Dragon Boat West

does anyone know if there's actually a difference between all the full carbon fibre paddles?   also, does anyone know which ones happen to be the cheapest with shipping/taxes/duties etc?  id prefer to buy it locally (live in burnaby)  anyone know where i can pick one up in person??  

thanks kindly,

cindy   :D

There is no such thing as a cheap carbon blade unless you buy in volume and even then it's over $130+ .Avg price is around $180 .

 Probably the nicest & lightest is the burnwater,apex looks to be popular as well (ask the FCRCC team) and aval locally - see the board on the wall in FCRCC but they are not as light as the burnwater . I have seen problems w/ the simon river (ask subaru).

 Spend the few extra dollars and get the burnwater......problem is the wait for one but once you get it it's worth it

There are differences between all the CF paddles... ie, T-grip or Palm-grip, diameter of the shaft, and the weight.  

Most expensive CF blade you can purchase is the Burnwater or ZRE which also happens to be the lightest CF blade.  This will probably run you about $220cdn after all the exchange and shipping costs.

Cheapest CF blade I can think of is probably the SRS or Grey Owl.  I believe the Grey Owl is just slightly lighter than the regular high performance wood blade.  I think they will cost you about $160-$180 unless you buy in bulk.  

Other fancy CF blades out there that I can think of are Apex and Bracsa Sports.  Apex and the SRS also somes with adjustable shafts.

If you want to pick up a blade locally, I believe PullingWater (out of Tawassen?) supplies SRS blades and Vincent Lo (East Van) carries some Grey Owl CF blades as well.  

CF blades won't really make a difference in paddling unless your entire team decides to invest in them.  But if you prefer no flex in your blade, I would go with a blade with a carbon shaft.

Somewhat already discussed here...
http://www.dragonboatwest.net/viewtopic.php?t=2146

Personally I've paddled (more than one or two practices) with the Burnwater and the SRS paddles and I have to say that I like the Burnwater more. It has pretty much the same form factor as the grey owls everyone is used to and has an elliptical shaft. Only problem I have is that it so damn expensive.


I'm still waiting for my replacement for my replacement for my original order...

Chaos,

Sounds like the SRS blades are a problem or is because Subaru is hard on their paddles (i.e. avoiding dogs, seals, wash, etc) , I wonder if the warranty covers breaking a paddle because of a dog.


 :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

I have tried the Apex and Burnwater there is no comparison for me, Burnwater is my choice but they are expensive.

BurnWaters are nice. Takes a bit to get used to but once you get used to the feel you can real feel the difference. The stiffness is really nice and the shaft is great becasue if its shape. Not inexepen$ive but I think they are worth it. Besides a little fellow like me needs an ultra lite blade... :oops:  And my dogs won't chew it because it is not wood

i agree, the burnwater blade is phenomenal.  i just recently put an order together for my team....

I have been using my Burnwater since June and it is great!  :rofl:

thanks everyone for replying.. much appreciated!  so it seems like the general concensus is burnwater.. now i just have to find the "cheapest" way of getting it..  thnks again!  

cin

hey what is wrong with your SRS paddle?

cheapest way is to get a bulk order going - you can save anywhere from 10-30USD depending on how many you buy.  give arin a call at burnwater to see what he can do... but right now, he's VERY busy filling orders.

anybody know what this one is all about?  new face on the market?

http://www.poguesports.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=2-5-4&Category_Code=2-6&Product_Count=3

would be rather interesting to see,

holy old thread batman!
not to be a naysayer before actually using one, i'm generally of the opinion that you get what you pay for.  besides, i'd rather not have the flex and lost power.

started using the ZRE this year and loved the "catch" feel compared to the buoyancy of the Grey Owl Jet I used to use. Then I tried the Burnwater and fell in love.. that thing just seems to allow a very natural connection with the water... it's amazing.

ah! a fellow ZRE user!  I think that makes 4 of us on the local dboat community now!   :lol:   its a shame that there is no fair-market way of getting ZRE paddles in canada, they are excellent.  having said that, a few extra bucks is worth it for one of these, i don't regret my purchase for a second, in my 2nd year with my ZRE dboat blade now, and purchased a ZRE OC blade this year too. 

