OK it’s time to start shopping. I’m looking for a good wing paddle, don’t want to break the bank on it but realize the price range involved. For sea kayaking, mostly day trips but a good amount of weekend and weeklong trips.
The ones I’m aware of:
Onno
Simon River
Lendal Kinetic
Epic
Flyer
Recommendations? Any others I should look for?
ONNO
I’ve got two wings and a “Feather” that Patrick built for me. All works of art and reasonably priced.
Pat’s a great guy, knowledgeable, an artist with carbon fiber, has a great kid and a beautiful wife.
ONNO (nm)
ONNO
I love my mine, one wing and one “normal”. Can’t really comapre to the others though, as I tried an ONNO first and like it so much I just quit looking at others.
ONNO
four in this household.
Cheers,
JackL
Epic is hard to beat
Onno are great -Epic “wing” paddles are just outstanding- very hard to go wrong with them. I would say 9 out of 10 surfski paddlers uses Epic.
Just my two cents.
Note: to be able to call and get a “like custom made” paddle in just a few days,…, it’s pretty good.
Lendal
Some stores may have some Lendal stock left but you don’t know whether it is Johnson Control or previous. I would not go there even though I have Lendal paddles (older) and like them. It is probably going to be a year before new Lendal paddles are on the market and who knows about compatibility with the past. I would go with Onno myself but Epic is certainly well regarded.
two more
I like my Bracsa IV min, but if you pay full retail, you will be sad. Maybe you can find one used?
While in Hungary, I bought a Kajner 1S (similar to the Bracsa VIII min). It’s nicely made, and it was very cheap, especially while the exchange rate was favorable (as it is again now). But I don’t think he has a U.S. dealer, and the shipping for a one-off would probably be expensive. www.kajner.hu for more.
Mark
thanks everyone, and another question
I paddle often in rocky areas so landing can be a bit rough on a paddle. I suppose I could stow the wing and use the spare for landing, but how does durability factor into a paddle decision?
You want tough or you want light -
Can’t have both, but you can tip the balance one way or another, depending on what you do most. If traveling long distances - go for the lightest you can afford and have a spare of a different kind (a GP?) for those tougher times.
thanks, that’s kind of my thought
I’d like to find a reasonably priced two-piece GP to put on deck.