Best Paddleboard Paddles For 2025

Just like paddleboards themselves, paddle technology continues to evolve to the point that it’s nearly impossible to only have one paddle in your arsenal. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got a quiver of boards to choose from depending on the conditions or type of paddling experience you’re looking for.

Using a lightweight carbon race paddle for whitewater SUP would be a recipe for disaster. Likewise, trying to check a one-piece paddle on a flight alongside your folding inflatable SUP would likely end up with you making a trip to an outdoors store on your vacation for a replacement.

Below are some of the best options across a wide range of paddling disciplines and scenarios.

Best paddleboard paddles for 2025: Our top picks

• Best all-around paddleboard paddle: Werner Trance 85 Adjustable
• Lowest cost SUP paddle: Boardworks Aluminum Two-Piece
• Best multi-piece and travel paddle: Red Equipment Prime Adjustable
• Best adjustable: Quickblade Kanaha Adjustable
• Best for surfing: Black Project Surge
• Best for whitewater: Werner Rip Stick 79
• Best SUP racing paddle: Starboard Velocity

Best all-around SUP paddle

Werner Trance 85

Buy from:

WERNER

Why I love it

Starting this feature off with a $400 paddle may raise some questions, but when it comes to paddles, that old saying, “you get what you pay for” couldn’t be more true. If you’re going to own one single paddle to do it all, a lightweight carbon paddle is the way to go. Werner is one of the biggest multisport paddle companies in the world and they’ve proven over decades that they know what they’re doing.

The light weight of this paddle, combined with a smaller blade size and the option of a small or standard fit shaft and grip, means you can tailor the Trance 85 to your needs. The two-piece with a LeverLock adjustable system allows a variety of settings, and for others to try your gear.

Bottom Line

If you’re going to own a quiver of boards but one single paddle, this is it.

Best Budget SUP paddle

Boardworks Aluminum Two-Piece

Buy from:

BOARDWORKS AMAZON

Why I love it

We’re going from one of the most expensive to the most affordable on the list. One of the things that makes paddleboarding so inclusive is that just about anybody can do it. But you don’t need an expensive paddle to get on the water or introduce a friend to the paddleboarding. Keeping a couple of entry-level paddles on hand for days when there’s a high likelihood of a paddle getting lost or damaged is also just plain smart.

Boardworks makes a wide variety of paddles, but their entry-level aluminum option is beefy, durable and has a very low entry price. This no-frills paddle will handle plenty of abuse.

Bottom Line

If you need a cheap first paddle or a backup, this is a good option.

Best multi-piece and travel SUP paddle

Red Equipment Prime Adjustable Carbon

Buy from:

RED EQUIPMENT

Why I love it

Traveling with your paddling gear to new destinations is one of life’s great pleasures. There’s nothing more enjoyable than discovering new waterways on your own equipment. For that reason, keeping a high-quality, three-piece paddle in your equipment closet is a must for frequent flyers or road trippers. Red Paddle Co. has been making some of the most reliable inflatable paddleboards since 2008, and the UK-based brand’s paddle lineup is just as good.

The Prime Adjustable is a lightweight, high-performance do-it-all paddle that splits into three pieces to easily fit into your inflatable SUP bag. It features a full carbon shaft and blade, as well as a deep scoop blade design and profiled edge, features that you’ll feel on the water.

Bottom Line

If you’re going on vacation with your inflatable paddleboard, or just prefer a reliable multi-piece, bring along the Red Equipment Prime Adjustable.

Best adjustable SUP paddle

Quickblade Kanaha Adjustable

Buy from:

QUICKBLADE

Why I love it

Quickblade has made a science out of standup paddleboard paddle research and design. It’s why they’re the only brand you’ll find in two categories on this list. Truthfully, we could have slotted them into a number of additional spots.

When it comes to adjustable paddles, you have two options for the ‘adjustable’ part: some sort of a lever that closes to tighten the extension in place at any interval, or a push-pin style that locks the paddle at set lengths.

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Quickblade uses a push-pin closure for set lengths with a set it and forget it design. There’s no slippage to worry about. Aside from that, the Quickblade Kanaha is a very lightweight paddle—especially for a two-piece—and offers an excellent blade design for a variety of paddling disciplines.

Bottom Line

Quickblade is the paddle of choice for most professional paddlers for a reason.

Best surfing paddle

Black Project Surge

Buy from:

BLACK PROJECT

Why I love it

Black Project is as close to a boutique brand as you can find when it comes to SUP paddles. These are the ultimate in customizable paddles, where you can select your shaft length, blade size, number of pieces and more. When it comes to SUP surfing, not all paddles are created equal.

You’ll likely need a slightly shorter paddle than you would typically use for long-distance paddling, and paddle weight and durability is important. The shape of the blade also matters because you need quick power to get you up onto the waves.

The Surge offers all of this and more. It comes at a premium price, but with a surf-specific handle, shaft and blade design, this is the best money can buy.

Bottom Line

When it comes to SUP surf paddles, this is the best of the best.

Best convertible SUP paddle

Hala Butterknife

Buy from:

HALA GEAR

Why I love it

Standup paddleboards are, by definition, meant to be used while standing up. However, many people enjoy using paddleboards while kneeling or even seated. Trying to paddle with a traditional SUP paddle while in either of these positions is awkward and incredibly inefficient. That’s why the Hala Butterknife paddle is so handy.