EDIT oh wait saw you went over to the darkside!  that's ok, i like the burn too.  there's just something about the zaveral that says... unbreakable. 

i actually am enjoying the Apex full CF more and more.  i used it for my TT and i find the feel is quite different from the burnwater.  for some reason the burn feels like it has more give.  but perhaps cause my blade is used quite heavily and has worn out a bit.

burnwater looks sexy no doubt but the apex surprisingly is one reliable and solid blade. 

but for the OC i still prefere kialoa, it's just an awesome blade to use on the water... you will know what i mean if you have ever used one.  :D

99% of the time, those "feelings" are all in a person's mind when it comes to these high performance carbons.   chances of it being "worn out" are HIGHLY unlikely.

not all CF blades are constructed the same.  my burnwater is pretty beat up... chips, dings, cracks, normal wear and tear. just waiting for it to do the infamous bubble so i can get a replacement.

then you can hardly blame the paddle/manufacturer for its lack of integrity.  i've been using and "abusing" my burnwater long than you've been paddling and its still just as good as it was the day i bought it. 

if it hasn't bubbled by now, it won't.  it was only a small batch that did. 

actually I never have a clue what you talk about, whether you're passing out advice on CF, boat glide, pull, how one should paddle etc etc..

now then, that wasn't very nice.  there have been times a plenty when you've talked out of your rear end yourself.  as have we all. 

it's okay... i love personal attacks.  cheap hit and run tactics. makes me warm and fuzzy inside.  :lol:

he must have injested too much false creek water.  cause his ego seems to be getting to him.  he miss the part where i said "but for the OC i still prefere kialoa, it's just an awesome blade to use on the water... "  i think in that sentence i was refering to MYSELF and not everyone. 

rossifumi you have a right to your own opinion, if you don't agree you can share your thoughts like colossus. 

yeah it might be a shameless promotion of kialoa, but i think right arm was promoting ZRE above, why don't you take a stab at him as well?

he won't take a stab at rightarm cause he uses ZRE himself.  plus, he likes to "pick on people" that he sees as inferior to him.  unfortunately, thats a lot of people

that's it, wood paddles for all of you  :lol:

PULEEZZZ guys, a "wise" paddler once told me that we have to put aside our egos, because it's attitudes like this that breaks a team up.

Colossus: "plus, he likes to "pick on people" that he sees as inferior to him.  unfortunately, thats a lot of people", are you talking about the same person who quit coaching fodb when the walls started crumbling around him?

okay guys seriously, stay on topic and cut the flaming.  if you have issues, sort it out in some other forum, and please leave fodb out of it since this has nothing to do with the team or our current membership

thanks

sorry syb, wasn't meant to be a crack, i told you in person the exact same thing twice, in jest, if you remember.  next time i'll edit for tone before i post in a rush.  it was pretty funny since it came up again in a roundabout way.

paddles, CF, wood, cf/wood, whatever, they're all the same in the end and nothing that'll help you make the difference.  I never liked some brands simply b/c of early breakage or weight issues, but they're just preferences

There's guys on the water out there who will smoke every single person in this thread with nothing but a rotting, water logged piece of driftwood club paddle.

please stay within topic.   the original poster requested information/opinions regarding the CF paddles, not wood.  If you can't stay on topic, then please don't post.

now there's a thought:


there is only one that is really different from the others, the Apex that offers adjustable lengths - you may or may not find it a useful feature.

All others simply vary in weight, finish, materials that won't make you faster or slower.  Nothing wrong with going whatever feels good in the hands (insert toilet humour joke here)

I'm also having a dilema right now too, of whether or not to get a BURNWATER or an APEX ULTIMATE ( ADJUSTABLE )

For what it's worth, one of our more experienced paddlers put up her review of the different paddles here (http://swordfishdragonboat.ca/forums/index.php?topic=645.msg2591#msg2591).  As an update, since the time she wrote her reviews, it seems that the Chinook shaft isn't as thin as she initially thought.

Also, at the FCRCC regatta I had the opportunity to play with an SRS, Chinook and Burnwater.  In terms of weight, I'd say from heaviest to lightest would be the Chinook, SRS, then Burnwater.  How do they compare?  Heck if I know...the adrenaline was pumping a bit too hard that day :lol:  One thing that might make a difference for long term use though is that the Chinook shaft is completely round whereas the Burnwater shaft is slightly oval.  I like the grip on the Chinook shaft since it's...er, ribbed for your pleasure.

