C-Forum

Eli, or anyone else with an informed opinion, what are your thoughts on the bend shaft (inline blade) H2O paddle? I saw a pic of you paddling one and thought I'd get your input before I look hard at Sawyer Venoms again... my wrist needs the bend for comfort- recovering from a broken wrist that bothers me with a straight shaft..

Key questions- was the bend positioned properly on the shaft? seems to my uneducated eye that it was really close to the blade and if memory serves me right, the Venom's bend was a bit higher...

My bent shaft Werner Double Diamond training blades did wonders for my comfort when buttboating... hoping this will help in the C boat.

Blade strength? Control grip comfort? Flex? Info on these aspects of the Venom would really help too...Many thanks to anyone that can help. Since I can't demo I have to rely on the opinion of those in the know before I order...

Hi

I used H2o blades for a while. Though I have now swapped to mitchell (the UK ones not the US ones)
I quite liked the H20 shaft I have to say but I was paddling C1 freestyle boats so the short shaft and the close grip were fine. Not sure if the grip is in different postitions but with my paddles (all under 142cm) the grip was very close to the blade. I don't think I could go back to straight shafts at all I have tendonitis in my elbows and wrists, paddling with a straight shaft is agony!

The H20 blades are very very tough, mine has taken some very hard knocks. Not as powerful as the carbon mitchells I'm using instead though. However 2 of the 3 paddles I used the blades fell off cos they werent glued on properly. The grips, personally I don't like them and they give me blisters but several other paddlers I know swear by them, personally I prefer just a normal carbon grip.
Can't help with venoms as I have never used one, hope this helps.

I don't know if Echo makes a bent shaft as you describe, but their latest paddle (Concept) is a phenomenal paddle. I'll be posting a full review once I get some more river time with it. So far I am very, very impressed.

Thanks for the info guys, that helps. I know a few people who have H2O kayak paddles who've cut off the rubber grip and say its much better without it.

How was the H2O warranty?

I don't think Echo makes bent-shaft paddles, but Andy does everything custom and by-hand, so it might be worth asking!

Smurfwarrior wrote:Thanks for the info guys, that helps. I know a few people who have H2O kayak paddles who've cut off the rubber grip and say its much better without it.

How was the H2O warranty?

The h2o canoe bent shaft is just the end of their kayak shaft mated with a straight section (we compared). So if you have access to one of those kayak paddles you can get a feel for the canoe paddle. I have a straight but the bent felt pretty sweet to me.
all of my blades have loosened up but I reglued them myself with the h20 recommended Devcon Plastic Welder II and they never loosened up again.
Even with the glue issue I would buy another in a heartbeat.

Larry Horne wrote:

Smurfwarrior wrote:Thanks for the info guys, that helps. I know a few people who have H2O kayak paddles who've cut off the rubber grip and say its much better without it.

How was the H2O warranty?

The h2o canoe bent shaft is just the end of their kayak shaft mated with a straight section (we compared). So if you have access to one of those kayak paddles you can get a feel for the canoe paddle. I have a straight but the bent felt pretty sweet to me.
all of my blades have loosened up but I reglued them myself with the h20 recommended Devcon Plastic Welder II and they never loosened up again.
Even with the glue issue I would buy another in a heartbeat.

They do not epoxy the blades on.

They use regular holt melt glue.

There reason for that so they can replace a blade easy.

I know both my and my sons kayak paddles (yes when i was on the darkside) have come off and one of them is still off.

I know Gonzo used an H20 for a long time but not sure if he still does.

As far as warranty goes ... not sure any more as i think their has been a change in management a few times within their organizination.

Also found this ... Steve was the designer of H20 paddles

You can read between the lines

http://www.boatwerks.net/boater-board/1/10276

I have an H20 paddle and it's been pretty bomber. Not the bent shaft one.

Having said that, I will probably break it this weekend.

the bentshaft was designed for C1 freestyle- with that wide green blade. So if you are in that department It can vbe a fine balde. I do not think that it is nice in oc.


I use the paddle as butbaoter and the straight shaft in OC. Both are bomber (I should not say this.)

I work for a dealer of h2o and had contact with steve and dynaplas before and after the split. Warranty remains the same. I had some clients with problems and a lot with none. Unfortunatly there is no patern in the problems.

Regarding glue a number of epoxy glues do become fluid around 100 C. Not sure aboout the Devcon welder (it is not afaileble over here. SO I can not check 100%.

i like the paddles (I can use other bradns as well. but I like these a lot.

My experience is warranty service was good when Steve was there. They were non responsive for me after he left.
Steve is the one that had me use Devcon Plastic Welder II (not devcon plastic welder) to re-glue my blade. That glue lasted well over a year, and if I had not lost that paddle I'm sure I'd still be using it.
It works. Get an h2o and order some of the glue at the same time
Great paddles for rocky rivers.

You migh also consider Ophion Paddles. THEY MAKE about three different canoe paddles some bent shaft. I tried one out and it felt pretty good, very light strong but also very stiff, carbon fiber. Very reasonably priced.

D-Caption

I just used the bent shaft waterstick for the first time at team trials on Brennan's Wave. I really liked the blade for playboating. I have been using a straight shaft for 25 years, so the bend took some getting used to. It felt like I had to almost do a pushup to get my roll. I am sure that I would get used to this, but I was surprised by the variance required in my technique. I liked it enough to compete with instead of my beater bandit, but I haven't dropped any cash on one yet. Joe Langman used to make a bent shaft with only one bend near the blade, and I really liked it.

D-Caption wrote:You migh also consider Ophion Paddles. THEY MAKE about three different canoe paddles some bent shaft. I tried one out and it felt pretty good, very light strong but also very stiff, carbon fiber. Very reasonably priced.

D-Caption

They make two, the brute and the wand (predictably the brute is a mahoosive creekstick, and the wand is a smaller [but still large] blade more suited to playboating), my friend has a wand and it's a very nice blade indeed, it seems quite thin and flimsy compared to a Werner Bandit or Double Dutch Mitchell [based on the Premier's design] (the only other pressure moulded canoe paddles I know of) though.

If you're considering the central european paddles, Galasport (manufacturers of all things slalom, and then some) produce some lovelly blades available on two types of bentshaft (or straight) with a range from ultralightweight slalom blades, up to seriously reinforced creeksticks.

There's also a one man company in Nottingham called Vertical Element (look him up under that name on Facebook) who makes Hollowformed Prepreg blades on a range of shafts, It's run by Stu Morris (Who was quite the demon on the C1 freestyle circuit and remains a very tidy canoist) but I'm not sure if he's got a canoe paddle into production yet though.

EDIT: I've spoken to Stu, he is making a C1 paddle, full carbon for £135 (which is $205 today according to xe.com) I'm waiting to hear if he can offer them in a bent shaft version.

That ends my daily session of Kit-Geekery.

Josh are you sure...I thought VE was the love child of Stu Morris, ex GBR C1 team