Abahub Adjustable Kayak Paddle Review: A £30 Upgrade I’ve Kept Using

This Abahub adjustable kayak paddle review comes after about a year of using mine, mostly on the Thames. I bought it myself for around £30 to replace the paddle that came with my kayak, and I’ve been using it ever since.

I’m an everyday hobby paddler, not a professional gear tester. What matters to me is whether a paddle feels comfortable, does its job and makes a few hours on the water more enjoyable.

This one has been money well spent. It isn’t weightless, and the grip can rub my hands, but it feels considerably better than the bundled paddle it replaced.

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Why I wanted a different paddle

The paddle supplied with my kayak got me moving, but it wasn’t particularly pleasant to use.

It flexed when I put some effort into a stroke, water ran down towards my arms and lap, and my shoulders would be aching after about forty-five minutes. That was my experience with that particular paddle, rather than a verdict on every paddle bundled with a boat.

I wasn’t looking to spend a fortune. I just wanted something that felt less flimsy and made paddling less of a chore.

At around £30, the Abahub seemed worth trying.

What changed on the water

Less water running down my arms

The drip rings were one of the first things I appreciated.

With my old paddle, water seemed to find its way down the shaft and onto me with depressing regularity. The rubber rings on the Abahub do a much better job of interrupting that journey.

They haven’t made kayaking a completely dry activity, but I’ve noticed a real improvement. Not having cold water constantly trickling towards your sleeves is a small comfort that becomes quite a big one after a while.

It doesn’t bend like a banana

The blades feel more solid than the ones I was using before. When I put some effort into a stroke, there is less of that bendy, slightly pointless feeling.

I haven’t measured how much faster or more efficiently it moves me along. I can simply say that it feels better in use, and I prefer paddling with it.

That matters more to me than pretending I’ve conducted a laboratory test on the Thames.

Adjustment without much fuss

Mine separates into two pieces, which makes it easier to transport and store. It goes together easily, and I can adjust the length and change the angle of the blades relative to each other.

That blade-angle adjustment is usually called feathering. It gives you the option to find a setup that feels comfortable rather than accepting whatever position a fixed paddle gives you.

I wouldn’t suggest endlessly fiddling with it. Find what suits you and get on with enjoying the paddle.

Yes, I’ve dropped it. More than once.

I can confirm that mine floats because I’ve dropped it into the water a number of times.

I’ve supplied my own fairly unscientific testing through repeated clumsiness.

This isn’t a feature I’ve merely read on the packaging. I now have it attached with a paddle leash, although that hasn’t entirely stopped me letting go of it occasionally.

Floating is reassuring, but it doesn’t mean a loose paddle will stay beside you. It can still move away with the current or wind. Leashes also need to suit the conditions: they can create an entanglement hazard around moving-water obstacles, so my setup shouldn’t be taken as a recommendation for every paddling situation.

The bits I’m less keen on

You still notice the weight

This is an aluminium paddle, not an expensive lightweight carbon model.

To me, it feels lighter and better balanced than the paddle it replaced. That’s a personal comparison, not a claim based on putting both on the scales.

After an hour or two of steady paddling, I still know I’ve been doing some work. If low weight is your main priority, you may want to compare other options.

The grip can rub

With bare hands, the grip starts to rub my palms after a while.

I now wear a cheap pair of fingerless gym gloves, which has sorted that out for me. It’s a simple solution, but the rubbing is still worth mentioning, especially if you prefer paddling without gloves.

Grit makes the joint awkward

Keep the connecting ends out of sand and mud where you can.

If grit gets into the joint, the push-button mechanism can feel crunchy and the halves become more difficult to separate. I wipe the ends before putting it together rather than forcing a dirty connection.

It’s a small maintenance job, but one worth doing before you’re trying to wrestle the paddle apart at the end of a trip.

Who would I recommend it to?

Someone in the position I was in: enjoying recreational kayaking, dissatisfied with a basic bundled paddle and wanting an affordable improvement.

For my usual paddling on the Thames, it has done that job well.

I wouldn’t dismiss more expensive paddles as pointless. Lower weight, a different shaft or a more comfortable grip may be worth paying for if you paddle frequently or cover longer distances. They simply weren’t what I was looking to spend money on when I bought this one.

And if your existing paddle already feels comfortable and solid, you don’t need to replace it just because it came with the kayak.

My Abahub adjustable kayak paddle review: would I buy it again?

For the money I paid and the use I’ve had from it, yes.

About a year later, I’m still using it. The reduced flex and better drip control have made it a worthwhile upgrade, and the annoyances have been manageable.

It hasn’t turned me into an Olympic paddler. It has made my ordinary paddling more enjoyable, which was the point.