Does the Epic Gear EDGE 3 piece adjustable SUP paddle live up to it's name?

The Epic Gear EDGE 3 piece travel SUP paddle is one of the best value for money paddles on the market today. It features patented paddle EDGE technology that not only protects your board from nasty scrapes but also protects the blade from dings and scratches. Against logs, rocks, etc, this paddle will stand up to all of the punishment. Better yet, it’ll pack down into 2 or 3 pieces and fit pretty much anywhere. Ideally suited to an inflatable board because it fits in the same bag as the board. All your gear, in one bag, which fits in the trunk of your car, closet, on your boat or yacht, or anywhere else you could stow it.

I took it out for a paddle this morning. Is was quite choppy so there was a lot of paddle and balance work to keep me going. It performed extremely well, was comfy on the shoulders and the shaft grip was a lovely addition. So nice in fact I am considering it on my fixed full carbon paddle.

The catch was nice and smooth, the stroke was not fluttery and the release was effortless.

Having an adjustable shaft means it can be the go to paddle for family and friends or if you’re on the road with just one board and as most people do, prefer a longer shaft for cruising/racing and a shorter shaft for in the waves. Fits in a bag, can be adjusted for your preference or friends of varying height. What else do you need?

In a paddle that demonstrates such value for money there is a compromise for all the awesomeness of this SUP paddle. It is a nylon blade and aluminium shaft for each section, so weight is a little up there. On the scales it came in at 1200g (42.3oz). My full carbon fixed Ke Nalu Maliko came it at just 470g (16.6oz). Of course there are differences greater than materials used in construction between these paddles (namely the adjustable collar, EVA grip, 2 part joint) but it does show just how light the high end paddles are these days. By comparison, a full carbon one piece Ke Nalu adjustable paddle using the Quick Clamp shaft (which adds about 50-75 grams), returns a highest-possible-end carbon adjustable paddle weight of about 520g (18.3oz) – 545g (19.2oz). However, this does not include the break down joint to make it fit nicely into the board bag, trunk or closet, etc. But don’t forget, this premium adjustable paddle from Ke Nalu will run you north of $400.

Unfortunately we’re sold out of the Red Paddle Co carbon 3 piece paddles, so no comparison weight is available.

Another detail working against the paddle for me personally, I’m a tallish guy (6ft) with even longer arms and the grip wasn’t low enough for power paddling. For cruising in a longer shaft configuration, perfect, but when I wanted to dig in for the next wave in the short-shaft wave riding setup I prefer, the grip area was just a little too short. But that’s just me and my wave addiction.

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