As it seems folks sometimes post looking for help choosing a paddle (and a few have e-mailed me) I thought I'd post my thoughts on a few of the main paddle manufacturers I've had experience with or knew folks who have had experience with....please post your thoughts below as well, and I'll add it all to the "paddles" section in a bit....
Here’s my opinion of the paddles I’ve tried or heard of:
1) Aquabound (no comment…some folks like them, but not many, and no creekers I know)
2) Backlund – never tried one, but rumored he can make them tough and last forever. Question weight to strength ratio for wood though. I hear it can take a while to receive one as well...supposedly worth the wait though!
3) Mitchell – I like my mitchells (wood shaft, wood core blade with carbon face or glass face, metal tips), but they’re too heavy. GREAT water feel though
4) Waterstick – Old ti shaft has been bomber, but it’s a bit heavy and COLD
5) Werner – nice light duty stuff, feel is nice, but I have yet to find a Werner I feel is heavy duty
6) Schlegal – my all time favorite (FGC Carbon with metal tip…19 oz), but they don’t make it any moreL.
7) Galasport – only tried one, one of the best water-feels I’ve felt, but was a bit small bladed and heavy I felt
8) Zaveral – my current in-production favorite. So light I wonder about durability, so I’m being careful for now. Quality is good structurally, ok cosmetically (resin “holes” in a few spots at the edges)
9) Rough Stuff. Light, yup, Durable, VERY so far. They’re demo shows them trying to chop wood with one, and driving over it. I don’t doubt it. Ok water feel (I term it a bit “blocky”), but for the durability and worry-freeness on rocky stuff the trade off has been fine.
10) Clinch River – I’ve heard a ton about these, but have never used them. Craig Smerda certainly swears by them though!
11) Echo (Andy Covey)-I rate this in the Bachlund category. NICE sticks, nice weight. I have one of the older ones, and the blade is too small. It is bigger on the newer sticks (a friend of mine has one, and they are NICE). I wouldn’t beat on it though…too pretty.
12) JimiStix –same category as Echo and Bachlund….
I think that’s most of them…I’m ignoring the obvious (Carlisle, Mohawk), and no longer in production (climax, norse, illiad).
Paddles ...
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Sir Adam
- CBoats.net Staff
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Paddles ...
Keep the C!
Adam
Adam
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ghetto johnny
- C Guru
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aqua bound c1 paddle
being a beginner i can not reference too many different paddles
but i borrowed a lighting paddle and a mitchell when i got the boat
bought a mohawk cheap paddle ($17) when i first started and switched to a aqua bound carbon edge 57"
i had a aqua bound kayak paddle when i switched to c1 and oc1
so i bought a carbon edge ($94)
light weight,pretty strong and a good warranty back up ,so i've heard , haven't had to use it
anyways that's just my experince with aqua bound
john c.
cincy,ohio
but i borrowed a lighting paddle and a mitchell when i got the boat
bought a mohawk cheap paddle ($17) when i first started and switched to a aqua bound carbon edge 57"
i had a aqua bound kayak paddle when i switched to c1 and oc1
so i bought a carbon edge ($94)
light weight,pretty strong and a good warranty back up ,so i've heard , haven't had to use it
anyways that's just my experince with aqua bound
john c.
cincy,ohio
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Craig Smerda
- L'Edge Designer
- Posts: 2815
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- Location: WaUSAu Wisconsin USA North America Earth, etc.
Thanks for compiling the current offerings Adam.
OPINION: Some manufacturers will make a paddle any way you want... but much like a piece of custom furniture or finely taylored suit... you will pay for it. Buying "off the rack" is alright for t-shirts but if you have specific needs and desires it's far more rewarding to deal with the folks that will actually make what you are paying for.
Clinch-river, Jimi-Stix, Mitchell and Bachlund (never tried yet). have craftsmen (pc> craftspeople?) that make each piece. These folks aren't getting rich by making 100 at a time. Each one has more pride than profit being returned to the folks that created them. I choose to support the craftsmen... it's simpler for me. Try calling Nike and asking them about making a pair of shoes that fit you... best of luck! (unless your name is Jordan!)
The brightest side of paddling... call a person on the phone like Bailey Johnson or John "Kaz" and tell them you want something made to your specifications... imagine that talking to a real live person and communicating directly with them... WILD but true. It can still be done.
