Which Paddles?

[Mark E]

Hi All,

I've been using a simple Ainsworth plastic paddle since I started kayaking 4 years ago and I have got the the time where I need to upgrade to a new one.
Looking at other posts on the forum and what people are using on the water I'm looking at Werner Sherpa or Vertical Element paddles but I'm open to suggestions of others, what do other people think?

Thanks,

Mark

[Lancs_lad]

Streamlyte Freerides - I like them

[justin-g]

How big or strong are you - what kind of paddling do you do??

Any of the main brand of paddles is going to be good and both the paddles you suggest are good. But for a recon you need to give more details.

J

[clarky999]

Some more ideas here: http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=85067

[Mark E]

hi justin,

I'm a 5'9, 17 year old relatively strong.

I prefer river running and creaking rather than play boating, I am based around the river dart paddling the loop mostly around grade 3.

Thanks,

Mark

[steve1rc]

I've been using VE's for about a month now I guess, maybe a bit more, but I love them, I would definitely recommend them! I sort of playboat, but am mainly a WW paddler.

I did try
Werner Shoguns, Sherpas, Sidekick, Player
Streamlyte Freeway
Select W1s, Blast
Robson Fluid

But eventually I settled on the Vertical Elements.. don't regret it! There's plenty of power and support in the blade I find, but it means my mates always nick them for playboating because of it!

[callum s]

Any of the above mentioned brands/models are good to go, you will get used to whatever you paddle with.

[andrew butler 101]

Fit guide helps find the right size/ shape on the werner website.

http://www.wernerpaddles.com/fit_guide/

[justin-g]

Then I would at a blade shape/size like the werner powerhouse. The VE paddles get well reviewed and you will never regret a set of glass werners. I would chose out of those too - but paddles are massively a personal thing. Ask to borrow some sets on a river on a busy weekend and see what you like... esp if you are on the loop. Wait in any of the eddies people are playing in and ask - paddlers are friendly.

J

[Mark E]

hi guys,

Thank you for all your comments, I've decided to buy the Werner Sherpa Carbon Fibre paddle.
The thing that swayed me away from the Vertical Element paddle was the blade area. The VE is 740 sq cm and the powerhouse is 420 sq cm and when I tried my friends powerhouse it felt like quite a lot of effort to pull through the water so the larger VE would of been even harder. It was a shame to not buy the Vertical Element paddle, I would of really liked to support a UK business.

Thanks again,

Mark

[Scumbag_Scout]

hi guys,

Thank you for all your comments, I've decided to buy the Werner Sherpa Carbon Fibre paddle.
The thing that swayed me away from the Vertical Element paddle was the blade area. The VE is 740 sq cm and the powerhouse is 420 sq cm and when I tried my friends powerhouse it felt like quite a lot of effort to pull through the water so the larger VE would of been even harder. It was a shame to not buy the Vertical Element paddle, I would of really liked to support a UK business.

Thanks again,

Mark

Give them a try, they were deliberately designed to give equal power with a smaller blade by....

The VE unique blade shape has been developed over the last 12 months to bring you an advancement in paddle performance. The aircore brings you a floaty paddle with a wearable edge ‘The best of both worlds’! Instead of filling our paddles with cheap non-structural expanding foam we filled ours with the stuff you need extra uni-direction carbon! This increases both strength and rigidity and also saves weight. The front face has been developed to give you more power for a given surface area. We have achieved this by developing the dihdedral and cuvature of the blade in unison. The bottom line been a reduction in slippage from catch through to stroke exit, giving you greater efficiency and power per stroke! We only use top grade carbon for our blades.

I love my VE blades, I've been using them for couple of years now. The other day I was extremely glade that I was not using a Werner Foam Core or a set of AT. I was paddling down the Upper Dart, and got my paddle caught on some rock, wedged and it pulled me over, I managed to pull it out and roll up. I'd taken a big knock on the blade and dome some damage, but as the air-core is in the middle of the blade not all the way to the edge it means the blade was not at all compromised. If it had been a Werner Foam-core or anything similar that would have been the whole paddle ruined.

