Anyone have any experience with these paddles? A big sale going on them at Backcountry.com. Around 32 oz & an adjustable ferule for $117? Are they really just cheap as all get out or a good buy?
YoS
can’t recommend them
Out of the 20 or so Carlisle paddles I’ve been around, I’ve seen 15 of them with problems; ferrules breaking, blades falling off, shafts snapping. I’m not one to say everything a company makes is garbage, but I will no longer give them the benefit of doubt. Werner’s most basic paddle, the Skaggit, runs full price at $130, is extremely well built, same adjustable ferrule as on their premium paddles and weighs 34 oz, but I bet will actually feel lighter than the Carlisle paddle due to a lower swing weight.
Beware the paddle labled "Carbon"
that weighs 2 pounds.
Price is right for a nice back up though.
Appreciate that.
I wondered about that myself. I’m intrigued by your Surfcross. I want something I can use for both mild WW and still decent for slow moving current. I mostly paddle slow moving current around home, but plan to get into a bit more WW. I’d ultimately like to find something around 205cm with an adjustable ferule for angle and length to get up to maybe 215-220 with a blade like your Surfcross. That paddle would serve me well for multiple situations, I believe.
But the money . . . where or where’s the money, lol . . . .
YoS
CARBON
I totally agree with what Patrick from Onno just said. Some companies will use some carbon in either their shafts or their blades and the n refer to them as a “Carbon Paddle”.
I forget the specs on Patrick’s paddles but I suspect they are what, low to mid 20 ounce range?
“carbon paddles at 2 lbs.(32 ounces)”…that’s really not that light. I build custom wood paddles myself that come in at 23 ounces and up… when I build a 32 ounce paddle ( 2 lbs), I call it an expedition weight paddle…and that is in wood, not carbon! The WOOD paddle I used for instance in 2007, setting a speed record around Vancouver Island British Columbia, was a wood Greenland Paddle…about 28 ounces. So…2 lbs…is really not all that “Light”.
Shop around, maybe buy a paddle from a smaller builder like Onno or even from a company like Werner who makes some nice touring paddles…or from a small builder of custom paddles…wood or carbon. There are some sweet paddles out there if you look for them.
Happy paddling…Joe O’
REI had 'em on sale for $70
a few years ago. Couldn’t move a one of 'em. Finally returned the whole lot. I thought they looked pretty slick, but didn’t need a paddle at the time. Blue fiberglass. Cool.