Aqua-Bound shaft bother your hands?

Hey Aqua-Bound hybrid or carbon owners… looking at buying a new paddle, like the weight and price point of the Aqua-Bound sting ray hybrid or carbon… but I’ve noticed that the shaft has a “ribbed” texture to it that others don’t have.
Wondering if a couple hours of paddling starts to bother your hands after a while?

FWIW, my story.
Neary 20 years ago I wanted to upgrade to a premium paddle and I was lucky enough to have a shop that would rent me demo paddles for a week or so at a time. I did like the Aqua Bound but at the end of a day it did irritate my hands. I end up with a Werner FG then an Epic wing. Traded the Epic for a Werner full carbon, added another Werner and still have them.

The problem I found with the Aqua-Bound paddle shafts was that they are too flexible. That may not be true on the higher end paddles, but it certainly was on the paddles you mentioned.
Anyway, you really should get a pair of open fingered paddling gloves–no matter what kind of paddle you use. That and with enough paddling time, your hands will toughen up.

If you haven’t checked out the Carlisle Expedition, do it before you make your next paddle purchase.

I have an Aquabound and it hasn’t bothered my hands at all.

I wear gloves.

It’s definatey not a smooth shaft… compared to a skagit fog or even some H2O paddles I’ve held.

Never paddle w/o gloves, so can’t comment.

I do have a Sting Ray fiberglass shaft spare/guest paddle that has been OK on the hands. It was the carbon shaft that bothered me and that was a long time ago.

I haven’t been bother by sore hands with my Stingray but do get a blister at the beginning of the paddle season in the “V” of my thumbs. This hardens up after a few paddles. I suspect I’d get a blister with any paddle as wet hands seems to be the cause.

Mine only blisters on my control hand . I have a permanent callus there that has to be toughened every spring.

I avoid blisters and cuts when I kayak by wearing gloves. My first blister at the V of the control hand resulted in a rather odd skin condition that developed into a painful cracking thing that migrated to the finger tip area of several fingers. Difficult to get rid of. Happened after a night paddle at St Augustine Fla.

It has saved me from serious injury when tangling with oyster beds.

@magooch said:
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Anyway, you really should get a pair of open fingered paddling gloves–no matter what kind of paddle you use. >

I dislike open fingered paddling gloves. The end of the open fingers is an irritation point for me.

When I wear gloves, they’re full gloves.

I use open finger tip sailing gloves. Better protection with the leather palms. That and better protection when grabbing a line on a kayak, boat line, etc.