QB UV All Carbon - Handmade in California
The SUP paddle we at Kona have chosen for serious training and competition are Quickblade's new SUP paddle model UV. Quickblades paddles are hand-built in California by the legendary Olympic canoeist Jim Terrell. We have chosen the UV AC model for two reasons, partly because it is proven to be the world's best SUP paddle and therefore complements our training and competition boards extremely well.
Uncompromising grip- Double Dihedral Scooped V
If we take a closer look at QB UV All carbon, we see e.g. that the blade is completely in carbon fiber where the back has a distinctive and unique U/V-shaped concave. This gives a very good grip in the water and thereby maximum effect during the paddle cycle's so-called drive phase. The relatively evenly narrow blade contour also provides an easy and smooth insertion or m.a.o. “catch”. On the front of the blade we see a bulge which helps to stabilize the blade and gives a compliant "exit". The blade on UV AC has an edge in ABS that increases impact resistance if you happen to hit it.
Power control - Diamond Elite
If we go further to the shaft, the UV model comes with Quickblade's new Diamond Elite shaft. These shafts are conical, i.e. that they taper from blade to handle, partly to save weight but also to control the shaft's bend or flex and that you then also get a firmer grip on the shaft if you usually "grip down" when you want to increase your paddle frequency, i.e. that you hold the handle with your upper hand instead of on the handle. The shafts are also slightly oval to provide increased precision when inserting and steering.
Ergonomic
The handle on the UV models is carbon and ergonomically designed to minimize incorrect loading on the wrist when you put pressure on the paddle.
Construction to taste - All carbon & HexFlex
The UV model comes in two variants, All Carbon and HexFlex. The difference between these is that All Carbon has a stiffer blade than Hex-Flex, where the blade is built in a hybrid construction which can be experienced as giving a slightly softer paddle stroke but also a different type of flick in relation to the All carbon blade. HexFlex also has a really favorable price due to the slightly smaller proportion of carbon fiber in the blade.
The right size for the right effect
The QB UV AC paddles are currently manufactured in two blade sizes, so for those of you who are an inexperienced paddler or have never used a carbon fiber paddle before, we have the following recommendations. For people weighing less than 75 kg we recommend 82 sqin / 529 cm2 and for people weighing over 75 kg we recommend 88 sqin / 568 cm2