Superior Kayaks - Carbon Fiber Greenland Paddle
Description:
I started out my Greenland Paddle (GP) days with a well know wooden GP paddle. It was a great introduction to traditional paddling, but with my upcoming expedition, I was very concerned with both the durability of a wood paddle as well as the overall swing weight. Loving the GP style of paddling, especially for longer days, I began the search for an alternative. Shortly afterwards, I came across Greg Stamer's article on his trip with Freya and the carbon fiber GP paddle that he chose to take.
I was well aware of Greg's reputation and skill as a GP paddler, so I assumed this was as good a recommendation as any. I contacted Superior Kayaks shortly after that and placed my order. These paddles are made in small batches, so I was forced to wait a bit, but nothing that a little patience did not take care of.
Analysis:
Service was outstanding, and my paddle arrived packaged up nice and safely. After taking it out of the industrial shipping tube, it was love at first sight. The craftsmanship was amazing and the swing weight was just what I was looking for. I find the balance of the Carbon Fiber paddle to be superior to that of a wooden one, but that is just my personal opinion. The paddle is not only beautifully made, but it simply slices through the water. Paddling is strong and firm, yet feedback remains when strokes are not done correctly. I find it incredibly easy to roll given the buoyancy found in the blade.
This paddle accompanied me on my 1700 mile expedition through the rugged Pacific North West and Alaska waters, and was brilliant not only in its performance but also it's durability. Having multiple encounters with submerged rocks and shells as well as unforgiving glaciers, the paddle came through without hardly a scratch on it. In addition, it performs flawlessy as a support for setting up a tarp; an added bonus at best. In fact, Superior Kayak offers a tarp made specifically for use with their paddles.
Of late I have had the opportunity to paddle with other carbon fiber paddles and must say, I am extremely happy with my Superior Kayak paddle. So, are their any issues with this beautiful paddle. No, not issues, but certainly things you should be aware of. First, the loom on this paddle is definitely on the large size from a diameter perspective. I am told this is because of the molds, but for people with incredibly small hands this could be an issue. In addition, the width of the blades is on the larger size as well, possibly making extended braces and rolls somewhat of a 'grip' problem. I would encourage you to speak with them regarding your hand size to make sure you will not have a problem.
Lastly, if you are going to travel, I would suggest the two piece version of the paddle. I found travelling across country with this paddle to be somewhat problematic. You can read about Greg's use of the two piece version on his site and see that he has no issues with it's performance at all.
Recommendation:
***** (out of 5)