Author Topic: Straight vs Bent shaft paddles  (Read 3678 times)

SouthCounty

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Straight vs Bent shaft paddles
« on: May 04, 2019, 06:50:39 PM »
Anybody have any pros or cons vs either one?. I us a straight shat paddle but was at baby beach demoing some Werner bents, and the guy was really pushing them for better alignment and since I've had shoulder surgery says would be better for my shoulder imo felt a little weird to me......... thoughts.
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Re: Straight vs Bent shaft paddles
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2019, 07:28:38 PM »
imo felt a little weird to me...

Awkward shape aside, it has been around for many years and hasn't proved it self superior.
Some swear by it but for the most part it's rare (which means harder to resell in case you're fed-up)

- These are heavy in comparison to straight shaft and that's one aspect that is definitely not going to help your shoulder.
- Another aspect is the shaft stiffness, last time I tried it felt fairly stiff. That's another No No for shoulder.

I'd say stick to the light flexible straight shafts and go with smaller blade sizes (85sqi or under) it's a good start.
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singingdog

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Re: Straight vs Bent shaft paddles
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2019, 04:22:22 AM »
I almost went with a Werner bent shaft last year, but decided against it for several reasons:
-weight
-stiffness
-awkward as hell when you're not actually paddling with it

I could see some small wrist alignment benefits, but nothing related to shoulder alignment or relief. It does increase reach a bit, but I couldn't see that it actually increased paddling performance significantly.

Califoilia

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Re: Straight vs Bent shaft paddles
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2019, 01:06:51 PM »
A surf a shorter straight shaft (KeNalu), and when I distance paddle I use a longer bent shaft paddle (Werner).

I found the that bent shaft gives just a little more reach than the straight (because of the bend and not just the differences in their lengths), and since I use a lower cadence distance paddling than when trying to get into a wave surfing...I feel that little extra reach gives me just a little bit more length of pull through the power stroke to make up decrease in the stroke count.

Since I also surf far more than I distance paddle, I know my technical stroke skills are not as polished as they could be, and it feels at least, that the bent shaft helps with getting the blade into the water straighter and cleaner just by the way you naturally want to hold it vs that of the straight shaft that I can vary more easily (and inadvertently) the blade entry angle into the water with just the slightest twist or turn of either my top or bottom hand....especially when I'm switching sides, and need to get the blade into the water quickly in the more bumpy stuff outside the breakwater where I sometimes paddle it.

Conversely with the straight shaft, changing sides, and quicker, more off balanced moves are much easier since I don't have to grab the paddle in any particular manner, and can make much quicker, shorter paddle adjustments to catch myself on a quick bobble on a much shorter board.

So I guess it somewhat depends on what you're going to use them for on which one might be better suited for you. If I could only have one shaft for both...I'd go with the straight simply because I can use it on a distance paddle much easier than I can the bent shaft in the surf lineup.
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stoneaxe

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Re: Straight vs Bent shaft paddles
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2019, 10:59:20 PM »
Yuck....my not so humble opinion. Bent feels awkward to me..
Bob

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Night Wing

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Re: Straight vs Bent shaft paddles
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2019, 09:33:24 AM »
When I had my 14'9" x 26" Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro TW sit on top kayak, I paddled it with a Werner all carbon neutral bent grip and small diameter shaft and I really liked it. I took to the bent grip shaft like a "duck takes to water".

I think I would like a bent shaft sup paddle. Wish I could demo one.
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Re: Straight vs Bent shaft paddles
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2019, 10:11:36 AM »
When I had my 14'9" x 26" Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro TW sit on top kayak, I paddled it with a Werner all carbon neutral bent grip and small diameter shaft and I really liked it. I took to the bent grip shaft like a "duck takes to water".

I think I would like a bent shaft sup paddle. Wish I could demo one.

Did you not just recover from a shoulder injury...?
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Night Wing

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Re: Straight vs Bent shaft paddles
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2019, 10:39:37 AM »
When I had my 14'9" x 26" Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro TW sit on top kayak, I paddled it with a Werner all carbon neutral bent grip and small diameter shaft and I really liked it. I took to the bent grip shaft like a "duck takes to water".

I think I would like a bent shaft sup paddle. Wish I could demo one.

Did you not just recover from a shoulder injury...?

My right shoulder is fully healed and has been since March of 2018. Strong and with full range of rotation for mobility. The sup paddle I use now is a Naish Alana small diameter "women's" adjustable paddle shaft with a 75 square inch paddle blade. Works just fine with my 11'1" x 30" sup.
Blue Planet Duke: 10'5" x 32" x 4.5" @ 190 Liters (2 Dukes)
Sup Sports Hammer: 8'11" x 31" x 4" @ 140 Liters
SUP Sports One World: 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 Liters
CJ Nelson Parallax: 9'3" x 23 1/2" x 3 3/16" @ 78.8 Liters (prone surfing longboard; Thunderbolt Technologies build in Red construction)

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Re: Straight vs Bent shaft paddles
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2019, 11:57:24 AM »
The sup paddle I use... is a Naish Alana small diameter "women's" adjustable paddle shaft with a 75 square inch...

Exactly, I think you're onto something here ;)
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singingdog

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Re: Straight vs Bent shaft paddles
« Reply #9 on: May 08, 2019, 04:08:18 AM »
When I had my 14'9" x 26" Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro TW sit on top kayak, I paddled it with a Werner all carbon neutral bent grip and small diameter shaft and I really liked it. I took to the bent grip shaft like a "duck takes to water".

Not the same beast at all. All of my yak paddles, even whitewater, are bent-shaft. There are huge wrist alignment benefits to bent shaft kayak paddles. As well, because a kayak paddle is constantly rotating to achieve proper blade alignment, the bent shaft helps with indexing and proper blade alignment. If Werner were achieving the same thing with their bent-shaft SUP paddle, I would be using one for sure.

 


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