After hearing about the changes to Werner Paddles SUP linefor 2016 I was eager to get the paddles into my hands and into the water. I placed my pre-order at the end of last year
for 3 new paddles to replace my current paddles and so far I have not been disappointed!
Werner has always staked their reputation on making the
highest quality paddles that perform at a high level.
Hand-crafted in Sultan
Washington, their paddles have for a long time been the standard in kayak
paddle quality and performance. This
quality and performance is maintained through their SUP line and my favourite
part is the design that goes into making specific paddles for specific
uses.
A wise man once told me that the
word ‘compromise’ when it comes to outdoor gear usually means you are going to
get the worst of all worlds. While this
isn’t always true, a paddle that ‘does it all’ will likely ‘do it all’ poorly
rather than provide excellent performance in a particular area.
As a gear
junkie and somebody who loves products designed for specific purposes I have
always appreciated Werner’s dedication to putting a lot of thought, design and
testing into specific shapes, materials and sizes that would provide the best
performance in the specific discipline.
I get a lot of
questions asking what paddle I use? What size is the blade? What length are you
using? And my answer varies depending on which area of SUP I am being asked
about. Here is a breakdown of the 4
paddles I am using now. (I am about 5’11”)
a.
Dedicated racing paddle
b.
Length: 78”
c.
Blade Size: 86 sq.in
d.
Weight 413 grams
a.
Surf Paddle
b.
Length: 74”
c.
Blade Size: 79 sq.in.
d.
Weight 454 grams
a.
Whitewater Paddle
b.
Length: 76”
c.
Blade Size: 99sq.in.
d.
Weight: 535g
4.
Werner Soul S (for 2016 check out the Flow 85)
a.
Teaching Paddle
b.
Length: 78”
c.
Blade Size: 90sq.in.
For this post I am going to focus on the Grand Prix. This paddle will be in my hands for the
majority of the season. I log a lot of hours training and racing through the
season and the paddle is the one constant throughout the season.
Since I started racing 5 years ago my race paddles have
gradually been getting smaller and smaller. My first race paddle was a Kialoa
Shaka Puu which was 82” in length and had a 101sq.in. blade. As you can see from above, my paddle this
year is 4” shorter and 15sq.in smaller in the blade. This change is fairly common through the SUP
racing world and seems to be driven by a couple of factors.
The first reason I moved to a shorter paddle with a smaller
blade was to take some stress off my shoulders.
I found myself getting a sore right shoulder after racing and even had a
couple close calls in the surf where I felt like my shoulder was close to
dislocating. The smaller blade and
shorter shaft has reduced a lot of this stress.
The second reason I moved to a smaller paddle was to focus
on my strengths. I love how inclusive
SUP racing is and by that I mean that it lends itself to all sorts of body
types, weights, heights etc. It’s all
about how you move your own body across the water. I found that the best way for me to move
quickly and efficiently was with a higher turnover and quicker strokes rather
than focusing on longer stronger strokes, I seemed to be better suited for a
higher cadence with a bit less power.
This is where the Grand Prix fits in so nicely. It has a generally
narrow blade which allows for a quicker turnover and a cleaner entry and exit
from the water. The smallest blade size
has been reduced from a 91sq.in. blade in 2015 to an 86sq.in which results in a
little less stress on the joints and a quicker stroke turnover. The Grand Prix
also has what I would consider a ‘softer’ flex in the paddle shaft which can
also help in keeping some stress off the body.
So far I’ve logged about 60km on the new Grand Prix and it
feels great. The feel of the paddle
remains much the same as it has the past couple of years but the smaller blade
is definitely noticeable, especially this early in the season. Werner has also
maintained the relatively high 12 degree offset angle in the blade which
results in a cleaner exit and a more vertical blade throughout the stroke. This
off-set is an excellent efficiency feature but can feel a bit different for
paddlers who are used to a more tradition 8-10 degrees. The Grand Prix
continues to be one of the lightest race paddles on the market while still
maintaining the high level of durability you can find with all Werner Paddles.
The Grand Prix comes in a straight shaft or a benth shaft and can be purchased
in 3 different blade sizes: 86sq.in, 93,sq.in and 100sq.in.
If you are in Deep Cove you are more than welcome to give my
paddle a try or use one of our many Werner demos! Or stop by our retail store Deep Cove Outdoors to chat with one of our staff who can help you pick the right paddle
for yourself.
Keep checking back in for more product reviews!
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| Mike on the Slocan River with Werner Paddles, Western Canadian Sales Rep, Nikki Rekman photo: Mark Klein |
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