NEW OPHION KATANA TRICKSTAR – INDEPENDENT REVIEW

NEW OPHION KATANA TRICKSTAR – INDEPENDENT REVIEW

A few months ago I got my hands on a new set of Ophion Katana Trickstar paddles. The new design boasts a brand new shaft, and some new graphics on the blades. A short pool session the week after allowed me to get a feel for them and get used to what was, for me, quite a big change. As soon as I got in I could feel the rigidity and power these blades were going to offer, and couldn’t wait to test them out on some real water!

The following weekend I went to Hurley for an all-day training session. The sun was shining and it was perfect for me to really test the new blades. I could tell these blades were going to make a huge difference from my first ride as just a few strokes sent me gliding straight onto the main wave with minimal effort. The Katana’s advanced design allows for a wide blade area providing lots of power in the water without fluttering or instability. I felt the benefit of the controllable power the blades generate almost immediately with blunts going bigger and cartwheels being easier than ever before. Since then I have been out to numerous competitions and training sessions in all different kinds of features and the new Katana’s continue to prove to be a huge improvement.

The new shaft has a slightly oval shape to it where the crank is which makes it very comfortable to hold. The crank in the paddle has also been changed in that the angle is less harsh than the old model and this along with the oval shape make the paddle very natural to hold especially for those paddlers with wrist issues. The shaft on my set is carbon with silver tape which, with the new bade graphics, looks awesome and gives the paddle a very rigid feel while remaining durable and even after a few months of use still look just like new!

The new Katana’s are definitely top of my packing list for future trips and I can’t wait to continue training and improving with them.