Hi,

I'm quite new to the world of SUP but am looking at upgrading my very entry-level paddle, to something lighter and more manageable. I'm good with length (I can cut most down because I'm shorter than most!) but wasn;t sure about paddle size. As I'm looking at 2nd hand paddles (because I am also a cheap student!), I have been looking mostly for something around the 8 inch mark. I have found one that I like in good condition with an 8.5 inch paddle. I am not a large person (approx 163cm, 60kg) and wondered if the half an inch makes a huge difference and if I should go for the slightly larger size or wait for something a little smaller. Any advice?

Given your height and weight, you may be far better off with a 7" wide paddle perhaps in the 90-95 sq. in range. Too big a paddle and you'll be complaining about backs & shoulders after each paddle.

Anything is probably better than what you have

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boardbumps said...
Anything is probably better than what you have

still haven't snapped my ke nalu xtuff demo paddle :)
the sad thing about buying a "cheap" paddle is it might not really be "cheap" if you have to buy a new one every 6 months because its snapped (especially in surf conditions)