Welcome to the "Kayak Wing Paddle" page. Wing paddles are the hot ticket if kayak racing or just plain going fast is your passion. The stroke you use with a wing is different than a standard paddle. For instance your up hand usually passes near level with your chin and the wing exits further off the side of the boat. The wing paddle works best with lots of body rotation. Once you get use to a wing you should find it more stable than a standard type of blade. A wing paddle will roll well but is not capable of certain braces you might use with a standard blade. The best way to learn to use a wing is at a paddle clinic for wing paddles. Often the day before a big race someone like Greg Barton or Brent Reitz will hold a clinic. If there is no clinic for you to attend swing by and join us in our early morning training paddle. If you can't make it to Atascadero we have a couple products that can help:
We currently sell Barton (Epic), Bracsa, Flyer, Jantex, Max, Speedwing & SRS. When we run out of the Bracsa wings in stock that will be it for them as the "Max" line of wings is similar to their best selling #4 but lighter.
The Barton Blades (also known as "Epic") have about 12 degrees of "twist" which helps the paddle track off the side when you rotate through your stroke. The Bartons are available with the very best plastic adjuster. This adjuster allows you to choose a length range of 10cm plus any angle of feather. (If you buy a kit and build a 214 you have to buy another paddle if you want to try a 216 - but not with the "Length Loc")Barton builds 3 sizes. The Large which is suited to Sprinters and people over 195 lbs. The "Mid" a blade which is great for lightweight sprinters and marathon paddlers. And the Small/Mid which is a cut down Mid with less surface area and the softer burgundy shaft - suited for distance paddlers in the sub 130 pound weight range. You can now save on Epic paddles by getting a carbon glass composite called "Hybrid" (same shape but looks almost silver instead of the carbon black) not quite as light but not as spendy either. Unless otherwise noted the Epics come with a oval shaft.
NEWS FLASH --- March 26th, 2006 Epic is moving production to China. Our store policy is to not sell Chinese products and not because of the wonderful Chinese people but because of their government - (See Tibet, Trade Deficit, Repression of Democracy, Arms Sales, forcing down of USAF Jet, etc.) I still have a couple of their wings in stock from before the move. Epic makes a great product and I would bet the Chinese versions will be just as good and I feel poorly about discontinuing my best selling product - but for personal political reasons when we run out that will be it for us. I have contacted Jantex and they have agreed to build us mid size ultralight high twist blades. I am having both the extremely lightweight shafts and the new machined "quick loc"built for us here in USA . These new paddles will be priced about the same as the Epics and should be lighter in weight but our shafts will be round and the adjusters are the slickest on the market. On the plus side each one I build can be for what ever size range you want so if you are 5' 2" I will have no trouble building you a 197 to 207 if that is what you want! These new "JANTEX" are available NOW!
Flyer - This is our in house paddle. The full size Flyer is designed by Ted Van Dusen and is known as Blade #8. It has the highest twist (22%) of any wing we sell (see photo on right above). It is the paddle I used to win the 2001 USCA Open Sea Kayak & Sea Kayak sprints. I used it again in 2006 to win the USCA Unlimited kayak sprints in the 50 year old class. It is a very powerful paddle and I do not use it in long events (I am 53 years old and only 155 pounds). It won't cavitate at a high cadence like a lot of other paddles. In a all out 10 second jam I recorded my highest speed with my speedmate of 14.9 mph. It only works with lots of rotation and when used incorrectly by paddling along the side of the hull it will knife under the kayak. You must have a good rotated forward stroke for this paddle. When you use it correctly it really likes to track off to the side very nicely. I use this wing in my stroke clinic as it forces a new paddler to rotate or swim! The workmanship on the blades is good but not as high as the Epic but then neither is the price!
Our new machined "Quick Loc" only 19 grams! (our plastic locks were 25 grams)
Flyer Blade #3 is very similar to the Epic Mid except it is about 5% smaller with a bit more twist but not as much twist as our #8. It is a very good blade for light weigh sprinters. I find it a great touring blade. Also, ultra distance (races over 30 miles long) paddlers seem to like it a lot.
