I like Carldelo, prefer the AT all
carbon, bent shaft. For me, and my style of strokes, it’s a much quieter paddle than some others. I have a variety of name brand paddles, including an AT fiberglass one. The AT line, 200-230CM depending on which boat I paddle, has been my favorite for years.
A paddle, like a boat can be on your list of “try it before you buy it”.
If you’re out on the water with friends, ask to try theirs. Most folks will share with you.
Windswift too
I have tried the mid size Swift and the small Wind Swift. Both are excellent, but the Wind Swift is super easy to pull. It has one of the smallest blades among the popular brands.
Kalliste vs Camano
I prefer the all-carbon Kalliste, but if money is an object I think the Camano with carbon shaft and fiberglass blades is a more than decent paddle.
Try an old non-wing Olympic paddle
These were beautiful paddles that use to cost under $200 brand new. They are great for duplicating all the fancy single blade canoe strokes with your kayak. You can probably find used all carbon ones in 214 through 222 lengths?
Novorca padddle
– Last Updated: Aug-24-13 7:33 PM EST –
The Novorca Greenland and Aleutian carbon paddles are pricy and superb. I've used the Greenland paddle and presently own an Aleutian paddle. Bought the Aleutian paddle "used" to partially offset the price, which can top a carbon bent shaft Werner paddle. I had and sold a Warner bent shaft Kalliste- like the Novorca Aleutian better.
Dave
choosing a paddle
I have tried both bent shaft and straight shaft paddles from various manufacturers. My general conclusion is that for sea kayaking a straight shaft is preferable. There is a big advantage to being able to shift your position on the shaft in the sea kayaking environment. But for WW I use a bent shaft. It is a small advantage and maybe not worth worrying about. That being said, Werner makes great paddles. Patrick at Onno makes even better ones but I am not sure he can deliver one in reasonable time right now. Check with him at www.onnopaddle.com. Lendal paddles in the US are now available. I have one of the new ones and they are great. Contact Rutabaga in Wisconsin. There are others but you cannot go wrong with Werner, Onno, or Lendal.
quiet
I have both the Kalliste and AT in 220 cm bent shaft. The Kalliste is clearly quieter, though the AT is also quiet. I also have the Novorca GP which is totally quiet. All are great paddles and I don’t really have a strong preference and regularly use all.
Foam core paddles
Foam core. Werner Cyprus and / or Ikelos. High or medium high angle. The same except for blade size. Have both, prefer the Ikelos.
Foam core seems to push the paddle from the end of one stroke into the beginning of the next stroke. Hard to notice till you use it for a while and then switch to a non-foam core paddle.
you can demo
paddles like you can demo kayaks.
Start w. the Werner fit list.
Armed w. that info, demo Werners and ATs (mainly as they’re more widespread and easier to find) at the next demo day. Depending on your area these may be winding down. Use your kayak, their paddles - obviously. In Michigan for example paddles can be demo’d at Riverside Kayak Connection in Wyandotte, Summit Sports in Brighton/Lansing/Keego Harbor, and possibly Lee’s Adventure Sports in Kalamazoo. Do some calling and find out for your area.
Get with some paddle clubs/groups in your area. There may be some members w. the less easily found brands (Onno, Novorca, Swift. Lendal old versions, Lendal new versions). Epic should be moderately easy to find, less so that Werner, more so than Swift.
a full carbon paddle is a big $ investment and also an object of highly personal preference (even more so than a kayak). Can be hard to try before you buy, do it if you can. Also if buying online check return policies.
The most common mistakes:
(a) getting a paddle which is too long
(b) getting a paddle blade which is too big. Bigger is
not always better, even in America. A paddle needs
to mate up w. your musculature, fitness level to
drive it, width of kayak, your stroke angle, and
a few other anthropometric factors like arm length
and torso height. Also it must match the kind of
kayaking YOU like to do.
© decide if you like the kinds of 2 piece paddles
which are secured w. a one button release vs. those
that are secured w. a kind of ‘collar’ which is
tightened down usually w. a small allen wrench.
(d) I attended a memorable session in which Danny
Mongno, who is now Eastern sales mgr w. Werner and
has been with them a long time, told our small
group very candidly that if a paddler had NO joint
or ligament issues in hand, wrist, etc. that a
bent shaft was unnecessary, just added weight and
cost (they cost more to make). He did say, with
a cautionary adviso, that there may be some
benefit to those w. those issues.
