Cataract or Carlisle Oars

[laughing water]

They are more costly than the Carlisles. Up front! Consider, however, that if you damage your oar, Cataract will sell you the damaged component and you can easily and cheaply repair your oar. With Carlisle, under their new owners Johnson Outdoors , you will have to shell out another $100 to replace the whole oar. Plus, Cataracts are lighter and stronger than Carlisle. I know. I have a set of both.

[laughing water]

What an odd comment. Cataract oars are famous for, among other things, coming in at about half the weight of Carlisles. And, that same rock would have irreparably bent the Carlisle.

Originally Posted by Mut

The cataract oars seem to me to be very heavy and too expensive. I have used carlisle for 15 years and they have worked great. I have never broke a carlisle oar.

I borrowed a freinds raft a few weeks ago when my family was in town. My borhter in law was rowing the borrowed boat and hit a rock sideways on the grizzly stretch. The oars on the boat were cataract's and the spare oar that took the brunt of the hit snapped in two. The the blade side of the broken oar sank to the bottom. Luckily it was clear enough to see the oar and I retrieved the blade.

From reading the other posts I'd say go with what feels good (if you have a change to try them).

If you can you should try the oars on your frame. Different frames have different effects on the oars. And size does matter. If you have a narrow boat don't get a long oar or it will be very heavy.