Upside: A lightweight breakdown paddle great for traveling. When locked down, feels like one piece. Downside: Not ideal for beginners. Rating:^^^^^ (5 out of 5 peaks) Ideal User: Ideal for adventure racers or traveling kayakers
As an adventure racer and competitive ultra-distance kayaker, I have raced everything from a single-person pack raft, one and two-person inflatable and hard shell kayaks,
a variety of canoes and a hand-crafted wooden race tandem. What makes this doable, yet expensive and gear intensive, is having a stock of paddles of different styles,
lengths and feathers to match each boat and race. But Simon River Sports new Shark 5-piece wing paddle has gone a long way towards simplifying the issue.
SRS has created this breakdown, carbon fiber wing paddle with the adventure racer and traveling kayaker in mind. The sections range in length from 52 cm to 62 cm, and
the 26oz. paddle can easily fit in a carry-on bag, be packed as luggage, and can fit into your daypack or an adventure racer's backpack. The blades are available in two
sizes, 48 cm for the smaller paddler or long distance kayaking, and the 49 cm for a larger paddler or sprint distance kayaking. With the E-Z set friction adjustment
system, the blades attach to the shaft with a plastic threaded ring. The shafts then connect to a fifth middle piece by two additional plastic rings. This is where
both the length and feather can be set.
The length can be easily set anywhere from 213 to 252 cm by loosening the threaded rings and sliding the shaft where you want it. There are indicator lines showing
the center as well as marking every inch outward from there. Because the rings are hand tightened, they come off easily--if you remember which direction to turn
them! I had a hard time and ended up twisting the wrong way, then struggled to loosen them. A directional arrow would be helpful here. Nonetheless, whether you
are paddling whitewater or touring, paddling a wide inflatable kayak or a narrow surf ski, or if you are a large paddler or small, the Shark gives you the flexibility
to set the length accordingly.
The Shark also allows for 360 degrees of feather adjustment. With the same threaded rings you used to adjust the length, you can adjust the feather. On the left shaft,
there is a zero indicator line which should be set and tightened first. On the right shaft, there are reference marks for 0, 30, 60 and 90 degrees. The system is great
to give you a general guideline although you may have to play around a little to fine tune your preferred angle. For a paddler putting in a lot of miles in varying
conditions the ability to easily change your feather is priceless. If the wind picks up or changes direction adjusting your angle could save precious energy. If your
muscles and tendons are aching, you may find relief in a slight feather change.
When tightened, I found no play in the paddle. The carbon fiber blades entered and exited cleanly, and felt smooth, powerful and efficient. The paddle flexed comfortably
for a long day of paddling, although it would not be ideal for sprint events. I have used several types of breakdown systems in my kayaking experience. I found SRS's
friction system a pleasure to paddle in that, there are no tools to keep track of, it is infinitely adjustable in feather, it did not creek or slip and its offers
length adjustment. All in all, when locked down, it felt like a one-piece.
Paddling and bracing with a wing paddle requires practice and technique. If used like a regular blade, the cupped shape of the wing that propels you forward so
efficiently can cut under your kayak like a knife making for a very unstable ride. A high-brace can leave you face down before you realize what hit you. A low
brace is more stable, but still requires a learned technique. That being said, I found the Shark stable and predictable as I practiced high and low braces and
with proper blade placement, it was very efficient to roll with.
Both my husband at 6'6" and myself at 5'6" found the threaded rings did not interfere with our hand placement in any way. Beware, the rings can easily come off when
the paddle is in its broken-down form and they don't float! Keeping a few spares may save you one day!
For adventure racers and competitive paddlers looking for an adjustable, lightweight paddle that they can carry in their pack on the race course, on the plane, in a
gear box, or for touring paddlers looking for a paddle the whole family can use, a spare that can be tucked into a hatch, or anyone looking for a good, solid wing
paddle, the Simon River Sports Shark is a great choice.
