Lendal paddle

What is going on with lendal paddles. I can’t seem to find them anywhere. I have found them in one location and am considering buying one. Besides the price and weight is there any difference in durablility or repairability between CF and FG blades. Is carbon fiber just as repairable and durable as fiberglass.

CF & FG

– Last Updated: Mar-05-10 9:59 AM EST –

Keep in mind that "CF" is not really carbon. This is IMO their toughest layup and while it probably has some carbon in it, it is mostly some sort of polymer. You do not see any carbon cloth in it and it looks like plastic. And it is heavy! It is about as heavy as their cheapest plastic blades but I think it is stiffer. In comparison, I have a $100 Werner Desperado that is supposed to have a similar carbon reinforced plastic blades - they are more flexy than the Lendal but are also lighter and are doing just fine under the abuse of WW frequent stone hitting and pushing off rocks. Pus at $100 it still comes in a full carbon shaft so the entire paddle is reasonably lightweigh. So, I think a Lendal plastic version would work about as well as the CF version (except in the toughest of abuse conditions) but be considerably cheaper and weigh about the same. Can't comment on FG.

The "CC" is the "pure" carbon and it is considerably lighter. Unless you want something really tough, I would say avoid the CF - it is too heavy, especially in the larger area blades. And it is still too expensive at near retail prices.

I've seen a few sets listed on eBay for many months now, so I think the brand is just not selling well at the asking prices. Same with Ruttabaga or Wiegel (?) and the Appomattox store (some of these are on ebay as well). When offered at lower prices, however, they disappear quickly (ask me - I know -;)

I may have a Varilock 215 cm full carbon shaft for sale soon (or less likely a 220cm crank shaft Switchlock full carbon). So if you are considering that, please e-mail me directly. I got both new a few weeks back. The straight is still new but soon I will paddle it a couple of times to decide if I will keep that or the 220cm CC bent shaft that I also got at that same sale. One of them will go but I have not paddled both enough to decide which one suits me better. Most likely I'll keep the bent shaft though...

Lendel is going through changes
Lendal is going through changes, that may have great impact (or maybe not) to their product going forward.



Lendal used to be owned by a big kayak conglomerate in the states, and was sold to a small manufacturer in England.



The product on the shelves right now are the remaining stock from the US conglomerate. As that is sold off, it isn’t being replaced.



I haven’t seen info from the new manufacturer about their product. My feel (though I could be wrong) is that they bought the name more than the molds, so we may see all new Lendal products.

Lendel
Lendel was originally made in Scotland I believe and was bought out by one of the large watersports corporations.



Perhaps they are again being sold off as the quality took a major hit when the big company got involved.



Bill H.

Thanks for the help
So will there be no support from the new company for the paddles that are now out there.

Wait for the Brit built versions…

That’s encouraging!
Hope the hint is based on some good [insight] info and there’s good stuff to come -:wink: Not sure how long the wait would be though …

Wait for the good stuff

Not impressed
I’ve tried a few paddles. I was not impressed with the Lendal I had that was made stateside. Incidentally, they claimed “crafted in Scotland” even when it wasn’t.



Werner, ONNO, Nimbus, Aquabound, many others are good products. Why would you seek out Lendall?

Something no one else did
Four piece paddles that gave you ultimate flexibility (blade exchange, shaft exchange, feather adjustment). Quality blade designs. Quality workmanship until Johnson Outdoors bought them. Even though I paddle mostly with a Greenland paddle I enjoy having a Lendal paddle alternative.

Agree with Disco
Lendal blade shapes are the choice of many world renowned expedition paddlers for a reason. They perform very well. The PadLok feature is excellent as well. If someone is used to a dihedral blade the Lendal may feel more difficult at first on some strokes, but it’s a quick adjustment. The Kinetic is my favorite blade for efficiency and power and I prefer it to Werner, even though I love Werner’s quality and finish.



In the future you may see that level of finish from Lendal but I suspect in the near term you’ll get the good old Lendal quality of the past, which has served many around the globe nicely.



Many of Lendal’s pro’s dropped and ran elsewhere when JOI took over, but a lot of them came back because as much as they enjoyed their other sponsored paddles they just loved the Lendal feel. Nigel is in some ways a hub for these paddlers around the globe and as such I think is the right guy to re-build Lendal.



