Barrel Point Surf Alloy Review

The BPS Alloy is a family and budget-friendly two-piece paddle that is tough and durable. It has a significant adjustable length range of 18 inches which makes it usable for many different people of different heights. It is perfect for sharing with your family or visitors. The nylon blade is strong and won't get beat up if it is used to push off rocks or other rough surfaces. Its wide, sturdy, dihedral nylon blade resists scratches and dings and pushes through the water quickly. Its broad blade makes turning via back paddle a breeze.

Something to consider about this product is that if you are tall and need your paddle to be adjusted to an extended length, the adjustment system might end up near your hand grip area.

Performance Comparison

Performance

In terms of paddling performance, the BPS Alloy simply can't match the top-tier composite paddles. While we like the shape of the blade, which aids in very clean entry and exit, flaws became very noticeable during the power stroke. However, it does a great job propelling you around on a paddleboard without a significant amount of effort, but there are better options out there if you are willing to spend the money.

The BPS Alloy has one of the widest blades out of the entire test group. This pushes plenty of water and makes it particularly effective when it comes to back-paddling. This paddle makes it much easier to turn and maneuver your board in confined areas but takes quite a bit of force to pull through the water, which can be fatiguing for paddlers with less upper-body strength. The dihedral angle and scoop shape make for a solid catch and we never really noticed any issues with paddle flutter — surprising, given its wider blade.

We found that the shaft on this paddle isn't the most rigid that we have seen. We felt that energy was wasted due to the bending of the shaft when your power was put into your stroke. There was also concern regarding the grip which felt like it was cheaply produced and may snap under pressure.

Our lead tester is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, and when the Alloy is extended to a length of 74 inches (which is the recommended length for that height), the adjustment system ends up being approximately one-quarter of the way down the shaft, which could result in the locking mechanism being at your gripping point.

Weight

At 2 pounds, 2 ounces, the BPS Alloy is one of the heaviest paddles we tested. It isn't overly noticeable with short paddles but the additional weight can prove to be fatiguing over long distances compared to lighter carbon or fiberglass SUP paddles.

This paddle also lacks the perfect balance that some of the other heftier paddles have, which makes them feel much lighter. Those paddles concentrate weight in the blade, which helps build momentum and leads to an even paddling cadence; the weight in the blade draws it down into the water similar to how a hammer's weight draws it downward. The BPS Alloy lacks this and simply just feels heftier than most people probably would want.

Ease of Adjustment

The TwinPin adjustment limits you to locking in at the specific pin points but also makes the Alloy easy to adjust.

To change the length of the shaft, you need to pull out the plastic adjustment locking mechanism that releases a peg from a hole. With the blade on the ground or the SUP, slide the handle up or down to the desired length, then push the plastic adjustment mechanism back in towards the shaft and the peg will snap firmly into the nearest hole.

Locking Mechanism

The Alloy has a TwinPin locking mechanism/adjustment system. To adjust the length of the shaft, you must press or pull the plastic clip away from the paddle shaft, which disengages the stainless steel peg from an adjustment hole. Next, you pull the handle up or down to your desired length and then push the plastic clip back in, which snaps the peg back into one of the holes.

The BPS Alloy uses an aluminum alloy shaft, which is the most scratch and abrasion-resistant type. Even after multiple adjustments, the shaft did not have any significant scratching or damage.

Aesthetics

When it comes to SUP paddles, the Barrel Point Surf Alloy is fairly generic-looking.

The design on the blade is unique, but that's where the creative design ends. This matte black paddle is very plain. You can choose from a variety of colors but it has a long way to go before it gets any compliments on its looks.

Value

The BPS Alloy is a great value and our top recommendation for anyone who is shopping for a new SUP paddle on a skinnier budget. This bare-bones paddle is sturdy and durable with a locking mechanism and adjustment system that works alright. It might not be the absolute least-expensive paddle of the group but we think you will be disappointed if you spend any less.

Conclusion