It's been over a year since we've posted a review of the Infinity Ottertail stand up paddle and it was time we took a second look at the design. In knee to shoulder high surf, we took the narrow bladed Ottertail out into SoCal surf to find the pros, cons, and overall performance of the unique blade design.

The design has roots in surf-ski paddle design and as such was originally developed for ocean waterplay. We actually had occasion to speak with the inventor of the design and it was clear to us that a lot of though went into the birth of the Ottertail. Design and theory aside, let's talk about how the paddle performed for us.

What better place to start than at the top with the handle. The Infinity Ottertail handle is sort of a contoured T-grip. It's comfortable and controlled. Many paddlers prefer a T-grip over a molded grip because they feel they have more control over the blade and while padding and surfing. It's somewhat a matter of personal preference and the discussion is extensive enough to merit another article, so we'll just say that for this paddle, the T-grip is probably the best hand for the design, and it's is actually quite comfortable. We didn't notice any hotspots or unusual hand positioning while using the paddle.

The shaft had comfortable flex and good power transfer. In indicator of a good paddle is that you don't have to worry about it and it seems to do what you'd like it to. Such was the case with the Ottertail. It's lightweight, easy to paddle, without putting undue stress on the elbows back, shoulders or knees. Paddle that are too stiff tend to be hard on joints and ligaments, while paddles that are too soft lack in power transfer. The Ottertail seems to have found a happy median.

The blade is really a work of art in itself and has pros an cons to it depending on your own personal theory. The blade is almost liked up straight with the shaft. Unlike more traditional stand up paddles while feature a blade angle of about 12 degrees, the Ottertail blade checks in at a mere 2 degree angle. We figure that the gradual increase in width from the tip of the blade to the shaft may discount the need for and angled blade when it enters the water. In fact the blade has great water entry. Additionally, as promoted by Infinity, you can regulate the power of your stroke by the depth at which you sink the blade while you paddle. As such the paddle is never running in just one gear. These are definite pros of the design.

At the beginning of the stroke, the blade enters the water smooth and even and feels very similar to the new Kialoa Methane at the beginning of the stroke. The blade has surprisingly good catch resulting in effective forward propulsion. The completion of the stroke is where the straighter blade angle may become noticeable. When stroking with a traditional angled blade, the stroke releases near your heal and the blade comes clean out of the water without lifting water with it. In the case of a straight blade when the stroke is complete and the blade is lifted from the water, it also lifts water with it, pushing the board down into the water and requiring a second effort to recover from the stroke.

In other words, with a traditional 12 degree angled blade, with a proper stroke you feel a pull a the beginning of the stroke, and easy release and a pull at the start of the stroke again. With  a straight blade such as the Ottertail, you will experience a pull at the start, a pull at completion of the stroke and a pull at the beginning of the next stoke. If you aren't spending hours in the water, it won't make a difference, however if you are spending all day on the water, you'll exert more energy with each stroke than you would with a traditionally angled blade.

Is there a trade off? Given the choice, some people prefer a straight paddle over and angled one. The paddle definitely has a smooth non-jolting entry and release from the water which may result in less strain on the joints and ligaments. If  you're trying to make a decision, as always, find a demo and give one a try for a day or so.

In the surf, the paddle performed great. No complaints and no worries. Infinity recommoments cutting the paddle slightly longer than your normal paddle length to compensate for the longer blade, a whopping 11" in fact. As with any paddle, if it's too long, you'll may get the blade hung up on the board when switching sides in the surf, so keep that in mind as you determine your Ottertail paddle length.

Infinity's master shaper Steve Boehne is most often seen with the Ottertail paddle and the guy knows his stuff. Does that mean it's right for you, not necessarily, but it's definitely worth giving it a look to see if it fits your paddle style. For more information on the Infinity Ottertail stand up paddle, visit www.infinitysurfboards.com.

You are welcome to comment on this article and share your experience or thoughts about the Ottertail by Inifinity.

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