SUP Mag UK lo-res free to readers July 2014 lo-res - free to read | Page 87

Onda money –
Aquaite Onda carbon paddle

www.ain sworthpaddl es.co .uk

Having a good paddle is really important to get the best out of SUP.
There’s a lot of choice out there and some very good offers at the top
end of the market. However, most novice paddlers are unable or
unwilling to spend £250-350 on a paddle and tend to buy heavy and
badly designed budget paddles. We have found it hard to find good,
robust paddles at the mid-range.

www.aquaite.com

Paddles are an important part of your quiver and feel is
everything. Subtle nuances with design and tweaks across
brands can make searching out your perfect stick a bit of a
headache. And yet, with a bit of research, it’s possible to
discover your perfect paddling partner.

Taking inspiration from high performance kayaking, the
Ainsworth stick features a stiff blade with spine running
along the scoop for improved hydrodynamics and
efficiency. The carbon shaft is extremely stiff and during
strokes barely flexes. Directly transferring power into the
Ainsworth is a highly efficient process – as soon as you hit
the water you’ll be gunning along at a fair old pace.

After a few trials on the Thames we took it off to the India
Surf Festival to test properly. The paddle was used by many
people at the festival while we were there to coach and run
sessions. It was then used for a pilot SUP coaching course
and on various river, sea and lake trips. We offered it up freely
to be used by anyone including many complete beginners.
Months later after continued heavy, school use the paddle is still
in good condition and showing few signs of wear. This is good as our last wood veneer paddle
started looking rough after a few months of use by one coach. Several of our demo adjustables
in this price range have been badly damaged and are barely usable after lighter use.

The Ainsworth really takes no prisoners and doesn’t
forgive less than perfect technique. SUPers not used to
turbo powered machines like this should take it easy at
first, gauging how to get the most from this stick. Covering
distance is no issue and acceleration is very impressive.
From catch to recovery you’ll be constantly driving
forwards – distance, endurance and racing is where its
pedigree lies.

Performance is good and most of our coaches and regular paddlers like the Aquaite. The paddle
releases water well and handles like a good mid-range paddle should. It has a nice positive feel
and is light enough, although not in the league of good carbon paddles. The coloured edge
makes it easy to locate if dropped in surf or rough sea. The adjustment is easy and robust.

This isn’t to say you
can’t use the
Ainsworth in the surf.
In fact, the
propulsion boost you
get allows for late
take offs and an
increased speed
through flat sections.

Conclusion
The Aquaite is an ideal first paddle for anyone wanting a reasonably priced adjustable
for heavy use. Its toughness and looks should help it to hold its value if you plan to sell
and upgrade. It’s also a good progression paddle for a novice or intermediate paddler
wanting to move up from a basic heavy paddle. It’s even tough enough for SUP school
use with beginners or intermediate paddlers. Active360 will be stocking these soon and
testing others in the Aquaite range.
Price: £259

The design of the blade
is very kayak like and as
such has quite full
shoulders. This does mean
the Ainsworth doesn’t fit as
snugly against the rail as
perhaps some prefer. Rail to rail
changes also felt a little
cumbersome compared to other
more dedicated surf blades,
although this is something you get
used to the more time you spend in
waves.

Thanks to Paul Hyman at Active 360 for the review - www.active360.co.uk

CONCLUSION
For paddlers who love power,
efficiency, pure paddling
performance and a stiff shaft the
Ainsworth glass/carbon SUP paddle
fits the bill perfectly.

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s h e d : p a d d l e s

We were given one of Aquaite’s paddles in Feb to try out in India on
our project there. When David Swift from Aquaite delivered the
paddle the first reaction was good. It’s very aesthetically
pleasing with bamboo veneer and a pink / orange tip. Most
people find it a very attractive paddle.

The Ainsworth carbon shaft/glass blade paddle comes
from their performance range and it’s a bit of a beast! The
company’s pedigree stretches back 35 years and they
certainly know a thing or two about paddle shapes.

g
k ie t a r

Paddling the beast –
Ainsworth carbon/glass
paddle