Obviously some do feel relief, and some simply prefer bent shafts for what they feel are superior ergonomics - for them. You can’t go by that. You have to evaluate your own physicality and see for yourself if a bent shaft is for you. Be aware too that diff. manufacturers make different degrees of “bent” with different placements along the ferrule (shaft).
yeah, it’s fun isn’t it. Buying a drysuit is a lot easier in comparison.
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Paddles
– Last Updated: Aug-28-13 11:48 AM EST –
I completely agree with jesse59 and The_GCW.
Determine if you are a high angle paddler and take Werner's sizing chart test.
I have used the Werner Cyprus for about 7 years or so and have two iterations of it. Recently (about 2 months ago) I stepped up to the Werner Ikelos. It is a more aggressive paddle but clearly, in my case, propels the boat more substantially than the Cyprus.
It is light weight, buoyant, strong and comfortable to control all day long.
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good advice
from ravenwing. Paddling with a straight shaft seems to cure the wrist problem, or at least it worked for my wife, also the bent shaft adds weight.
Opposite advice
I have pretty bad wrist problems - enough to keep me off an upright bike and relegated to recumbents. I put a hundred miles on in a week with a bent shaft paddle (Werner Cyprus) and I am fine. I do a four hour trip with a straight shaft paddle and I can be in trouble. It may just be my personal wrist malady (or it might be my imagination) but I find a bent shaft much easier on my beaten old body.
David
not really 'opposite advice’
re-read what I posted about bent shafts.
They do work for some. In your case for example.
In other cases they just add weight and price and are not needed. In some cases it’s just ppl who don’t need them talking themselves into needing them after immersion in marketing soft sell. Not saying that is the case in your case. I support your choice to use and enjoy bent shaft paddles if they work for you. Can we agree that they don’t work for everyone? just as straight shafts don’t work for everyone?
If I were OP and had no known issues of wrist or hand, I’d start w. a straight shaft. Why not start w. the simplest.
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Everyone’s different
– Last Updated: Aug-28-13 5:25 PM EST –
As ravenwing said, if bent shaft works for you and you can't stand straight shafts, that's fine. But if you don't need a bentshaft, then why pay the penalty in money and weight?
Regarding recumbents, I too am "relegated" to them due to neck problems. My only regret is I didn't discover them earlier. They are superior to regular bikes in comfort and aerodynamics.
need?
Lots of us just slightly prefer bent shafts Nothing to do with need. The bent shaft in comfy, gives a bit of indexing so one knows slightly better what the blade angle is for rolls and braces. Just like the diamond loom of my Novorca GP.
My bent shaft Kalliste is slightly under 25 oz, so there is really not much of a weight penalty.
Another thought on bent
I don’t know if the bent shaft helps with wrist issues or not but the bent shaft helped me learn to roll. Way back when I was learning to roll I was having the problem of keeping the correct blase angle through the roll, often leading to paddle dive/roll failure. One day I tried my buddy’s bent shaft paddle and could immediately feel the correct paddle orientation because of the bends in the shaft. From then on I owned my roll (and bought a bent shaft.) May be cheating but I’ll take it.
Addition to Smokey Paddler’s comment,
Something I notice about the Ikelos vs. the Cyprus is that if I’m paddlling with the wind, the Cyprus doesn’t feel like I’m propeling forward when paddling. When moving with the wind, the Ikelos feels more like it propels the boat. The Cyprus does not feel like enough paddle to move the boat quickly when going with the wind.
The catch on those paddles works great. It is a joy to use the Ikelos.
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As a past ACA instructor and a regular paddler for more than 45 years I can vouch that this review is solid and on the mark. Well said and to the point.
I bought a bent shaft carbon Kalliste because my wrists and forearms hurt, almost like carpal tunnel. Instant relief. No experience with any other bent shafts. Tip: REI’s annual 20% off sale.
There is nearly a consensus in this thread that a light paddle is preferable. Beyond that, the paddle becomes much more of a personal choice, often driven by paddling style and anthropomorphic factors.
In my case I have an arthritic left shoulder, supposedly bone-on-bone. Remarkably, it doesn’t hurt while I paddle, but it does that evening. The pain is worse with some paddles and better with others. I use a low angle stroke with good torso rotation. Paddles that are the most merciful are my GP and my all carbon Nimbus Chinook Quill. The latter is an interesting paddle with a longer and narrower blade and worth a look.