@Brodie I hear Aqua Bound is good as well. I was suprised that after letting several family members and friends use my Kallistes, they preferred the Aqua Bound Ray series over the Kalliste. Paddles are different things to different people.
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@Jyak I have heard good things about AquaBound as well. I guess I should try one of their paddles sometime!
As I mentioned on another thread, Aqua Bound is currently offering a sale price of $132 on its hybrid Manta Rays (31.75 oz) and Sting Rays (30.5 oz) - that’s a good price to weight ratio, IMO.
I do wish the the next level up paddles (Tango and Whiskey with fg blades) came in single color designs rather that their butt-ugly patterns (I know, my 100% subjective opinion).
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I actually like those patterns a lot but choices are always good. All of my paddles are what Werner calls “every paddler’s favorite color” - carbon black.
@Brodie to clarify, I have two Sting Ray plastic blade pictured, as well as two other Aqua Bound; one all black carbon, and another black shaft/white blade. I may have given them away because I can’t presently find them. I would like to try them again to figure out why they’re so popular with so many paddlers I know. I switch from them 10 years ago when I bought the Camano then the Kalliste. I wouldn’t trade the Kalliste for any of them, but out of at the seven people I’ve introduced the Kalliste paddle to, only two prefer it.
No question about it!
In my case, Werner is wrong. I understand that true carbon fiber is black, period. But all things being equal (which of course they’re not), I’d take a more visible blade color any day.
Wrap paddle for color.
Always in saltwater always rinse never had a problem in 14+ years with 6 CF Werner’s and one FG. One Celtic two years old.
You’re right, of course. I’m just being stubborn, but manufacturers could incorporate better reflectivity into their designs if they chose to do so. However, as @Brodie pointed out, everybody’s favorite color is black according to Werner.
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My favorite color is black, but it would make sense to add some reflective or bright colors to be visible. I mentioned how a power boater told me the kayak isnt visible out there on open water. I asked how he couldn’t see a 14 ft bright blue boat, but he could see a half gallon bleach bottle attached to a crab trap. Must be from practice finding small things in the dark, like the beer on his belly.
SOLAS TAPE is easy answer.
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Nearly everyone is enthralled with CF look.
Don’t want to spend 500 for a paddle for people to think you have a 40 dollar DICK’S paddle 
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Or the other way around … you can pick up this beauty at Dick’s for $25 so everyone will think you’ve got a state-of-the-art $500 paddle.
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Wrap it in FAKE carbon pattern material. 
You’ve seen it. Plastic made to look like carbon fiber. Interior car parts,
I do have reflective tape on my paddles for visibility. I would like brighter blades also, but not willing to sacrifice the light weight of my carbon paddles for that! (I’m sure that’s why they say carbon is every paddler’s favorite color)
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Gearlab makes coloful carbon GPs. I have a cherry red one with swappable white or black tips. They currently offer a Kalleq breakdown model that is white on one half and red on the other. I oresume a tribute to the Greenland national flag but perhaps having a half white paddle would help visibility on the water?
Also, the guy who used to make Novorca carbon paddles finished them in a spectacular range of colors and design including metallic finishes and rainbow trout skin patterns. A carbon paddle can be coated in any color. Not likely mass marketers will ever bother though,
It might be misguided, but I stopped worrying about reflective paddles when that power boater told me it was hard to see a 14 ft boat sitting a foot above the surface of the water, when an 18 inch log that’s 20 feet long only rises out of the water a few inches. 99.7 square inches of reflective surface won’t improve my odds by much.
On the other hand, a bright or reflective PFD would help once separated from the boat, as would a bright paddle if you held on to it. More justification for wearing a PFD, so you don’t have to decide whether to chase your boat, paddle, or your PFD. Chances of rescue inprove with all three.
I thought that was because of the beer on his belly (a PBR 24-ouncer ?).
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You remembered. I think it was. That’s why I’m not sure a flashing paddle would change things.
Reminded me of the exchange between Doc Holiday and Johnny Ringo. The long story went like this:
I said to my esteemed friend, “That’s probably because you may be drunk my good friend. You most likely are confused by double images of my water craft.”
He replied, “Indeed that is true. But that does not affect my driving ability or my acute vision. I easily compensate by expertly threading my speeding boat between the two visions.”
After that, I decided that rather than a bright paddle, I would be better served to tow an identical boat with a blow up doll in the drivers seat, attached by a 30 ft rope tow behind me. That would give him twice the targets and a 30 ft opening to ease through at speed. Of course, a detatchable rope to ensnare his propulsion.
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Aqua Bound has a article Kayak Paddles 101 that details the various options for their paddles. Its worth reading.