help to choose size paddle

hello,

i'm going to change my paddle and i wonder which size of blade i should buy.
the epic mid wing or the small mid?
ps: i live in france and there is not much seller, the easier to get should be epic.
i use a 776cm2 blade, i'm surfski beginner in v10 sport, i paddle almost flat water or little wave.i'm 34, 1.84m, 75 kg,and i manage to paddle at 10km/h during one hour
thanks

Hi,
Everyone is different so the ideal situation is to try the different sizes.
I can only comment on my own experience which is that the "hype" on the internet about needing small epic wings proved far from the truth. I have an epic mid wing and a epic large mid wing. The large is definately the fastest paddle for me as my GPS speed has proven time and time again. The normal mid wing just feels not to grab the water at all while the large mid is perfect for me for any distance below 30km. With the normal thrust I give the paddle the normal mid wing just feels hopeless...and this is confirmed also by the gps average speed. Epics terminology is confusing (from size decreasing) they do a large wing (ie. for sprinting), a large mid wing, a mid wing and a small mid wing.
Unless you are small or like to swing the paddle at a very high RPM without much thrust I would be wary of the small size.

Your stats slot you in the typical range. I personally like the epic mid wing. Don't go to the epic small. Splash out for the two piece length lock 205 to 215 cm and set it around 212 or 213 cm. The full carbon midwing is light and is a pleasure to use. You will not have any issue pulling the paddle through the water.
If price is a constraint then you will have to shop around for a similar size blade. Good value is the carbonology blades and they also have the two piece length adjusting system ( cam lock)

well there certainly are a lot of opinions out eh ? try as many as you can , I am 6'1" and 185 pounds and absolutely love my epic small mid-wing , have a mid wing I started with and my gps times are faster with the small-mid , also like it way better in lump and downwind. Remember when "short skis suck" , well you can't hardly find a modern performance ski over 190 cm anymorre , point being ? opinions and technology offer lots of options . Ultimately your trial will point the way and you may have to go through a few blades to find what works for you.

Just out of interest, my latest in my own paddle search.
I've pretty much settled on a large mid wing for size.
Anything else does silly things when I crank really hard on it.

But, I have been slowly shortening to see what happens.
I have now come down to as short as 210cm and after doing some 2km intervals yesterday, I'm loving it.

If you had of said 3 months ago that I could use that short of paddle, I would have laughed at you.
But now after letting my body gradually adapt, I think it is great.
Me being 192cm, currently weighing in at 85KG and generally getting average speeds around 12kmh in mostly flat water when I am trying, I don't think that any ocean surf ski paddler would require a blade over 215cm. (K1 flat water, will though.)
That may help you in the length decision. A 205 to 215 would suit most in my opinion.

When it comes to size, even though I prefer the big blade, I have used a small mid wing and thought it was a sweet blade, it just limited my speed, for a friendly paddle it would be a wonderful thing to own though.
I have some sort of weirdity happening with an Epic mid wing though, it just doesn't work for me.
I have another paddle myself with pretty much equal area and it seems fine though. Go figure?
Maybe if I used it extensively, I may adapt.

I think that, as always the take home message is to try as many as you can. Beg borrow and think about stealing any paddle you can for a try.
The human body is also an amazingly adaptive machine, that can get used to almost anything.
The next paddle you buy probably won't be your last, and I think that what you will find, is the same as others that have embarked on this search; in the end you will end up with a whole quiver, or at least a couple of paddles.

There is already a few threads devoted to this, a search is worthwhile.

thanks for your advices


my big problem is that i can't try it !(without airplane)
i live in corsica, a beautiful island, but i don't think there is more two or 3 surfski in it(300 000 inhabitants!)
the only wing paddle i can test, is mine!!

Hi Corsica,
Lots of sound advice above. If you want to try before you buy, might I suggest you go to one of the big races in Spain or Portugal early this summer - there`ll be hundreds of paddlers there with lots of different paddles that I`m sure they`ll be happy to let you try.
As for access to a supplier, here is mine in Wales:
www.childsplaysurf.co.uk/index.php?optio...tegory_id=2&Itemid=1
Mike Childs who runs Childsplay has lots of Epic and Knysna paddles.
I personally use the Knysna Swing LD, it`s very similar to the Epic mid wing, very light and cheaper than Epic too!
Happy paddling,
Owen

Hi Corsica,

Without the luxury of being able to try various paddles as suggested, I don't think you will go wrong with the Epic mid wing. Having helped lots of our newer club members choose paddles over many years, in my experience the Epic mid wing would suit someone of your height and weight.

Good luck

Nigel

The obvious benefit of getting a midwing is that it is eminently saleable if it is the wrong one for you.

Hi Corsica,
If you're willing to wait a little while...like the end of April I can let you try a Epic Mid wing...and other sizes as well.I am based in northern Sardegna for a few months of the year and distribute surfskis and paddles from there....Paddle across the Straights of Bonifacio (I do it quite often) and you can try all te paddles you want or maybe you can simply take the ferry across.
I had no idea there were surfskis in Corsica...there are about 30 or more in Sardegna but mainly in the south.
Mario

Hi Corsica,
Sorry, I should have posted my contact [email protected]
I have some other brands of paddles as well
Mario

thank you, all, for your advices
to rightarmbad, i think you are rignt, a mid would be easier to resell.
i think i 'm going to buy a mid.
to mario, i don't know if i can travel to sardegna or wait until april, because of my job, which is going to steal me almost all my"free" time(excuse my english, which is getting worse and worse)

Hi Corsica,
if you want a mid-wing I can send it to you in Corsica in the next few days.In which area are you?
Mario

mario, i lived in ajaccio.do you speak french?

Unfortunately not...write to my e-mail in French.
I will figure it out and use a courier to get whatever you need to you or get a friend to drop it off