Unlike some convertible paddles that require you to switch between SUP mode and kayak mode by swapping out the SUP grip for a second kayak paddle, the Butterknife has the second paddle already in place behind the SUP grip. It may look a little odd when you’re using it standing up, but swapping back and forth between SUP and kayak modes requires zero effort.

Bottom Line

If switching between standing and sitting is something you often do while paddling, you won’t find an easier-to-use option than the Hala Butterknife.

Best racing SUP paddle

Starboard Velocity

Buy from:

STARBOARD

Why I love it

The start line of any serious SUP race around the world is filled with the familiar orange noses of Starboard’s carbon fibre race paddleboards. Their attention to detail and years of R&D have led to countless world championships in many disciplines. Not surprisingly, the company making the most popular race boards also makes some fantastic race paddles.

The Velocity paddle is solely designed with racing in mind—from its aggressive 14-degree blade angle to its winglet design on the blade, to the ultra-lightweight carbon construction.

The Velocity comes in four different shaft lengths from S-XL, three shaft flex options, five different shaft diameters and shape options, and size-specific blade sizes.

Bottom Line

Starboard makes the winningest race boards on the planet. Here’s the paddle to match.

Best oddly-shaped SUP paddle

Quickblade Stingray

Buy from:

QUICKBLADE

Why I love it

If you really want to raise eyebrows on the starting line or in your next group paddle, show up with a Quickblade Stingray. The odd, bulbous look of the carbon blade is half the length of most traditional blades, reducing the catch and exit time.

The result is an efficient paddle with a winged foil effect that is said to increase speeds by up to two percent. If you’re going to buy one, Quickblade recommends ordering it two inches shorter than your typical SUP paddle length.

Bottom Line

Give the Stingray a try. You’ll either love it or hate it.

Best whitewater SUP paddle

Werner Rip Stick 79

Buy from:

WERNER

Why I love it

Whitewater paddleboarding requires a completely different set of skills—and equipment—from almost every other discipline. As much as a stable, bomb-proof board can be the difference between success and failure, a reliable and purpose-built paddle is nearly as important.

The long-proven Rip Stick lineup from Werner is built specifically for surf and whitewater. While it’s available in a travel-friendly three-piece setup, going with a one-piece cut to the length you need means a light paddle without any risk of slipping locking mechanisms.

The Rip Stick’s 79 square inch carbon blade has a double concave shape to maximize power for quick acceleration.

Reasons to buy
Seven-degree blade offset is exactly what you want for whitewater and surf
Purpose-built whitewater paddles are designed to handle the abuse of rocky rivers
Many length/blade combinations mean you can get the perfect fit
Consider another if
You travel frequently for whitewater adventures (get the three-piece)
You tend to break paddles often because of shallow rivers or rocks

Bottom Line

If you plan to be a whitewater paddler, you need the board, body protection and paddle designed specifically for that discipline.

Best kids SUP paddle

iRocker Kids Fiberglass Hexa

Buy from:

IROCKER

Why I love it

Kids love to paddleboard, but not so much when they’re forced to use an oversized paddle meant for adults. The iRocker Kids Fiberglass Paddle is a kid-sized and durable entry-level paddle that comes in bright colors the young paddlers will love.

The three-piece design makes it easy to transport, and iRocker’s Hexa adjustable paddle feature will allow for the ideal paddle length for anyone under about 5’1” tall.

Bottom Line

If you’ve got a kid and you want them to enjoy paddling, get them a kids paddle like the Hexa.

SUP Paddle Buying Advice

Buying standup paddleboard paddles is a lot like buying the boards themselves: many companies make them, and hardcore paddlers think the brand they support is the absolute best. But here’s the truth: lots of companies today are making lots of fantastic paddles covering every type of paddling discipline you can imagine, from whitewater to long-distance racing to foiling.

The good news is that there is most certainly the perfect paddle out there for you. The bad news is that it’s really difficult to know if a paddle is the right fit until you try it out yourself, and ideally, have it cut or adjusted to your preferred length.

If you have the opportunity to try out a number of paddles at a demo event, do so—even if you think you’re not in the market for a particular type of paddle in the near future. The more time you can spend with a variety of paddles, the more you’ll discover what you like and don’t like. Similar to the boards, you get what you pay for. A material such as carbon costs more for a reason—it’s lightweight, offers a range of stiffness options, and can be shaped into unlimited design variations.

If you can swing it, buy a paddle better than you think you need today, because otherwise you’ll end up spending more when you combine the paddle you settle for now, and then the upgraded paddle you move to in the future.

Best paddleboard paddle brands

• Werner Paddles
• Quickblade Paddles
• Kialoa
• Starboard
• Black Project
• Aqua Bound
• NRS
• Red Paddle Co.
• iRocker
• Hala
• Boardworks

How we tested

These paddles were hand-picked based on expert knowledge and first-hand experience from more than a decade of paddling in many types of SUP disciplines, including touring, racing, whitewater and surf.

Why trust us

Freelance writer Dan Dakin has been a paddleboard racer and adventurer since the early 2010s. He was the first person to paddle on all five Great Lakes in a single day, and has paddled or raced down rivers as long as 225 kilometers. These days, he gets as much enjoyment spending hours on lakes and rivers with his kids as he does crossing a finish line.