I'd follow her recommendations though...if you can't feel the difference, just get the cheapest one that works ;)

It's funny no one really mentioned Typhoon8,Trivium or Brasca sport in the CF paddle category.  Anyone used these before?

http://www.typhoon8.com/
http://www.triviumpaddles.com/
http://www.bracasportusa.com/products/bracsa_dragonboat.htm

Okay here goes:

Burnwater = http://www.burnwater.com/dragonboatpaddles/dragon_boat_paddles.html
$190 USD + shipping.   Local distributor is Greg Lamb i believe (?), perhaps he can post his contact info

Apex = http://www.apexcomposites.com/carbonfiberpaddles.php
$225 CAD + tax & shipping.   Local distributor out of FCRCC, i don't know his name, again, same as above.  That price seems high, i'm sure i've heard of people getting them locally for much less than that.

ZRE = http://www.zre.com/gearshop/paddlesport/canoepaddles/dragonpaddle.php
$175 - 195 USD + shipping (based on choice of grip type).   Local distributor by special order is Western Canoe and Kayak in Abbotsford.  http://www.westerncanoekayak.com/directions.php  (ignore what they have on the website, for some reason WC&K doesn't stock the 202a spec, which is ultimately stupid, but they will order them in for you which will save the shipping... i believe it is about $210 CAD before taxes.  They will also do group buys)

SRS = http://www.simonriversports.com/english/products/paddles/dragon.html
price unknown.  pretty sure there are local distributors for these, there is usually someone selling them at alcan.

Bracsa = http://www.bracasportusa.com/products/bracsa_dragonboat.htm
$295 USD.  distributor unknown.  I've heard from a couple of people that these paddles are second to none in terms of quality and for that price, you better hope so!  never touched one, can't say for sure

Grey Owl = http://www.greyowlpaddles.com/pages/dragon.html     refer to paddle "E", the "Jet" paddle
$175 CAD.  sold locally at lots of places. 

and the new comer:

Chinook Diablo = http://www.poguesports.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=2-5-4&Category_Code=2-6&Product_Count=3
$129.99 CAD.  Sold at Pogue Sports.  Would love to get a reaction on this from anyone who has bought or used one.


Your best bet is to determine your budget for a paddle, what your criteria are, and then if you can, try a few out.  ultimately if you find one you like and its within your budget, buy it.  if its way out of your range, then perhaps you need to sacrifice what you are looking for.

I chose to pay more for the ZRE than I would have for a burn or apex or grey owl locally because A) I wanted the lightest paddle I could get; B) I wanted something that felt like it could take abuse, and C) I wanted the palm grip option because I hate the T-grip (however they are also available with T grip).   As I said in my previous comment, its unfortunately there are no canadian distributors of this paddle as they are a great value when sold without shipping charges.


EDIT: LOL took me a while to compile that, there were some more added above.   but there you have it, LOTS of choices.   

yeah definitely lots to choose from.  i wouldn't mind trying out the Typhoon8 CF paddle.  from the website pic it looks like the similar matt finish of the ZRE.  they listed Ryan Pogue (Pogue Sports) as the dealer contact for Vancouver.  MSRP $159 USD plus shipping and handling.

they also had the Typhoon8 wooden paddles at the calgary dboat festival last year and those were quite nice.

thats easily addressed by telling us what you require out of your paddle.  if you want it to be adjustable because you move around to different seats in the boat, get the adjustable.  by moving around, i mean from the first 3 rows to any other row further back, because i've found that i'll use the same length from seat 4 back to seat 10.  its just the very front where i have to battle with wake that i'll drop an inch or so in paddle length. 

I'm generally in the middle of the boat. ( like 95% of the time )

then getting an adjustable is fairly pointless unless you plan on eventually being at the front.  get a fixed length paddle at whatever length you're used to/sized for and call it a day. 

 actually it may be better to get an adj. as different boats sit different in the water and crews can also weight different so the boat may sit higher or lower

"Bracsa = http://www.bracasportusa.com/products/bracsa_dragonboat.htm
$295 USD.  distributor unknown.  I've heard from a couple of people that these paddles are second to none in terms of quality and for that price, you better hope so!  never touched one, can't say for sure"

Actually, these are available for $200 CAD (plus shipping) from a supplier in Nova Scotia.  Wicked Hungarian (flatwater masters) paddles with a palm grip instead of a T.  I've used the Grey Owl (both wood and carbon), the Burnwater and the Apex, and this is by far my favourite of the bunch.   

awesome! do you happen to know who the distributor is?


Perhaps we all of this info can be compiled and sticky'd?

