There is a full range of paddles on the market. One of the most important things about paddles is their length. A good all round length for a SUP Paddle is one that is between 6-8 inches longer than you are tall.

Too Long - If a paddle is too long you will find it hard to keep your board going straight as you will have to angle the paddle away from the side of the board.

Too short - You will have to bend at the waist to get the paddle into the water. You will find you have lower back pain and look like a granny with a walking stick!!

How to cut it to length

You don't need a degree in Mech Eng to get this right. Start by cutting a little off at a time until you feel you have it right.

• Remove the paddle handle
• Cut the padle shaft at the paddle end using a sharp hack saw - covering the cutting area in masking tape can help to make a clean cut
• insert the paddle handle
• Fix handle in place - until you have got the length just right we recommend using insulating tape to hold the handle in place before using an epoxy glue to hold it firm

Paddles range from £50 upwards. It maybe worth starting with a budget paddle first and then progressing onto a more expensive carbon paddle.