Good Beginner White Water Paddle

[Regud]

I am trying to decide on a good beginner white water paddle that is reasonable priced and can take a beating. I am looking at getting a 0 degree or left hand control.

Here are the ones I have come up with ...

Werner Desperado

AT4 River E Glass

What is your opinion on these or others I should consider?

Thanks!
Ryan

[Victor Caballeros]

I have broken three paddles since I have floated all the paddles have been in a 100 to 180 price range. I have a PTL I paid $60 for it and has lasted the longest. It's a 45 degree it works like a charm the back up is an harmony and it was very cheap pick up for $45 used. You might have some luck looking at the gear swap page and wait for a killer deal.

[Cowper]

The Werner looks good - Werner is a name I trust in paddles; weight is reasonable at 1021 grams (36 oz).

I love the Carbon paddles, but until you know EXACTLY what you want for length and offset, I can't tell you to pay almost twice as much to get something that is only a little bit lighter (several models showing ~936 grams, ballpark). Are they tougher? Maybe, maybe not - but any good paddle is unlikely to break, and you can still break even the best paddles if lady luck is not with you.

I would be concerned that the AT4 you mentioned weighs in at 1305 grams (46 oz). Unless somebody had an error on their web page, that is 30% heavier, and will make a big difference on how you feel at the end of the day. Compared to the Werner, that one could feel like a club. Is it that much tougher? Maybe, maybe not - I don't know, so I'll leave that to someone else to educate both of us on.

[RomanLA]

I would be concerned that the AT4 you mentioned weighs in at 1305 grams (46 oz). Unless somebody had an error on their web page, that is 30% heavier, and will make a big difference on how you feel at the end of the day. Compared to the Werner, that one could feel like a club. Is it that much tougher? Maybe, maybe not - I don't know, so I'll leave that to someone else to educate both of us on.

The main reason that the AT is so much heavier is that it's a bent shaft. The fiberglass Werner bent shafts are 7oz heavier than the straight shafts. I bought an AT4 River E last year, so I could see if I liked using a bent shaft paddle. I think I prefer the feel of the AT bent whitewater shafts to the Werner bent whitewater shafts. I love my Werner touring bent shaft though. Anyway, if you have any questions, let me know.

[Cowper]

The main reason that the AT is so much heavier is that it's a bent shaft. The fiberglass Werner bent shafts are 7oz heavier than the straight shafts. I bought an AT4 River E last year, so I could see if I liked using a bent shaft paddle. I think I prefer the feel of the AT bent whitewater shafts to the Werner bent whitewater shafts. I love my Werner touring bent shaft though. Anyway, if you have any questions, let me know.

That's interesting, especially since in the carbon paddles, the difference between straight and bent shafts is only 2 oz. I'm willing to give up 2 oz for the bent shaft, but I don't think I'd give up 7 oz for this feature.

Many years ago I had an early generation AT paddle and absolutely loved it - but like many of the early ones it broke in two. I haven't heard much about this problem in recent years, so I assume they beefed up whatever was causing the problems.

[WoolyJR1]

I started off with a 194 straight shaft 45 degree off Werner Desperado and I beat the crap out of it. Alot of people told me that it was a cheap paddle, but I didn't care, it was what I could afford. I used this paddle on at least fifty trips, and even on a few creek runs. I learned how to paddle and roll with this paddle. It is still in great shape. The blades and shaft give a little so that is nice. The blades are plastic and hold up nice against the rocks. They have shown very little wear. I still have this paddle, although I switched to a bent shaft AT. It is one of their cheaper models. It is a 194 bent shaft with a 30 degree offset. It is a little heavier, but that's ok. The only reason I changed is that after three or four days of paddleing in a row my wrists hurt so bad that I could not hold a glass, the bent shaft helped that. The blades on my AT are fiberglass and they wear a little more than my Werner, but they were bigger to start with. I guess all that said, I would not feel bad at all buying a cheaper paddle to start with to learn what you like. If you stick with one paddle and learn how to use it, you can find out what you really like or don't like and make a much more informed decision later. Either one of the paddles will be great. I am a bigger guy and have really been rough on my two paddles, I like to Rock Brace, and they have both held up really well. Just my 2 cents.
J. R.

[Regud]

Hey, thanks for all the feedback. I have found both of these paddles for around $170 at 0 degree. I'm starting to lean towards the Werner.

[RomanLA]

Hey, thanks for all the feedback. I have found both of these paddles for around $170 at 0 degree. I'm starting to lean towards the Werner.

If you don't need a bent shaft, you can't go wrong with the Werner.

[Cowper]

I am trying to decide on a good beginner white water paddle that is reasonable priced and can take a beating. I am looking at getting a 0 degree or left hand control.

If you're still thinking through the offset thing, here are some of the better discussions and references I have found. I happen to be from the camp that thinks 30 degree to 40 degree offset creates the least "repetitive motion" type stress on the wrists, but I'd like to try a 0 degree offset for a day or two just for grins. I first went to 40 degree after a wrist injury, because that angle required the least movement of my wrist in the brace I had to wear for awhile. The "majority" now seem to think something between 15 degrees and 45 degrees is "right", with 30 degrees probably getting the most "votes". But some very well respected paddlers are now speaking up for 0 degree paddles, too.

I currently use 30 degree offsets; although I found 40 to be "optimum", using 30 allows me to standardize with what many others are using, and is not that different than the 40.

Left hand control complicates the decision. If you are close to ambidextrious, consider right hand control, if only because you can borrow paddles from friends in an emergency (like broken paddle). Even going zero degrees gives you a better chance of finding a loaner, because there are very few left hand control paddles out there. So if you are NOT comfortable with a right hand control, then using a zero offset might be the best answer for you, regardless of what other arguments we might put up over the advantages of having some offset.

http://www.rivrstyx.com/html/the_feather_rap.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (as stated by Okieboater in one of the threads below, this one comes from one of the "gurus" of paddle making...

http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f11/ ... 17669.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f11/ ... 426-2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://nocpaddlingschool.blogspot.com/2 ... study.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Cowper]

P. S. - If this thread "disappears", look for it over on the "Gear Review" forum. It seems to be collecting exactly the type of information that we try to keep in that forum, so I wouldn't be surprised if one of the moderators moves it over there at some point in time.

[Regud]

Last fall I took my Rec paddle out on the lake to try different feathers. I can do right if I have to, but it is not comfortable. The only time I really liked left hand control was when I picked up speed. 0 degree worked for the casual stroke or while fishing. I actually read that article at the NOC, so I think I will give the 0 degree Desperado a try. Thanks everyone for all the help!