Our best deal: A kevlar #3, #4 or #5 Flyer with plastic adjuster and cloth bag $279.00!
Flyer Blade #4 is very similar to the Brasca IV except that our #4 has less rake (or bend) in the throat. These are available in full carbon with a Quick Loc at about 27 ounces or in Kevlar with a plastic lock at about 31 ounces.
Flyer Blade #5 is now in production! Blade #5 has the same surface area as the Epic Mid. It has less twist than the Epic but more depth. The lip is more pronounced with twist just in the forward edge but not the trailing edge. It was designed to behave close to a high twist blade and yet have more stability in rough water. It was designed for rough water Surf Ski events. It should be ordered about 5 cm shorter than other wings as it wants a steep entry at the catch. If you paddle it in too long a length it will have a noisy entry. These are available in full carbon with a Quick Loc at about 27 ounces or in Kevlar with a plastic lock at about 31 ounces.
JANTEX - The only Jantex blade we carry is the Gamma in small and mid size. The Gamma is a very high twist blade like the Flyer. This blade is a great option for paddlers who find the Flyer or Quickblade's Tiger Claw too large. We use American made shafts on these paddles which shaves off about an ounce from the Jantex shaft. The last one piece 218 mid I put together weighed in at just over 22 ounces! The first 210 -220 mid adjustable I put together only weighed 25.6 ounces! We can custom build a adjustable shaft with a 10cm range of adjustment using a insert and the new "Quick Loc" adjuster but it will add about 2 ounces to the final weight. The one piece kits require some sanding to fit - However if you know what length paddle you want let us know and we will cut, sand and prefit the shaft & blades so all you have to do is glue it together. (We can even do the glue work for you but shipping on a one piece paddle is an extra $75.00 because of the length).
SRS (Simon River Sports) is a company based in Canada. They are best known by the Adventure racing crowd. The blade comes in 2 sizes - small (JR) and mid. The adjuster is the same one we use on the Jantex paddles. These wings have very little "twist" in the blade which makes them a lot more stable for first time wing users. It is also proving popular with the sea kayak crowd and light weight paddlers who are enjoying one of the few JR size blades on the market. The new X-Wing is mainly for the adventure racers how paddle all sorts of weird stuff. For example the 3 piece paddle will adjust from 200 cm to 250 cm! This allows the racer to use it short in a skinny kayak or long sitting up high in a canoe - weird but the only wing will do it. Also for the adventure racer is the 5 piece version which is less than 23 inches long when broken down and fits easy into a backpack. The 5 piece comes with its own mesh bag so you don't lose any of the 5 parts. Also our price includes the shipping charges and fees to get the blades here from Canada. If you live in Canada you should order direct and save about $30.00
Speedwing is out of New Zealand. We only carry one model - the S-2000. This paddle is very similar to the medium SRS (it even looks the same). It has very little "twist" in the blade. It only comes in a adjustable shaft with a size range from 210 - 220cm. The adjuster has a little arrow that points to the amount of feather you want but is only calibrated for right hand adjustment from 60 to 90 degrees - it will adjust to any degree(left or right) but it is not marked for other than 60 to 90. I rate this the second best adjuster on the market(if you paddle right hand between 60 and 90 degrees). This paddle has a carbon/plastic injected blade with a carbon fiber shaft. As a result it weighs a few ounces more than the Barton "Hybrid". If you are worried about breaking your wing in a rough river or going through the surf this would be your best choice. It has a round shaft but is indexed on the right side with a insert which gives a "oval" feel for your right hand. The best thing about this wing is the price. It is only $229.00 which makes it one of the most affordable adjustable wings on the market.
