BPS Koru 2-Piece 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, making it usable for many people of different heights. It is perfect for sharing with your family or visitors, as the nylon blade is strong and won't get beat up if it is used to push off rocks or other rough surfaces. The wide, sturdy, dihedral nylon blade resists scratches and dings and pushes through the water quickly. The broad blade also 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 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. It does a great job propelling you around casually 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 the wider blade.

We found that the shaft on this paddle isn't the most rigid that we have seen. This caused us to feel that energy was wasted due to the bending of the shaft when power was put into our stroke. There was also concern regarding the grip, which feels cheaply produced and as though it could snap under pressure (which, to be clear, did not happen during our testing or since — this is just speculation based on extensive experience with various paddles).

Our lead tester is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, and when the Koru 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.

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. 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.

Weight

At 35.2 ounces, the BPS Alloy is the heaviest paddle 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 options.

This paddle also lacks the kind of 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 the weight of a hammer or axe draws it downward. The BPS Alloy lacks this, making it feel heftier.

Construction Quality

When it comes to SUP paddles, the BPS Koru Alloy is fairly generic, though the design elements on the blade are nice. The overall construction is solid, though typical for the price range of this paddle. This paddle will do just fine if you only get out occasionally and casually or if you want a loaner for friends and family. For truly premium features and performance, you'll need to spend more. Additionally, as with all paddles, the Koru will last you longer if you clean it and keep it relatively sand-free between uses.

Should You Buy the BPS Koru 2-Piece Alloy?

The BPS Alloy is a great value and one of our top recommendations for anyone who is shopping for a new SUP paddle on a skinnier budget. It's great for sharing as it has the widest range of adjustment of all of the contenders we tested. It is a heavier paddle, but this adds to its durability. The aluminum shaft and super durable nylon blade, which is among the widest we tested, move water easily. If you are looking for a SUP paddle that can get tossed around a bit, the BPS Alloy can take a beating that would irreparably damage higher-end composite models. It might not be the absolute least expensive paddle of the group, but we think you will be disappointed if you spend any less.

What Other SUP Paddles Should You Consider?