Never will Lendal be the “every persons” brand, and I think the folk who will rebuild Lendal are OK with that. I wish them well.

I dig my Lendal
I have one that was made stateside, as far as I can tell, and have had many good paddles with it. Survived four months of paddling patagonia without a problem. Not as intensely light as a Werner, but way stronger imo, as I’ve broken blades on two foam core cyprus, and seen another break by someone else. Doesn’t get the squeaky loose ferrell thing going on after a lot of miles. Have used it in a pinch as a tarp pole, and not really worried about it breaking. Also like that I was able to go from a bent shaft to a straight and not have to buy a whole new paddle, or I can put big blades on for playing in the surf or kinetic blades on for touring, and then make an extra paddle out of my extra parts which will all very easily fit into a duffel bag when I go paddle somewhere else and have to fly, or if I ever get into whitewater I can mix and match all that stuff together as well, or I can grab a friend’s different style blade when I’m feeling goofy and paddle a kinetic on one side and an archipelago on the other just to feel the difference. Overall a very good product, and I’m looking forward to checking out the new wares once they come stateside, even and especially if it is the same “old.”

Lendal Paddle
I got what I believe were the last Made in Scotland blades and shaft last spring in the Toronto area - got a Kinetic Touring and Touring S, crank shaft all in carbon for a little more than a Werner carbon :slight_smile:



I picked up a Johnson Outdoors made Switchlock crank shaft late last summer and it does feel a little different than the Scottish one, a little softer somehow.



I tried Werner but found them to be too light for my taste, and love the heft that the Lendals provide.



Very interested to see what Nigel is going to do with them.

Werner shafts are crazy strong!
In testing Werner shafts were extremely strong and to be fair they may represent the finest quality shafts made! A foam filled blade from any manufacturer will be more delicate than a solid laminate. I’m not a fam of Werners connection device but would order one one-piece. Excellent product.



Lendal deal almost done with Nigel but JOI lawyers wrapping up details…that’s what I heard as of today.

Lendall vs Others
I didn’t hate my Lendall paddle, I just didn’t think it was particularly special. The “toughness” of a paddle isn’t really an issue for me, as any of the paddles I have had are tough enough for the paddling I do. I would prefer to have a light paddle for 10 years, and then get another than have a heavy paddle for 20.



I’m less expert than many on here, but I take pro-endorsements with a grain of seawater, since most “pros” paddle with whatever equipment is provided for them. It’s not that lucrative a life, from what I have seen.



As such, Lendall may be the choice of many, but I think there are nicer paddles out there that are easier to find, and backed by a company or crafter who isn’t in limbo.

4 piece
I don’t know of any 4-piece breakdown as good as Lendal. Great for travel - I’d rather rent a mediocre kayak and paddle with a good paddle than the other way around.



I don’t know why my WW friends have such cruddy spare paddles then wonder when they break 2 paddles in a day.

sold to a small manufacturer in England.
Actually Wales… the manufacturer who uses the Welsh dragon as a logo so the difference maybe of note :wink:



I think Nigel understands the role of design and build for a relatively small and dedicated clientele.

4 piece
That’s the reason I got the Lendal (again). It paddles nice enough to be usable not just as a spare but as an alternative as it is different enough from my other three main paddles (WW, GP, and wing). But it is the only one that I can realistically travel with. The fact that the Lendal can pass as a carry-on luggage is not to be underestimated.



At the price I paid for my new Lendal full carbon set I would have gotten a little less than about one half of a similarly specified 2-piece Werner Carbon paddle - that was a factor that strongly influencing my decision to not “wait for the good stuff” but buy now, he-he… Hope it holds-up enough for the relatively light use it will see with me …


Deal is NOT done
People, the deal between NDK and JOI is NOT done. It will be done when it’s done…but it isn’t done, so it’s not “done”. I hope it happens, but I wouldn’t be one bit suprised if it doesn’t. So, let’s hope for the best.

When someone breaks their paddle or
loses it, you should see the look of relief in their eyes when you pull out a Lendal 4 piece from under the float bags. “45 degree, right hand, no problem, 30 degrees right? No problem. I can do left hand, 0-90, you sure? Anything you want.”



Dogmaticus