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Item 766595
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REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
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Reviewed by 15 customers
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Pros
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Best Uses
Comments about Bending Branches Whisper Paddle:
My friend and I love these paddles! They have a lot of the features found in those costing considerably more. The grip is comfortable and the blades can be feathered. On day-long paddles on quiet rivers and lakes, they are light enough that we don’t experience paddling fatigue. We haven’t babied them; their rigid construction has dug us out of muddy landings and pulled us through weed-clogged passages. They are a good match for our folding kayaks; everything can be stowed inside the car (or the airplane). The Whisper has been perfect for the beginners we were, and will serve us for a long time to come.
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Comments about Bending Branches Whisper Paddle:
I was comparing paddles for quite a while before I settled on this one. This paddle has almost identical specs (size, weight, feather) to the more expensive aqua bound paddles. The one additional feather angle (3 total) seems useful as well.
The built in drip rings work pretty okay, they do catch most of the water. I did get the extra drip rings like another reviewer recommended (only a dollar each). The "aftermarket" drip rings catch the rest of the water that makes it past the built in ones.
I didn't notice any splashing at all, I suppose it depends upon your paddling style. In fact, I felt that the paddle entered the water very cleanly and pulled through very easily.
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Comments about Bending Branches Whisper Paddle:
These paddles have some of the features of more expensive paddles. They have the option of being offset which helps make your paddling strike more comfortable. They are fairly lightweight. They cause less fatigue then others we tried in this price range. They are comfortable to use and are rigid. There is no flex when you use them. They are also milled so that the two pieces fit exactly. It's convenient to be able to take them apart for easier tranport. They've been great for day trips on calm water, and class one and two rivers as well as an overnight camping trip. The only con is that they do splash a little. But they are great for recreational paddlers.
Pros
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Comments about Bending Branches Whisper Paddle:
I use this for quiet water paddling in lakes and coastal wildlife refuges and it does just fine. Nothing fancy so I don't have to worry about messing it up on rocks, oyster beds and the like. The molded in drip rings at the base of the blade don't work particularly well, so spend a couple of bucks and get a pair of rubber drip rings. Other than that, you can't beat this paddle for the price.
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Comments about Bending Branches Whisper Paddle:
We are relatively new to kayaking, but these paddles have been working out great for us. We use a touring kayak and generally paddle for >2hrs at a time on lakes or ocean bays. The paddles have worked out well for us. They are light enough not to get fatigued after several hours of rowing, and seem to push enough water to keep the boat moving at a good pace hour after hour.
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Comments about Bending Branches Whisper Paddle:
I have been really pleased with this paddle. It is light, adjustable and I don't have to worry about not getting it dirty because I didn't spend [$] bucks on it!
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Comments about Bending Branches Whisper Paddle:
For the price it's hard to complain, but I had this paddle as a backup/loaner paddle for about two years...till this year's skills clinic when I tried to use it for a paddle float rescue. I had barely put any weight on it when it snapped in half. Both the "composite" (aka plastic) ferrule and the aluminum shaft simply broke right at the perforations (alignment holes). NOT as good as its predecessor of the same name which I'm still using as my primary paddle.
The previous version of the "whisper" has the same blades, but the drip rings are adjustable and made of a rubber-like substance and the ferrule (the bit that holds the two halves together) is also made of aluminum and is therefore significantly sturdier.
If anybody has one of the older Whisper paddles gathering dust in a store room, I'm in the market!
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Comments about Bending Branches Whisper Paddle:
I have a 230cm. and a 240cm. I use them with my Dagger Approach 10.0 and my Liquid Logic Remix xp 10. Both have a width of 28in. The 240 for me is more for a casual easy paddle and the 230 is a little more zippy for faster paddles.
I broke a tiny chunck of one of my blades throwing it accross a river to a buddy stranded from a run away paddle, but other than that, they really hold up. Best paddle you can start out with by far. Save the extra cash for a good PFD.
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Comments about Bending Branches Whisper Paddle:
I have been kayaking for several years, and I recently purchased these paddles. I was surprised at how light, strong, well-built, and reasonably priced they were. I have used far more expensive paddles that didn't work nearly as well as these.
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Comments about Bending Branches Whisper Paddle:
This Paddle is Very Good Quality and Decent Price, for Recreational Paddler. Thank you REI.
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