Depends on the boat I’m paddling
I like the feel of my Sawyer Manta bent shafts better in my Mad River Slipper, but my beaver tail straight shaft feels a little easier to use in my Sawyer Summersong. Maybe the straight shaft feels easier to use in the Summersong because the blade is narrower than my bent shaft blade and the Summersong has a lot of tumblehome. I was sometimes bumping the wide part of the Summersong with the bent shaft blade (8 1/4" wide) yesterday, but not with the straight beavertail blade (6 1/4" wide). The Slipper has very little tumblehome and I haven’t noticed bumping the side with the bent shaft paddle in it. The straight shaft felt more awkward in the Slipper going down river Sunday.
I found this to be interesting. The Manta bent shaft still feels great while paddling, except for the above situation.
paddles
Well this is a little info i just bought a nice book on building canoe paddles by Grahm Warren looks to have some great reading in it on history on paddles and styles
depends
on the zre. I poled the last 10 miles of the 70 miler using a zre rec paddle. held up strong. I would switch out with my 7 OZ Zre when th ewater got over 12 inches deep.
if you are trying to go fast through class 2-3 rapids use a bent, if you are trying to play in the rapids use a straight. All the down river racers use bent shafts. All th eplay boaters and free stylists use straights/