Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

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Longliner
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Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by Longliner »

Any suggestions on a good upgrade from the aqua bound stingray in the $300 to 500 range?
Something that will get a #300 guy moving quick, lol. I like the feel of the bent handles but never actually used one. I have a WR 13.5 and the aqua bound paddle just doesn't get me moving as quick as I would like and it takes a sustained effort to keep me going. Any info would help thx
SWFinatic
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Re: Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by SWFinatic »

Never used one but the bent carbon fiber paddles Academy has don't look bad. Looks like they're on sale now too.

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/magell ... yak-paddle
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Prof. Salt
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Re: Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by Prof. Salt »

I've used a Werner Kalliste ($399) for four years now and put well over 1200 miles on it, and I love how much better I feel after paddling all day compared to the heavier options. I just ordered a bent shaft version of the Kalliste ($490) to lessen the stress on my hands over long miles. Others told me I needed a larger blade, but I find the smaller blade works very well at higher rpm if I need more power, but it never hurts my elbows and is easy to pull through the water even after paddling for hours.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by Ron Mc »

If you want the larger-blade Werner, it's the Coryvecken, and it's the largest blade area offered on a kayak paddle by anyone.
The shape is also made for high-angle power-paddling instead of low-angle touring.
Kalliste is the largest-blade-area touring paddle Werner makes.
(Camano is the mid-size Werner touring blade.)
What bent shaft gains you is always placing your hands in the right place on the shaft.
Werner blade design beats everybody else for turning effort into distance.

The straight-shaft Werner paddles with fiberglass blades are effectively the same weight as the bent shaft all-carbon Werners, and $200 cheaper.
I have a straight-shaft Coreyvecken, and a bent-shaft Camano and like them both, but have found really efficient hulls tend to steer excessively with the Coreyvecken (not my T160, it's perfect with the big paddle). The Kalliste should deliver more speed without over-steering.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Mon Jul 08, 2019 5:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Heatstroke
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Re: Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by Heatstroke »

For low angle paddling the Werner Kalliste. For high angle paddling the Werner Ikelos. The bent shaft is the really nice.

http://www.wernerpaddles.com/paddles/co ... 07/226/198
Longliner
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Re: Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by Longliner »

I noticed Werner paddles have glass blades which im assuming comes with a carbon straight or bent shaft for $100 less. Weight of the all carbon vs glass is minimal. Would the glass option lack in noticable performance? Would it be a good option?
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Ron Mc
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Re: Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by Ron Mc »

I mentioned I have a bent-shaft all-carbon Camano, which is the Perfect paddle on my little Kestrel.
I also have the glass-blade, straight-carbon-shaft Coryvecken, which is the Perfect paddle with my T160.
They weigh almost exactly the same within an ounce.
There's $200 difference between the cost of these two. I found my Coryvecken for $220 at outdoorplay.com with an added coupon discount bringing it down to $200 with free shipping, which was a no-brainer purchase.

If you can justify the $500 for the bent-shaft all-carbon, do it.

The shape of the Werner fiberglass blade and carbon blade in the same model is identical.
The swing weight of the glass is a little heavier, which you might notice on a longer shaft, but if you look at one of these paddles, they're still quite lightweight.
Image
Last edited by Ron Mc on Tue Aug 27, 2019 3:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Longliner
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Re: Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by Longliner »

Thanks for the info guys I'm leaning towards the coryvecken bent shaft glass blade.
I have a aqua bound stingray which is considered a touring paddle just wanted something to get me up to speed a bit quicker
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Re: Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by Longliner »

15666112639735682261970088003517.jpg
Just arrived today, I couldn't pass on the deal it was on sale saved a bunch.
Aqua bound whiskey carbon bent super light high angle. Hoping it will turn my WS ride135 into a fisha555 lol
bar2157
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Re: Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by bar2157 »

So after reading through this and other threads, I decided to take the plunge and replaced my Bending Branches aluminum/plastic paddle with a Werner Camano full carbon straight shaft. The day after it arrived, I took it out on a 6-7 mile BTB trip and could not believe the difference it makes! At only 26 oz. for the 240cm Camano carbon, it felt almost weightless by comparison. The difference was truly night and day. I had zero soreness and could have easily extended my trip by another couple miles or more had the thunderstorms not chased me back to shore. I appreciate the feedback from others that finally pushed me over the edge to make the investment. :clap:

Also, Steep and Cheap and ACK have a great sale on their paddles right now if anyone else is on the fence and needs a little nudge. Even the Kalliste is on sale......
https://www.steepandcheap.com/paddles
https://www.austinkayak.com/211002/Touring-Paddles
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Ron Mc
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Re: Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by Ron Mc »

those are Really good prices.
Congrats on your new paddle - another Werner convert.
Longliner
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Re: Excellent btb kayak paddles between $300 and $500?

Post by Longliner »

Congrats on the new Werner Camano , Im enjoying the heck out of my aqua bound whiskey paddle. These all carbon paddles are soo light that they put little strain on your upper body and with the bent shaft your forearms and wrists are in a more relaxed position.
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