Paddle Recommendation, Please!

[acwatkins]

Me and my buddy went out to triadelphia from the pig tail launch today and tried to beat the storms. Epic failure!!!!! Fished for about 2 hours and the skies opened up; thunder, lightning and all. They never closed either...... We pulled over hoping the rain would stop and it only got worse. Eventually we just had to bail water from the kayaks and paddle in. When we got back to the launch the small creek was now a ripping river. As we got closer, to the lauch area it got to the point we couldn't overcome the current. A nice ripper got me pretty good and i almost flipped over. We paddled to the "shore" and got out, pulling the kayaks and trudging through a hefty 3' mud slop. Then once again a nice ripper snatched not only my paddle but my buddy's paddle too. We just got back and i was wondering does anyone recommend a nice new paddle to buy? We are trying to go fishing again tomorrow to take another storm head on but i dont want to get a random paddle i would rather have some prior knowledge before i go in. Thanks yall

[Hobie angler 25]

be safe out there bud y'all are to wild for me to face a storm. but i love werner paddles anything they make is nice they go from 150 to 300 i think haven't had to buy one in some time. good luck and be safe paddling.

[Salty Dog]

+1 for Werner, also recommend a paddle leash.

[On the fly]

Bending branches angler pro

[FishMoken]

There are a lot of great paddles out there. What really comes into factor is budget. If you can get at least a fiberglass paddle you will be in good shape. Carbon fiber will save you more weight but usually will run upwards of $400+. Werner, bending branches, aqua bound all make really great paddles. Also another option to look for is an adjustable length paddle. If you end up buying another kayak it pays to have this feature.


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[Mark]

That was certainly a memorable outing. Losing your paddles was unfortunate but it sounds like you were on the edge of potentially a more serious loss.

I use a $100 Bending Branches Sunrise paddle at 240 cm in my Ultimate 12. It has a fiberglass shaft and weighs 35 oz. The carbon shaft paddles and other high-end paddles are indeed more expensive but they save you weight -- 5 oz. or even more. That may not sound like much but when you think about how often you lift and pull your paddle on a typical outing those extra ounces add up.

However, for now the Sunrise model works fine for me. Eventually, I am going to buy a Bending Branches Angler Pro or a high end Werner paddle.

In the interim to add to my paddle's comfort in my hands, I added Yakgrips to it. They greatly ease the pressure on my hands during paddling and they provide at least temporary flotation to the paddle. I haven't tested their flotation properties for long. But they prevent it from immediately sinking.

[J.A. Veil]

When buying a paddle, consider the following factors:

- length of shaft (relates to the width of the kayak and how you paddle)
- weight of paddle (relates to materials -- aluminum, plastic, fiberglass, carbon)
- shape of blade (relates to paddling style - horizontal or vertical)

I started with a heavy paddle with aluminum shaft and plastic blades. My second paddle had a fiberglass shaft and plastic blades. My current paddle is all carbon fiber (stiff and light). It is a Werner Ikelos.

[EMSer01]

Werner Shuna. It is nice and light but has enough backbone to overcome big water and / or big loads. It is not cheap, but you get what you pay for


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[Hobie angler 25]

Also just a thought I saw on eBay there's many hobie paddles for under 100 bucks it's the one that comes free with hobies and to be honest it's a decent paddle it's light and holds up well it's nothing high end but I know guys that use them all day with no issues


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[DOGFISH]

Bending Branches makes nice paddles. The one reason I mention this is that West Marine has the carbon fiber Navigator on clearance at $100 off. This is the carbon fiber paddle with the wooden blades. It is not only an extremely lite paddle, it is a beautiful paddle. I think the final price is around $209.

[Hobie angler 25]

That's a steal dogfish not bad at all


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[Rudy]

And a leash with the new paddle to protect your investment. Use some bungee cord and make your own with some length and can be used as a tether to attach to front for wade fishing or as a drag for that muddy portage.




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[Slobber Bob]

Why not just buy the same paddle you lost? Unless you didn't like it anyway?

I started with Carlisle paddles and had two of them snap. They both wore out at the connect and started to get a bend in them until they finally snapped. They are good to have as a spare, but I'd avoid them for everyday use.

I've been using a Bending Branches Scout since and it's been great!

[acwatkins]

Thanks for all of the input guys! I ended up grabbing an Ascend tournament series from BassPro for a little over $80. Huge upgrade from the aluminum/heavy plastic clunker I lost. The new one is only 35ozs. Can't wait to get out and put it too the test!


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