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chrispy said..
Nozza try cutting the stick at the base instead of the handle perhaps?

I use mine big stick skate stance 99% of the time,as if I try to sup it I am just wasting energy,momentum and flogging my body for no real reward

Stick is tapered carbon, narrower at the bottom than the top, figured the bottom was more critical.
I'm skate stance 100% of the time. Tried square on first and seemed like a good way to face plant the ground. Just paddle across the body half the time, which I figure is good practice for surf sup.

I like the bamboo stick over the carbon and aluminum one we had,and would buy another bamboo one if I see one for sale.

with mine they say cut the stick at the bottom , but that was because their customer service ,warrnty and knowledge was so ****

Oh we do laugh around here at what we call death by stick... that is when the stick goes under the wheel and you are catapulted into space and certain death

I almost did that on the Pintail.
With the wheels sticking a long way past the deck, I grounded the stick in front of the axle and skated in to it.

Yeh,the v2 lasts better on smoother surfaces, the original head is better on tar.
What rate of wear on street sweeper head ?
Re square stance, I am on 8'0 board (2.4 x 380mm wide) ,195 Paris trucks with hard bushes And stand with toes just about to front trucks. Work both sides as reps with some crossover strokes requires slight stager footwork. I also have the luxury of straight multiple kms no traffic road
enjoy

Finally got my hands on an adjustable aluminium Kahuna stick and had my first go. Paddling technique definitely needs work
Any pointers/tips would be greatly appreciated

Trying to think.....
Long forward reach, use the top hand to push down, almost foward.
Bottom hand pull back, flex the stick to make the tip grip.
Keep the stick in compression.
Probably stop the stroke in front of the body.
Maybe.
I'll have to have a go and concentrate on what I'm doing..
This was with the reasonably stiff carbon streetsweeper, failed totally with the flexier Braapstick

Use the stick to rescue over ambitious turns, and to brake.

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Nozza said..
Trying to think.....
Long forward reach, use the top hand to push down, almost foward.
Bottom hand pull back, flex the stick to make the tip grip.
Keep the stick in compression.
Probably stop the stroke in front of the body.
Maybe.
I'll have to have a go and concentrate on what I'm doing..
This was with the reasonably stiff carbon streetsweeper, failed totally with the flexier Braapstick

Use the stick to rescue over ambitious turns, and to brake.

Thanks Nozza

The first ride I found that as the stick moved back pat my body, the tip would slip off the ground. Was focusing more on paddling out front after that. Also tried paddling on my left side and found in pretty much impossible. (Natural footer) Is anyone paddling both sides comfortably?

Can do both sides, actually concentrate on paddling on the left for help in surf when going the wrong way.
It hurts a bit at times.
But again, probably even more in front on the left side.
Lean forward from the waist.
I'm probably only 3/4 sideways in surf stance on the board.
Not comfortable, but not that uncomfortable.