Paddle Length

[conchxpress]

There seems to be a lot of different ideas on the "perfect" paddle length. Some manufacturers say 8-10 inches greater than your height, some say 7 inches. Some people advocate a shaka(we all know what that is right - hang loose), some authorities recommend a shaka and a fist, which in my case turns out to be about 10 inches. I'm 5'11" and I use an 80" which is great for me, although at times I'd like an 82. I understand that in the surf, a shorter paddle may be ideal. So what's the answer here? Answer: whatever works for you. So the solution may be buying an adjustable paddle as your first one (or renting one) and trying out the different lengths, then go from there.