Hey guys,
I am planning to buy a carbon fiber paddle, I am debating on the Apex Ultimate(w/adjustable handle) or the Burnwater paddle. If you guys can help me see the ups and downs of each product, that would be GREAT!

Feel Free to give any Crap on either paddles or give some other brand of paddles I should check out.

Thanks!

I am liking the ZRE
- i like the palm grip
- solid
- can feel the water well
- good weight
- paddle doesnt slip (shaft doesnt have a gloss finish to it)

I have a braca as well - but after using the zre i find the braca flexes a lot where as the zre doesnt

I havent tried any other paddles (i dont like those apex ones with the plastic paddle and grip and has the carbon shaft)

I have both paddles a burnwater and a apex adjustable .

There are problems with the new burnwaters so I would stay away from them for now.The are seperating inside the blade and you tell by looking at the blade which should be flat but you will notice its actually balloning outwards ...almost looks pregant .It starts at the top of the blade and works down and get larger with time . It seems to be only with the ones made this yr . I don't have the problem as mine is 2 yrs old .

My team mates have gone through a few now and the problem is still there and I noticed other teams useing them had the same problems

My apex rocks ......I luv that I can adjust it to which ever boat or weight of crew or porition in the boat .I use the 49-51 version .Its as light as the burnwater but just doesn't have the glossy finish .

Another negative is the oval shaft on the burwater.While its strong if you use it for long periods of time ...I'm talking constant practice over time ...you may end up with a sore index finger joint where your finger meets your hand .I had this problem as have others I know and it hurts . After I went to the round shaft apex the problem went away with a few weeks .The oval shaft due to the sharper radius in the oval actually digs into your hand causing the damage . The cure is to not use it all the time but switch back and forth and just use it during competiton if you run into this injury

Ditto on the burnwater problems. Made in China. Foam core not cured and expands when left in sun.

Apex has a new carbon fibre, my buddy got the first one a couple of weeks ago. Its non adjustable and can be outfitted with a palm grip, on par in terms of weight with the zre, with the edge probably still with zre as it is the lightest paddle out there.

Check it out ;p

ZRE >>>>>>>>>>>>> anything else

Hey Thanks for all the info.! it would still be great if you guys still commented on any goods or bads about the different paddles out in the market today.

Thanks!

Never liked the Zaveral (ZRE). Too light, some swing weight is nice in a headwind or in a 200m sprint where there is inevitable spray to fight through.

Grey Owl is a good paddle but they had some problems with their handles as they tended to break if you accidentally slammed it into the gunwhale.

Apex adjustbles are too top heavy when the rings are in. Paddle balance point should be at the nape of the shaft just where the blade meets the shaft. With APEX adjustable it is usually a few inches higher.

Brasca are probably the best (and most expensive).

Apex has a new one. A lot littler

I never noticed any difference w/ my adj Apex from my Burnwater .The Apex's weight seemed fine to me

If you want the Ferrari of DB paddles check out the Trivium with that cool hand grip they have...they are gorgoeus and very rare, albeit quite expensive ...

and anyone sayign that a heavier paddle is better in heavy winds because of momentum... well thats nonsense. Heavier or lighter paddle has the exact same wind resistance. Its just a lighter paddle is quicker to get a good kick and accelerate back to the catch..

Does anyone know if the Apex Adjustable carbon fiber paddle bubble up like the burnwater paddles? And how heavy is the Apex compared to the burnwater and the grey owl?

the non-adjustable apex is the lightest of the 3, the grey owl is the heaviest. the adjustable apex is slightly heavier than the burnwater because of the adjustable height grip. and no, the apex paddles don't bubble.

I think the ZRE is still the lightest. Too bad that sucker costs so much.

How much does a Trivium paddle go for?

the ZRE isn't THAT much... http://www.zre.com/gearshop/paddlesport/canoepaddles/dragonpaddle.php

Trivium is in the same range as a Brasca (Braca?) as far as price.... but it is the lightest paddle out there, beating out zre by ~70 grams..

I have had both paddles for over a year now. My Zre is holding up well after 4 years and so far my Burnwater has been great. The finish is glossy and therefore a bit slippery...this being my only complaint as well as its high cost. Whatever you do keep these paddles out of the sun because any carbon fibre paddle will be damaged if exposed to high heat for too long.

Alright....if you guys only had a choice of getting either the Apex Adjustable, Grey Owl or the New Apex non-Adjustable, Which one would you get (Please respone, I am in Dire need of a paddle AND please only choose one of the three)

Apex Non-adjustable

it really depends on you. do you move around in the boat at all, or do you always stay in one seat? on my mixed team i paddle in seat 4 or 5, on the mens team, i sit in seat 2. i use a 51 for mixed and 50 for mens. i have a 51 burnwater, and an adjustable apex. if you have different seats which would "require" differen sized paddle lengths, get the adjustable. if you only ever use one size of paddle, get the apex non-adjustable.

