C-Forum

Sierra Trading post has some AB paddles in stock. I'm considering them for my boys. They are probably about grown out of their 50" paddles. I don't want a paddle that has too much "grab" and these look like they can not really be trimmed down very well. That is my concern.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/search ... rchWithin=

fer 60 bucks caint be too bad for kids.

BTW see yer in Wexford, where ya git ta paddlin most?

Not my favorite looking or feeling paddle, get one of Aquabounds Edge- they can be trimmed down. I trimmed a blade down for my 11 year old last year and it turned out great.

Better yet, write an email to Aquabound telling them they need to make a smaller blade and shaft version of the Edge for women and children.

At the same time send a letter to your Drysuit company encouraging them to make affordable drysuit for kids. My kids had the Kokatat kids paddle suit and it was a good suit for the purpose but had some flaws.

Proper kids gear is marketing not sales, make the gear, make sure its affordable and you will have life long customers. How many drysuits you think a paddler will own in their lifetime if they start wearing a drysuit at 10 instead of 25 or so???

Typically head for the Slippery Rock. Still learning the ropes and haven't run the entire lower yough yet. This year, I hope. Wife and kids so I have limited opportunities. How 'bout you?

Brian,

I have an Aqua Bound carbon shaft, carbon-reinforced blade paddle, but not that model.

Mine has a spoon-shaped blade and I think is "The Edge" model: http://www.aquabound.com/product_type/Canoe

It looks as if the shaft and grip are the same.

My paddle has a pronounced "rib" on the back face of the blade where the shaft continues down the blade as reinforcement. This makes the paddle slice through the water less smoothly on an in water recovery.

Overall, it is a decent paddle, not stellar. For the price advertised I would say it is a good buy.

Thanks,

On the advice here I started searching for the AB Edge. Looks like they aren't sold many places. NOC apparently has them for $89. Still looking ....

I may also replace their Grey Owl Scouts with new ones. They aren't a bad paddle for kids. Very light, inexpensive and have a nice feel for the $.

clarion that black paddle is mine. had it for 2 yrs now, love it.

The 8" Odyssey was only on the market for a year. Blade size is way too big for general touring, and whitewater paddlers prefer the Edge.

If you're buying it for an adult to have massive bite on the water, it's a great price. For kids, not so good. You won't be able to trim it down without changing the blade shape, and with the reinforcement ridges along the edges that's not good.

I bought one of the 56" paddles and was very surprised when I tried it in the pool tonight. Based on the blade size being nearly identical I bought this thinking it would make a good backup paddle. The quality of the paddle is good, but there was a lot less bite than my Werner Bandit. I would have no problem handing it off to a kid or a smaller paddler.

I like it enough to keep it, and for the price I think it is great.

Kyle

don't buy the odyssey. Its edges make slicing very inefficient and the catch is nonexistent also. Your kids will not enjoy getting their technique wasted from day 1. I paddled an Edge, which is great, an older non-curved AB paddle, great too and have an odyssey which I plan on using the shaft to glue in a wood blade I am working on now. the blade (of the non-carbon version at least) of the Odyssey is very weak, it flexes under every stroke... maintaining boat control or forward speed is totally inefficient.

A lot of people wonder how this came out of AB's factory, but alas, the owner is a sea kayak background and I doubt the designer of the Odyssey has any knowledge of canoe paddling stroe mechanics or aquadynamics...