Paddle Grip

Hi all, I've been paddling for about 6 months in an Epic V10Sport and have a Bracsa IV paddle. The paddle has shiny heat-shrink material under both hands and a nub under the grip on the right hand. My first boat, and getting to the stage of doing upwind/downwind runs in 15 to 20 knots and rough water and only occasionally falling in.

Finding the paddle grip super slippery and very tiring, tried hand cleaner, sand rubs etc but I know I'm gripping too tight so thinking about cutting the shiny stuff off and going for insulation tape.

The locating nub under the grip on the right hand...do I need it? I find that when I'm paddling on the left side my wrist is slightly cocked down (hand up), if I try to straighten the right wrist, the angle of the LHS blade is wrong. Not sure if I took off the locating nub whether the paddle would just 'self orient' in my right hand when I start paddling.

Would welcome any advice. Thanks, Jonathan

Whoops - sorry, think I posted in the wrong area

I use surfboard wax for my "slippery" paddles. You might miss the locator if you remove it. Try someone elses round shaft paddle without a locator first.

I've got the same paddle, without the indicator. I tried some tennis racquet grip for a while, but now I just rough the shaft up with a little sand before going out. My only problem after about 4 miles in semi rough water is my grip hand going a little numb.

Aloha from Maui

I use a couple of strips of shower grip tape available from a hardware store. It doesn't go all around the paddle grip area, just two strips where the palm contacts it between the thumb and forefinger. Allows a nice loose grip. I use fingerless gloves but on the occasion where I have left the gloves at home the grip tape is not so aggressive to cause problems.

If you find your hands are slipping along the shaft, one thing you could do is to use insulation tape as a blocker, as well as a marker.
Check where you like to place your hands normally and then wrap narrow insulation tape around the shaft, close to the thumbs and little fingers of both hands, building it up until it does the job. This will not only help you to find your correct placement immediately, it should stop your hands from sliding or creeping down or up the shaft.
Owen

I find wax is a poor long term solution for grip. It melts, shifts under friction and becomes quite ugly as well. Instead, try using VERY FINE STEEL WOOL to take the sheen off the hand positions on the shaft. This may work on the plastic shaft gripcover, but I've only used this on a carbon shaft.

1] First place masking tape at the outside boundaries of where your hands will go. This just gives a neater edge to the light sanding job.

2) Using very fine steel wool (hardware stores stock it for woodworkers) LIGHTLY take the shiny sheen off the grip area. Takes about 30 seconds to do. Don't overdo it. I stress this. It may look shiny still (sort of a satin sheen) but you don't want to rip your hands up paddling on an overly roughened surface. You can always lightly sand more later if you need to.

3) Remove masking tape. I then like to use a (Tommy Tape)silcone rubber tape border, tightly wrapped and stretched around the edge of where my hands go to stop them slipping. Amazing tape, it bonds to itself in 24 hrs and comes in a couple of colours (helps identify your paddle also at races etc). The advantage of this silicone rubber tape is that it doesnt have that insulating tape sticky residue (which eventually slides off in heat or friction and is revolting to touch and clean.)

4) Let the tape bond to itself overnight, then go paddle. No slipping, no wax, no roughing up with sand, just a long lasting satin sheen grip. Ive used this for about 2 years and it works well for me. You may develop a few calluses from the new surface, but if you're okay with that, then this method definitely improves grip when wet.

I'm about to do this again with my new carbon paddle (to go with my brand new ski).

I use a tennis/squash racquet grip, bought from a sports store. Works for me. I use it only on the controlling hand (right hand).

Helps reduce slipping and also helps position my hand because I can feel if I'm gripping it off centre.

In my early paddling days I took some wet & dry sandpaper to the paddle shaft to roughen it up. For me that was a bad mistake as the shaft then chewed up my hand - much blistering...

Yep, but the finest steel wool isnt as abrasive. I think its 000 grade? and only needs a light buff to remove glossiness of shaft.

