New Paddle Suggestions

[Dave.E]

My Aqua Bound Edge is showing some pretty good wear on the shaft. I'm thinking it is time to upgrade and maybe get the edge converted to a break down.

Looking for some suggestions... First thought is to go to a Werner Bandit. Is there any real point going full carbon to save the 57 grams? Is the glass just as strong?

[Shep]

I haven't paddled with the full carbon, but I think the galss might be stronger. I believe the shafts are identical, and only the blade is different. Werners wear away like a pencil, but better than breaking, delaminating, etc...

[milkman]

In my experience, the fiberglass blade on a Bandit wears faster than the carbon blade. If you like a paddle with flex like the Aquabound, I've been impressed by my wife's H2O C1 paddle. http://www.h2opaddles.com/wwpaddles/c1. It's tough and has good power. Cost was around $185, I think.

If you want a really tough big carbon blade, check out the Foxworx Whitewater 3. This is a paddle with some serious power. Its cons are that it's very stiff and heavy. Bandits feel like feathers in comparison.

[Todhunter]

In my experience, the fiberglass blade on a Bandit wears faster than the carbon blade. If you like a paddle with flex like the Aquabound, I've been impressed by my wife's H2O C1 paddle. http://www.h2opaddles.com/wwpaddles/c1. It's tough and has good power. Cost was around $185, I think.

If you want a really tough big carbon blade, check out the Foxworx Whitewater 3. This is a paddle with some serious power. Its cons are that it's very stiff and heavy. Bandits feel like feathers in comparison.

I have grown to like my Foxworx Whitewater 3 paddle. I find it less stiff than the Carbon Werner Bandit I have. Plus, at $150, you can't beat the price for a wood shafted paddle. The Foxworx t-grip is a little weird to get used to at first. The blade wears about like my Carbon Bandit...maybe wears a little bit slower even.

However, for saving my shoulder from pain, there is nothing like my custom built wood paddles from Zap Paddles. I liked my first one so much I bought another so that I can still paddle with one when the other is having maintenance done. Very durable, and very easy on my shoulders. Like all custom sticks though, not cheap.

[DougB]

Dave if you're interested to try before you buy I've got several different paddles (Michell/Echo's/Shaggy) you can test out if you want to consider something other than a Werner. I'll be at the Gorge Wednesday PM's starting next week and can bring something along.

[Dave.E]

Cool! Thanks man. You've gotta be like two feet taller than me though haha. What size paddle do you usually use?

[milkman]

One more comment on the Foxworx. They're willing to customize. In ordering my latest (third) paddle from them, I mentioned that the reason I was buying another was the blade was getting too worn. The new one they sent me has a thicker layup at the end of the blade.

[Mike W.]

I like my Mitchell Premier curved blades. I have one w/ a wood shaft & another w/ a carbon shaft. They have big blades w/ a lot of bite. When the going gets tough & I need all the purchase I can get, I use my Mitchells.

Sometimes that bite is too much for my old shoulders, so I had Jim Snyder build me a River Styk. He'll build whatever you want. I wanted a little more flex & a little less bite. Jim made an awesome paddle for me, not for the market. It's awesome to go to his shop, discuss woods, shapes & how you want your River Styk to perform. http://www.rivrstyx.com/html/single_blades.html

[GSG]

A word of caution, the blade on the h20 paddles have lots of flex, noticeably more than the Edge I tried. They are tough paddles though. I'd buy another one if they could stiffen it up a bit.

I'm using a h20 c1 now but my next paddle will either be an edge, to save money, or a Mitchell if I feel like splurging.

[DougB]

Mine are 58" and 59". Probably a bit long but you can get a feel for them

[Larry Horne]

...the flex in the h2o blade is very much like suspension on a mountain bike. it's not for everyone, but I happen to LOVE it.

[GSG]

...the flex in the h2o blade is very much like suspension on a mountain bike. it's not for everyone, but I happen to LOVE it.

Fair enough, and to be honest 95% of the time it doesn't bother me. However, the times I do notice it are when I really need power... when I'm fighting to get on a wave, stuck in a hole or desperately trying to dodge something scary. I'm not even sure I'm losing much, it just isn't confidence inspiring.

[valhallalongboats]

As far as the Werner Bandit goes, I will probably never own a different blade. They do wear fairly quickly, but they are strong. I've never bothered to go carbon, but the glass Werner Bandit is the only paddle I've ever owned that I've never broken. I am big, and pretty strong, I used to go through paddles like you can't believe. Usually i would snap them on a forward stroke. I've broken 2 mitchells, 2 bob footes, a whitesell, an H20, my first paddle (a Lightning), and a few other off-brands. The Werner is the only paddle I've never been able to snap...though the blade on one of them is starting to look a lil strange from wearing it off!

Rob

[ohioboater]

This'll probably meet with the same indifference as the dunnage bags suggestion, since it involves using non-boating gear, but to keep a Bandit blade from wearing down, buy a $2 pack of door edge trim guard from an auto parts store and cut a strip long enough to cover the bottom of the blade and maybe 3" up each side. You'll have to replace the strip occasionally, but your paddle will not wear.

I've owned the same Bandit for 10 years now, and the blade is the same length and shape as when it was new. Ugly as #$%^ at this point, but not worn down.

[milkman]

I tried the edge guard trick on a Bandit and kept getting it caught on rocks. After two flips, I chiseled it off ... so I don't think I'd recommend that personally.