Starboard Lima vs Enduro Paddle: Which One Should You Buy?

The Starboard Lima and Starboard Enduro are probably the two most important paddle shapes in Starboard's range.

They can both be used on flat water. They are both available in premium carbon constructions. Both have been used at an extremely high level.

But they do not do the same job.

Choose the Starboard Lima if your paddling is mainly touring, fitness, flat-water speed or racing. Choose the Starboard Enduro if you want a more forgiving all-round paddle, particularly for mixed paddling and SUP surfing.

The Lima rewards a clean stroke with a fast catch and tidy release.

The Enduro has a broader teardrop-style blade with a more immediate, powerful feel and is easier to recommend when one paddle has to do several different jobs.

At The SUP Company, paddles are also something we actively encourage customers to test at our Woodmill SUP Test Centre. The difference between two good paddles can be far more obvious on the water than it appears from photographs.

Quick answer: Lima or Enduro?

	Starboard Lima	Starboard Enduro
Best for	Flat water, touring, fitness and racing	All-round, cruising, surf and mixed conditions
Blade feel	Clean, direct and efficient	Powerful, forgiving and planted
Catch	Precise and performance-focused	Broad and easy to engage
Cadence	Excellent for efficient higher-cadence paddling	Strong, positive power per stroke
Surf	Not its main job	Much better suited
Touring	Excellent	Good, particularly for relaxed mixed-use paddling
Beginner	Good if technique and distance are priorities	Easier default recommendation
Race	Clear winner	Not its primary purpose

What is the main difference between Lima and Enduro?

The main difference is blade shape and the type of stroke each blade encourages.

The Lima is a narrower, performance-focused blade intended to enter the water cleanly, remain stable through the power phase and release neatly.

The Enduro has more of a teardrop shape with a broader lower blade.

That gives the Enduro an immediate, positive catch even when the stroke is not technically perfect.

In practical terms:

Lima feels efficient.

Enduro feels powerful.

Starboard Lima: best for touring and flat water

The Starboard Lima Carbon F35 is the paddle we would look at for somebody saying:

• “I paddle 7–10km regularly.”
• “I want my touring board to feel quicker.”
• “I am working on my stroke technique.”
• “I want to increase cadence.”
• “I am starting fitness paddling.”
• “I might enter races.”

The Lima does not simply have a smaller or bigger blade than the Enduro. The shape is designed to keep the catch controlled and minimise wasted movement through the power phase.

Choose Lima if:

• you paddle mostly flat water;
• you own a 12'6 or 14ft touring board;
• distance efficiency matters;
• you care about clean technique;
• you race or train for speed;
• you want a paddle that will reward improving technique.

Starboard Enduro: best all-round and surf paddle

The Starboard Enduro Carbon F35 takes a broader approach.

Starboard uses a teardrop blade with pronounced concaves and a 13-degree blade angle.

The wider tip gives the blade an immediate catch, which is particularly useful when:

• accelerating onto a wave;
• taking corrective strokes;
• paddling in messy water;
• your paddle entry is less than perfect;
• you want one paddle for several different boards.

Choose Enduro if:

• you paddle a bit of everything;
• you SUP surf;
• you value power more than race-style efficiency;
• you want one good paddle for family, touring and general sessions;
• you are upgrading from a basic aluminium or entry-level composite paddle.

Which is better for a beginner?

For the broadest possible beginner recommendation, the Enduro is easier.

Starboard itself recommends the Enduro blade shape for entry-level paddlers because the wider blade tip gives useful purchase even if the entire blade is not perfectly buried at the catch.

But that does not mean every beginner should buy an Enduro.

If somebody has just bought a Starboard Touring 12'6 or 14ft and tells us their sole aim is efficient river and canal mileage, we would absolutely consider putting them on a Lima from day one.

Which is better for touring?

Lima.

If the majority of your paddling involves steady forward strokes over distance, Lima is the more logical blade.

Its cleaner catch and release are particularly noticeable once your technique becomes consistent.

This pairs naturally with boards such as the Starboard Touring Deluxe.

Which is better for SUP surfing?

Enduro.

Surfing often involves short bursts of acceleration rather than maintaining one repetitive distance stroke.

You need to:

• accelerate into waves;
• brace;
• steer;
• switch sides rapidly;
• use the paddle as part of the turn.

The Enduro's broad, powerful character fits that job far better.

Which is better for racing?

The Lima is the obvious choice between these two.

It is a genuine performance paddle with a strong competition heritage and is designed for flat-water, technical racing, sprint and distance use.

If racing becomes your primary discipline, it is also worth exploring the more specialist end of Starboard's paddle range, including Velocity-style race options where relevant.

What blade size should you choose?

Do not automatically buy the largest blade because it must create more power.

A bigger blade creates more load on:

• shoulders;
• arms;
• back;
• the shaft;
• each stroke.

A smaller blade can allow higher cadence and reduce fatigue over distance.

Lima blade sizes

The current Lima Carbon family is offered around M, L and XL options, with the exact size selection varying according to construction.

As a broad guide:

• M: faster cadence and lower load;
• L: the all-round performance choice for many paddlers;
• XL: greater purchase for stronger paddlers who deliberately want more load.

Enduro blade sizes

Current Enduro Carbon options run through smaller to larger blade choices such as S, M and L depending on configuration.

Again, choose according to strength, cadence and intended use rather than ego.

Does rider weight determine blade size?