Get what you want... as long is it only has one blade.
Craig
OPINION: Some manufacturers will make a paddle any way you want... but much like a piece of custom furniture or finely taylored suit... you will pay for it. Buying "off the rack" is alright for t-shirts but if you have specific needs and desires it's far more rewarding to deal with the folks that will actually make what you are paying for.
Clinch-river, Jimi-Stix, Mitchell and Bachlund (never tried yet). have craftsmen (pc> craftspeople?) that make each piece. These folks aren't getting rich by making 100 at a time. Each one has more pride than profit being returned to the folks that created them. I choose to support the craftsmen... it's simpler for me. Try calling Nike and asking them about making a pair of shoes that fit you... best of luck! (unless your name is Jordan!)
The brightest side of paddling... call a person on the phone like Bailey Johnson or John "Kaz" and tell them you want something made to your specifications... imagine that talking to a real live person and communicating directly with them... WILD but true. It can still be done.
Get what you want... as long is it only has one blade.
Craig
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bearboater
- CBoats Addict
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- Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2004 4:22 am
- Location: Phoenix, AZ
I have a Werner- Bandit and Nantahala, Galasport-Magnum Elite, a home made wooden whitewater stick, original design, spruce, cherry, cedar. My opinions are as follows:
Bandit-Fantastic tripping paddle, not the stiffest paddle(glass version) so it wont wear you out, rather after a while youll wear it out. especially along the lower corner where you do a pry or a J-stroke in rocky rivers.
Nantahala- bought this as a first whitewater paddle, didnt know what i was getting into, never seen spoon/curved blades before, so i got a "decent" straight shaft. Now i dont use it.
Gala- I got this for my C1, and it has by far the nicest catch of any paddle ive ever tried. I big thing i believe is the surface area toward the bottom of the blade, like a rectangle in the water, i just think its a hoot. I found it to be ridiculously light compared to the Werner, partly because of the carbon, and a different T-grip set up. And i love the stiffness mine has, it is right there when you need it, makes paddling alot more interesting, when you merely have to flick a wrist and huge results occur. I only wish i was a better C1er.
Homemade-well you make it how you like it, thats what i did.
Hopes this helps to add to the paddle page.
-isaac
Bandit-Fantastic tripping paddle, not the stiffest paddle(glass version) so it wont wear you out, rather after a while youll wear it out. especially along the lower corner where you do a pry or a J-stroke in rocky rivers.
Nantahala- bought this as a first whitewater paddle, didnt know what i was getting into, never seen spoon/curved blades before, so i got a "decent" straight shaft. Now i dont use it.
Gala- I got this for my C1, and it has by far the nicest catch of any paddle ive ever tried. I big thing i believe is the surface area toward the bottom of the blade, like a rectangle in the water, i just think its a hoot. I found it to be ridiculously light compared to the Werner, partly because of the carbon, and a different T-grip set up. And i love the stiffness mine has, it is right there when you need it, makes paddling alot more interesting, when you merely have to flick a wrist and huge results occur. I only wish i was a better C1er.
Homemade-well you make it how you like it, thats what i did.
Hopes this helps to add to the paddle page.
-isaac
Werner Bandit - Carbon
I absolutely love my Werner Carbon Bandit. It is incredibly light, stiff enough that I can put all of my (considerable) weight on it and it will hardly flex. Been using it 2-3 times a week for a year now on rocky southeastern class iv - iv+, and haven't noticed any significant wear.
One thing I have noticed about it though is the stiffness translates to more shoulder soreness, especially if I haven't been boating much - the performance of the paddle is worth it though!
Peter
One thing I have noticed about it though is the stiffness translates to more shoulder soreness, especially if I haven't been boating much - the performance of the paddle is worth it though!
