I'm a big guy at about 110kg and love my stand up surfing but continue to snap paddles. I've tried carbon, fiberglass and alluminum paddles but all have snapped shafts on me whilst paddling for waves. Is there a paddle out there that is suited to heavy people.
I'm heavier than you (by more than I'll care to admit), Ke Nalu X-Tuf or X-Tuf (S) is what you need. I'm clumsy and have pounded the bejeeses out of my X-Tuf with no issues. Have broken others but not the KN. In the unlikely event that the worst did happen, you're up for a replacement shaft only and not a whole paddle (they'll even offer a generous discount the replacement part under their "forever paddle" policy). Go demo one.
I am 104 kg and broke 3 paddles in the last year. I was keen on stiff shafts with little flex. I got on to exel composites who were fantastic. I spoke to Steve in the Brisbane office who was great - he recommended their PCKS 20 shafts, which are about 75% glass / 25% carbon/Kevlar. They took a while to manufacture them as they shifted the factory to Melbourne but 4 shafts arrived just before Easter. I then replaced shafts on 2 of the paddles and am a very happy paddler again.
On the Thursday before Easter I had a great surf out at big left and the shafts are fantastic. I also had a couple of paddles between Flinders and Shoreham with the wider paddle and again great drive and they feel rock solid rather than the nervous creaking that I was experiencing as I had got down to my last paddle.
Steve's contacts are as follows
Steve Holdway
Sales & Customer Service Manager (Pre-Preg)
OFFICE:
UNIT 1 / 121 KERRY ROAD
ARCHERFIELD , QLD 4108
Tel: +61 (0) 7 3274 1099
Fax: +61 (0) 7 3274 2041
Mobile: 0437 829 563
www.exelcomposites.com.au
Good Luck - Andrew
Select to expand quoteHumanCartoon said..
I'm heavier than you (by more than I'll care to admit), Ke Nalu X-Tuf or X-Tuf (S) is what you need. I'm clumsy and have pounded the bejeeses out of my X-Tuf with no issues. Have broken others but not the KN. In the unlikely event that the worst did happen, you're up for a replacement shaft only and not a whole paddle (they'll even offer a generous discount the replacement part under their "forever paddle" policy). Go demo one.
A kind soul sent me Ke Nalu X-Tuff to try out......a great paddle. Flexible and responsive to hard paddle strokes (suddenly realised the X-Tuf might be a fibreglass shaft but not sure)
No worries about digging deep anyway :)
gave one of the local guys a go with the x-tuff. He was using an aluminium paddle having snapped his previous paddle.
He said "that x-tuff is way too expensive"
Bought a "cheaper" paddle and snapped it within a fortnight
Think I have snapped two ancient starboard paddles....two jimmy lewis (not the shaft but the narrow part of paddle blade.....new design now of course) and another cheap carbon paddle. Left another on the beach like everyone else of course lol
Select to expand quoteGizzieNZ said..
Five years is gooood.......and the difference tween carbon and Kevlar is......?
Kevlar will stop a bullet.. 
Another vote for x tuff .....best paddle I have used........seems to be holding up very well. X tuff is not as pricey as the full carbon jobs......has a nice spring to it....
Select to expand quoteGizzieNZ said..HumanCartoon said..
I'm heavier than you (by more than I'll care to admit), Ke Nalu X-Tuf or X-Tuf (S) is what you need. I'm clumsy and have pounded the bejeeses out of my X-Tuf with no issues. Have broken others but not the KN. In the unlikely event that the worst did happen, you're up for a replacement shaft only and not a whole paddle (they'll even offer a generous discount the replacement part under their "forever paddle" policy). Go demo one.
A kind soul sent me Ke Nalu X-Tuff to try out......a great paddle. Flexible and responsive to hard paddle strokes (suddenly realised the X-Tuf might be a fibreglass shaft but not sure)
No worries about digging deep anyway :)
The Ke Nalu xTuf and xTuf(S) are predominately carbon fibre but contain some fibreglass.
Most good shafts contain a small percentage of fibreglass to provide better durability.
A durable 100% carbon shaft would be way too stiff.....to reduce stiffness in a 100% carbon shaft, some material needs to be removed and then you end up with a brittle, easily broken shaft.
Ke Nalu xTuf and xTuf(S) shafts are constructed differently to provide the nice flex response.....uni-directional carbon fibre is wound helically around the mandrel in alternate directions.
Ke Nalu paddles are not cheap but like anything in this world you get what you pay for.....in this case, not only a premium quality product but also top backup service should you have any issues with your paddle.
Carbon is wonderful in that you can get it to do what you want to to do in terms of stiffness, by varying the amount of fibre and its direction in relation to the long axis of the shaft. If it's shafts you're breaking talk to the guys at CST composites (Sydney). They can build you a shaft with the flex characteristics to your specs and size to fit your existing paddle blade & handle. They can do super stiff through to super tough and bendy simply by adjusting the angle the fibre gets wound onto a mandrel and how much they use. Should have change out of $250 for a shaft delivered to your door.
I have heard on the grapevine there is a new paddle due on the market soon that is going to be a game breaker.
Select to expand quotewazza66 said...
I have heard on the grapevine there is a new paddle due on the market soon that is going to be a game breaker.
Yeah, I think I was lent one of them at States when I fin chopped my favourite paddle. Nice to get lent a better one!
Select to expand quotewazza66 said..
I have heard on the grapevine there is a new paddle due on the market soon that is going to be a game breaker.
C'mon wazza, c'mon. Just a bit more info........!
Have been digging hard and deep with the ke nalu xtuf.....twice as hard as I would dare to do with my carbonerro bombora
the ke nalu still in one piece so I am impressed :)
