Woody Paddles out of Colorado are pretty tough and custom made...a little more effort to get one, but worth it.

    I really like the bends in the shaft that arent as severs as Werner. the grip just feels more secure.

 

 

I cordially disagree.  Or at least want to add some insight... 

 

High angle power & control strokes are easier with some blade feather.  With minimal feather you end up cocking your control hand wrist forward when you bend your elbow on that side for a vertical off-side stroke.  That's why you see racers using paddles with significant feather.  A similar vertical stroke on your control hand side doesn't affect the off-side wrist the same as the shaft is allowed to pivot in that off-side hand. 

 

Of course, having blade feather makes certain things - like stalls or off-side stern draws - a bit more challenging. 

 

I'm not saying one is better than the other - it's all a matter of preference.  Just clarifying that there is rational for feathered blades beyond the somewhat unsubstantiated "wind argument". 

 

Jon         

 

Having worked for Werner I feel I should chime in.  The down turned blades help with different types of play moves that come from the side of the boat such as cartwheels, etc....  They don't effect the river running though so if you're on a debate and like to play alot you can't go wrong with a play blade.  The bigger blades will give you more power at a slower cadence and the mid sized blades will give power too but a little less at a higher cadence.  Doing long day river runs the mid sized blades are nicer in my opinion since they don't fatigue one's arms as quick.  The difference between AT's bent shaft and Werner's is that Werner has a neutral bend meaning that your hand in in line with the shaft at the mid point and the neck of the blade making it easier to switch from straight to bent.  The AT bend is set off from the center of the shaft.  As for blade size it's entirely up to you.  However the Double Diamond and the Player are to very different paddles and feels very different in the water.  The DD has a floaty feel which some like and some don't.  It's also a play blade and made to pop back to the surface more quickly.  The Player is a standard fiberglass or carbon blade with no foam core.  If you call Werner and ask to borrow a paddle they may let you.  They used to when I was there.  I use a 194 Player all carbon bent shaft with a 30 degree feather, small shaft.  You're welcome to try it sometime if you want but only when I'm on the river too.  I won't loan it out.  By the way, feather angle is all personal preference.  Playboaters usually like less feather and river runner's more, racers even more.  Hope that helps some.  It was a quick sum up of things.

 

Courtney      

 

Dave, I am pretty hard on my paddle and have not had any problem with the blade or the foam core of the DD. When it broke, it was the shaft that went, and not the on the seam. I had hit it on a rock and put a small gouge in it and thats where it finally broke.

 

 #1 Jon's absalutely right about feather degrees.  A 45 degree paddle will give you a wider and easer range of vertical strokes while not breaking your wrist because 45 degrees is kind of a natural ergo twist in our stroke.  a lesser degree will improve some strokes for play boating but make others harder. it's a comprimise.  I wouldn't go below 30. 

 

 #2 Lower feathers on creeks are not prone to shaft breaks. shaft breaks are human error or factory defects. you eather bang your paddle on something or you don't.  you could have a o- 45 and if you paddle nice you might not break it. 

 

 

 #3  Once again with waterfall entries you eaither take your stroke or you miss it.  feathering doesn't affect how hard you pull. waterfalls are  about stroke timing and boat angle.  If you like to creek don't go below 30 degrees for the simple fact of having higher vertical efficient strokes.  it's more a technique issue. 

 

#4 If your backdeck rolling on your right it doesn't matter because your control hand stays the same and should bend your wrist the same from a 15-45 and should be easier beacause you have more presure on both blades. if your trying to off side backdeck roll a lower degree is easer because most of us are right hand control and alows us to use our left wrist more freely. 

 

Werner does make some of the best paddles out there but what ever you get learn how to use it efficiently.  

 

 

 

 

My 2 cents:

 

Buy a DD foam core. I have one, its all I use. Not one complaint. I beat it up real good and it still looks new. I never heard anyone have problems with water in the foam. You would have to do some pretty serious damage for that to occur. The foam core blades have a super tough edge. I think its Dynel. I think the foam core AT paddles have something similar. Whatever it is makes it a whole hell of a lot tougher than anything else that is laid up composite. Wood is good too. Never used one but I hear Woodies are good.