If you haven't given them a try email VE, if they've got any demo's in the area or know someone who'll be able to let you have a go with theirs.

[clarky999]

Powerhouse is 720cm2, not 420.

[Mark E]

your right, thank you clarky

[Yew]

hi guys,
, I would of really liked to support a UK business.

Thanks again,

Mark

Streamlyte?

[vertical element]

Hello Mark,

Stu here at VE Paddles. I have just read through your thread, thank you everyone that has posted comments on enjoying our paddles.

I would like to point out that it is extremely hard if not impossible to compare blades from different manufacturers without trying them.

Example 2 blades with the same surface area could have totally different surface area distribution. A sea kayak blade for instance could have the same surface area as a C1 blade but they will be very different when in use.

Surface area is only one measure of a blade. Its distribution, longitudinal and lateral curved profiles as well as blade stiffness all play a very important part in how the blade feels and performs in the water.

Paddle length is extremely important too. A good blade shape will be as good for playboating as it will creeking the difference in making them both perform well will be the length of the shaft.

I would recommend that you and anyone considering a new paddle try as many different brands of paddles, preferably at a similar length, so you can make your own informed decision based on like for like comparison.

Just for reference the VE blade is very different for the Werner Power House and although it has a slightly larger surface area its distribution is closer to the centre of effort (hand) so you can get the power down quicker and easier making it far more efficient and not feeling like a massive plank that you are trying to pull through the water.

I have been canoeing and competing at a World level for 25 years. The VE's have a lot of knowledge and experience going into their design. I am also a composite design engineer and I design the Olympic slalom canoes for the GB Team, so know a thing or two about these things :)

Good look and my tip would be to make an informed decision based on your own thoughts and opinions and not those of others or marketing material.

Stu

[Andrew Battye]

Stu I've seen a couple of videos with people using glass VE's, are these going to be for sale soon?

[vertical element]

Hello,

Yes they will be on sale hopefuly around February time. The mould is currently being machined out :)

[Andrew Battye]

Any idea of price?

[Poke]

Powerhouse is 720cm2, not 420.

No...mine are more like 420cm².

[vertical element]

Hi Andrew,

Not just yet as I need the production mould in action to work out the true costings. I will let you all know in due course.

[DaveBland]

...its distribution is closer to the centre of effort (hand) so you can get the power down quicker and easier making it far more efficient and not feeling like a massive plank that you are trying to pull through the water.

For me this is the key to why they feel so good. Control-wise, it feels like paddling with a short set of blades until you need the support and then they have all the 'grip' in the water to pull on.
Friggin love 'em! If you wanna buy British, then you can't go far wrong with them. Oh, and Stu also put an ovalling on both hands for me, gave some great advice over length and did me a bespoke feather, left handed, then shipped them to Calgary in two days. Service as good as it gets. And while I'm raving, they've had a hard season and held up super well with only slight scratches.

[mantamx]

Stu, any update on the glass VEs likely timing?

[vertical element]

Hello,

The production mould has been machined and is pretty much ready for action. Some trial blades will be run this week.

So hopefully not too long away now, maybe a month or so. The pre-production glass blades are still going strong after been given plenty of stick from the boys :)


Stu
http://www.vepaddles.co.uk
[url]info@vepaddles.co.uk[/url]

[mantamx]

bought VEs on white glass shaft recently. Fantastic paddle - was not expecting so much improvement on Werners, but they are massively better. My roll has immediately become rock-solid even in the most testing of conditions (gr4-5, and I had occasions of missing it on g3), feel very natural, very powerful but not 'heavy'. no slippage on the shaft either. very sturdy - survived a week in Corsica (v rocky and steep) without much damage. could not recommend more highly