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![]() ![]() I forgot to mention that I have the ferrule (TLC) version, which allows me to feather the blades at 0, 30, 45, and 60 degrees. So I switched paddles with him as we were making our way back to shore and he noticed a huge difference in terms of performance and ease that the lighter paddle provided. My friend and I went on the Mohawk river near lock 7 and he was pooped out from using the aluminum paddle on our way back. The only caveat with the hybrid version is that it weighs slightly more than the pure carbon version.įrom my experience between the Sea Eagle aluminum paddles and the carbon hybrid from Aqua-bound its definitely worth getting a carbon shaft paddle. Oddly enough the carbon hybrid (carbon shaft with fiberglass blades) is technically more durable than the pure carbon blade and shaft. If your wife want's something light, then I would recommend anything with a carbon shaft. I have the Aqua-Bound String Ray Carbon Hybrid, which is basically similar to the Manta Ray version, except slightly smaller blades. I think it would help for her to be able to physically experience how bigger is not always better. What would be ideal (besides some added instruction in technique) would be to get out paddling during a local regatta or with a group, where there are a lot of different blades she could borrow and try. Both have narrow tapered blades that are about 50% longer and 30% narrower than most standard blade paddles. In fact, I grew to prefer it even with that boat.Įven staying with a standard paddle, the two I find are most comfortable and fastest of the many “regular” paddles I own, are a vintage two-piece wooden Walden and a Voyageur brand fiberglass. Maybe that seems goofy with a Pungo, but I used my 213 cm GP with a 25" beam Feathercraft Kahuna when I had one. ![]() ![]() Even compared to using good form with a standard blade paddle like a Camano (which I used to carry as a spare), I find I can paddle just as fast and for much longer without tiring, with a Greenland paddle (at the faster cadence the light stick allows). I suspect what she may need more than a larger blade paddle is some good instruction and maybe even a smaller blade paddle. You say she wants to “power the boat along” more yet you also say she “gets tired quickly as it is.” A larger blade (as you also seem to realize) will NOT solve her paddling issues and may create more of them. Werners are a tad lighter, but i found their blade shape works very smoothly in the water, check them out as well. On a side note this spring i also tried an H20 crystalX carbon paddle, and it is the best feeling paddle i’ve ever used. Since BB bought out aquabound a while ago, i don’t know if they offer the plus ferrule yet in any of the aquabound models, but if they do definetly take a look at it, if there is nothing in a model you want see if bending branches has anything in the range. After a while i tried a friends Bending Branches Slice (the full carbon chaft, abs/carbon blade model no longer available) and it had the plus ferrule, which i loved where a switch from boat to boat alot. To me it felt like if i got a big blade and really took a hard dig it flexed and felt like i had to back off a little. When i first started i had a few different aquabounds of various blades and materials, but then when i stepped up to the carbon version i didn’t like the flex of the aquabound ferrule system. ![]()
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