From what I can tell it's just a guy that sells them on the side out of his house in Waverley, NS.  The service is not very good, as in he doesn't respond to your e-mails very quickly, and it's a "send me a cheque, I'll send you a paddle" kind of deal.  The guy's name is Kati Latorovszki, and his business e-mail is  [email protected].  Bracsa makes an OC paddle too, but I've never had a chance to use one.   

Thank you for all the comments on the different types of carbon fibre paddles. I decided to get a Burnwater and picked it up this weekend at the Alcan Regatta. It was $200 with taxes included. I love it and think it's well worth the money!  :D  I wouldn't be surprised to see them at the Alcan Festival...

During the Alcan Regatta, I heard from one of the vendors that there will be no vendors at the Alcan Festival this year - not sure if its true or not.

that's just dumb to not allow vendors at the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival.  it's a cash cow!  especially since it's free admission this year (finally!).  i hope burnwater setups a booth. not that i have anything to buy.  i practically own burnwater gear from head to toe  :lol:

Just thought I'd put in my two cents in regards to the SRS carbon fibre paddle.

I had purchase my 48"-50" adjustable paddle during a group buy back in 2005. The order didn't come in until just before Alcan and as luck would have it, the paddle I had ordered came defective and needed to be sent back for replacement. I wasn't the only one in the order that had a defective and replacements didn't arrive till well past Alcan.

The paddle itself wasn't too bad.. because of the adjustability (Yes, I know that it's not a real word) factor, it was heavier than the Burnwater Reactor I had used before but lighter than the Grey Owl.

After taking the 2005 season off, I returned to paddling this season but used a wood Grey Owl Hi-Perf until the week before Alcan where I switch to the SRS. From then on until last Wednesday I had used the SRS for practices. However, it's rather disappointing to say that after less than a full season of paddling, the top t-handle snapped off while I was out on the OC1 (Thanks to the Roli guys for lending me a paddle so I could get back to the club). From what I heard from the group buy, this was a common problem with the SRS paddle and that not many of those paddles are in actual use.

As a paddle, it's really nothing special. But with the quality control on these things, I strongly recommend passing on the SRS unless they have fixed the weak t-handle in their new paddles.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/timjang/IMG_3661.jpg)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/timjang/IMG_3666.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/timjang/IMG_3665.jpg)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/timjang/IMG_3664.jpg)

ouch!!

a guy on my team nutted up and got a trivium.  it's very light - noticeably lighter than the burnwater blade i have AND it is adjustable.  our logo was put on the paddle - UNDER the paddle's glass finish and you can choose the color of the carbon fiber (for some reason he chose green).  some nice touches.

the only thing that i have reservations about is the tip - it's more blunt ("blunter"?) than the apex.  i haven't had a chance to paddle with it yet, but i would suspect the entries would not be as buttery as the burnwater.

My burnwater cuts H2O like a hot knife through butter.  I wouldn't trade it for the world, ... wait, ... let me rethink that last statement.  Anyhow I do like it.  Regarding adjustables, ... I've heard they have a tendancy of slipping and/or breaking.  I personally haven't seen this and had considered getting one before getting my burnwater.  Is this myth or fantasy?  I could only see the benefit of having such a paddle, as Colossus alluded to, if you plan on moving quite a bit between the back and the front of the boat.  For peace of mind I went fixed. :pray: 

One of our women paddlers took a Chinook out for a spin and broke it.  Now I must admit I wasn't there to witness this so several things may have happened:

1) There may have been a defect in that particular paddle.
2) This particular paddler is extremely strong (which may be the case)  :eh:
3) She liked it so much she decided to use it against the hull of the boat, or
4) The Chinook has a flaw in its design.

Given that it's a new comer I'd need to see more evidence of use before buying one.  It is a heavier paddle than the burnwater, but apparently it has a flexible shaft unlike the burn thus easier on the shoulders.  The jury is out with this paddler on this paddle.

One of our men broke TWO at Alcan, I'd be leary about these paddles. Haven't heard of anyway Burnwaters breaking.

I take the paddle back to the Calgary Rep that you bought it from....I would make him refund your money and buy you a new burnwater..... :)  But please don't tell him that I said that....

the only problem with adjustables is if you don't maintain them properly and regularly (once a month or so).  in that case, you might have the screws sieze on you and you'll have to drill them out.  I just went through this problem the other day, because i didn't maintain it properly at all.   :oops:  So i drilled the screws out, got new ones, and now i'm good to go with it being properly maintained this time around.  :)
as for the slipping, any paddle can slip on you.  or am i not fully understanding what you mean?
the tendancy of breaking is something that every company goes through for a small batch once in a while.  I haven't heard of Apex having problems for a few years now, Burnwater has the bubbling issue with some of its Reactor blades sold in the past year or so, the SRS has the handle/blade snapping problem.....   list goes on. 

