Kialoa Dragon Boat Hybrid Paddle – The R&R Review

~~~~~~~~~~~

UPDATE: After posting this review, Kialoa has notified me that they will be lowering the ridge where the carbon blade meets the shaft by 1 inch.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I had a chance to paddle the new Kialoa Hybrid Dragon Boat paddle this past weekend and wanted to share my thoughts.

The Kialoa DB Paddle looks very similar to the Kialoa Axel II (an outrigger paddle) and since I use the Axel II as my go to oc1 paddle, I was very excited to test  Kialoa’s first dragon boat paddle offering.  My main paddle prior to the Kialoa’s arrival was Burnwater’s Reactor.  A great paddle – light, stiff and sharp.

Right off the bat, you’ll notice that the paddle’s composition is completely the opposite of Grey Owl’s older version of the hybrid paddle that surfaced a few years ago (what a horrible paddle).  The Kialoa’s shaft is wood.  The carbon blade extends 3 inches up the shaft where it meets the wood shaft.  You can feel the ridges where the carbon meets the wood shaft.  These ridges allow you to instantly feel where your bottom hand is on the shaft – no more need for rubber bands to help you feel your bottom hand position while paddling.  To others that hold their hand lower on the blade, the ridges can help your grip or cause you some minor discomfort.

The first thing you notice about the shaft is that it is considerably thinner than the Reactor shaft – which is great for those with smaller hands or those that just prefer a thinner shaft.  Not to worry, the shaft is plenty stiff (more on that later).  Unfortunately, the shaft is not fluted like the Axel II – I suspect it has to do with meeting IDBF specifications.

The grip is fantastic – again, very similar to the Axel II – but very different from the Reactor.  Instead of a round grip, the top of the Kialoa grip is actually flat.  The top of the grip actually extends a bit towards your palm allowing more hand contact and thus more paddle control and feel.  For the experienced paddler, the flat top helps the paddler feel the paddle angles throughout the stroke a lot better than a rounded handle allows.

To the naked eye, the blade tip is not as sharp as the Reactor but sharper than the ZRE (the Reactor is the sharpest I have seen).  That being said, Kialoa told me that their blade is the sharpest it can be and still meet spec.

Enough of what the paddle looks like.  I’m sure you all want to know how the paddle paddles!  Well, the easiest way to describe it is – it just feels right.  Let me elaborate a bit.

The paddle enters the water effortlessly.  I was initially concerned about the quality of entry after comparing the blade tip to the Reactor’s but my concerns were quickly put to rest as soon as I put the blade in the water.  It goes without saying that this paddle (or any other paddle) is not a magic wand – you still have to paddle it correctly.  If you have inefficient and sloppy entries, this paddle (or any other paddle, for that matter) will not magically turn you into a paddling technician.

During the pull phase, the paddle feels very stable.  A tad more stable than my tried and true.  After discussions with Chuck, we both agree that this could be because most of the weight of the paddle is in the shaft.  Whether this is backed up scientifically, I have no idea.  But the lawyer (me) and the finance dude (Chuck) seem to think our reasoning is sound. 

As stated above, this paddle just feels right.  It feels firm.  Not too stiff, not too harsh, but firm. “Buttery” also comes to mind (ironically, the same word I used to describe the Reactor when I first started paddling it).

The paddle is heavier than a full carbon paddle and I feel that where a paddler feels the weight of a paddle most is during the recovery.  Some of the less experienced paddlers automatically think “lighter is better”.  Sure, a lighter paddle may help you go through the recovery phase of your stroke faster which can lead to a higher stroke rate but add some wind and the whole “lighter is better” theory falls apart.  The wind whips that light paddle around quite a bit.  A heavier paddle helps out in windy conditions, but you’re lugging around more weight.  That being said, a good paddle won’t be ultra light and, on the flip side, won’t be too heavy.  For me at least, the Kialoa finds that perfect balance.  It’s not so light that I have to deal with a “loose” recovery in the wind, and not so heavy to the point I feel like I’m paddling with an anvil.

I’ll be using this paddle exclusively at LARD’s first race of the season in Tempe, Arizona.  I’m sure I’ll post some more once I’ve had a chance to paddle it in race conditions.

The Kialoa Hybrid Dragon Boat Paddle retails from $209 but you can get one for a limited time for $168 if you order with your team.   For more details on this promotion, Click Here.  The deal is only good in the United States.

Quite a few LARD paddlers had the opportunity to paddle the Kialoa this past weekend.  Feel free to post your comments.