Customer Reviews

Kwik Tek Deluxe Kayak Paddle 2 sect Alum 84" Curved Blade

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I'm completely surprised to report that this paddle is totally unusable by a proficient right handed person. The paddle is drilled for 3 twist angles between the paddles.

-60 degrees (which is what left handed paddlers use

0 degrees which is for novices and children

+120 degrees which is not usable by any human

What is missing is +60 which is what proficient right handed paddlers would use.

I'm wondering if this is defective or if they just don't know what they are doing. Novices or children will be satisfied with a 0 degree twist angle (the blades are in the same plane). Howver given the foam wrappers on the handle the diameter might be large for a child's grip.

the blades are symmetric (not assymetrically curved) and heavily constructured, but for the price this is fine. It's an excellent value if you are left handed. the construction appears to be durable.

UPDATE 1:

The company checked their inventory and discovered that all of their paddles were defective. apologized and pulled this off amazon.com for a while.

UPDATE 2:
A year went by and I ordered another one. Amazingly this one is also drilled wrong. It's not quite as bad as the first one but the holes for the left and right sides are asymmetric about the neutral position. the Right handed one is now too far >90 degrees, again making this unusable by a right hander.

close inspection shows the right hand hole was drilled after the paddle was anodized since unlike the other two holes the cut hole is sloppy and edged with shiny metal.

Bottom line: you could make this work but it would probably injure your wrists if you are a serious paddler. Apparently this company has a huge quality control problems.

I bought this to use with an inflatable kayak, and I think it's a good paddle. It's a little heavy, but I'm not going long distances or trying to break any records, so for my use, it's fine. The length is ideal for the wider sides of an inflatable. It's got several click-in settings so you can pick the alignment of your blades. Nice comfy handles and drip guards. For the money, it's a great, sturdy paddle.

This paddle is fine if your plan is go paddle around the lake (fresh water only, beyond that it feels cheap and handles cheaply. The connecting point on mine began to corrode after taking it out once into a salt water bay and rinsing it thoroughly with fresh water. I took it out again figuring I could sand and paint over the corrosion if it proved to be good in the surf. It soon failed me as it bent on a bailout without even getting stuck in the sand. Save your money.

As an avid flatwater paddler for 20 years, I recently upgraded my kayak to a unit that tracks better and is more lightweight. The Airhead looked like a good paddle, and upon first use did not disappoint. The foam grip handles are easy on the hands, it's very light, and the curved blades make for more efficient paddling. The only downside I can note is that there is some minor flexing of the blades when pushing off--they could be more rigid. Overall, however, it's a great paddle and I'd recommend it for recreational paddlers.

Both the weight and blade are OK (for the price), but the name says 92". The one I got was only 84", probably fine for some shorter paddlers.

For the record, this was written by Gary Moos, Julie's husband.

As my experience with kayaking is limited to quiet, pleasurable "lake" tours, I've no need to invest in an expensive paddle. The Kwik Tek is light, has different settings, hand grips and is comfortable to use. While I'm certainly no expert, it gets me where I'm going and the price was absolutely right! For me it was a great find and a great buy!

I didn't expect much for the price, but the paddle has served me well for several years. It may not be the lightest, fastest, or whatever the current fad is, but it is rugged and light enough for this novice.

scoops lots of h2o but quite a heavy paddle. the packaging was ok, but maybe could have been bubble wrapped to protect in the truck. works well for rivers and kids. it can really turn kayak on a dime

PROS:

* Easy to assemble (snap the two paddles together)
* Shaft made well of metal
* Plastic paddlefins are thick plastic and light weight
* Curved fin helps push water a little better
* Good water blocking rings
* Cushioned hand grips
* Cheap price at $30 from amazon

CONS:

* Plastic may get brittle and broken if left in sun for months
* Length could be about a foot longer, but it's highly manageable and not noticable by most

Overall, I highly recommend and would purchase this again. I have two for my two person kayak. Works great.

I am the second reviewer to note that this paddle is NOT AS ADVERTISED. This paddle is 84 inches long, not 92 as advertised. DO NOT ORDER THIS PADDLE unless you want an 84" (7') paddle.