Wow, breaking 2 is pretty intense AND unfortunate!  Any idea where the paddles broke? 

I did a group purchase of 9, and so far have heard nothing but good things.  Everyone's enjoyed it so far, and for the price I'd say it was a great buy. (109 + tax)  It is a little heavier than the burnwater, but personally I like the little bit of extra weight on it.

Also, I really really like the shaft as it provdes a great grip without any wax.

My 2 cents - I'll repost if I break mine.. hehe

The paddle in question was a demo paddle that had been bounced around amongst several paddlers in  Vancouver before it was shipped to Calgary via greyhound.   I believe it was damaged before she got her hands on it. And yes she is strong.

The paddle in this case of the 2 broken at Alcan have not broken actually as much as what ever fastener (glue) they are using between the shaft and the blade seems to be separating and needs to be re-glued.  The paddler likes the paddle, just not the glue.

Burn Waters have had their issues in the past if you go look at past threads on this topic.  There were several runs of paddles from Burnwater that bubbled in some fashion.

To make a long story short it appears as though most paddle makers have and will continue to have issues over time.  

here are a few things i personally think is important when considering a new blade:

quality (most common defects, number of known occurrences), warranty, replacement policy, customer service and shipping/wait time. 

when my burnwater bubbled it was replaced within the same week.  quick professional customer service.  i like that!  i am pretty sure our friendly local Apex rep is also quick to help if you encounter problems with your paddles... (right colossus?  :lol:)

Apex had a problem with the Durablade non-carbon paddles.  They really weren't that durable.  The full carbon ones are pretty good.

I would expect every manufacturer's paddles to break.  It's how the manufacturer handles the warranty claim afterwards.

I've seen the Chinook.  Like the Apex, the Chinook has a pattern on the shaft for better grip.  Burnwater's are a bit slippery.  The new Burnwater's are heavier than the old ones and are weighted at the blade. 

Most of the time, it'll come down to personal preference. 

You're correct about the Apex Durablade non-carbon but the full carbons are really good...not as light as the Jet's but still pretty good!!!  :P

I'm afraid of him too! :lol:

Which Apex are you talking about... the nonadjustable full carbon is significantly lighter than the Grey Owl Jet.  Not sure if the adjustable is heavier but I would think they are compatable.

There is minimal weight difference between the Burnwater and the Apex adjustable, not enough to make a difference on your power on the blade. If I were looking it would be between these two, Apex is nice due to the adjustable option.

I was referring to the quick release version of adjustable paddle, the one with the button adjustment, ... not knowing that a screw type version was out there.  Where have I been paddling all these years? (the prairies).  These type of button adjustable paddles sounded convenient until I heard that they had a tendancy of slipping while in use.  Not sure if this is common, but it looks like they may have corrected this issue with the intro (for some individuals - me) of the screw, or do both versions exist out there?

that button version you speak of sounds like the SRS paddle (which chaos posted up some info about earlier in the thread).  the Apex paddles have been screw-type for quite a while.

I haven't been in the market for a paddle for quite some time which would explain my head in the sand response.  Thanks for the info. :doh:

One of the paddlers on our team broke his chinook blade at the start of the final race at Harrison. Just wondering if anyone has had problems with the warranty.

Yeah. I noticed that he was testing his blade for play, and he had the paddle for only two or three months, too. So I guess Chinooks aren't the most durable paddles, are they?

Just to follow up with the broken Chinook blade. Ryan Pogue refunded the full cost of the paddle no questions asked AND apologized. Classy guy.

I recently switched from the Burnwater to a ZRE.
I have nothing but positive things to say about the ZRE. I didn't consider them in the past due to the weird plastic "toy" handle, but with the "new" carbon t-handle, I decided to go that direction and have to say I'm sold.

