The Ultimate Kayak Paddle isn't the Most Expensive?!

A lot of paddlers think the ultimate kayak paddle has to be the most expensive one. But what if the paddle that makes the most sense to the most people is actually half the price? I'm Ken Whiting and this is PaddleTV where you'll find paddling tips and gear reviews all designed to help you have a better time and safer time on the water. And in this video we're talking about the ultimate kayak paddle. Now I think the best place to start is to define what ultimate actually means. And it's not the absolute best paddle for a specific niche. For me the ultimate paddle is the paddle that pretty much anyone can take and do almost anything and have a great time with it. It performs very well. It's the kind of paddle that provides that very unique combination of performance, durability, versatility, and value. And that's why I don't think the ultimate kayak paddle is one of the top of the line paddles on the market. In fact I think it's a paddle that costs about half as much. Now sticking with the idea that the ultimate kayak paddle is the one that offers the best balance of performance, durability, versatility, and value. That's why for many years I've believed the Aquabound Carbon Ray series is really the ultimate kayak paddle. Either the Manta Ray that I use typically or the Sting Ray which is the smaller blades. This isn't a random choice of mine either. I have put the Carbon Ray paddles to the test on adventures all over the place from multi-day whitewater river trips, multi-day sea kayaking trips, to trips on the Great Lakes, trips on the ocean, you name it I've done it. Bottom line is I have put these paddles to the test and have developed a real appreciation for them. But let me really explain more why I think this is the ultimate kayak paddle. Quick transparency break. I am sponsored by Aquabound Paddle. I've been sponsored by Aquabound Paddles for 20 some years. But I don't use Aquabound Paddles because I'm sponsored by them. I am sponsored by them because I've always used and loved Aquabound Paddles. And so I have a bias towards Aquabound Paddles. They're what I use and they're what I love. But I hope that doesn't take away from the fact that I truly believe that this is the ultimate kayak paddle. Now let's start with performance. The shaft of the ray, carbon ray, is carbon. And it's ovalized where you hold it. Now the benefit of a carbon shaft is that it's lighter for one. It's also stiffer. And so that combination of lightweight and stiffness allows it to transfer your power into actual propulsion, moving the kayak very effectively. The ovalized shaft is also, it makes for a much natural grip on the paddle. Now they come as either one piece, two piece, or four piece. The one piece or the single piece paddle is the strongest, the most secure. But the two piece is the most popular. Breaks down in the middle, makes a lot more portable, easier to throw in your vehicle, to travel with even. And the other really cool thing is it can make it a lot more versatile. Especially if you get the VersaLock ferrule system. Ferrule is the connection point at the center of a two piece paddle. The VersaLock ferrule lets you choose whatever twist or feather you want on the paddle. And it lets you change the length of the paddle by 15 centimeters. Now if you know exactly what length of paddle you like, and you just paddle the same kayak, and you're the only one using the paddle, that isn't really that necessary at all. But if you're not 100% sure what length is ideal, maybe you want to use that paddle with different kayaks, and a different length is appropriate. Or maybe other people are going to use this paddle, and you want to be able to change the twist and the length for that reason. Then that VersaLock ferrule is just really nice to have. I get the majority of my aquabound paddles now with a VersaLock ferrule system for that versatility. That's because I use so many different types of kayaks. I don't want to have that many paddles. One for each style of kayak. Now when it comes to the blades of the Carbon Ray series, there are two sizes. There's the Manta Ray and the smaller, narrower Sting Ray. For smaller people or people who want a more relaxed paddling style, pretty much always stick with the Manta Ray, being a bigger guy and having a more aggressive stroke. But regardless, the blades are made with a carbon-reinforced nylon, which is basically carbon-reinforced plastic. Now top of the line kayak paddles pretty much all have full carbon blades, which are ultra lightweight, ultra stiff, and depending on the layout, they can be really strong too. Now the benefit of the carbon-reinforced plastic is they're still quite light and