In an ideal world, every paddler would have a whole plethora of paddles.
Whitewater paddling
One for racing, one for surf, one for 
whitewater, one for training, one for travelling etc. And each would have different size and shape blades, different angles of attack, different amounts of flex in the shaft, and different length shafts.
We’ve already told you how important the paddle is in a previous article. It’s your SUP engine, and critical to your performance.
Surf SUP paddling
However, most paddlers can’t afford a multitude of paddles, and either need to stick with the one that was bundled with their SUP package (normally a heavy aluminium or alloy thing without much going for it!), or, supplement it with a specialist stick that is tailored to their most frequent type of paddling.
But, you don’t need to do that with McConks. Our 3 piece adjustable 100% carbon fibre paddle packs an awful lot of performance and versatility into a low price of just £150 delivered to your door.
To put this into perspective, equivalent paddles with the same versatility from the big brands are at least 50% more expensive, and aren’t as light as our 100% carbon fibre paddle. For example:
So if you’re after versatility, a one paddle for all environments performance paddle, and you don’t want to break the bank, you should buy McConks.
The best thing about this paddle is its versatility. The design allows it to be used for flat-water touring, taking on choppy ocean water, whitewater or surf. The lightweight nature makes it easier to pick up a faster cadence and that will improve your glide and speed. It will also allow you paddle for longer without fatigue and reduce your risk of injury or aches.
protective SUP paddle bag
Being 3 piece, it fits into your iSUP bag, and is great for overseas adventures. The super light paddle reduces your overall carrying weight, and the heat resistant padded protective carrybag (which also fits inside the McConks iSUP sac) protects your pride and joy from all sorts of nasties. In fact, our McConks 12’8 Go Explore package (our biggest and heaviest board) is only 16kg for the whole package if you opt for the carbon fibre paddle.
The adjustable handle allows you to optimise stick length for your paddling environment; shorter for surfing, longer for race etc.
And the perma grip clasp system means no slip or twist when paddling.
The precision engineered blade is a single size medium cadence blade. The blade shape is slightly longer and slightly narrower than many of our competitors. The differences are tiny but really improve performance. In particular the shape allows it to enter and release from the water faster and more smoothly than others, but still deliver the same amount of drive. And the slight dihedral on the power face reduces paddle flutter to make the drive force more efficient.
And the 9.2 degree blade angle is a perfect compromise across the range of paddling environments.
The medium cadence shape has been selected to cover the widest possible range of paddlers and environments. If you’re 6’8 and wanting to stand on the podium, you probably need a larger blade, but for most paddlers, most of the time, this is ideal.
At under 650 grams this is one of the lightest paddles in its class, and definitely the lightest at the great price of only £150. Which makes it a very affordable premium paddle.
The 100% 3k carbon shaft is light and strong. It’s a simple radial cross section to give maximum strength and stiffness.
The handle is also 100% carbon fibre, and is ergonomically moulded for comfort over long and powerful paddles. In fact most people who have used more expensive padded handles have commented that the shape of the grip is just as comfortable as the padded grips, if not more.
The length of the paddle is adjustable from 170cm to 220cm. This makes it highly versatile and can be shared with family and friends. And you know those really difficult upwind, upcurrent paddles where you end up kneeling just to make headway? Well you can shorten the handle to a perfect length for kneeling. This has been a really popular feature for serious expedition paddlers.
Don’t think you can afford an elite performance carbon SUP paddle? You can with a McConks. You get all of this for just £150.
If you don’t believe us, then maybe you’ll believe others.
Check out our reviews…
…on Amazon
…from experts
…in Standup Paddle Magazine UK
or from our customers
If you’re still not sure, then you’ll be able to try our paddles and our boards at our demo centres from April onwards.
