The best adjustable paddle board paddle for most people is the Werner Vibe: it’s a proper fiberglass paddle with a quick lever lock, at a mid-range price. If you want the lightest paddle you can sensibly buy, get an Aqua Bound Malta, and if you’re on a tight budget, the BPS Koru Alloy is the aluminum paddle independent testers rate best for the money.
We haven’t tested these paddles hands-on. We chose them from independent testing (mainly OutdoorGearLab’s side-by-side SUP paddle review), manufacturer specs, owner ratings, and whether you can actually buy them right now. Two of the six paddles in the 2021 version of this list are no longer sold on Amazon, so we’ve replaced them.
Our picks at a glance
- Best overall: Werner Vibe Adjustable, a fiberglass paddle that performs well above its price.
- Best lightweight: Aqua Bound Malta Fiberglass 2-Piece, around 20 oz with a carbon shaft.
- Best mid-price carbon: BPS Carbon Fiber 2-Piece, a lighter shaft than aluminum for around $130.
- Best budget: BPS Koru Alloy 2-Piece, a durable aluminum paddle for around $60.
- Best for travel: Thurso Surf Carbon 3-Piece, packs small and converts to a kayak paddle.
- Best 3-piece carbon backup: Airhead Carbon Comp, a one-size paddle that breaks into three.
- Best for kids: Abahub Kids SUP Paddle, adjusts down to 55 inches with a smaller blade.
Why adjustable? One paddle fits everyone in the family, you can shorten it for surf or lengthen it for flatwater, and two- and three-piece paddles fit in an inflatable board’s bag. The trade-off is a little extra weight and a joint that can loosen or rattle on cheaper paddles.
A fiberglass paddle that punches above its price
Werner Vibe Adjustable
Werner is one of the best-known paddle makers in the US, and the Vibe is its recreational SUP paddle. It has a fiberglass shaft, an injection-molded blade with a dihedral (a ridge down the power face that keeps the stroke smooth and stable), and Werner’s LeverLock adjuster with printed length markings.
OutdoorGearLab named it a Best Buy, finding it easy to adjust and much better on the water than its price suggests. The main knock was weight: at around 30 oz it’s heavier than premium carbon paddles.
Who it suits: families sharing one paddle, and anyone who wants a noticeably better paddle than the aluminum one that came with their board without paying carbon prices.
| Spec | Werner Vibe Adjustable |
|---|---|
| Pieces | 2 (a 3-piece travel version is also sold) |
| Shaft | Fiberglass |
| Blade | Injection-molded, about 100 sq in |
| Length range | 68–84 in |
| Fits paddlers | About 4’10” to 6’2” (Werner’s figure) |
| Weight | About 30.5 oz (OutdoorGearLab) |
| Price | Around $186 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Easy, secure lever-lock adjustment
- Smooth, efficient stroke for a mid-priced paddle
- Wide length range covers most of the family
Cons
- Heavier than carbon paddles
- Not available new on Amazon when we checked, so buy direct
Verdict
The paddle we’d buy first if the one that came with the board feels like a garden tool.
Very light, very stiff
Aqua Bound Malta Fiberglass 2-Piece
Aqua Bound makes its paddles in Wisconsin. The Malta Fiberglass pairs a carbon shaft with a fiberglass blade, and Aqua Bound reinforces the blade edges against knocks. OutdoorGearLab gave it a Top Pick award: it’s one of the lightest adjustable paddles they tested and performed close to the much pricier all-carbon Malta, which won their Editors’ Choice.
Adjustment uses a snap pin in preset holes, so you choose from fixed lengths rather than sliding to any length. It comes in three length ranges, so pick the one that brackets your ideal length.
Who it suits: regular paddlers and longer-distance cruisers who’ll feel the difference that a few ounces less makes over a couple of hours.
| Spec | Aqua Bound Malta Fiberglass 2-Piece |
|---|---|
| Pieces | 2 |
| Shaft | Carbon |
| Blade | Fiberglass with reinforced edges |
| Length ranges | 64–74, 70–80 or 76–86 in |
| Weight | About 20 oz (OutdoorGearLab) |
| Price | Around $335 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Very light for an adjustable paddle
- Stiff, efficient blade
- Three length ranges, so tall and short paddlers are both covered
Cons
- Expensive
- Snap-pin holes limit you to set lengths
- Each paddle covers a 10-inch range, not the whole family
Verdict
Our pick if you paddle often and want a paddle you won’t outgrow. If money is no object, the carbon-bladed Malta Carbon (around $400) is lighter still.
A carbon shaft without the premium price
BPS Carbon Fiber 2-Piece
BPS (Barrel Point Surf) sells a two-piece paddle with a carbon fiber shaft, an angled nylon blade and a T-grip, plus a carry bag. BPS says it floats when assembled and weighs about 1.7 lb.
OutdoorGearLab tested the BPS Koru carbon paddle. They liked the light weight and comfortable grip, but found the adjustment range limited and noticed some blade flutter on hard strokes. That’s a fair summary of the trade-off at this price: lighter than aluminum, not as refined as a Werner or Aqua Bound.