still quite stiff. Not as light and stiff as a full carbon blade, but they are much more durable and a lot less expensive. So that pretty much covers performance. Now let's talk about durability. The key from a durability standpoint is, again, the carbon-reinforced nylon blades. And the reason it's so durable is because these plastic blades, knock off rocks and things in the water too, like oyster beds and barnacles, and they're just, it's going to hold up. Put that into actual context, I've had the same carbon Manta Ray paddle for around seven years. Now I don't use it on every trip, but I use it on trips where I need durability. I need a high performance paddle that is going to also have great durability. And that's why I chose it on one of the last trips I did, which was a four-day trip, a whitewater river trip in an inflatable kayak down the Des Moines river, because it provided that combination of performance and durability. It's a paddle that I can count on. And that's also why the carbon-reinforced blades is how they make a lot of their whitewater kayaking specific paddles. Now, when it comes to versatility, I pretty much just covered it all. What makes it so versatile is the fact that you can use it pretty much on, for any type of trip. It comes as a one-piece, two-piece or four-piece. It comes as the, with the Manta Ray, bigger blades or Stingray, smaller blades. And you can get it with the VersaLock so that it can accommodate a wide variety of kayaks. You can change the length by 15 centimeters and have whatever feather or twist you want on it. The bottom line is that this is a paddle that I would pretty much be happy using on any type of paddling trip, even though it might not be the absolute best paddle for each type of adventure. But I'd be very happy taking this on any type of paddling adventure, except for like a true whitewater kayaking trip. I would go with a whitewater kayaking specific paddle. Now in terms of value, the Carbon Ray series sell for between $230 to $290 US dollars. Now that's not cheap. That's a chunk of change. But when you consider that the top of the line carbon paddles generally go for around $600 US dollars, that's a pretty good price. And that's why literally for 10 years, I've said that the Manta Ray paddles are, offer the best value on the market. So ultimate kayak paddle or not, if it's not the right paddle for you, it's not the right paddle for you. So who are the Carbon Ray paddles for? Well, they can be for beginner and novice paddlers who don't mind spending a little bit more money to get a paddle that they're never going to outgrow. It can also be a perfect choice for an intermediate to expert paddler who wants one paddle that they can use in any type of paddling conditions. Now, who shouldn't be considering the Carbon Ray series? Well, people that really want the lightest, highest performing paddle for a specific application and are willing to give up durability for something super lightweight. Beginners who don't know if they're going to be sticking with paddling, $230 to $290 is a chunk of change if you're not going to stick with the sport. And so they might be better off going with a cheaper option and you can actually get the Ray series. The fiberglass version is about half the price of the carbon version. I mean, don't get me wrong, whether it's the ultimate kayak paddle or not, it doesn't mean it's the right paddle for you. I mean, for me, there are some trips like my multi-day sea kayaking or touring trips where I typically, I don't choose this paddle. I don't choose the ultimate paddle. I've been using AquaBound's Tetra Ultralight full carbon paddle, which is a beautiful paddle, twice the price of this, but an absolute beautiful paddle. And truth be told, if this video was the ultimate kayak paddle for multi-day sea kayaking or touring trips, I'd be talking about the Tetra Ultralight, but it's not. This is a video about the ultimate all-round kayak paddle, something that anyone of any skill level can really appreciate in almost any type of paddling condition. And that offers incredible value. Do you agree? Do you not agree? Leave a comment down below, share your ideas on whether or not this should be considered the ultimate kayak paddle, whether you have a better idea for what the ultimate kayak paddle is. Either way, that's all I have to say. And so thanks for watching. I hope you've enjoyed this video. Give it a thumbs up if you have. Subscribe to PaddleTV if you haven't already. Check out my other channel, Ken Wedding Adventures, to see some of those paddling adventures I've talked about, which I use the ultimate kayak paddle on. And yeah, stay tuned for more paddling tips, paddling gear reviews, and adventures.