With regard to the plastic cover on your paddle shaft, my experience is that 90% of paddlers (including myself) don't like it and cut it off. You can play it safe and try another paddle without it, but seeing that you don't like the angle of the cover it seems a fair bet that you'll be better off without it.

Many recently made paddles have very nice smooth shafts and therefore don`t require the heat-shrink cover. One of my old Bratcha copies from Robbie Herreveld is a great paddle, but I also took the shrink wrap and found that the shaft isn`t perfectly smooth. The paddle is great for hour sessions, but any long distance and it starts to give blisters from the very slight uneveness of the carbon weave. So, check how smooth your shaft is before cutting your rubber off!

Fantastic responses, thank you so much for all the suggestions.

I do have another paddle that's just plain carbon and much prefer the feel of that (but not the paddle!) so I think I'll cut off the shiny stuff and deal with the raw carbon. The rest of the paddle is flawless so I can't imagine too many surprises under the grip.

I'll try the very fine steel wool out too.

Great forum, thanks again.

The guys are spot on, take the gloss off the shaft where you hold it and you should be fine. Also mark your hand position with electrical tape.

Personally, I use a strapping tape on all my paddles, adds almost no width to the shaft and gives a lot of grip. Get ready for some hard spots on your hands however if you try it.

In regards to locators, I am not a fan. It means your hands are both gripping the paddle differently, and that logic implies to me that if your grip is different through the hands, that will carry through to the forearms, shoulders etc and contribute to an imbalance. Just my opinion of course.

I use tennis raquet grip tape. Just make sure when applying it that the slope of the tape when holding up the paddle horizontally in front of you is inwards towards the middle. So the tape on the right side is sloping down and towards the left and the left side sloping down and towards the right. If you wrap it on the other way, the friction goes across your thumbs and rips holes in them! Tell me if I need to explain this better.

Marieski wrote: I use tennis raquet grip tape...

idem... of a proper colour that highliths hand position, e.g. white or yellow on black paddle.





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Only on the sea you are really free (Eugene O'Neill)

I tried all the above solutions.
The only long term and cost effective one is strapping tape.

I also put an O ring on the shaft on the inside edge of the wrapping to act as a locator.
I cover this with electrical tape to hold it in position and to finish of the wrapping tape.

Tape from the outside of the shaft inwards.

The tennis grip, well the stuff I tried anyways, is great at first but loosens with use, so does bike wrapping tape.

The strapping tape I use is Leukoplast, ref no 01524-00 5cm wide.

Cheap as chips, won't let you down as it will slowly wear down, giving you plenty of time to redo it before it becomes a problem.

It's the most common solution I ever see on the water.
Yes you will develop calluses.
Most solutions above will give you grief the first paddle with them except the bike wrap, but it is just too expensive to keep doing it, great feel, but too expensive.

I've been using C4 brand SUP paddle grip on my wing paddles. I just cut one in half and put half around each end where I grip. Works great but you'll get blisters the first week or so.

if you are after something for grip try "rescue tape" works a treat. if you want something a bit thinner 3M splicing tape is great too

Grip: For years I've used cork bicycle tape... it will last for years (five hard years of use and counting on one of my paddles) if you put it on correctly. Read the installation directions and it will be good to go for years. Also, joint tape (sports medicine stuff) is really good and cheap, though may rip your calluses off initially. Abrading the shaft with 400 grit wet/dry paper also works ok, but I've still had slip issues with this method.... my favorite is the cork bicycle tape as it is smooth, yet grips your hands very well, and lasts forever (almost). Get the thin cork, as the thick cork is too soft and mushy, and adds too much diameter to the shaft.

As for the locator... ditch it! Only one paddle outing will prove that you do not need it.

I don't have these issues with the Jantex Gamma wing - as it has quite the non-slip surface on the paddle shaft! I am just hoping it leaves some skin behind!

Strapping tape works a treat - it's ripping the crap out of my hands at the moment, but they're starting to harden up - have to agree it seems to be the best, most cost effective way to get that extra grip.