USA shipping costs are:
Less than $50.00 = $5.00
Less than $100.00 = $7.50
Less than $200.00 = $10.00
More than $200.00 = $15.00
Flyer Hybird #3 (touring/ small) 1 piece kit $229.00 (24.4
oz)
Speedwing S-2000 2 piece Adjustable 210-220cm $229.00 (35.2
oz)
Kevlar Flyer #3 plastic lock 198 - 210cm $279.00
Kevlar Flyer #3 plastic lock 203 - 215cm $279.00
Kevlar Flyer #4 plastic lock 207 - 220cm $279.00
Kevlar Flyer mid #5 plastic lock 205-215cm $279.00
Kevlar Flyer mid #5 plastic lock 210-220cm $279.00
Graphite Flyer #4 1 piece kit $279.00
Graphite Flyer #5 1 piece kit $279.00
Kevlar Flyer #8 plastic lock 207-215cm $299.00
Kevlar Flyer #8 plastic lock 213-225cm $299.00
Graphite Flyer #8 1 piece kit $299.00 (27.1 oz)
Flyer Hybird #3 (touring/ small) "QuickLoc" 205 -
215cm $299.00
Used Epic mid carbon 1 piece 211cm (Not Chinese) $349.00 - (local pick up only)
Graphite Flyer #8 (older plastic style adjuster)
205-216cm $359.00
Graphite Flyer #8 (older plastic style adjuster)
211-223cm $359.00
Graphite Flyer #4 "Quick Loc" 210-220cm
$359.00
Graphite Flyer #4 "Quick Loc" 215-225cm
$359.00
Graphite Flyer mid #5 "Quick Loc" 200-210cm
$359.00
Graphite Flyer mid #5 "Quick Loc" 205-215cm
$359.00
Graphite Flyer mid #5 "Quick Loc" 210-220cm
$359.00
Jantex small carbon 1 piece kit $369.00
Graphite Flyer #8 "Quick Loc" 210-220cm
$379.00
Graphite Flyer #8 "Quick Loc" 215-225cm
$379.00
Jantex midsize carbon 1 piece kit $399.00
SRS X-Wing Graphite mid 3 piece adjustable 200-250cm $399.00
SRS X-Wing Graphite mid 5 piece lots of adjustment! $399.00
JANTEX Mid carbon 205 -215 Adjustable "Quick Loc" Shaft
$444.00
JANTEX Mid carbon 210 - 220 Adjustable "Quick Loc" Shaft
$444.00 (only 25.6 ounces!)
JANTEX Mid carbon 215 - 225 Adjustable "Quick Loc" Shaft
$444.00
Paddle Bag Special - If you buy any
adjustable wing paddle you can get our top line foam padded paddle bag for
only $29.95 as this will allow us to ship it in the bag intead of a box.
This saves us $ as the new USPS shipping rates are killing us.
Other Cool Stuff:
Our
2 piece paddle bag has a nylon outer shell, closed cell foam padding, a
water resistant interior, a really big zipper, web handle and shoulder strap.
It can accommodate most breakapart wings and works great for leaving your
paddle behind the front seat of your pick up truck. It sells for $59.50
Foam seat Padz $18.50 These dual density foam (3/8 inch thick) pads
peel and stick on to your composite seat - train longer!
We
also have a 1 inch dual density peel and stick seat pad that sells for $25.95
This seat pad will need cutting to fit the small sprint boat seats. It is
very comfortable for marathons but even better - it will raise your height
a bit in a Sea Kayak giving you a cleaner stroke.
Paddling
Gloves $19.95 These have a fully covered thumb & exposed finger tips
- order 1 size larger than normal - remember to include your size in the
"comments" at the end of your check out.
FastKayak Neoprene Eyeglass Straps $3.50
Tie down straps with nylon pad
8' $12.50 per pair&
12' $15.95 per pair
$19.95 Sprint kayaking book
$10.95
Great for long distance events or to increase the diameter of a paddle
shaft. These come with a peel and stick backing (remember to cover the
foam on your non-control side with a plastic (electric) tape to avoid sawing
into your skin.
$29.95
$29.95
$38.50 These come as a set with a long slender bag for the stern and a
short skinny inflatable bag with a long enough fill hose to fit it in front
of your foot board.
Deck Bungee kit with hardware. Make a place for your lifejacket when
you race! $12.50
Peel and Stick Deck Bungee kit "Lash its" for use on smooth
hulls only! $17.50