Peter
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Joey
i have never used a bandit, but i know a lot of people who have had trouble with the t-grips coming a part. have many people had trouble with those paddle? i have always felt that they were a little to flimsy for my use. but then again i am really hard on paddles.
i totally agree with Craig on the custome paddles. all of the makers he mentioned are awsome. i have used several over the years and they are all great. talk to any one of them and they will be more than happy to set you up with something that fits your needs. they really arent that much more expensive than most other desent paddles. besides, it cool to support independent manufactures.
as for me, i break way to many paddles to drop $200 every time. the best bang for your buck that i have found is fluid technologies. i think they are something like $130 for the heavy lay up. its a super stiff paddle, and can take a knocking. ive used the one i have for over a year now, and its still together (thats a long time for me). its a MUCH better paddle than the werners and costs about the same. fluid is also an independent company. i know you can call and get thicked layups and things like that. there arent a lot of options for it though. they make a flat blade, and a curved blade. heres there website www.fluidpaddles.com/ --- joey
i totally agree with Craig on the custome paddles. all of the makers he mentioned are awsome. i have used several over the years and they are all great. talk to any one of them and they will be more than happy to set you up with something that fits your needs. they really arent that much more expensive than most other desent paddles. besides, it cool to support independent manufactures.
as for me, i break way to many paddles to drop $200 every time. the best bang for your buck that i have found is fluid technologies. i think they are something like $130 for the heavy lay up. its a super stiff paddle, and can take a knocking. ive used the one i have for over a year now, and its still together (thats a long time for me). its a MUCH better paddle than the werners and costs about the same. fluid is also an independent company. i know you can call and get thicked layups and things like that. there arent a lot of options for it though. they make a flat blade, and a curved blade. heres there website www.fluidpaddles.com/ --- joey
I too am rough on sticks - I mean I've broken more than one Norse... I'm not crazy about the shape of the T-grip, but I've adjusted to it. Mine has a wooden T - I think the regular bandits have a plastic one, I don't have any experience with those. I can literally put the blade on the ground and lean most of my weight into the stick, and it doesn't flex (or snap for that matter, which at my size says something!) Still I've been very happy with the way it's holding up, even after a very good bit of abuse.
It is way too expensive for my taste, several of my boats have cost less than what I paid for it, but I've really felt it was worth it. For comparison, over the last 20 years I've had 1 dagger wood paddle (last one produced by them I think), an old dagger fiberglass paddle, about 6 or 7 norse paddles, and a silver creek. I either wore the blades off of or broke all the norses, broke the silver creek, and still have the wood dagger paddle hanging on my wall (it was mine when I was 11 - much too short now, or I'd still be using it!)
Peter
It is way too expensive for my taste, several of my boats have cost less than what I paid for it, but I've really felt it was worth it. For comparison, over the last 20 years I've had 1 dagger wood paddle (last one produced by them I think), an old dagger fiberglass paddle, about 6 or 7 norse paddles, and a silver creek. I either wore the blades off of or broke all the norses, broke the silver creek, and still have the wood dagger paddle hanging on my wall (it was mine when I was 11 - much too short now, or I'd still be using it!)
Peter
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swriverstone
- C Boater
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- Location: Eugene, OR
I'm a die-hard Mitchell fan! I've been paddling with the same carbon-shaft, dowel-grip spoon-blade for well over a decade! About 7 years ago, the aluminum tip came out and the end of the blade got chewed up (the blade was the wooden one at that point). So I sent the whole thing back to Mitchell and asked if they could fix it. For $40-50, they completely covered the wood blade in carbon fiber, replaced the aluminum tip, and added fiberglass roping along the edges---it came back looking brand new---awesome!
I disagree that the carbon-shaft, carbon blade spoons are too heavy---if you think they are, paddle more!
Scott
PS - some folks talk about wanting really stiff paddles. I think having a bit of flex at the blade/shaft junction is a good thing---many times I've whacked a rock on a powerful catch and felt the paddle flex---I'm certain that flex absorbed the impact and kept the blading from breaking off.
I disagree that the carbon-shaft, carbon blade spoons are too heavy---if you think they are, paddle more!
Scott
PS - some folks talk about wanting really stiff paddles. I think having a bit of flex at the blade/shaft junction is a good thing---many times I've whacked a rock on a powerful catch and felt the paddle flex---I'm certain that flex absorbed the impact and kept the blading from breaking off.
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the great gonzo
- Paddling Benefactor
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- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 2:03 am
- Location: Montréal, Québec
I am no big fan of the werner bandit.
Wooden T grip ids way too flimsy, broke mine after 2 month on while running McKoys on the Ottawa
. not fun!
