any suggesting online where I can get a decent paddle for a fair price. THanks

+1 for Kenalu. I have the x-Tuff shaft and blade. Excellent quality and good service (in Australia).

Bloody good and very light paddle. Price is very fair I think anyway.

www.oneoceansportsaustralia.com/paddle-shop/carbon-paddle-elite

I tried a friend's KeNalu and it was very nice indeed, but my Blackfish Nootka was lighter with a better flex in the shaft for me. Was a fair bit cheaper as well here in the UK.

I would now go for carbon kevlar as I broke 3 carbon paddles within a year. I think they can be a bit brittle, the kevlar gives it a bit more impact ressistance. Not sure where you are based? I've got an x-paddle.com at ?190 and it's still going strong after a year. I also use edge protectors on the paddle blade, which I think helps stop water ingress into splits on the edges?

I've got the ho'oloa in both the 95 and 84.
XTuf (S) shaft
Ergo T handle

The Ho'oloa is their surf paddle. Can't complain about it at all. Enough flex in the shaft so my shoulders don' hurt. Texture also on the shaft so your hands don't slip. Blade is efficient on the pull and pulls straight.

I have just bought the Ke Nalu Mana 82 with xtuff(s) shaft and ergo handle only 3 weeks ago. I really like this paddle. Super light, zero pain in shoulders and gets me into waves quicker.

I had been using a carbon Atlantis paddle for the past 4 years. Bomb proof but heavy in comparison and the blade had twice the surface area of the Mana 82.

The reason I got it was a friend bought a 2nd hand Quickblade uv88 paddle and let me try it out. What an amazing paddle. Absolutely loved it. It had better flex in the shaft than the KeNalu but I couldn't find a uv88 in stock in Australia. Plus they are $800.

So I took a punt on the mana 82 and love it. The Atlantis feels like a club. I was getting a lot of shoulder impingement issues with the Atlantis and get zero with this new paddle. Not an ounce of pain anywhere. Didn't love it first session as it felt too light and small. Now I absolutely love it and will never use the Atlantis again. Should have upgraded a couple of years ago!??

BigMak101 said..
Maybe somebody here knows something otherwise, but I'm not sure if Ke Nalu is still in business.

And please know I'm not trying to stir the pot. I really wish they were in business because 1 my of 2 Ho'oloas is now useless after breaking the shaft.

kenalu.com.au/home/

Still in business.
I just bought mine from here about 5 weeks ago.

BigMak101 said..

Supster7 said..

BigMak101 said..
Maybe somebody here knows something otherwise, but I'm not sure if Ke Nalu is still in business.

And please know I'm not trying to stir the pot. I really wish they were in business because 1 my of 2 Ho'oloas is now useless after breaking the shaft.

kenalu.com.au/home/

Still in business.
I just bought mine from here about 5 weeks ago.

Interesting. I'm in the US and when my shaft broke, I emailed Kenalu directly twice over two weeks about their "forever paddle" policy. That was back in early May. I got no response. So since the website still was in operation and had shafts in stock, I went ahead and ordered a new one. After no update 2 weeks afterwards, I inquired in another forum about Kenalu's status. A shop owner, as well as a former partner in Kenalu, both confirmed Lane wasn't planning on staying in business.

Here are their two statements I am copying and pasting:

Former partner in Kenalu: "I'm just guessing, but I suspect not."

Shop owner a couple weeks later: "Lane just confirmed to me he is likely closing down the business."

I don't know why he would just close the business as opposed to sell it. Doesn't sound right to me.

Dean is the official KeNalu guy here in Oz and yesterday he said to me that he is still selling them there's been no word to him yet about stopping..

So that's why no one is in Sydney the weekend I head up to town for some black Friday shopping the Merimbula classic is on. ????