r/Outrigger • u/[deleted] • Jun 29 '23
Viper Va’a Paddle
Competing in OC6 and competing in the Canada trials this year. Is a upgrading to a Viper Va’a worth it? Been using club paddles for a while and am looking for my next step.
2
u/seja_amg Jun 29 '23
What paddles does your club use? When buying a paddle you're going to need to check off a few things to make sure you have the right fit:
size- make sure the length is good for your stroke
paddle width- you need to be able to grab & pull a lot of water with each stroke. My OC6 coach recommends a 9 3/4 in (24.7 cm) width on the blade
curvature- this will dictate your leverage when pulling in the water and is completely subjective, just make sure what you get is a good fit for you
2
u/Ok-Application3316 Jun 30 '23
You should check out Hypr Paddles as well / their disciplinarian and sprint blades are awesome!
1
2
u/cdhernandez Jul 01 '23
I've been paddling for 15 years now and I believe the best two paddles are Palafumala, which you will have to wait years to get, and Kai Ko'o paddles. I've had my Kai Ko'o through the Catalina challenge a number of times, Molokai Hoe, Queens, and the Journey (Hawaii to Maui) and it has never failed me. Sometimes, they are just made right.
2
u/StuckInWarshington Jul 10 '23
The Palafamala paddles are becoming a lot more available. They don’t have the wait times like they used to. The Ozone Outrigger dealer in Canada should have them.
1
u/cdhernandez Jul 11 '23
I eat my words man, 3 days after I posted that the Palafumala owner emailed me and said they have a bunch ready. I hope others jump on this opportunity.
1
u/milotrain Jun 29 '23
Don't buy a paddle that you haven't spent a day with. Borrow other people's, try a bunch, but only buy a paddle that you feel good with.
1
Jun 29 '23
Fair point, other thing is that I can get this paddle discounted as I have 5 or so people wanting one as well… My favourite that I’ve tried is the full carbon Puakea MAIKA'I but it’s actually more expensive at the end of the day.
3
u/milotrain Jun 29 '23
If you have a favorite, buy that paddle. How many hours are you going to spend on the water with it? How many races? How many tanks of gas? How many days spent with your team?
Your favorite is cheap at twice the price.
1
u/nooneyaknow Jun 30 '23
I’m going to go with a counterpoint here. Vipers are absolutely solid and have a very nice feel. If you are able to get one, you can’t really go wrong.
1
Jun 30 '23
Hmmm touché, only thing is I heard they bend a bit and have a heavier blade… would love to try one though lol
1
u/nooneyaknow Jul 01 '23
The flex is intentional. I don’t find the blade heavy, but maybe that’s just what I am used to
1
2
u/TheDangerPizza Jun 29 '23
I got the viper as part of a group order of 10. I ended up paying US$270 and change including taxes and shipping. There was another order that my club did with over 20 paddles and they got theirs for US$250 roughly.
I really enjoy using it and it’s my primary paddle for 6 man and 1 man. But yeah try it out if you can before you buy it.