After 1 year I had 2 inches of wear at the tip and the blade material starts to delaminate near the throat area.
I love the shape of the shaft and the catch of the paddle though. I got it rebuil;t over the Winter and it is already starting to delaminate again.
My next paddle will definitely be something different.
martin
Wooden T grip ids way too flimsy, broke mine after 2 month on while running McKoys on the Ottawa
. not fun!After 1 year I had 2 inches of wear at the tip and the blade material starts to delaminate near the throat area.
I love the shape of the shaft and the catch of the paddle though. I got it rebuil;t over the Winter and it is already starting to delaminate again.
My next paddle will definitely be something different.
martin
Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing - Henry David Thoreau
Keith Backlund and Jimmy Snyder make the finest paddles available,
My first Backlund was bought off the shelf after paddling with it for two years we sacrificed it to the river gods in a bon fire. My next Backlund was custom made, fits like a glove and is over 19 years old, I had keith make annother so when one goes in for repair I have a backup. It may take a while to get one but they are well worth the wait.
My first Backlund was bought off the shelf after paddling with it for two years we sacrificed it to the river gods in a bon fire. My next Backlund was custom made, fits like a glove and is over 19 years old, I had keith make annother so when one goes in for repair I have a backup. It may take a while to get one but they are well worth the wait.
Paddles...
I'll still take a Mitchell Carbon Shaft/Wood Blade with roped edges.
My current one is very light, maybe a little bit stiff if I haven't been paddling in a while.
I havent tried the Jimistix or Backlund so I can't comment, but I don't really like the Werners - they are awfully similar to the old IIliad paddles.
My order of preference;
1) Mitchell Premier/Carbon Shaft
2) Silver creek (old style wooden tip)
3) Dagger wooden
4) Experimental Dagger composite - Best feel, but broke 4 in a week. (this was when Dagger was stil a paddle company)
The norse was great in a big canoe (OCA)
F
My current one is very light, maybe a little bit stiff if I haven't been paddling in a while.
I havent tried the Jimistix or Backlund so I can't comment, but I don't really like the Werners - they are awfully similar to the old IIliad paddles.
My order of preference;
1) Mitchell Premier/Carbon Shaft
2) Silver creek (old style wooden tip)
3) Dagger wooden
4) Experimental Dagger composite - Best feel, but broke 4 in a week. (this was when Dagger was stil a paddle company)
The norse was great in a big canoe (OCA)
F
DRAKKAR paddle
HI
Have a look also on DRAKKAR paddle too. It is basicly an very responsive and very fast blade with awe. slalom feel. It has improved power and strenght for Gala 3M ...
Bill Reap can get you one for test. I know many Slalom backrounded freestylers use it.
Have a look also on DRAKKAR paddle too. It is basicly an very responsive and very fast blade with awe. slalom feel. It has improved power and strenght for Gala 3M ...
Bill Reap can get you one for test. I know many Slalom backrounded freestylers use it.
I used a Werner Nantahela (sp?) for a few years untill the blade broke at the bottom of the shaft. Seen a few more broken like that since.
Replaced it with a Mitchel whitewater premium, all wood and glass with the rope edges and aluminum tip. I like this one a lot better than the Werner. The first thing I noticed was the ballance. the Werner is blade heavy. The Mitchel is just sweet, and tough, and pretty.
Replaced it with a Mitchel whitewater premium, all wood and glass with the rope edges and aluminum tip. I like this one a lot better than the Werner. The first thing I noticed was the ballance. the Werner is blade heavy. The Mitchel is just sweet, and tough, and pretty.
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Louie
Clinch River
I have one of the first six he built. I used it till I heard that Snuffy had lost his wich was the last one besides mine that was still in service. I refinished mine and hung it on the wall and haven't used it since.
The good new about Clinch river is he no longer makes sissy stick so you won't ever have to wait on a really blade while he is work on a pod paddle.
The good new about Clinch river is he no longer makes sissy stick so you won't ever have to wait on a really blade while he is work on a pod paddle.
kaz
My all time favorite is a Mitchell carbon shaft/carbon blade. You just can't beat it for price and performance. There is no other...........except for maybe the Zaveral Power Curve. I really love the feel and lightweight blade of this paddle. It's currently my first choice.
kaz
kaz