Partly, but technique and strength matter just as much.

A strong 75kg racer may choose a larger blade than a 95kg paddler with a shoulder issue.

Long-distance paddlers also frequently benefit from a slightly smaller blade that they can move efficiently for thousands of strokes.

Carbon vs Prepreg Carbon

This is where Starboard's paddle range can become confusing.

The blade shape is only one part of the paddle.

Carbon

The Carbon construction is already a substantial upgrade from a basic package paddle.

You get:

• lower swing weight;
• a more direct catch;
• better blade stiffness;
• cleaner response.

For most committed recreational paddlers this is a very good place to be.

Prepreg Carbon

The Starboard Lima Prepreg Carbon moves further towards minimum weight and maximum response.

This makes most sense for:

• racers;
• high-mileage paddlers;
• people sensitive to paddle weight;
• customers who already own a premium board and want the paddle to match it.

You do not need Prepreg to enjoy paddleboarding, but over thousands of strokes reduced swing weight is something you can genuinely feel.

What do F35 and F40 mean?

Starboard offers different shaft flex options.

It is worth understanding because the number can be counter-intuitive.

F35 gives a balanced medium-flex feel with useful power transfer and comfort.

F40 is the more flexible, comfort-oriented direction within the current Carbon shaft range.

A more flexible shaft can reduce load on joints and feel smoother during long sessions.

A stiffer-feeling setup gives a more immediate power transfer but can feel more demanding.

Fixed, 2-piece or 3-piece?

Fixed paddle

Choose fixed if:

• you know your exact paddle length;
• minimum weight matters;
• maximum direct feel matters;
• you race or train seriously.

2-piece adjustable

For most serious recreational paddlers, this is the sweet spot.

You retain good paddle feel while gaining:

• length adjustment;
• easier car transport;
• ability to adapt between boards;
• ability to share the paddle occasionally.

3-piece adjustable

The Lima Carbon F35 3 Piece and Enduro Carbon F35 3 Piece make sense when packability is critical.

Choose one for:

• inflatable SUP bags;
• air travel;
• camper storage;
• small cars;
• holiday use.

A high-quality 3-piece paddle is vastly better than accepting a heavy entry-level paddle simply because it fits in the bag.

Lima vs Enduro by paddler type

Casual all-round paddler

Choose Enduro.

It is the more forgiving and versatile choice.

River and canal distance paddler

Choose Lima.

Its flat-water efficiency becomes increasingly valuable as mileage rises.

Touring paddler

Usually Lima.

Choose Enduro instead if your touring is very relaxed and the paddle also needs to cover surf or general family use.

SUP surfer

Choose Enduro.

Fitness paddler

Choose Lima.

Race paddler

Choose Lima, then look further into Starboard's specialist performance paddle choices as your requirements become more precise.

One paddle for everything

Choose Enduro.

The paddle matters more than many paddlers expect

A premium board with a heavy, flexible entry-level paddle is still being driven by a heavy, flexible entry-level paddle.

On a 10km session you may take thousands of strokes.

Reducing swing weight and improving the catch affects every one of them.

That is why we often tell customers upgrading their SUP that a paddle can produce a more noticeable improvement than another accessory for the board.

Try Lima and Enduro at Woodmill

Paddles are particularly good products to test back-to-back.

At our Woodmill SUP Test Centre, suitable Starboard and other premium paddles may be available to compare on sheltered water.

You can feel:

• blade load;
• catch stability;
• shaft flex;
• swing weight;
• 2-piece versus fixed feel;
• whether a smaller blade actually makes you faster.

The £25 SUP Test Centre demo fee is refundable against a qualifying paddleboard or paddle purchase, subject to the current demo terms.

Starboard Lima vs Enduro FAQs

Is Starboard Lima better than Enduro?

Not universally. Lima is the better choice for touring, racing, fitness and efficient flat-water paddling. Enduro is the better all-round and surf-oriented choice.

Which Starboard paddle is best for beginners?

Enduro is the easiest general recommendation because its broad teardrop blade gives a powerful and forgiving catch. A beginner focused specifically on distance touring can still benefit from starting with Lima.

Which Starboard paddle is best for touring?

Lima. Its blade shape is designed around an efficient catch, controlled power phase and clean release, making it particularly well suited to repeated distance strokes.

Which Starboard paddle is best for SUP surfing?

Enduro. Its broader, more powerful blade provides fast acceleration and useful support for steering and bracing in surf.

Should I buy a 2-piece or 3-piece Starboard paddle?

Choose 2-piece if you want adjustability with fewer joints and easy everyday transport. Choose 3-piece if the paddle needs to fit inside an inflatable SUP bag or compact travel luggage.

Is Prepreg Carbon worth it?

For committed paddlers, racers and high-mileage users, the lower weight and more direct response can absolutely be worthwhile. Standard Carbon remains a very strong performance/value choice for most recreational paddlers.

Can I try a Lima and Enduro before buying?

Where demo equipment is available, yes. The Woodmill SUP Test Centre is designed for exactly this type of board and paddle comparison.

Our final recommendation

Buy Lima if the paddle stroke itself is part of your performance.

If you paddle distance, train, tour quickly or race, that is usually the answer.

Buy Enduro if versatility matters more.

If you cruise, surf, explore and want one excellent paddle that works across different sessions, Enduro is the easier choice.

Explore the complete Starboard range at The SUP Company, or apply to compare paddles at the Woodmill SUP Test Centre.