Is it important to have the right oars and how can I stop getting blisters? I am a junior rower and started 2 years ago – is it my technique?
The oars will not in themselves cause blisters.
Your blisters are caused by your hands and the handles.
You do need callouses on your hands and sometimes blisters precede acquiring callouses.
So, are your handles clean (soap and water cleaning once a week) and are the grips new or perished old rubber?
Usually your hands holding on tightly cause blisters…. we say that you should hold the handle as tightly as if you were holding a baby bird in your hands – firmly enough so it doesn’t flap its wings and panic, but not so tight that you suffocate it.
Send us a photo of where you get your blisters….that may indicate some more causes.
You have one quick solution – buy some rowing gloves look here
One long term solution – learn how to adjust your grip to being gentler.