Grey owl

Are you looking at a left or right handed paddle?

THAT, was funny.

apex adj. ....you won't regret it ,I luv mine .Just make sure you lube the sleeves & insert w/ white grease so it won't seize up over time

Have you (or anyone out there) found that the oval shaft - also causes your fingers to go numb?? Is this tied into the finger joint injury?

I find the problem with the oval shaft only happens if you use it say 3-4 times a week ....best to switch back and forth to avoid the injuries

i had no problems with my joints for 7-8 months of Burnwater use, and then i started getting the problem. wearing a glove on my bottom hand helps a LOT, especially over longer distances/long practices. however, i get the same problem whether i use my burnwater (oval shaft) or my apex adj. (round).

I am a right side paddler, about 5'7" 155lbs. I paddle in the 4th row in the mixed and stroke for the mens team, I am currently using a Grey Owl Wooden paddle 48 1/2" and I plan to get a Apex Adjustable at 48". What do you guys think?

go with the 49-51 .You want the most length

I love the formed T-grip on my Braca! Makes for nice transfer of energy and less wear and tear on wrist joints. It's wicked light too and fairly stiff. (I'm a small, light stroke.) Don't yet know about longevity. Lots of my teammates have had Bracas for awhile and they seem to be pretty sturdy. Don't know how easy they are to purchase on your side of the puddle though.

use a wood paddle

The Typhoon paddles are awesome. I love mine. We hold hands and go for long walks...I mean paddles.

I bought a Trivium paddle (with a sculpter handle) last year for 160 EUR. At today's exchange rate, it's about $228 CDN, which is a pretty good deal because Canadian dollar has risen quite a bit recently. Yep, the Trivium is the Ferrari of DB paddles indeed. Not only is the shaft length adjustable, but you also have 6 different colours to choose from! By the way, it weighs only 340g (12 oz). This paddle is sick!

How much does the braca go for? Anyone know a distributor in North America that carries them?

What is special about the Braca other than the weight?

holy chit do your own research! goggle BRACA and you can read everything.

Learn how to spell first you dip sh1t--it's gOOgle. If I found any websites with a decent price that werent on backorder I wouldn't be posting here. If you aren't going to help then dont reply at all. You're wasting forum space.

I've had a Brasca for the past two years I paddle in the engine room with my mix team. I ABSOLUTELY love the oval shaped grip.
The paddle is sturdy, lightweight and perfectly balanced where the shaft meets the blade. I only have high praises for that paddle.
I wish I had known that paddle existed when I started dragon boating ! lol

What about the Simon River Sports carbon fibre paddle? How does it compare to the others that have been mentioned? Also, is there a difference between a one piece and a two piece paddle where the blade is bonded to the shaft?

Brasca doesnt have an oval shaft but circular and is tappered

Shogun has a few new and uncut ZRE paddles for sale. I bought one from them a days ago.

what's shogun?

james clavell? noble house? whirwind?

smart ass. it's people like you that make this sport look like one only for the snobs.

so would anyone have a proper answer to provide?

and its people without a sense of humour like you who ruin the rest of the world.. if you can call a relatively poor university student a snob.

SRS paddles from what i have personally seen are not as rugged as Apex ones and are more prone to breakage. As for one piece versus two piece, using my "oh so above average level intelligence" that makes me a snob, something thats made from one piece would be strong because it lacks the weak point that the bonding point would have in a two piece. but then again thats just what a snob says....

what can you do if you get a crack or chip in your cf?

You can tell people that your paddle is now 1-2 grams lighter than their. They'll all be jealous.

*snicker*snicker*

I have the Grey Owl and love it. No problems at all. I'm 6'-4 210lbs and it doesn't flex for me. But I know that Konrad (Dragon Boat World) is involvdd in coming out with a new Carbon paddle soon. He'lll be taking orders in a month or so. The price will be very competitive and will blow away the Apex carbon paddle. Check it out when it comes out. I paddled some with another crew this year as well, they had a lot of Apex and had a lot of problems.

my new adjustable apex made it through the CCWCs just fine, but i take it to a "fun" festival and it gets knocked twice by paddles, and gets 2 cracks in it =( the older models, while heavier were troopers and could stand up to lots of abuse. i think its the lighter build of these newer ones, they aren't nearly as strong.

Kind of like the great new technology they put into hockey sticks. $250 a pop and they snap in half on a backhand pass!!!

so i think im getting the apex paddle adjustable....any flaws?