Who it suits: paddlers upgrading from a stock aluminum paddle who want a lighter shaft for around $130.
| Spec | BPS Carbon Fiber 2-Piece |
|---|---|
| Pieces | 2 |
| Shaft | Carbon fiber |
| Blade | Nylon, angled |
| Length range | About 71–84 in |
| Weight | About 1.7 lb (BPS) |
| Extras | Carry bag |
| Price | Around $130 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Lighter than aluminum paddles
- Comes with a bag
- Floats if you drop it
Cons
- Shortest setting is about 71 in, too long for most kids
- Some blade flutter in testing
Verdict
A sensible step up from a basic aluminum paddle if you don’t want to spend $200 or more.
The budget paddle that testers rate
BPS Koru Alloy 2-Piece
This is the aluminum version of BPS’s two-piece paddle: aluminum shaft, nylon blade, T-grip. OutdoorGearLab named it a Best Buy for tight budgets, praising its durability, easy adjustment and big length range, while noting it’s heavy, the grip feels cheap and the shaft flexes.
Who it suits: beginners, spare paddles for guests, and kids’ or teens’ paddles at the short end of the range.
| Spec | BPS Koru Alloy 2-Piece |
|---|---|
| Pieces | 2 |
| Shaft | Aluminum |
| Blade | Nylon |
| Length range | About 65–83 in |
| Weight | About 35 oz (OutdoorGearLab) |
| Price | Around $60 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Cheap
- Tough enough to survive rocks, docks and kids
- Wide length range, short enough for teens
Cons
- Heavy, which you’ll feel on longer paddles
- Shaft flex and a basic grip
Verdict
The best way to get a decent spare paddle, or a first paddle, for not much money.
Packs small, converts to a kayak paddle
Thurso Surf Carbon 3-Piece
Thurso Surf, an inflatable board brand, sells this three-piece paddle with a carbon fiber shaft and a carbon-nylon blade. It breaks down small enough for a board backpack, and if you buy the extra blade, the T-grip comes off and it becomes a fixed 96-inch kayak paddle, handy for sitting down on a wide board or for a stand-up kayak hybrid.
Thurso lists it at 31 oz, which is closer to aluminum than to premium carbon paddles, and the blade is nylon-based. It’s a practical, packable paddle rather than a featherweight.
Who it suits: travelers, inflatable owners who want everything in one bag, and anyone who’d like the option to sit and paddle.
| Spec | Thurso Surf Carbon 3-Piece |
|---|---|
| Pieces | 3 |
| Shaft | Carbon fiber |
| Blade | Carbon-nylon, 10° dihedral |
| Length range | 71–87 in |
| Weight | 31 oz (Thurso) |
| Kayak conversion | Yes, extra blade sold separately |
| Warranty | 12 months |
| Price | Around $80–90 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Breaks into three for travel
- Converts to a kayak paddle
- Good price for a carbon shaft
Cons
- Not especially light
- Shortest setting is 71 in
Verdict
The most versatile paddle here if you want one that travels and doubles for seated paddling.
Airhead’s lightest SUP paddle
Airhead Carbon Comp 3-Piece
Airhead (the Kwik Tek brand best known for towables) makes this three-section paddle with a carbon fiber shaft. Airhead calls it its lightest SUP paddle and sells it as one size fits all, adjusting from 160 to 210 cm (about 63 to 83 inches).
There isn’t much independent testing of this one, so we’re going on the specs and owner reviews, which are mixed. It’s here mainly as a three-piece option that goes shorter than the Thurso.
Who it suits: paddlers who want a three-piece carbon-shaft paddle that also adjusts short enough for smaller adults.
| Spec | Airhead Carbon Comp |
|---|---|
| Pieces | 3 |
| Shaft | Carbon fiber |
| Length range | About 63–83 in (160–210 cm) |
| Price | Around $95 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Packs into three pieces
- Wide range, from small adults to tall paddlers
Cons
- Little independent testing
- Mixed owner ratings
- Amazon was quoting a week or more to ship when we checked
Verdict
A reasonable three-piece pick if the Thurso’s 71-inch minimum is too long for you.
Short enough for young paddlers
Abahub Kids SUP Paddle
Most adult paddles won’t go shorter than about 64 inches, which is too long for most kids. Abahub’s kids’ paddle adjusts from 55 to 70 inches, has a lighter, smaller blade, and uses an aluminum shaft reinforced with fiberglass. It breaks into three pieces about 27.5 inches long and floats when assembled.
Our old kids’ pick, the Werner Flash 85 Youth, isn’t available on Amazon any more. The Abahub is cheap and in stock, but owner ratings are only average, so treat it as a starter paddle.
Who it suits: kids roughly 4 to 5 feet tall, and smaller teens on their first board.
| Spec | Abahub Kids SUP Paddle |
|---|---|
| Pieces | 3 |
| Shaft | Aluminum, fiberglass reinforced |
| Length range | 55–70 in |
| Packed length | About 27.5 in |
| Price | Around $23 at the time of writing |
Pros
- Goes short enough for young kids
- Cheap
- Floats and packs small
Cons
- Average owner ratings
- Aluminum, so not light
Verdict
A cheap, correctly sized paddle for kids. When they outgrow 70 inches, move them to the BPS Koru Alloy.