Good man!  I never used the plastic handle personally, skipped straight to the carbon (for the minimal additional cost its worth it) so I can't comment on the plastic, but in terms of dragon boat paddles, I have yet to see / try one that i like better than the ZRE. 

you have yet to see/try a db paddle better than the ZRE?!  (good shameless promotion of ZRE... that's exactly what i would have done.)  rightarm time for you to try out some more paddles... you'll be surprised at what you find out.

burnwater rules burnwater rules burnwater rules!  j/k  :lol:

a plastic versus a carbon t-grip makes very minimal difference (if any) in performance.

it's mostly personal preferences, comfort and feel of the blade.  i personally like the burnwater's flushed t-grip.  the apex full CF has the t-grip with the plastic caps at the end which has caused a few abrassion blisters on my hand.  one of my teammates really liked the SRS's hollow t-grip that is erogonomically designed which allows for a better grip and contour of the top hand.  however SRS's are also known to break easily, especially near the t-grip.

anyone wanna lend me a typhoon 8 CF to tryout?

I'm currently trying out a burnwater paddle. The only thing I dont like about it is that the shaft is just so slippery. perhaps I put too much top arm drive, and my technique is far from perfect. And you can also put wax or correct your technique to make the arms move in perfect harmony.

What I like most on the Burnwater is how it cuts through water. I would sometimes pull with my arms on an OC, and you'd feel the paddle go left and right producing a sinuisoidal trajectory in the water. Could be an inconvenient, but then, I was arm paddling, so its like an arm paddling detector.

I'm not yet used to the more lighter weight paddles, so i kind of felt the shaft bend if i would hold the paddle with my bottom hand a little higher than normal (mostly for OCing), anybody got that feeling?

Soon, i'm gonna try out the Apex accelerator. cant wait to try it as it promises to be 100g lighter than the burn water.

lol whatever dude, i don't care if anyone buys a ZRE cuz i'm not the distributor.  I said its the paddle I LIKE!  I also like the fact that IF something were to break (and I have yet to hear of one breaking) all the parts for it can be purchased separately (blade, shaft, grip), AND you get a choice of palm or T grip based on preference.  And its the lightest, and the blade isn't hollow so you don't have to worry about "bubbling"... What's not to like?? :D

As for other paddles, I've paddled with a burnwater (new and old), SRS, Chinook, Apex (non-adjustable) and GO Jet, so i've definitely tried a few! :p   

I just got the Typhoon8 Dragonfly this past weekend. So far I love it and I know a few of my teammates are really impressed with it and considering buying one. I suppose that it doesn't hurt that it has a dragonfly on it too :) I tried both the palm grip and t-grip ZREs and the new Burnwaters. I definitely prefer the t-grip. The thing that sold me on the T8 (other than its sheer beauty) is that it actually had a little more substance to it than the others, without being as heavy and clunky as a wood paddle. CF performance without feeling like the slightest wind would whisk it away.

hmm.. that's a very common problem with the burnwater.  the shaft is where ZRE and SRS probably comes out on top.  ZRE has a matt finish which provides decent grip even without applying any paddle wax. as for the SRS it has a textured finish on the shaft that gives it a more natural grip... some food for thought when selecting a paddle that's right for you.

i apply a lot of wax on my burnwater before practice or a race.  also, you might find wearing a glove helpful in providing additional grip on your paddle.  

last but not least there are various products out there that you can use on your paddle.  i have found that the orangy paddle wax from MEC works wonders (but sticks to EVERYTHING).  sex wax is the popular choice but remember to get the cold water formula as it adheres better for west coast waters.

sterles:  where did you buy the typhoon 8?  can i borrow your paddle? hahaha...  :D

Hockey tape works very well and you don't get the mess that the wax leaves. You don't need to use much tape, just enough for the palm size of your hand.

With the ZRE it's not an issue of materials.

Their plastic grip is an odd ("ergonomic") shape that seems (to me) to be tiny and weird and toy-like. Their carbon grip is a traditional t-grip.

USA Dragonboating LLC set up shop at the Vancouver Lake (WA) races last weekend.

i wear a glove on my bottom hand, and the only time my hand slips is when i'm super exhausted and i get it caught/bash it on the side of the boat on the way down into the water.  (i use an adjustable apex paddle)

Myself, I paddle with a Brasca and I would never give it up.  I've tried every paddle on the market except for a Chinook.

Brasca is definitely worth the money.  The wooden palm grip is fantastic.  And the balance of the paddle is almost perfect.  If you're going to be racing in Calgary, you'll see a bunch of us with Brascas.

Oh, and I've tried the Brasca outrigger paddles as well, and I'd recommend those to everyone....great paddle.