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Beginner Question about Paddles

3K views 8 replies 9 participants last post by  Le Mitch 
#1 ·
I have been out of the water for a few years given where I was living, but have recently moved to CO and am buying a boat on Friday. I have been looking around and researching paddles and was wondering, with very little skill, will I notice any difference between an entry level paddle (Werner Desporado) and a high performace paddle (Werner Powerhouse/Powerhouse Carbon)? I have climbed for many years and know that some of the more performance based gear would not get utilized by a beginner before they were more proficent at the sport. Is this the same with paddles, should I just get the Desporado and in a year or two upgrade once I know what I want? Or is it worth the extra few bucks to get a nicer paddle now?

Sorry if this is a repost, I tried searching but could not find what I was looking for.
 
#2 ·
You will get varying answers on this. I look at every paddle as something I will break or lose, and so have been hesitant to go top shelf. Demo a few and you will get a feel for the differences and also will get a feel for which offset angle works best for you. Werners have been good performers for me over the years, AT's have a better feel in my opinion, but have been known to get water in them which if you read the threads here is a big pain to deal with. The other brands I have had are no longer made.

Good luck
 
#4 ·
Good question. I would agree with Canada to not go top-shelf because you are more likely to lose it as a beginning kayaker. If you go low-end you will probably want a new paddle in about a season.

I would suggest going middle of the road with a fiberglass paddle like the side-kick or powerhouse. Demo a bent shaft too see if it is for you.

Finally, check around mountainbuzz and craigslist, there are usually a few used paddles for sale...
 
#5 ·
Ah soo paddles...the eternal problem. The basic deal is any paddle will move you forward in the water. I also agree with Canada in that paddles, especially for someone just starting out, are the easiest major piece of equipment to lose. The only argument I can see for a top-shelf stick is they often have foam core blades (to lighten the paddle and your wallet) and this will help keep the paddle on the surface a bit better than one with just a hollow shaft. If you don't want to drop the cash, a mid line fiberglass blade/shaft with a bright blade (i.e. the werner player) will be more durable on those occasional rock braces and bottom rolls that every beginner makes from time to time. When I started out I broke more paddles than I lost and the upgrade will be worth it. Learning to keep that death grip on your paddle is a useful skill when youre upside down and having a slightly more expensive paddle motivated me not to drop it. Other than that, try as many as you can get your hands on. I recommend bent shaft, they're way more ergonomic than straight shaft.
 
#6 ·
I broke lots of cheap paddles until I got my warner carbon fiber. I will never look back. They are lighter, stronger and much more durable. The paddle will still get lost if I let go of it.....I never let go of it though....I haven't lost one yet. They day I do I will buy another.....
 
#8 ·
Everyone has dropped some pretty good advice. I'll just say that for reasons Canada & Caspermike mentioned, I ended up doing what Casper said which was cheap for the first few years.

I actually went with the Desperado and it has served me quite well. I've slapped the hell out of some serious rocks, gotten it caught under rocks and stopped myself from windowshading hard with those blades and they're holding up. I'm a pretty big guy known to destroy equipment so the fact that it's lasted this long is amazing. I think it's because Werner put the two support pieces on the back. A lot of the other cheaper (and more expensive) paddles with plastic blades are just the thin blade itself. And I've seen a lot of those break.

I finally decided to step up to a nicer paddle this season. Werner bent-shaft carbon Side Kick with a 15 degree feather. I'm having a little trouble with bent shaft on my on-side roll but my off-side has never been better and from what everyone has told me it just takes a few days using the bent shaft before you get used to it.

Guess my recommendation is not to get the absolute cheapest. The desperado makes a great starter. It performs well enough for starting out. If you break it or lose it then you're not out that much and it's a good paddle to have as a backup or pass on to a friend getting started.
 
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